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Shauna nodded. “Oh yes.” She pulled out a new stone, this one just as smooth but a pale, pearly pink. “Rose quartz. It can calm anxieties. And it promotes”—her gaze shifted to Syrus, then back to Luke—“other things as well.”
Luke didn’t make a move to accept it, but Shauna kept holding the stone out obstinately until he gave up and grabbed it, slipping it into his back pocket with a huff. “Thanks so much,” he drawled, and even Syrus could register the sarcasm there. Luke scratched at the trimmed scruff on his chin. “We, um, saw Violet at the bakery today.”
Shauna didn’t show any surprise, just shook her head ruefully. “You’d think she’d get enough of it working there on weekends, but I guess she’s the one teen in the country who thrives on waking early every day.”
“And she’s been…good?” Luke asked carefully. “She hasn’t seemed off or too tired or…overly pale?”
Shauna’s brow furrowed in confusion. “It’s winter in Washington. We’re all pale.” She glanced over her shoulder to the store’s counter, where a customer was now setting a variety of crystals next to the register. “One moment!” Shauna called.
She turned back to them and gave Syrus a pat on the shoulder. “Look around. See if anything takes your fancy.” She shot him a wink. “Family discount, you know.”
They both watched her go, her long skirt swishing around her ankles.
“I like her.”
Luke sighed. “I know. We don’t have to stick around though.”
But Syrus was already grabbing Luke’s hand and dragging him to the rack he’d been eyeing earlier.
It turned out to be not just fabric but clothing. Brightly colored and all very soft, loose, and flowy like the skirt Shauna wore. Maybe wearing something like this in human form wouldn’t be quite so terrible. Like the robe Luke had gifted him, which was apparently unacceptable for public consumption.
Luke watched Syrus rifle through the offerings with raised brows. “You like these?”
“Mm,” Syrus confirmed.
Luke pulled out a pair of loose, silky pants on their hanger, eyeing them speculatively. “Most of these are women’s. They’ll be too small for you. But I can ask Shauna for some website names.” Luke put the pants back with a sigh, muttering under his breath, “Next thing you know I’ll be sending you to Burning Man.”
Syrus didn’t know what that meant, exactly. Perhaps that he had a refined and classic taste in style. He continued to go through each item, hoping perhaps he could find one made for a creature his size and do away with these ankle-baring sweats.
“Your clothes may suit you, dear Luke, but you need a mate who draws the eye.”
Syrus was so busy perusing that it took him a minute to realize Luke was now frozen again, staring at Syrus with a blank look in his eyes.
“A what?”
“The vampires believe theirs are destined,” Syrus said absently, his attention drawn to a bright top made up of different hues of blue. “But who needs destiny when you have a siren song?”
“Mate,” Luke repeated blankly. “But you said—you said protector.”
Syrus turned to him, confused by the shock he saw painted on Luke’s face. Hadn’t Syrus been clear enough already? But maybe, with the events of the day, Luke had too much on his mind to be thinking clearly.
“Yes,” Syrus explained patiently. “A protector and their life-bearer. Partners. Mates.”
He huffed a laugh as he turned his attention back to the rack of brightly colored clothes. Really, what had Luke thought Syrus had been referring to all this time?
14
LUKE
Luke came downstairs after putting Colby to bed to find Syrus missing.
That was Luke’s first thought, at least, after finding both the living room and spare bedroom empty.
Missing.
What followed was an unexpected wave of panic. It was all in my head, after all, Luke thought blankly. A psychotic break from too little sleep and not letting off enough steam.
Somewhere in Luke’s sleepless nights and routine-ridden days, he had conjured up a strange, overlarge, sneaky, flirtatious merman and inserted him into his world.
