by Lea Kirk
She met his gaze again. Somehow, those were the most reassuring words she’d heard in a long time. “Thank you.”
God, he had the most amazing smile. Gentle, caring, with a touch of humor. As if she was important and familiar to him. But, how could that be? Warmth rushed to her cheeks, and she forced herself to look away.
“Um, what about the two men sitting together at the table against the back wall? Are they a couple?”
Mikhail glanced over his shoulder, then turned back chuckling. “They are not a couple. Sheriff Theo is a dragon shifter and Frost…well, Frost is from another planet.”
“Get. Out.” She peeked at the huge man with golden skin and unusual light blue eyes. Those two features alone did seem sort of alien. “I’m starting to feel like I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole.”
Mikhail chuckled. “Before you fall too far, are you ready to order.”
“Yeah.” She glanced around. “Where’s our server?”
Mikhail leaned a fraction closer to her, and she met his gaze. “This is Magic, Donnie. Just speak your order out loud.”
“Just…say it?” That was crazy.
“Like this: One Magic burger, rare, with fries please.”
A faint ding came from the direction of the kitchen. Mikhail raised his eyebrows and nodded once, as though encouraging her to do something.
“Oh, right. French dip with fries, please.” This was weird. “And an ice tea.”
Ding.
“See?” He murmured. “Easy.”
As easy as sitting here with Mikhail, staring into each other’s eyes like a normal couple. That glow in his eyes looked a lot like interest. The tug on her heart now was nothing like when she’d first met him. This was different. Her mind was clear, not confused or fuzzy like it’d been in New York.
“You’re not using your vampire power this time, are you?” If only he’d make some sort of move to kiss her. She could almost imagine what his lips would feel like against hers.
He blinked and moved. Away, not closer. Her heart sank. So much for that idea. She lowered her gaze to find a distraction on the table. Something that would help cover her disappointment. She reached for her water goblet at the same moment Mikhail reached for her. He closed his hand over hers, and for the second time, raised it to his chest. Right over his heart, like he’d done before they’d entered the restaurant.
“Donnie, please look at me.” He paused until she finally met his gaze. “I feel it is only fair that I explain what happened in New York. It was unintentional, and I mismanaged the situation. Now I owe you more than an apology.”
Well, that was true.
“As a vampire, I can sense things that most cannot. When I walked into Beans ’n Things that night, two things happened. First, I was overcome by the fear you projected. It drew me to you instantly and instinctively. Fear made you vulnerable to suggestion, and it had been a while since I had…fed.” He curled his upper lip in an expression of disgust.
“You don’t like drinking blood?” No one made a face like that over something they enjoyed.
He sighed. “In a way, yes. I am not a born vampire, like Charlie. His father is a vampire and his mother, Nonny, is a witch.”
The table vibrated and she startled. “What…?”
A white, oval plate appeared with a steaming French dip sandwich, au jus, and fries. “Well, now, that’s seriously cool. And even my ice tea.” Mikhail’s burger had also materialized. She glanced at the human couple, but they were engaged in a conversation with Dev as the genie refilled their water goblets.
“It is all about timing.” Mikhail grinned and stroked his thumb over her knuckles. That was nice.
She gave herself a mental shake. “So, what was the second thing?”
“The second—” He released her hand, cleared his throat, and stared hard at his food. “It is difficult to explain, but, your blood sang to me.”
She picked up a fry and bit into it. What on earth did that mean? “I don’t get it.”
“Neither do I,” he said. “But I heard a melody of sorts, and still do. That has never happened to me before. All the time I was trying to ensnare you, you had already ensnared me. I had the crazy idea to take you to Central Park in the moonlight. Are you all right?”
No. No, she wasn’t all right. She dropped the half-eaten fry on the plate and narrowed her eyes. “I guess it’s a good thing Mr. Merrick showed up when he did, or I’d have been a lifeless husk found under a bush the next morning.” God, it sucked that she owed her life to that slithering a-hole.
Mikhail stared at her as if she’d slapped him. “I have not drained any being for several centuries.”
“But you have done it.”
“Early on, after I was first turned.” His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “It was a dark time for me, and is my greatest shame. The memory of each soul who sustained me still haunts me.”
The truth of his words brimmed in his dark eyes. She nibbled her bottom lip. “Did you want to be a vampire?”
He tensed and closed his eyes. “No,” he whispered.
Oh, shit.
“You must have been scared.” She sure would’ve been.
“Terrified.” He opened his eyes again. Sorrow shimmered in their depths. “The needs of my body were out of control then. It took almost two decades to learn how to control the blood lust. Since then, I have never taken more than I need and always leave my…donors…alive with no memory of what transpired.”
God, her heart ached for what he’d suffered. “What about when you saw me? Did you want to drain me?” It was a loaded question, but she needed to know the answer.
“No.” That one word carried so much certainty it had to be the truth. “Taste you, yes. But to drain you would have ended your song.” He shuddered as though the thought was too horrible to contemplate.
“Why not?”
“Because there is very little I would not give to be human again. It has been almost four hundred years, yet at times I try to pretend that I still am.”
