Callum laughed as she dashed into the house and slammed the screen door behind her. There was a small click and I knew she'd locked the screen door. Not that it would stop Callum if he really wanted inside.
"What? You don't love me anymore?" he asked, standing at the screen door with his arms still out to his sides.
"I never loved you," she replied, but I could see her struggle against the smile that threatened to break out on her face.
Callum clutched his chest dramatically. "You wound me so, my beautiful Merriweather."
She scowled at him and this time she meant it. "I told you not to call me that."
Without waiting for his response, she closed the solid wood door between them and locked it for good measure.
Callum was still grinning when he turned back to me. "It's really a shame you saw her first, brother, because I like the feisty ones."
Possessive instincts rose inside me, sharp and hot, and I bared my fangs at him. "Careful, or we're going to fight again and she won't be here to save you."
He opened his mouth, likely to needle me again, until he saw my expression. "Shit. Your instincts are kicking in, aren't they?"
I swallowed hard and nodded. I didn't say anything else as I went over to grab my shirt off the lawn and shrug it on. My skin was still damp but I was getting cold.
"I'm sorry. I'll mind my words in the future."
"It won't matter," I said. "She's going to leave eventually."
The expression on his face said that he didn't want to have this conversation again, so I lifted a hand to silence him.
"Even if she stays, even if she falls in love with me, do you think she'll ever want me to turn her? I'll have to fight the urge to push her into it every single day we're together."
"You're putting words into her mouth again," Callum pointed out. "But you do have a point. She knows nothing but bad things about vampires, with the exception of us. Fucking Dumont only made it worse, so, yeah, I understand your concern. But you still need to give her a chance."
"I can't wait forever. The longer she takes to make up her mind, the harder it will be for me to let her go."
"I won't let you keep her against her will," Callum said.
He was trying to reassure me, but the thought of being that far gone scared the hell out of me.
"I know."
"Can we go inside and get some more coffee?" he asked, abruptly changing the subject. "I'm getting cold."
"I don't know if she'll let us in," I said.
"You don't have your key?"
I shook my head.
"Shit. I guess I'll go start groveling."
I laughed and followed him to the back door.
He knocked and called out in a thin, trembling voice, "May I trouble you for a crust of bread? We're so cold and hungry, you see."
"It's open, you asshole!" Merry called back.
I laughed again when he winced and actually tried the knob. It turned in his hand. Neither of us had heard her unlock it.
"Damn lucky you saw her first," he murmured.
I jabbed an elbow into his kidney as we walked inside. He didn't even grunt. Probably because he was afraid that Merry would yell at us again.
