Eden's Playground: Graystone Academy Book One, BE Kelly [good short books .TXT] 📗

awfully quiet,” she accused. “You can read minds, obviously,” she said pointing at Anson, “since you read my mind earlier in my dorm room. What else can the two of you do? Are you having a private conversation and not including me?” she asked.

“No,” they said in unison. She stared them down, letting them both know that she didn’t believe a word they were saying and Duff knew that Anson was going to cave.

Don’t do it, Brother, Duff warned. Anson sighed and shook his head.

“Yes,” he admitted. “We can communicate with each other telepathically.”

“I’m assuming you aren’t warlocks, since you aren’t in Graystone Manor with the rest of the witches and warlocks,” she assessed.

“We’re wolf shifters,” Duff proudly boasted, even puffing out his chest some for good measure.

Eden giggled, “Well, that explains your size and all the muscles,” she said, looking him over.

“Thanks for noticing,” Duff said. He winked at her and she laughed, shaking her head at him.

“You really are something,” she breathed. “Do you have a modest bone in your body, Duff?” she asked.

“Modesty isn’t in his wheelhouse,” Anson chided. “My brother doesn’t know how to be humble and modesty flew out the window when we were just pups.”

“I can’t help that I’m confident,” Duff said. “Women like confidence in a man, right?” he asked Eden.

She shrugged, “Sure, as long as it’s laced with a hint of humility,” she insisted. They walked down the hill to the dining hall and Anson held the door for Eden, “After you,” he insisted.

“Thank you,” she breathed, brushing past the both of them.

God, she smells as good as she looks, Duff thought. Anson nodded at him and smiled, following her into the dining hall. The place was pretty empty tonight. Most students would be going out for one last meal with their parents since it was move in day.

“I thought their would be more students here,” Eden admitted.

“It’s usually pretty empty in here on move in day. Students go out with their parents for dinner, to say their goodbyes,” Anson said. “Did your parents leave early?” he asked. Duff shot him a look and he shrugged.

“My parents didn’t bring me up here,” she said. “My mother’s car broke down and she’ll bring my stuff up when she can get it looked at. My parents are divorced and my dad—well, he was too busy to help me move in. He did what he’s good at—transferred money into my account.”

“I’m sorry,” Duff breathed. “If it makes you feel any better, our father couldn’t make it either. Well, we bought our townhouse and had to move in a week ago, but he was too busy to help out.”

“What about your mom?” she asked. Duff could feel Anson’s sadness at the mention of their mother.

“Mum died two years ago,” Duff answered. Anson still didn’t like to talk about their mother’s death. He was with her when she passed but Duff was off on a hunt with their father. He still felt guilty for not staying home with Anson that day. He knew that their mother’s health was failing, but he agreed to go on a hunting trip with his father and made some lame excuse about needing a break from the despair and sadness that surrounded them since their mum became ill.

“Oh—I’m sorry,” Eden breathed.

Anson handed her a tray and they got their food and sat at one of the empty tables; Eden sitting on one side of the table and he and Anson on the other side. “Your father must be proud that you’re following in his footsteps and attending Graystone,” Duff said, trying to break the silence that felt like a great divide down the center of the table.

Eden shrugged, “I guess. He’s been hounding me for the past year to give up my gap year and sign up for classes. I was hoping to have a second year of freedom, but he put his foot down after my first year was up and told me that he got me accepted and that I’d be attending this fall. Really, he left me no choice, so I guess you can say he was pushy more than proud. I don’t know if my father has ever been proud of me, really,” she admitted.

Sounds a lot like father, Anson thought. Duff nodded and realized that Eden was watching them both again.

“You two really need to stop doing that,” she said. “I’m starting to feel left out when you have your private conversations.”

“Sorry,” Anson said. “I was just thinking that your father sounds a lot like our father.”

“How so?” she asked.

“Our father attended here and he didn’t give us much choice as to going elsewhere for school,” Duff said. He couldn’t believe that she didn’t seem to have any clue who their father was.

“You honestly have no idea who our father is, do you?” Anson asked.

“Should I?” she asked. She looked between the two of them, waiting them out.

“You’ve never heard of the Graystone/Kirkpatrick feud?” Duff asked.

“No,” she breathed. She giggled to herself and Anson smiled.

“She’s wondering if she’s having dinner with the enemy,” he said, filling Duff in on her thoughts.

“Anson,” she squeaked. “Stay out of my damn thoughts.”

“That won’t happen, Princess. Anson has a problem with boundaries,” Duff said. Anson smiled and shrugged, “He’s not wrong.”

“So, am I having dinner with the enemy? Should we be dueling or something sinister?” she teased.

“I think we can get through dinner first—then we can talk about a duel to the death,” Anson teased. Duff liked seeing his brother like this—carefree and even flirting with the sexy witch. Anson was always so serious, especially since finding that girl dead in the woods.

“Tell me, why do our families dislike each other?” she asked. “I’m betting it has something to do with my father’s over inflated ego getting in the way of a friendship.”

“It was a woman who caused the rift between our families, actually,” Duff admitted. “Our father was in love with your aunt,” he said.

“My aunt?” she asked.

“Yes—your father’s sister,