A gentle air current stirred the tulle. “But, what about living so long? You’ve seen so much, lived through ages that are history to me. You saw it all first hand.”
His fingers brushed over the back of her hand and warmth traveled up her arm. “Believe it or not, Donnie, there are some things in life that are better than immortality.”
Chapter Seven
Mikhail held open the door of the Krazy Kettles for Donnie to exit, then stepped out onto the sidewalk behind her. It was more crowded now than when they had walked into the restaurant, yet still navigable. That would change as the sunset and the night scene in Magic burst to life. As it always did during the summer months.
“What an amazing lunch,” Donnie said. “And the décor was like a medieval fairy land. Seriously magical.”
Yes, it was, all of it. “More magical than you realize. Last week, it was decorated to resemble a sultan’s palace. I have never seen so much orange and gold in one room.”
“No way. They redo it every week?”
“The owner is a witch and can make the changes easily.” Depending on Susanna’s mood.
“Just when I think I’ve heard it all, bam. I get hit with something new,” Donnie muttered.
He motioned in the direction of the pick-up parallel parked at the corner, and she fell into step with him. “It is my sincerest wish that you not hesitate to ask if you have any questions. All of this is a lot to take in, but you are handling it with grace and courage.”
“I’m try….” She stopped, frozen in her tracks.
The scent of her fear rose around him, and he tensed. “Donnie?”
“It feels like someone’s watching us, Mikhail.” Her gaze moved, jumping from one spot to another in search of he-knew-not-what.
He scanned the buildings and street around them, seeking anything out of the ordinary by Magic’s standards. “Do you see anyone?”
Her hand trembled as she reached out and gripped his
arm. Whatever she sensed was real.
“No. But I can feel him,” she said.
He covered her hand and guided her fingers down to lace with his. “Breathe in and out slowly, Donnie. I am here, and will not allow anyone to hurt you.” It would be easier to keep such a promise if he could see the threat. But, even with his enhanced senses, he detected nothing.
Except…. He allowed his gaze to roam the store fronts across the street. At the entrance to Pixie’s Toy Shoppe, his eyes made an involuntary blink, then continued to search on the other side of the doorway. Someone was there, concealed by magic strong enough to divert his gaze.
“A being is concealed in the doorway of the toy store.”
“I…that’s weird. I can’t look at the doorway. My eyes keep moving away.”
“That is the nature of a cloaking spell.” He gave her hand a gentle tug. “Time to go.”
Thirty seconds later, he closed the passenger side door and rounded the vehicle from behind. One last glance confirmed their mysterious stalker had not moved. Peculiar. If it were someone he knew, he would recognize their magical signature. But, this person was a stranger. He could use his vampire speed to try to approach them and determine what sort of being they were. But what if this creature was a decoy sent to lure him away from Donnie? Leaving her unprotected was not an option.
He let himself into the driver’s seat. Good, Donnie already had her seatbelt fastened. But her body language broadcasted her tension.
There was little he could do about that other than give her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Are you okay?”
“I think I’ve had enough for one day,” she said softly. “Can we go back to the cottage now?”
That was the best course of action. At least at the Carsons’, she would be safe under the protection of Nonny’s spells.
“Of course.”
~*~
Mikhail checked the noodles boiling in the pot, then went back to shredding the cheese. How long had it been since he had last cooked dinner for anyone other than himself? Years? Decades? Baking a whole lasagna for two people was ambitious, but on the way home Donnie had perked up at his suggestion. Besides, it kept him busy while she napped.
She had been ready to drop by the time they arrived home. Between all the new information she had to process atop her arduous journey from New York, she deserved the rest. Needed the rest, in truth. She had made it as far as the living room before lying down on the couch and falling asleep. He had draped her in a blanket and let her softly snore the afternoon away. Not even the noises he made in the kitchen had disturbed her.
The timer chimed and he drained the noodles, then began the layering process. Noodles, spinach, meat, cheese, repeat. Hopefully it would not upset Donnie that he had checked in with Charlie right after she fell asleep. Necessity dictated that he warn his friend about the possibility of Ash turning up. It was only a matter of time before the treacherous snake tracked her here. Nonny’s magic made the Carsons’ home the safest place for Donnie to hide.
He placed the lasagna in the oven. The salad was made, table on the patio set, wine chilling. His final task was to put the garlic bread into the oven in fifteen minutes. Once that was taken care of, he would waken Donnie.
Twenty minutes later, he sat on the coffee table staring down at her lovely face. Curses, he did not have the heart to disturb her. Her full lips were slightly parted and her dark lashes brushed the pale skin under her eyes. She was the epitome of peaceful slumber. Waking her would be sin. His gaze drifted to her neck. It had been almost a week since—
Donnie’s eyelids fluttered. “Something smells wonderful.”
Mikhail jerked his attention back to the present, and found her hazel eyes focused on him. Curses. The song of Donnie’s blood had grown stronger. Drawing him in. He was a beast for desiring something from her she had not offered freely. There was a bag of blood in the freezer, thanks to Charlie. His friend had given him all that was necessary to heal. Donnie needed help, not to be tormented by a self-serving vampire.
He swallowed back against the guilt clogging his throat. “I did not wish to wake you, you appeared so relaxed.”
