“You think so?”
“Certainly.” She raised her gray eyebrows. “But I thought he was your trainer and nothing more? A friendship pendant then?”
“Uh, yeah, that’s right,” I said sheepishly.
I turned back to the window to see Kace stalking away. Some part of my heart ached, watching him leave; things would never be the same between us. A piece of my young life left with him.
My father rounded on Vander, face full of fury. I leaned forward, my breath clouding on the glass. With Vander’s back to us, I couldn’t see his expression and it was killing me. I wasready to bolt out there and defend Vander if I had to. Not that he would need it.
“And you,” my father started. His shoulders relaxed and he nodded toward the house. “Thank you for watching over her. I apologize for some of the things Kace said. He’s young and devastated Aesira was taken from us. But you are welcome here any time.”
The tension that had coiled around my chest loosened and I could breathe normally again.
Side by side, they started toward the house. I glanced up at the sky. The sun would set soon.
“I understand. Aesira was fairly forthcoming on what she thought about ducai and those of us in Nighthaven when she first arrived there.”
My father chuckled. “Was she? That’s my girl. No offense.”
Vander laughed with him. “None taken. I believe she said something about being the feed. I’ve always wished there was more we could do. The city simply isn’t large enough to hold everyone in Lothleton, and we’d run out of food quickly if it was even attempted. I do what I can myself by killing vampires.”
“That’s all anyone could ask of one man.”
They were almost to the back steps and my grandmother tugged on my arm. “Better go help your sister. We don’t want to look like a couple of snoops.” She pulled the shutters closed and latched them.
“Of course I’m snooping. This has everything to do with me,” I called over my shoulder. I snatched a lit candle off the table, hurried out of the kitchen and dashed up the steps to the second level. Kayda stood at the top of the stairwell. We smirked at one another, but the night was approaching. “Hurry before it’s dark.”
“I’ll start in Grandma’s room,” Kayda added.
I turned into my old room. It was strange that I fell right back into routine. Light the lamp, pull the shutters, lock the latch.Move to the next window. Recheck for security. Listen for the screams. The hairs on my arm stood as that old familiar fear of the monsters that hunted in the night trickled in my gut. I hadn’t felt it in a long time. It was like I’d never left.
I turned and gasped, throwing a hand to my chest. Vander stood shadowed in the doorway. He arched his eyebrow. “Jumpy?” he said, sauntering inside. The low lantern light cast shadows on him. “Afraid a vampire might get in?” He smiled.
“Ha, funny.”
Vander picked up my first wooden horse carving, inspected it, then set it down. He ran his palm over the metal shutters and rattled the latch. There was something different about him as if a new light had awoken in his eyes. “Was this your room?”
“Yeah.” It was exactly as I’d left it. Except for someone had made the bed and picked up my dirty clothes from the pile I’d left in the wicker basket by the door. I was surprised Kayda hadn’t taken my tall mirror, she’d always been envious of it.
“You have a nice family. I like your father. He’s a good man.”
“He’s a great man,” I agreed.
“Your friend, however, I don’t care for.”
“He’s not usually like that.”
“I understand why. I think I’d go a little mad if I lost you too.”
My core heated. My breath caught. The line between want and need became more blurry every day. So did his game. Why did he want to toy with me?
“What did you say to his offer?” he asked.
I was hot despite the cool evening air. “You heard?”
He nodded, eyes smoldering.
“Then you must have heard my answer.”
