He ran back to the scene of his crime, looking around for any sign of cameras or evidence. But if small towns were good for one thing, it was the lack of CCTV.
Kit sank down to the ground, leaning against the concrete wall of the lane he’d lured his victim into.Ifhe had even lured him. Kit could have snatched him off the street and he’d neverknow. A minute or two more and the boy would have been drained to death.
Kit buried his face in his hands.
He was as bad as his creator.
SIX
Quin
Operation Apologise-to-Kit was underway.
Quin had done some soul-searching and concluded that itwasa bit creepy to turn up on somebody’s street, trying to make friends with them, all because you’d liked their smell. He’d accepted that what was normal for a werewolf—being driven by your scent and the inclinations of your beast—was not as acceptable to a vampire.
Which was fair. But now, Quin needed to express his sincere apology to Kit without coming across as a stalker.
Again.
It proved harder than Quin realised. Food was out. Wine was out. He didn’t know what else might be to Kit’s taste. And he didn’t want to go for something elaborate, but it still needed to be a statement. The conundrum ran through his mind as he waited on Louie’s front step.
The door opened, and before Quin could utter a greeting to Louie, he had an armful of excited cocker spaniel. “It’s good to see you too, girl,” he said as he rubbed his hands over every inch of her. The parts of her that weren’t waggling out of his reach, that was.
“She’s been missing her daddy,” Louie said, voice warm.
“Uh-huh,” Quin said. As a mature adult, he shouldn’t have given in to the blush that spread over his face. Many people considered their pets their babies, but the wordDaddywould forever mean something different to him than it did to others.
If he noticed Quin’s embarrassment, Louie didn’t comment. “Quick cuppa and debrief?” he asked.
“Sure,” Quin agreed.
Louie babbled away as he disappeared into the house, but Quin was preoccupied with staying upright with Mabel underfoot.
“Mabel, girl, you gotta let me walk here.”
Despite Mabel redoubling her efforts to trip Quin, they made it into Louie’s living room, and Quin settled himself on the sofa. Mabel jumped up onto Quin immediately, so he kept her in his arms, indulging her.
“She’s allowed up there if you’re all right with it,” Louie said as he came into the room with a steaming mug in each hand.
Quin stroked his fingers down Mabel’s soft fur as she calmed. “I swear I’ve been teaching her not to jump up.”
“It’s fine. She was a delight to look after. Ate all her food, happy to go on her walks, and barely even barked when we saw a squirrel.”
As if to emphasise how deserving of a reward she was, Mabel looked up at Quin beseechingly. He dutifully scratched her head.
“So, how was your time away?” Louie asked.
Quin’s mind blanked. He had no idea what he’d told Louie he was doing. “Good,” he said, hoping that would suffice.
Louie gave a self-conscious chuckle. “You don’t need to share. I’m being nosy.”
“There’s not much to tell,” Quin admitted, but then a thought occurred to him. “Don’t suppose you can recommend any local shops where I could buy someone a decent apology gift?”
Louie perked up in his armchair. “What did you do? Who are you apologising to?”
“A…friend? Well. I’d like him to be a friend. I, uh, came on a little too strong, if you get my gist.”
Louie bobbed his head. “It happens. But I need more info about him to advise. What’s he into?”
