Page 74 of The Order of the Bitter Hunt

“Yes.” I grab the first black dress I touch. “That. Don’t do that.”

“And why shouldn’t I? I thought it was nothing. There should be nothing to tell…”

I set out the ironing board, smoothing my dress out on it. Technically, there’s nothing noteworthy to tell Tobey. There were no confessions of feelings and not even a single kiss. But I can’t lie anymore and say it was nothing.

We shared a bed, I tasted him, and when he let me take a drink… that wassomething. It was intimate. It awakened a connection with him. I can still remember his scent, his taste, and his feelings flowing into me.

If I try hard enough, I can feel him now, and I hope the link only goes one way. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.

It must be a demon thing.

Tobey doesn’t need to know those things, either. They’re usually the first person I tell about my love life… but when it’s Jun? Absolutely not.

Wanting him this badly is embarrassing, after years of complaining about him.

“We slept in the same bed.” I iron my dress as a distraction, not looking at them as I speak. “But, as I said, it was nothing. We happened to fall asleep there. No big deal.”

That wasn’t how it felt. He lifted me into his solid arms, and when he dropped me on the bed, I thought somethingwouldhappen. Instead, he held me. That’s all. It was more intimate than anything I could have imagined.

I shake my head, clearing the memories.

“That is abig deal.” they say. “Huge!”

This is why I can’t tell Tobey anything. They’re already taking one piece of information and running a mile with it.

“You and I have shared a bed a hundred times. We didn’t do anything else.” I lift my head and look at them, grimacing. “Well… fine. That’s not strictly true. I fed from him.”

Tobey doesn’t need to know anything else. Explaining how I dry-humped his leg until I came is… no—not happening.

Their eyes widen. “You what? Did you like it? Didhelike it?”

“I don’t know. No? Yes. I mean—no, absolutely not. It was a teammate helping another teammate. That’s what he said. Survival, not pleasure.”

His moaning into my ear said otherwise.

“You said it’s an intimate act.”

“Not this time.”

“But you’re blushing.” Tobey stands up. “I’veneverseen you blush before. I didn’t know you could.”

My cheeksarewarm, thanks to Jun’s demonic blood.

“I’m not.” I raise my voice. “And I can’t. Nothing happened, and I’m not blushing. Ifsomethinghappened—and it didn’t—it doesn’t matter because when I woke up in the morning, he was gone.”

Their smile fades. “Oh, Margaux…”

“Don’t.” I lift a hand to stop them. “I’m getting dressed, going to class, and having a perfectly normal day. Because this is all normal. Nothing happened. Do you understand?”

“I get it.”

“Great. Thank you.”

I returnmy father’s call on the way to my first class. At least he won’t pester me like Tobey did—though I’m not keen to talk to either of my parents right now. In their eyes, our dinner ended well. But for me, it was stressful. I need a break.

That’s normal, right?

Or itwouldbe in another family. Space. Boundaries. Too bad nothing about my family is normal.