Page 25

He pulls out of the lot onto Main Street and glances my way. “What’s funny?”

“Mix tape one?” I giggle.

“What’s wrong with a mix tape?” he muses as a moody nineties grunge song plays.

I giggle again. “Nothing, I just can’t remember the last time I saw something labeled mix tape.”

Augustus pulls into the apartment parking lot and parks, turning to face me. “You might be surprised to know this, but I’m a wee bit older than I look.”

I mimic his pose, mindful of my ankle, and tilt my head. “You don’t say? And just how old are you, Auggie?”

His eyes widen a fraction before he answers, “Isn’t it considered rude to ask a gentleman's age?”

I scoff and wave his comment away like a gnat. “That’s for ladies. You never ask a lady's age!” I exclaim.

Auggie leans back, clutching his heart in mock offense. “Double standards much!?” His voice is full of mirth.

I break out into a fit of giggles, which Auggie joins in on. When I rein myself in, I hold my hands up in surrender. “My apologies, good sir. I meant no offense.”

He laughs again but then puts on that professional face he has when he’s working. “In all seriousness, and I’m going to preface this with the fact that supernaturals age differently, I’m eighty.”

How do I get those genetics! He looks late thirties, if I had to guess.

“Freaked out?” he asks.

I smile, hoping to reassure him, a role reversal for sure. “Not at all. To be honest, that’s not as bad as I was expecting.”

His smile returns as he unbuckles. “I’m not sure if I should be offended or not, but I’m going to look on the bright side that you aren’t freaked out.”

I unbuckle as he gets out of the car and walks around to open my door. He offers me his hand, which I accept, and helps me out of the car. Auggie insists on escorting me to the door so I can corral the cats and Minna. But the closer we get to the door, the more my heart sinks.

The sidewalk is covered in water. Water that appears to be coming from my apartment.

“Oh no,” I whisper.

“Can you stand on your own for a minute?”

I nod, not trusting my voice.

“Keys,” he says, holding his hand out. I fish my keys out and hand them over. Auggie unlocks the door, pushes it open, and releases a wave of water. Minna begins howling. Somewhere in the apartment, the cats hiss.

“Cordelya, call the front and let them know there’s a flood in your apartment. I’ll check on the animals.”

I grab my cell and call the front while Auggie wades inside. Dale picks up on the second ring and says he’s on his way. In the meantime, Auggie reappears holding a very fidgety Buster and Toby, who has retracted into his shell.

When I start to hobble over, Auggie rushes to meet me, handing over my fluff-ball bunny. “As your emergency care provider, I’m going to insist you not put weight on that ankle. That being said, the whole apartment is flooded. Appears to be coming from the bathroom. Minna is on the couch, the cats are on your bed. I was going to attempt to snag them, but they seem…displeased.”

The way he says displeased has a bubble of laughter bursting out of me. Which probably has more to do with the stress of the situation than the fact that an eighty-year-old vampire is afraid of two housecats.

Dale appears at my side, looking at the water rushing from the open apartment.

“Ms. Holland, I’m so sorry. I’ve got maintenance shutting off the water. I’m going to head back to the office and grab keys for a new apartment. I can call one of the local moving companies to come help.”

I snuggle Toby close, digging my fingers into his fur, willing the familiar feel to calm my rapidly fraying nerves.

Auggie pulls out his phone, typing furiously before looking at Dale and saying, “That won’t be necessary. Help is on the way. We’ll get her all settled if you just point the way.”

“Oh no, Auggie. I couldn’t impose on you.”