“Have saved your ass more than once. Please, don’t judge the rest of us by Marcellus.” Percival appears beside him, and his eyes widen. It’s then that I remember how much my cousin favors Mémé. “I’m Percival.”
She holds out her hand. “Felicitie.”
“A beautiful name for a beautiful woman.” He brings her hand to his lips, and I swear I see stars fill both their eyes.
“We’re going to shower, and we’ll be back.”
“That’s a nice image.” Rene walks up, grinning.
“This rogue is Rene, Fel.”
She blinks. “Nice to meet yo
u.” They shake hands.
“Where’s everyone else?”
“Ruby and Ada are out on a girls’ night with Gile as back up. Cristobal and Luz are off for business, and Miles is doing some research in the library.”
“He was. Did I hear your cousin is here?” Miles asks. His brown eyes are warm and welcoming.
“News travels fast here,” Fel says.
“You’ve no idea,” Rene mutters, rolling his brown eyes in mock exasperation.
“I miss something?”
“I think the question is did we?” Marcellus eyes us carefully.
“I think so. We’re going to get cleaned up.”
“I’ll see if I can get an ETA for the others.”
“Thank you.” Marcellus nods, and I guide Fel up to my room.
“What was up with you and Marcellus?”
“We’re still learning not to hate each other. Every family has their problems.”
“You said family,” Fel says.
I close the door to my room behind me. “Shit.”
She laughs. “You’re a roasted marshmallow ... hard shell on the outside, soft on the inside.”
“Shut it.”
“Truth hurt, cuz?”
“Do you want a change of clothes?”
“Threat will only make me believe I’m right.”
“You have no clue what it’s like having someone else’s history and emotions in your head. It blurs shit. I don’t like Marcellus. We never saw eye to eye, and when I returned he had the gloves off. He’s only decent because I saved his ass with the Dupeux.” I shake my head.
“Every family has an asshole. He’s the Tante Odette.”
I laugh. “Families are difficult, but we stick together. This is the same just … less conventional and more permanent with the eternal life angle.”