Page 62 of Vampire's Cupcake
"Take everything to my place."Thano looked at Byrd and Lark.They weren't strong like bigger shifters and vampires, but they could carry bags.Emeric dropped the shadows he'd had around him.Eli startled, but no one else showed any surprise.
"I want to carry the rabbits!"Humbert was dancing around, his clumsy bear feet all over the place.
"They bite."Eli grabbed one of the wooden boxes."Better hold around the bottom."Eli showed Humbert how to carry it."If you stick your fingers in, they'll nibble on you.Or the black one will at least."
"They're different colors?"Humbert tried to peer through the gaps in the crate.
"The sooner you get to where they should be, the faster you get to see them."Thano's voice was clipped, but he didn't care.He didn't like having people in his home, and he feared they'd linger today.
Eli looked at him, and he grimaced.
"Are you okay?"Eli spoke low as he bumped his shoulder.
Thano waved a hand, not wanting to give a real answer.He was okay, but he wanted a break from it all.
* * * *
Chapter 14
Eli stared at the windmill.There were no sails, but it was an old windmill."You live here?"He turned to Thano.
"Yes.The main room is at the bottom, and the bedroom is on the second floor."
It was built in light stone, the roof or cap or whatever made from some black metal, if Eli was to guess.There were several windows randomly placed around the round walls.
"It's...eh...nice."He had no idea how large windmills were, but he'd imagined them to be bigger.
Thano watched him with an expressionless face.
"I have netting!"Humbert held up a roll of wire mesh."It was by one of the wolves' dens."
Thano nodded.If they'd left it behind, they could use it.
"It will work for the chickens, but not the rabbits.They're escape artists."
Humbert gave him a disappointed look, and Eli rubbed his neck.Perhaps he simply should let the rabbits out.They'd survive in the wild, right?
"Can we build a frame?Would it keep them in?"Romeo dumped a few planks on the ground.
"Maybe.They're able to dig, but with a frame, they'll at least not bite through the mesh."Eli watched as Romeo stood close to Humbert and gestured with his hands as he explained his idea.Excitement was shining in Humbert's eyes, and Romeo grinned at him as he gestured around.
"They'll fix it."
"Huh?"Eli turned his attention to Thano.
"They'll build something for the animals.Humbert built Romeo's chicken coop.Let's go inside."Thano grabbed two of his bags and walked toward the door.Eli looked at Romeo and Humbert, but they were walking away.With a deep breath, he grabbed his remaining things and followed Thano.
They stepped right into a round room.Eli toed off his shoes and walked farther in.The walls were white.To the right was a kitchen on a straight wall cutting off part of the circular space.There was a four-seat table, and to the right, a couch and a coffee table.There were no bookshelves and nothing on the walls.It had to be hard to decorate when they were curved.If vampires cared about decorating at all.
Across the open space, there was a spiral stair leading up to the second floor.
"I'll make room for your clothes in the closet."Thano gestured at the bags."Which has clothes?"
Eli grabbed the two he'd filled with clothes and walked closer to Thano.He was tense, the air was suffocating, and he didn't know how to act.Thano appeared to be annoyed.Perhaps he hadn't meant for Eli to come here.Maybe he'd only wanted to get him out of Last Hope for the day, not for a prolonged stay.
"Maybe I should go back."
Thano stilled."Go back?To Romeo's?"
