Page 48 of Vampire's Cupcake
Rosie put a strand of hair that had come loose from her braid behind her ear."A despicable man."
"His name is Ambrose?"
"Jack Ambrose."
Eli nodded.The name was familiar.Elijah had mentioned the name when he'd first come to town."Is he still staying at the hotel?"
Rosie nodded."I suspect he's looking for something permanent now."She looked down the street, and her face split into a wide smile."Oh, here comes Gerald.May we please do some shopping before you close for the day?"
"Of course."Eli gestured for her to reenter the shop.
* * * *
Thano let himself into Eli's house.It was in the middle of the night.The meeting had gone on for hours, and after, he'd gone to his home, but then he'd started to worry.It was easier not to care what the stupid humans did in Last Hope when he didn't care about anyone there.He didn't care what they did to each other, but Romeo had been worried enough to now have his coven stay with him at the ranch, and on more than one occasion during the meeting, he'd expressed concern over Eli.
Thano tried to ignore it, but he couldn't relax.Thoughts of Eli kept popping up.Eli smiling.Eli standing close to him.Eli touching him.
Silently and hidden by the shadows, Thano moved around the house.He walked through the main room and toward the bedroom.
Eli was on the bed, several blankets on top of him.Was he cold?It was a little chilly in the house.For several seconds, he stood watching Eli.His breaths came slow and steady.
He was fine.
Thano should leave.
The next second, Eli's eyes opened, and he pulled a knife from underneath the pillow.Thano didn't move.Didn't so much as breathe.
"Byrd?"Eli's voice was nothing more than a whisper, and he adjusted his hold on the knife.
Byrd?Why was he asking for Byrd?Did he hope Byrd would come to him?
Slowly, Eli pushed the blankets off him and put his bare feet on the floor.He looked around the dark room.
Thano moved out into the kitchen where he silently pulled out a kitchen chair, dropped the shadows, and sat.It didn't take many seconds before Eli switched the lights on.He jumped as it revealed Thano, but he didn't make a sound.After a moment, he lowered the knife."Is Byrd okay?"
Thano frowned.Why did he care about Byrd?"I believe so."
"You haven't seen him?"Eli rubbed his eyes, and something inside of Thano melted.
"He was at the meeting."
"When was it?"
Thano swept his gaze over him.Eli was a fine specimen, but he needed to eat more."A few hours ago."
"And he was there?Unharmed?"Eli nodded as if willing Thano to agree.
"Yes.Why?"Thano rose to his feet.Eli's eyes followed his every motion, but he didn't move.
He rubbed his neck."I asked him to fly to Fisherman's Lake, said he'd get a shiny from the basket if he flew to Joshua Fagan, and told him there now was a fee to moor at the dock."
"They went through with it?"It shouldn't have surprised him.Thano stepped closer to Eli, and to his surprise, Eli reached for him and pulled him closer.No one ever touched him.
Eli's hand cupped the back of his neck, his thumb gently stroking the skin.It made Thano shiver.
"Yeah, they went through with it, but right as Byrd was leaving, Jack Ambrose, the sheriff, came by."Eli's fingers twitched."He tried to shoot him, Thano.He saw him in human form and still tried to shoot him.Rosie...eh...Mrs.Stevenson rushed him and pretended to be scared, so he couldn't aim properly, but the crows aren't safe in town anymore."His fingertips dug in a little into Thano's neck, not painfully, but it was a firmer grip."You're not safe in town anymore."
Thano snorted.
