“Mommy says a man is coming on Monday to put wires in. Then if the boogeyman comes back, an alarm will scare him and call Sheriff Martinez to come very fast.” She swings her little legs and grips the edge of her mattress.
I kneel in front of her. “Your mommy just wants to protect you, Livi.”
She stares at me with shining blue eyes. “If it comes back and steals me, will you come find me?”
Cupping her cheeks, emotions well up inside me. If only I could have found the monster before he took this little girl and terrified her. “I promise. If you need me, I’ll be there.”
She jumps off the bed and wraps her arms around me. “I’m glad you didn’t die.”
Hugging her, I wish I’d killed the boogeyman. “I’m sorry I didn’t find you faster, Olivia. You’ll be safe now. That bad monster was taken far away.”
I want to promise her that there are no other monsters to be scared of, but lying is not my thing.
Clearing her throat at the bedroom door, Lori draws our attention. “I was going to invite you and Max to dinner, Tilda, but you look like you had other plans tonight.”
Once Livi lets go of my neck, I stand and face her mother. “We have reservations, but thank you. Maybe another time.”
Dotty skips in. The two girls sit on the rug and pull out a game.
I thank Lori and say goodbye to the twins.
Ion walks with us to the sidewalk. “I’ll stop by to see you tomorrow.” He kisses my cheek, then saunters away toward Mari’s house.
I never thought of it as my house, but it’s a nice place to stay.
Max opens the truck door, and I get in. “Are you still up for dinner?”
With a nod, he closes the door. Once he’s behind the wheel, he asks, “Were you able to help Olivia?”
Not knowing the answer, I shrug. I want to take all that child’s worries away, but that’s not how life works. “I checked under the bed and the locks on the window. She’ll have a lot of bad memories to overcome.”
“I think seeing you alive and well helped. Last time she looked at you, it wasn’t good.” He pulls onto the road and drives toward our first date.
Chapter Twelve
MAX
Waking up in my bed, with my swan relaxed at my side, is magical. Vampires don’t need much sleep, but her body is fully at ease, and her breathing, while typically slow, is steady.
I’ve been lying here watching her for twenty minutes. The curtains are drawn, but sunlight peeks around them as the harbinger of a new day.
If I could have had last night last forever, I would have. At dinner, she told me more about her life as a swan, even sharing some of the torment Pierre Brochet put her through. The more I hear about that vampire, the more I wish it had been me who had ended his miserable life. Still, I suppose, he got what he deserved. For a villain like him to be given a conscience and have to suffer the guilt of things that couldn't be changed must have been torment. Clearly, it was too much for him.
If I were a better man, I’d feel some remorse about him taking his own life, but I can’t find that within me.
Tilda stretches long. Her lithe body and cool skin presses to mine. As her lashes flutter open, she lays her arm over my waist. “You’re awake.”
“Mm-hmm. You were too beautiful to disturb.” I comb my fingers through her hair, where it lies at the curve over her ass.
“I can’t remember when I’ve slept so well or so long.” She glances at the window. She pulls herself to straddle my hips. “Did you know swans mate for life?”
Worrying that she might be sore from last night doesn’t stop my cock from coming to full morning wood status. She’s a vampire, I remind myself. They heal more quickly than humans or even Sasquatches. “Yes. Sasquatch can accept a life mate as well.” Heart pounding, I grip her thighs.
“What do you mean by ‘accept’ a mate?” She studies me.
“I wasn’t planning to have this conversation while naked.” Even so, I’m not missing an opportunity if that’s what she wants to talk about. I’m all for it.
She rocks so that my shaft splits her pussy lips, and she coats me with wet arousal. “Fuck, you’re so hard.” Closing her eyes, she gains composure, and when she looks at me again, she says, “But we are naked, and I want to know if you accept me or not.”
