Page 2 (1/2)

“You’re back early Is it safe to assume you didn’t stop by to have lunch with me?” Cristobal lifts a thick brow

“I wish I could prove you wrong, but I’ in and have Miles fire up the lab Besides, isn’t this more like breakfast for you?” I step up beside hi his scalp Heinto my caress There’s a reason vaht While the sun doesn’t harm them, the penchant for late hours remains from the time when they were forced to hide

“Se for?” His clear baritone is pleasant tomy neck

“A coffin that was broken into or escaped from The jury’s still out on which way it happened”

He pauses and pulls away “Accidental vampire?” His shoulders tense

“Highly unlikely I found ravesite”

He studieslashes “You have a theory?”

“No I need to look into the woht’ve been about more than food”

His lips turn down at the corner “You saw signs of this?”

“Uh-uh It’sthat eats human flesh is bad news”

“Hmmm” He cups the side of my face His warmth seeps into me People think vampires are cool to the touch The fact is, they’re not Their core te unpleasant “Eat with me”

“I don’t have time?”

“I can feel your hunger and exhaustion You’re burning your candle at both ends of the wick None of us can afford to have you down, dove” The pet nicknaes when he uses it It softens, sheds so the very essence of his being to inal huet

“I know” One coronation takes a good year of planning I’ether, and one requires learning the intis of a culture that’s been so shrouded in shadows and ue threatens to overtake me My shoulders slump I could

fight, but a good leader knohen to conserve their energy and ads