“And let me miss dinner?” She laughed, the soft, delightful sound warming him.
“You have enough time to freshen up, should you wish.”
Her frown set off warning bells in his mind. Was she insulted? He had not meant to insinuate that she looked or smelled bad. Nothing was further from the truth. The sleep-tussled look on her was sexy, but, of course, he dared not tell her. She might suspect he was interested in only one thing. He would be lying to himself if he denied he had fantasized kissing her, long and slow, all over. All night.
“Do you think the person watching us today was Mr. Mer—Ash?”
The sound of the snake’s name from her lips chilled his skin as quickly as a bucket of ice water. He must take care not to read too much into their relationship. He gave his head a solemn shake. “Absolutely not.”
“Why not?”
“I know Ash’s brand of magic.” Better than he had ever wanted. “There is a self-serving element in it. I know that must sound obscure to you, but I can explain it no other way. The person in the doorway had none of that. He was a stranger to me. Had we crossed paths before, I would have recognized him.” Or her. There was no way to know that either.
Donnie nodded, but there was doubt in her expression. “I can’t say I understand, but I…trust you.”
An enormous step for a woman who had been clutching the door handle of the truck ten hours ago, ready to bail out if he made a wrong move, or uttered a wrong word.
“Thank you, Donnie. I shall never betray your trust.” He took one of her hands between his and held her gaze. “As long as I live and breathe, Ash will not touch you.”
~*~
Donnie dabbed her face dry with a hand towel in the half-bath off the laundry room. Her hands trembled. Had it been her imagination, or had Mikhail been staring at her neck when she woke up? No, he’d given his word. This was no different than a man staring at a beautiful woman. Appreciation, that’s all.
A small sigh escaped her as she leaned over to rinse her mouth.
Mikhail had sounded so serious when he’d sworn to protect her from Ash. He struck her as a man of honor. He had more honor than she did, that was for sure. She suppressed a snort. How was she going to tell him that she was nothing more than a thief? That Carnwennan belonged to Ash, and he had every right to come after her and reclaim his property?
She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Coloring her hair blonde had seemed like such a great idea, yet it hadn’t stopped Ash from finding her. Mikhail said the person watching them in town wasn’t Ash, and there was no reason not to believe him. That didn’t mean Ash wasn’t looking for her, though. Maybe his witch was scrying for her right now. Bottom line, disguises were useless. It was time to be herself again. To stop hiding. To face her fears.
And face Mikhail.
She squared her shoulders and marched back to the kitchen. “I need to go to the drug store.”
Mikhail worked the cork opener into the neck of a wine bottle on the counter. “This is a small town, Donnie. Most everything closes by nine, and it is after eight now.”
So much for that idea. There wasn’t enough time to eat and get to the store before it closed. “That’s okay. I wanted to pick up a box of hair color, something closer to my natural color. But, it can wait until tomorrow.”
He eased the cork out and it made a soft pop. Then he set the bottle aside, reached into a cabinet, and pulled out a small box and handed it to her. “Will medium-brown work?”
“What? How?” She turned the box to the side panel. It was medium-brown.
“Nonny anticipated you would want to redo your hair at some point. I thought she was crazy, but I should know better than to second guess a witch.”
A small laugh bubbled up, and she gave her head a shake. “This is the weirdest town ever, but I think I’m falling i
n love with the people in it.”
“They are…unique,” Mikhail said with a pleased smile. “Dinner is on the patio table. Shall we?”
He picked up the wine bottle, indicated toward the door with his other hand and executed a little bow. When she stepped out onto the flagstone patio, she let out a sigh. The cottage’s small patio was lit by the glow of strategically placed candles. Lasagna steamed in the center of a mosaic bistro table set for two. In the corner, a gargoyle fountain bubbled into a tiny pool. He had been busy while she was crashed out on the couch.
And now he was holding her seat. “You have an old romantic soul, don’t you?” She lowered herself into the chair.
He poured a small splash of red wine in her glass. “Is this to your liking, mademoiselle?”
There had to be more to his action than met the eye. Was this his way of letting her call the shots? She picked up her glass, sniffed, and sipped. The dry oaken flavor with a hint of smokiness sat on her tongue for a moment, then she swallowed. “Perfect.”
“Excellent.” He filled both their glasses, then sat across the round bistro table from her.
Once served, she dug into the lasagna. Oozing with gooey cheese, the same way her mom made it. God, she loved lasagna. A low moan rolled through her. “This is delicious, Mikhail. Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” he said. “I am relieved it is edible. It has been a long time since I have cooked anything from scratch.”
Seriously? He must be a natural in the kitchen, then. She studied him. “May I ask you a personal question?”
“I am three hundred ninety-seven years old,” he said. “I have been a vampire for three hundred seventy-seven of those years.”
Three hundred seventy-seven years? That meant he’d been born in…the sixteen hundreds. “Um, how did you know what I was going to ask?”
One corner of his mouth twitched upward. “It is a natural curiosity. You are not the first person to ask me that question.”
A soft snort escaped her. “Probably not. Sorry.”
“No need to apologize.” He took a sip of wine.
