“What?” snapped JJ, crossing his arms over his muscular chest. “Since when?”

Charlie raised his brows. “I told you I was dating.”

“Yeah, but…” JJ didn’t finish his sentence.

“But what?”

“You have such bad taste in men, Charlie.”

“Oh, do I now?” He chuckled as if to a private joke. “Well, Patrick and I have gone out three times, and so far he hasn’t even tried to chop me up and put me in his trunk, so he might possibly be a keeper.”

“Don’t be so dramatic,” snarled JJ, leaning both hands on the bar, squaring his body and zeroing in on Charlie. “You know what I’m talking about.”

“You are not going to bring him up again.”

Violet butted in, tossing her rag on the bar, which JJ picked up and put away in the hamper. “Oh, yes, you’re totally bringing him up again. Who are we talking about, JJ? Spill.”

Charlie let out a long theatrical sigh then regaled us with a story about a guy he met and dated from the gym who turned stalker. It was JJ who finally scared the guy off. Yeah, I wondered if these two would ever give their repressed romance a shot.

I tried to focus on the story, laughing too late at all the appropriate parts, my thoughts too fixed on the vampire sitting at the table behind me. I needed to get this guy out of my head. He didn’t even have to be in the room to occupy all of my headspace, and it was making me crazy.

“Did you hear me?” Violet nudged me with her elbow.

I jumped. “No. Sorry. What?”

She glanced at Charlie then over my shoulder before saying, “Come help me get the bowls.”

I followed her over to the back wall of cabinets near the kitchen entrance.

She opened the cabinet and pulled out a few bowls and set them on the counter. “What’s going on with you?”

“Me? Nothing.”

“Something happen at The Green Light last night?”

I shook my head and glanced over my shoulder. Devraj was listening intently to something Mateo was saying, but his gaze flitted to mine like he felt me watching. I spun back to face her.

“Charlie said you want to start dating again.”

Clearing my throat, I took another stack of bowls from her. “Yeah. I think I’m ready.”

“And what’s wrong with Devraj?”

“Violet,” I growled.

“Isadora,” she snapped right back. Then she froze in the middle of handing me another stack of three bowls.

I tugged, but she wouldn’t let go. “Violet, what are you—”

“Well, fuck me sideways. You had sex with him.”

“What?” I whisper-hissed, making sure no one heard her.

She let go of the bowls and tossed her blue-haired head back on a throaty laugh.

I stacked the bowls next to the others, facing the countertop to hide the blush blazing up my neck to my cheeks.

“Damn, Iz. Good for you, girl. Wait, was it not good or something?” She evened out the bowls into two stacks, hip to hip with me.

“God, Violet.” I sighed. “It was the most incredible night of my life.”

“Fucking right.” She bumped her hip to mine. “I’m so proud of you. Gettin’ something for yourself.”

“What does that mean?”

“You’re a giver, Iz. Just like Clara. I’m glad you’re enjoying taking some pleasure for yourself.” She glanced over her shoulder when raucous laughter built up at the bar. “I don’t get it. If it was so good, why not date him?”

“Are you serious? I mean, he’s a Stygorn, Violet. A fancy, famous one who likes to party in Europe and who dances like a sex god. I’m just…me.”

“You’re not just anything.”

“That’s not what I mean. I just don’t see us lasting beyond a hot affair. And he even said we should see each other while he’s in town, which means he sees us as short-term, too.”

Violet stared hard at me, her hand sliding over mine that held the lip of one bowl. “Oh, I see.” Her expression softened. “You really like him, don’t you?”

Something sank inside of me at her soft, true words. Blinking quickly to keep tears from starting, I simply nodded. She stared a bit longer before a tender smile that rarely graced her face finally spread wide.

“Well, if you’re sure you don’t want to pursue him.”

“I’m sure.”

“All right. Then there is a dating app for supernaturals you should try.”

“There is?”

“Yep. I’ve found a couple of hot vampires on Zapp. Oh, and one warlock. He was okay, but a bit tame for me.”

“But I don’t want to date guys like you date,” I said. “No offense.”

“None taken.” Violet waved a hand in the air. “They’d eat you alive. You fill out a profile with your likes/dislikes. They actually matched me pretty well.”

“So why aren’t you still dating any of them? You never even brought one home,” I accused.

