He slapped his hands over his face and looked like he was about to scream. She waited until he composed himself.
“Maybe it would help if you tell me somethin’ about this woman.”
He stared at the floor but nodded.
“You must know her pretty well. You said you’re in love with her?”
“Desperately.”
“And how do you know her?”
“She lives in my building.”
Gwyneth’s jaw dropped. “Why, that means it’s got to be someone I know…”
Nathan rolled his eyes. “She has long red hair, a smattering of freckles across her nose, and the cutest armpits I’ve ever seen. Oh, and she’s a witch. Not a very psychic witch, apparently.”
Gwyneth’s knees went out from under her, and she caught the edge of the sofa just before she hit the floor. Nathan was beside her in a second.
“I’m sorry. I knew I shouldn’t have told you.” He averted his gaze and stared at the floor. “Please forget I said any—”
“No! I will not forget it. I just needed to find my voice is all.”
He helped her up. “You don’t have to say it, I understand.”
“No, apparently you don’t.” She launched herself into his arms and kissed him on the mouth.
Chapter fifteen
Mikhail’s apartment was a loft over his warehouse. He said he lived with his lover, and Morgaine noticed a woman’s touch had softened some of the modern industrial feel. One wall was brick, but sage silk curtains and a thick ivory rug covering part of the dark wood floors warmed the place considerably.
“Where’s your significant other?”
Mikhail chuckled. “I can’t get used to that term. She owns a shop in Soho and should be there at the moment. Why?”
“Well, she may not like this, but I need you to put my name on the deed to your warehouse temporarily. In order for me to reseal the doors and invite you back in, I need to have some type of ownership of the property.”
“Temporary, you say? How temporary?”
“You can take my name off the deed as soon as it’s done.”
“In that case, she doesn’t need to know. It’s in my name only and willed to her in the very unlikely event of my death. I’ll probably tell her after the fact just for fun.”
Sly stood by the large expanse of windows, watching the sun set. It was as if he couldn’t get enough of it. And with goodreason. If she couldn’t reverse engineer the curative powers of Vampire Vintage, his days were numbered and his nights, never-ending.
“I’ll take care of the deed and get some wine.” He excused himself. Morgaine psychically knew he was heading for his safe. She returned her gaze to his computer monitor.
Concentrate, she scolded herself. Mikhail had the security tape playing in a loop so Morgaine could see the vampire black magician at work. They hadn’t found the scroll, so Morgaine figured it had been taken out of the warehouse to be burned or buried.
She kept all of her parchment ashes and released them on the wind each Samhain. He might do the same. This year, however, Samhain came and went without much fanfare. She and Gwyneth barely spoke that day. She shook her head and realized her mind was wandering again.
Eventually, she called out, “I think I’ve gotten all I can out of this tape, Mikhail.”
He returned with two glasses of red wine and handed one to her. “Okay. I’ll shut it off. Is there anything else you need?”
“Just a place to set up my altar.”
“Here or in the warehouse?” He moved smoothly over to Sly and handed him the other glass. Morgaine’s glass had a purple stem, and the other one was clear. She imagined that was so she didn’t get mixed up and accidentally drink the Vampire Vintage.Blood. Yeachk.
