Page 43 of Rise of the Queen
“What about your youngest sister?”
“She’s not much better, although she hasn’t gotten married yet. That’s mostly because she has a very loud reputation for being very easy. She’s slept her way through the entire town we grew up in. She moved to a larger city, trying to increase her chances of finding a husband. I think she only increased the number of STDs she has.”
I couldn’t keep from laughing. “I’m sorry. That’s not funny. I shouldn’t laugh at that.”
“Oh no, you can laugh. She brought it on herself. Nobody forced her to be a slut,” he said, very matter-of-factly.
I giggled again. “I used to always wonder what it would be like to have a brother or sister. I think after hearing this, I would’ve preferred brothers. You guys are much better to deal with than that.”
“It’s why I took so long to warm up to you. I was waiting for you to turn mean,” he said.
“That’s heart-breaking. I know I pick on all of you, but I don’t want to be a dick about it,” I said.
“You’re not. There’s a very big difference in picking on things that people do versus picking on who someone is. You never pick at things we can’t change about ourselves, which means it’s always coming from a good place with you. My sisters would pick on who I am as a person, just because I’m different than they are. Huge difference.”
“I’m secretly glad you don’t talk to your sisters very much because it means I’ll never have to meet them. I don’t know if I could keep myself from beating them senseless.”
He laughed. “Well …”
“Uh oh.”
“They’ve been talking about coming for a visit. It hasn’t happened yet, but there’s a chance. My youngest sister apparently hasn’t finished her STD collection. She’s trying to get a full set, so she needs new partners.”
“Is she cute? I could hook her up with Max.”
He laughed loudly at that idea. “Seph, you’re just the best,” he said, hugging my shoulders and kissing my cheek.
“I don’t know about that, but I do know that your sisters were very wrong about you,” I said, putting Stephen to work washing a few dishes I’d dirtied.
“On some level, I know that too. There’s …” Instead of completing his thought, he paused. He was quiet for long enough that I knew he wasn’t going to finish.
“I know there’s more, Stephen. You don’t ever have to tell me. I know you’re struggling, but I won’t pry and I won’t fish. You know the best way to conquer your demons, Yoden?” He shook his head no. He was still facing away from me, his shoulders slightly slumped. I knew this was difficult for him. “It’s to stop fighting them and make friends with them. They have no power over you that way. The more you try to ignore the monster you’retrying to keep locked away, the bigger and stronger it grows. You have to make friends with it before it consumes you.”
I went back to what I was doing, not wanting to force him to talk any more than he wanted to. I heard him turn the water in the sink off, then he dried his hands, tossing the towel back on the counter. I felt his hand on my arm as he gently turned me around, then he pulled me against him so tightly, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to breathe. I heard him sniffle a few times. I kept my arms around him just as tightly and would do so for as long as he needed.
“I’ll be right here the whole time, Stephen. You don’t have to face it alone.”
I thought there was no way he could hold me any tighter, but I was wrong. I was so wrong. I knew he was struggling, but I didn’t realize it was this much. I heard him inhale sharply, like he was choking back sobs and my heart just hurt for him.
“I love you, Yoden. And as much as whatever you went through sucked and still sucks, it made you into my absolute favorite vampire of all time. Without you, no one would know what enabling is,” I said, trying to sound serious, but unable to hide my smile.
He laughed and his grip on me loosened. He wiped his eyes before he let me go completely. “I didn’t realize how much I needed that, Seph. I still don’t understand how you do it, but please never stop.”
“Can’t stop, won’t stop,” I said, grinning at him, which made him laugh again. “Now come here, I could use extra hands for this part.”
Stephen’s phone beeped while we were waiting for the cookies to come out of the oven. “Henry will be here tonight. Viktor said Boss wants you at the meeting, so whatever we’re doing needs to be finished by six.”
“He’s very bossy today,” I said, crossing my arms across my chest.
Stephen pretended like he was typing a reply to Viktor. “Sephie says you’re not the boss of her and you can suck it. Send.”
I laughed. “Even with your lightning-fast vampire thumbs, I could see you weren’t even touching the screen. He’s always so sweet about ordering dinner when I need a break, but I seriously think it makes him grumpy when I don’t cook.”
“Um, I thought that one was obvious, Seph. Everyone knows he hates it when you don’t cook. He’s just so nice that he’ll never admit it.”
The timer for the oven went off. “He’ll be happy when he sees whatever we’re doing completed by six, then,” I said, pulling the cookies out of the oven. “The question is, though, should we take one to him before the meeting or make him wait until we’re done for the day to come back up here and find them?”
“Option three, I think,” he said.