“The cookies are cool enough to eat, if you want one. I have them on a plate for you,” Josh declared. “You can eat them in the sitting room, and we can watch TV.” He didn’t need to say more—they ran to the kitchen.
I snapped the door shut and felt my body relax.
He ran his eyes over me. “You alright?”
He could probably still hear my heart beating faster than usual. “Fine. Next time, call out or something to let me know you’re there.”
“Sorry, I honestly thought you’d hear me. I spoke to Billy before I came down.” A smile edged the corner of his lips. “And you were only eight steps in.”
Did I count them out loud? I must have done. Color warmed my cheeks. “I don’t like basements,” I muttered, not wanting to admit it was the dark, though probably from the nightlights Karson had around everyone knew.
“I can see that. The big, tough witch doesn’t like basements,” he teased, wriggling his finger at me.
“Shut up.” I punched him lightly on the arm and walked off.
He followed me, his footsteps tapping on the floor. “You do realize if there’s a tornado, a basement is the best place to be. Also, there’s wine done there and blood—what more could you want?”
A way to escape.
We passed Lottie and Billy with a giant choc-chip cookie on a plate in their hands as they made their way to the sitting room.
“I’m not a vampire, so the blood thing isn’t exactly a selling card,” I said.
“Fair point.”
The scent of chocolate and sugar in the kitchen slid up my nose and down to the pit of my empty stomach. The cookies were on a cooling tray. They were fat and fluffy and looked amazing.
“Cookies, however, and you’d almost convince me.” I grabbed one and took a bite. An explosion of sweetness floated across my tongue as it melted in my mouth. I closed my eyes and practically moaned with pleasure.
“Good?” Josh asked.
I opened my eyes. His ass was perched up on the bench, a cookie in his hand, swinging his thin long legs.
I swallowed down a mouthful. “These are best cookies I’ve ever had.”
Delight lit Josh’s eyes. “The kids and I made them.”
“Well, you are a good cook.”
He took a bite, screwed up his face, and chewed as if the cookie was filled with vinegar. He sat it on the plate. “No matter how many times I eat things I once loved, they still taste like shit.”
“Why are you eating it, then?” I asked, bemused.
“I’m hoping one day my tastebuds come back. They’re meant to change every twenty-one days, apparently. I miss the taste of food.” He picked up the discarded cookie and stared down, despondent.
I grinned, but when I noticed the sadness in his eyes, my grin fell. Being a vampire must be hard to get used to. As amazing as the skills would be, I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to lose the joy of food. Lose the moments of connection we all lovedand needed, like dining out with friends, or eating ice cream on the beach as your toes curled in the sand. Vampires did eat sometimes and retained the tradition of dinners. Well, Karson had done so when I first came to his house, but whether that was for the humans’ sake or his, I was uncertain. I went to ask how long ago he’d been turned, when Karson walked in.
His gaze flickered over Josh, brimming with annoyance. “Is there any reason you haven’t checked the perimeters yet, Joshua?”
Josh grimaced and leapt off the bench. “No, I just thought I’d spend some time with the kids to help Mary out. I’ll go now.”
“Good idea. I highly doubt Pixie will be in a gracious mood being left there on her own all day.”
Josh scurried out of the door.
I polished off the cookie. “He’s been helpful. He’s great with the kids.”
“I understand that, and I give him far more freedom than the others because Georgie seems to appreciate his company, but he still has a job to do.”
