Top Secret Vampire (Monsters, PI #4)

4. Wolfram

Chapter 4

Wolfram

“ I do apologize,” I said as Tracy left my office, slamming the door behind her.

“For lulling me?” Reese asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

Such a tease. “Vampires only lull their prey .”

Her eyes widened. “You said you’d drink my blood. Does that mean you see me as prey?”

“I see you as . . .” I turned to mist and reformed beside her, holding out my hand to help her rise to her feet.

“As what?” She took my hand and rose, peering up at me.

“I’ll need to obtain some items from my home on our way to yours.”

“Ah.” Her brow scrunched. “You’re not going to finish your statement?”

“I am not.”

She huffed and crossed her arms on her chest that unfortunately lifted her lush breasts for my viewing pleasure. Her rapid breathing told me she was unsettled by my comment, but I could not explain. Ensuring she was safe had become my first priority, not claiming her as my own.

“Will you turn into mist outside my house to provide protection?” Her scowl was so cute, it was all I could do not to smile.

Odd. I never smiled. Yet for her, I had a feeling I would not be able to resist. “Why would I consider doing such a thing?”

“To . . . encase it.”

“I won’t need to do that.”

“I guess that’s good. I can’t imagine what might happen if you’re in mistify mode and a hurricane or tornado arrives. Your bits would scatter in all directions.”

“My bits, such as they are, are quite safe, even from a tornado or a hurricane, though I appreciate your concern.”

“Dry, Wolfie.” Her lips quirked up; her humor restored. “You’re awfully dry.”

“Wolf, please.” Taking her hand, I urged her around my desk. “I take great pride in my polite demeanor.”

“Just don’t call me my dear again, and we’ll get along fine.”

“What makes you believe I’ll call you dear?” I opened the door and looked out into the hall, needing to make sure her former assistant wasn’t waiting with a blade drawn or some other paltry weapon in hand to harm my mate. Tracy had seemed quite irate, and out of control people often behaved in an erratic manner. She was the first person on my list of suspects.

“Because you’re old. Too old to even be my grandpa.” With a sparkle still present in her pretty eyes, Reese sauntered past me and out into the hall. “Although,” her voice lowered to almost nothing, “I do love a good age gap romance.”

“I should note that my hearing is excellent.” I joined her and neatly closed and locked the door.

“Oops,” she said, shooting me a grin that made everything inside me thunder. “I didn’t say that. We have a business arrangement, and we don’t want to mess with that.”

“Precisely.”

We headed for the front door, Reese waving to Hannah as she passed, and stepped onto the sidewalk.

The sunlight hit us both.

Reese looked me up and down, frowning. “No sparkles.”

“Would you like me to sparkle?” For her, I’d consider doing so.

“It’s not necessary. I like you just the way you are.” She linked her arm through mine. “I’m glad you can go out in sunlight.”

“It’s common with born vampires. Made ones cannot, which is where the belief that none of us can comes from.”

“Cool.”

“As for turning into a mist and surrounding your home, the idea has merit. But instead, I’d prefer to remain inside the dwelling with you.”

“You mean stay in my guestroom?”

“Unless you’re suggesting your own bed.”

Her breathing jerked in and out of her, and she stared up at me with wide eyes.

“I’m teasing,” I said. Not . . . truly, but it was too soon to state my intentions that were completely honorable.

She poked my chest, though not hard, and her laugh burst out, tickling across my skin and making my heart slam against my ribs hard enough to bruise it. “Good one.” She waved to the street. “My car’s in the lot across the way. Since she rode with me, I’m not sure how Tracy’s going to get to her place. I rented a condo for her, but since she just quit, I’m not paying next month’s rent.”

“Does she always behave in such a manner?”

“Never.” Her sigh bled out as we strode on the crosswalk to the other side. “I didn’t realize she resented me that much. I’m stunned, actually. And hurt. I thought she and I were more than a boss and assistant.” She paused on the opposite sidewalk, her breath catching. “I need to change my passwords. She has a list and can access almost everything.”

“Is she someone who’d harm your business in such a way?”

Reese shrugged. “I wouldn’t think so, but the Tracy we just saw in your office is a completely different person than the one I called my friend.”

“Then you’d be wise to ensure she cannot cause you any harm.” As would I. Completely and forcefully, if necessary.

“I’ll take care of that when we get home,” she said.

“Let’s go there first. Once I’ve assessed the defensive situation, I’ll travel to my own residence and return with my belongings.”

“Alright.”

“I’ll ride with you, if you don’t mind.”

“And mistify yourself to your place after?”

Mistify . . . I loved the term as much as this woman calling me Wolf. As for Wolfie . . . It was growing on me, an appalling thought for those who sometimes did lie motionless inside a coffin. “Perhaps.”

“Do you own a car?” she asked.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“If you can mistify and reappear anywhere, why bother driving?”

“Rain. Snow.”

“Don’t like getting your slick cape wet?” Her smile told me she was teasing. “I guess that makes sense. But, like, you might not be looking at this from all the right angles. Imagine. You could spontaneously travel to an all-inclusive resort in Cancun with a blink of your eyes.”

“I cannot . . . mistify luggage.”

She sighed as if greatly put upon. “Now that’s a true bummer.”