Page 29 of Rising Reign

“Because I saved your life at least three times,” Ender shot back.

“Poe-tay-toe, poe-tah-toe,” Rhys singsonged.

Hera took another step forward, her eyes narrowing on the vampire. “If you are trying to screw us over⁠—”

“I’m not,” he clipped. “I’m here to help.”

“If you’re lying, I’ll turn you into a frog. I can do it,” Hera shot back.

Rhys’s lips twitched. “I love it when you talk dirty to me.”

Her nose wrinkled. “You aren’t my type.”

Rhys straightened his spine, suddenly looking far more affronted at that than at anything else our group had hurled at him. “Because I’m a vampire? Come on. I’ve got that wounded, bad-boy thing going for me. I’m everyone’s type.”

“Not unless you get rid of your dick,” she bit out.

His jaw went slack, surprise lighting his amber eyes. “Oh, well. I guess that’s okay. As long as you know that if you were into dicks, you’d be powerless against my charms.”

“Keep telling yourself that, bloodsucker,” Hera grumbled as she turned to walk out of the entryway.

“You’d be head over heels in love with me,” Rhys called after her.

She just flipped him off.

“She would be,” Rhys muttered.

Ender clapped a hand on his shoulder, turning him toward the back doors. “Come on, you and I need to have a talk.”

“Can Wren come?” Rhys asked hopefully.

“No,” Ender snapped.

“Always such a buzzkill.”

18

ENDER

I kicked my feet out and took a swig from the whiskey bottle before handing it to Rhys. His nose wrinkled as he took it. “You couldn’t be bothered with glasses?”

I sent him a droll look. “I hauled these two chairs out here so your delicate ass wouldn’t have to sit on the ground. Isn’t that enough?”

Rhys let out a huff. “So undignified.” But he swallowed down a shot of whiskey. “At least you had the decency to bring the good stuff.”

“What’s the point in drinking anything else?” I stared out at the forest as the creek bubbled in front of us.

“This is your stewing spot. I recognize it.”

I sent a glare in Rhys’s direction. “Spying on me?”

“Can’t help it,” he muttered. “I’ve gotten partial to you staying alive.”

“I do a pretty damn good job of that, so you can relax.”

“Not lately,” Rhys argued. “There have been a few too many close calls, and you’ve been asking me for too many favors.”

My hackles rose at that. “If you don’t want to help, then don’t.”