CHAPTER 167

CHAPTER 167

SELENE

Morgana stared at me for a long, unreadable moment, her emerald eyes narrowing like she was calculating exactly how much trouble we were worth.

Then she let out a long, theatrical sigh that suggested we’d collectively shaved ten years off her already ancient life.

“Fine,” she grumbled, sounding like the words physically pained her.

“A little celebration won’t kill me in my home. Probably.”

A beat.

Morgana hesitated.

For a moment, she stood frozen, staring at the open doorway as though inviting a vampire into her home was a decision that might personally offend every ancestor she'd ever had.

It was almost amusing—after centuries spent battling monsters, casting dangerous spells, and facing impossible odds without hesitation, the one thing that seemed to leave the fearless witch uncertain was willingly letting a vampire cross her threshold.

Her eyes flicked toward Darius.

Then toward the cottage.

Then back toward Darius.

The internal battle was obvious.

Finally, she released a long, suffering breath—as if allowing him inside was a personal sacrifice she would never recover from.

With a sharp turn, she walked back toward the cottage.

She didn't say come in.

She didn't say you're welcome.

She simply opened the door and disappeared inside.

Xander watched her go, amused.

"That," he said, "is the warmest invitation you're ever going to get from Morgana."

Darius raised an eyebrow.

"So... pretending she isn't inviting us is her version of hospitality?"

"Exactly."

I smiled.

"She's trying."

"She's failing," Roxy added.

"She's trying while failing," I corrected.

"Which is basically her entire personality."

From somewhere inside the cottage came Morgana's voice.

"I CAN STILL HEAR YOU."

Roxy didn't miss a beat.

"We know."

"...And?"

"We love you too."

A loud crash echoed from inside the cottage.

Xander winced.

"...I think she just threw a something at the wall."

Before I could respond, Darius leaned closer.

His fingers brushed my waist as he pressed a soft kiss against my neck, the gesture so gentle it sent warmth rushing through me.

His lips lingered for a moment before he whispered against my skin.

"I wish you hadn't offered her tea."

I turned my head slightly.

"Why?"

His voice dropped lower, amusement curling through every word.

"We could've been back at the castle by now."

A pause.

"Alone. Naked"

Another pause.

"Having a much more enjoyable celebration."

My cheeks warmed.

"Darius."

"What?"

"You are impossible."

"I'm a vampire. It's practically expected."

I opened my mouth to reply, but before I could—

"SELENE! HURRY UP AND MAKE THE DAMN TEA!"

Morgana's voice echoed from inside the cottage.

We all froze.

She appeared in the doorway, arms crossed, glaring directly at Darius.

"Or don't," she added.

"You can always crawl back to whichever dark hole you all crawled out of."

Darius stared at her.

Then slowly smiled.

"The dark hole comment is interesting."

Morgana narrowed her eyes.

"Don't."

"It's actually a very impressive castle."

"Oh, here we go."

"Massive towers. Ancient halls. Beautiful architecture."

"Are you done?"

"I was simply clarifying that I did not crawl out of a hole."

The corner of his mouth twitched.

"Although I appreciate your concern."

Morgana's expression remained completely unimpressed.

"Show off one more time and I'll show you the basement."

Darius's eyebrow lifted.

"The basement?"

"Yes."

"Is that supposed to scare me?"

"It should. You'd be surprised what I keep down there."

A slow smile spread across his face.

"Wait. Does the basement have restraints?"

Morgana blinked.

"...What?"

He shrugged.

"I'm just asking."

Roxy immediately rolled her eyes.

Xander looked away, shoulders shaking.

"If there are restraints," he said thoughtfully,

"and if Selene is coming down with me..."

He nodded.

"I'd definitely like to see it."

Morgana stared at us like she was genuinely reconsidering every decision that had led her to this exact moment.

"I invited vampires into my home for five minutes," she muttered, rubbing her temples.

"Five minutes. And somehow, somehow, it has become more unbearable than the actual apocalypse."

Her eyes slowly shifted to Darius.

"Can you stop thinking with your dick for one second?" she snapped.

"I have survived curses, wars, and ancient demons... but apparently this is how I finally meet my end."

She shuddered dramatically.

"I swear, if you keep going, I'm going to throw up, and make you clean up vampire-induced nausea from my own floor."

I tried not to laugh.

Failed.

Morgana pointed at all me.

"Tea."

Her voice became dangerously calm.