“Well, I just wanted one date,” she admitted with a cheeky grin.

Ah. She wanted a hook-up.

“But seriously”—she turned to me—“let me help you with your profile. I’ll have guys lining up at the door.” Her gaze skimmed back over my shoulder, her expression thoughtful.

“Profile for what?” Devraj’s deep voice rumbled behind me.

I spun, a stack of bowls in my hand, rattling at my nervous movement.

“Here,” he said with a smile, “let me help you.” He took the stack. “What profile?” he asked Violet again.

Violet lifted the other bowls, grinning with mischief in her bright blue eyes. I shook my head at her, but she apparently didn’t see me or was completely ignoring me.

“Isadora is finally getting back on the dating horse. It’s been like fucking eons.”

“She is?” he asked, voice rumbling low.

I started walking away before he could shoot an accusing look my way.

“Yeah. I’m going to set her up on Zapp.”

“What’s Zapp?” he asked, voice even but not so friendly.

“Come see, Iz,” she called me over as they set the bowls at the end of the serving table.

I cringed, wishing she’d drop it as I walked over. She seemed not to be aware of my discomfort as she pulled her phone from her back pocket and opened the app on her phone, facing it where he and I both could see since he’d sidled up on my left.

“See? It’s even got boxes where you check which kind of supernaturals you’d like to date.”

I noticed she’d checked the boxes for witches/warlocks, vampires, and even grim reapers. But not werewolves. Of course, Jules didn’t like us socializing with werewolves. Or at least, she hadn’t. Now that Mateo and Evie were practically married and his cousin Nico was a stable part of our nightlife scene at the Cauldron, she’d changed her mind about all werewolves being unstable monsters. They were the only two we knew, though.

“And then there’s the personality questions and so on and so forth.” Violet sucked in a gasping breath and beamed her excited eyes at me. With her hair a vibrant blue, her eyes looked almost purple when she lit up like that. “Oh, Isadora. I know the perfect picture to use for your profile.”

“We can deal with this later,” I said gruffly.

She clicked off the app and winked at me. “Gotcha.”

Devraj hovered close, seeming to want to talk to me, but I kept my gaze purposely averted. I didn’t want to see a look of disappointment or hurt in his eyes. It was for our own good. Or at least mine. I knew myself enough to understand that I couldn’t go further with him without wanting more than he was ready to give me. Or could give me.

“I win!” screamed Livvy, bouncing off the barstool and dancing around in a circle. Then she broke out into the chorus of “Single Ladies” while Finnie buried his head in his hands.

She propped one hand on her curvaceous hip covered in black yoga pants with tiny crystal balls on them. She wore her favorite hot pink tank top with the phrase I’m not bossy, I’m the queen. A tilted crown was etched in the middle with rhinestone jewels. Evie had given it to her last Christmas, and Livvy wore it every chance she could when she wasn’t in work mode. Livvy flicked the fingers of her left hand in the air as she sang.

She finally stopped on a laugh, “Don’t worry, Finnie boy. I’ll be your backup singer.”

“Me too, me too!” said Clara, hopping over to join them. “You have to have two backup singers, Finnie. You can’t have one. Right, Livvy?”

Livvy gave me the wide-eyed oh-no look. I stifled a laugh, easing toward the table next to Evie. Clara’s enthusiasm for singing far outweighed her talent. Livvy then smoothed her face before wrapping an arm around Clara’s shoulders and squeezed her tight. “Of course, he does. We’ll be your dynamic duo backup singers.”

“It’s all right,” Charlie comforted Finnie. “There’s a first time for everything.”

Finnie lifted his head from his hands finally, his face practically purple with his deep blush. “Even wearing drag?”

“Especially wearing drag,” said Charlie, patting Finnie on the head. “Just ask JJ.”

JJ’s scowl deepened, and even through his trim beard, I could see him clenching his jaw.

“JJ!” called Jules from the open doorway of the kitchen. JJ was the official heavy pot carrier in the house, so that meant dinner was ready.

He shoved off the bar and headed for the kitchen.

“Saved by the dinner bell,” Charlie sang.

JJ flipped him off over his shoulder and kept walking. Charlie just laughed.

“Wait! Where’d you come from?” Violet had her hands propped on her hips as she glared at the werewolf across from Mateo. Nico was sitting, pretty as you please.

“From my apartment,” he answered dryly.