Page 48 of Hot Vampire Next Door: Season Three

Clipped between two fingers, I take a drag and fill my lungs with burning smoke. “Whatever it is, he doesn’t want to give it up.”

Mike’s lips are trying to form the words and his face is turning red from the effort not to spill them.

“Spit it out, Mike,” I say. “Deepest, darkest secret.”

“I cheated on my wife!” He immediately dissolves into giant, heaving sobs.

Damien and I share a look. Mike buries his face in his hands.

“Pathetic,” I say and hand the cigarette back.

Damien comes around and snaps his fingers. “Mike. Look at me.”

The big idiot straightens, fat tears wetting his face.

“You love this wife of yours?”

“Yes. I love her with all my heart.”

“Then why the fuck did you cheat on her?” I ask him.

“Temptation.”

“Is that all?” Damien asks.

“We’ve been having problems.”

“I didn’t know this was going to turn into a marital therapy session,” I say. “Should have brought booze.”

In the field to my left, an animal rustles the dry grass. We’re still alone way out here in the middle of nowhere.

“Problems can be fixed,” Damien says. “So why haven’t you?”

“I’m scared,” Mike admits.

“Of what?”

“Losing her.”

“You keep dipping your dick in other pussy, you will, Mike,” I say.

He starts sobbing again.

“Hey, Mike. Get your shit together.” Damien gives the bigger guy a shove. “Look at me.” Mike does as commanded. “Call your wife right now and tell her everything. She’ll decide your fate.”

“What do you mean?” He drags his cracked knuckles over his face, wiping away the tears.

"Your wife will decide if you’re worth it or not,” I tell him. “If you’re not, we’re going to kill you. Now go. Call her.”

He returns to his car, retrieves his cell phone, and taps at the screen.

Damien drops the spent cigarette to the pavement and crushes the ember beneath his boot. “What were you going to tell me? About Jessie?”

Mike’s wife answers the phone and he launches into a blubbering confession.

I pull Jessie’s mom’s letter from my pocket. The one that told the story about going to the fae realm with a baby dying in her womb. How she returned with something else. I took the letter when Mouse wasn’t looking.

“Read this.”