"Make the damn tea."

Then she pointed at Darius.

"And you."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Me?"

"Yes, you."

"What about me?"

"Stop looking so pleased with yourself."

"I wasn't aware I was."

"You look like a cat that stole cream."

"I don't know what that means."

"It means I'm going to regret letting you through my door."

Darius smiled.

"Yet you did."

Morgana's eye twitched.

"One day, vampire..."

She disappeared back inside.

"...one day I will find a spell that makes you less annoying."

Darius looked at me.

"Do you think she likes me?"

I smiled.

"I think that was her version of a welcome hug."

From inside the cottage, Morgana shouted—

"I HEARD THAT!"

Darius's smile widened.

"Definitely likes me."

"Definitely hates you," Xander corrected.

"Same thing, coming from her," Roxy said.

And somehow...

That was exactly why we all followed the grumpy witch inside.

Darius’s hand found mine again, as
we followed her inside, where the cottage was somehow even stranger than before.

Shelves groaned beneath jars filled with glowing herbs, dried flowers hung upside down from wooden beams, and dozens of candles flickered despite there being no breeze.

Midnight remained curled on the back of Morgana's chair, watching us with the judgment of someone who paid taxes.

I reached for the kettle.

"Selene." Roxy began

"What?"

"We don't actually drink tea. You know that right"

She pointed between the three vampires.

"We're kind of missing the necessary plumbing for tea appreciation."

"Oh."

"But..." A mischievous grin spread across her face.

"I always come prepared."

She swung her backpack off one shoulder and rummaged through it dramatically.

After several seconds of digging, Selene pulled out three dark glass bottles.

She tossed one to Darius.

Another to Xander.

Then kept one for herself.

"Here."

Darius caught his without looking.

"Since we're all still breathing and the bond hasn't exploded yet, I thought I’d bring some proper vampire refreshments—nothing like a little blood to celebrate surviving another day."

She glanced toward Morgana.

"None of that weak witch tea nonsense."

Morgana didn't even look up from the armchair she'd claimed.

Midnight lay sprawled across her lap, purring loudly while she lazily stroked his ears.

"You vampires are revolting," she said flatly.

Roxy placed a hand over her chest.

"I'm hurt."

"You live on blood like oversized mosquitoes."

"We prefer 'apex predators.'"

"I prefer parasites."

"That's rude."

"It's accurate."

Roxy leaned over to inspect the bottle.

“…I think this is O negative?”

I gasped.

“You can tell by the smell?”

“No.”

“I read the label.”

“Oh.”

Xander snorted.

“I was briefly impressed.”

“I was just trying to sound cool,” I muttered.

“You failed miserably,” Xander teased with a grin.

Morgana watched them with open disgust, her lip curling as if she’d just smelled something rotten.

“You're drinking from bottles?” she scoffed, voice dripping with contempt.

"They're recyclable."

“How very considerate of you. How noble. I’m almost moved to tears that you didn’t drag some poor screaming human in here to feed off like the parasites you are.”

Darius arched a dark eyebrow, his expression cool and utterly unbothered as he took a slow sip from his glass.

“Careful, Morgana,” he drawled, a lazy, sarcastic smile tugging at his lips.

“Keep talking like that and someone might think you actually care about humans. We both know that would ruin your carefully cultivated reputation as a bitter old hag who hates everything with a pulse.”

Morgana’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

Darius simply raised his glass in a mocking toast.

“To consideration.”

Morgana closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, looking like she was praying for patience that had abandoned her centuries ago.

“I need stronger curses,” she muttered.

“Much stronger.”

Roxy’s grin grew wider, positively gleeful.

“Oh, Morgana…”

“No.”

“You’re just jealous because no one’s ever offered you a nice, warm vein,” Roxy teased, batting her lashes innocently.

Morgana’s eyes snapped open, sharp as daggers.

“Jealous?” she repeated, voice dripping with acid sarcasm.

“Jealous?” she repeated, voice dripping with acid sarcasm.

“Please. I’d rather shove a silver stake up my own ass than drink human blood. Honestly, the idea of sinking my teeth into pathetic living humans makes my stomach churn. The only thing I envy is the poor fool who has to put up with your endless yapping for eternity—at least they’d have a reason to scream.”

She turned her glare on me, jabbing a finger toward the kitchen.

“Selene. Make the damn tea before I change my mind about this entire ridiculous celebration."