Page 26 of The Fang Arrangement (Celestial Witches #2)

H e’s going into the fucking sun to make me happy and I can’t decide if I should try to run away from him or let him seduce me.

This is all such a complete mess.

What I found in his safe should have me running for the hills, but instead, it’s giving me pause. Warin understands actions, not words it seems, and when I look back at everything he’s said and done for me, things are clicking into place.

His actions are louder than I want to admit.

Giving me the grimoires and granting me access to spells that could cause him harm?

Him protecting me from the council and staking Joyce?

Not to mention all his little nicknames and sweet words he says to me.

I’ve never had a man give me so much attention.

It’s clearly going to my head. Despite his actions, despite this rippling in my gut, I know I can’t completely trust him—a vampire.

I sigh as I put on my makeup. Why couldn’t I be a normal witch? Why am I so charmed by the idea of Warin taking care of me and why is him being possessive and protective such a turn on? The back and forth banter we have is fun, I like sparring with him as much as I liked playing cards and laughing.

Hell, I even like that he’s a vampire, the idea of him sinking his teeth into me while he shoves his…No, those deviant thoughts are exactly what got me into this mess.

No man has ever interested me like Warin does. Somehow this scheming vampire has all my attention.

I groan at myself. This attraction for danger, this magnetic pull to Warin, it’s confusing and I’m not sure it would ever work. Why couldn’t I be into witches or short flings with human guys?

Nope, I had to be attracted to the hottest, richest, asshole vampire there is.

He’s a vampire and I’m a witch. The two don’t mix. Even if I have had very explicit dreams about what he would do to me. Or even more dangerous, the way I’m longing for more of his touch and sweet words.

I point at myself in the mirror, hating that I put the dress he wanted me to wear on. I don’t speak out loud, knowing he can probably hear my heartbeat right now.

He isn’t charming. This isn’t some fucked-up romance between a vampire and a witch. He kidnapped you. He’s very likely been stalking you for years. This isn’t cute, Ember.

Even as I say the words in my head I feel like a fraud. He is charming, even when he’s being an asshole.

Ugh. Enough. Back to the plan. I should run back to the coven with my tail in between my legs and tell them the mess I’m in. It won’t be a surprise. They don’t expect much from me.

Warin does. He told me I was talented, but it doesn’t matter. I have to stick to the plan.

I leave the bathroom and stare at Warin in his UV protectant attire.

He’s risking the sun for me and I’m considering running out on him.

It has my stomach sinking, guilt slithering around my gut as I look at him.

My body is revolting against the idea of running away from him, but my mind knows what I need to do.

No matter what Warin promises, I can’t stay here. It’s not truly safe. Being locked away in his windowless room isn’t the safest place for me, back with my coven is.

“Beautiful as always. Ready to go?” he asks.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

We go through the house, the windows not affecting him. None of the vampires in the house are milling about and I wonder if my spell was that potent, or maybe they’re all just as heavy of sleepers as Warin is.

Just as we’re about to reach the garage, Sebastian leans against the door, standing there in nothing but his underwear. He’s attractive, I suppose, but nowhere near as good looking as Warin.

“Hmm, taking your pet out for a day stroll?” Sebastian questions.

“Yes, pets need water, food, and sunshine, Sebastian. Shouldn’t you be resting?” Warin retorts, his hand on my lower back.

“Oddest thing, I wasn’t tired at all, planning on getting some accounting done while the sun shackles me to this house, but a sudden sense of exhaustion hit me. Luckily, I’m no longer affected. Would you happen to know anything about that?” Sebastian directs the question to me.

“Can’t say I do, I only just woke up myself. Still trying to get used to the nocturnal lifestyle.”

Warin’s thumb circles my back like he’s giving me a sign of approval, and I love it. His cool fingertips are a gentle reassurance and I’m about to try and run from these feelings. But as I glance at this threatening vampire in front of us, I know I don’t have a choice.

It isn’t safe here, even if Warin thinks he can protect me.

“Very well. Maybe you’ll have better luck finding our little slayer problem during the day,” Sebastian asks, a smirk on his face.

“Perhaps,” Warin replies, but I can feel his irritation that dealing with the Slayer is the last thing he wants to do. “Let’s go, Ember.”

He directs me into the garage. Achille holds the back door open and I slide in, Warin behind me. Samantha is beaming in the front seat.

“Day time adventures are always exciting. Will I die? Will I find a human who will let me drink right from the source and they’ll taste like the sun? The possibilities are endless.”

Warin rolls his eyes. “You’re here to be backup, Samantha.”

“That doesn’t mean that a handsome chef who eats clean and basks in the sun won’t bare his neck to me and tell me to feed to my heart’s content,” Samantha retorts and Warin just sighs in response.

I shift in my seat a little, wondering if Warin feels the same way. Does he wish there was more than chicken and waffles on the menu for our little outing? Is he going to partake while I sip on my latte and eat French toast?

Warin taps my thigh.

“Don’t worry Ember, we don’t drink from those who aren’t willing.”

“I didn’t ask,” I reply, and he gives me a grin.

Achille plays some light jazz in the car, and there’s no way that the glass in the vehicle is road legal.

It’s only as we’re driving that I realize that Samantha’s and Achille’s faces are both nearly covered up. Warin only has the sunglasses and I wonder if it’s sufficient enough.

I shouldn’t care so much about the manipulative vampire or his pretty face.

We pull into the back of the restaurant. There’s barely enough space for Warin to open the door.

“Wait here. I’ll call for you if there are any issues,” Warin directs to Samantha, before holding out his gloved hand.

I take it and shimmy my way between the car door and the brick wall.

He’s diligent with his umbrella, blocking us from any sunlight, and I’m slightly shrouded in the shadows as Warin shuts the door and confidently slides a hand down my back, directing me through the workers’ entrance.

A man in bright chili pepper pants, an apron, and a black shirt opens the door.

“My old friend, it’s good to see you again, and what stunning company.

Come, I’ve reserved you the back table, and turned down the blinds,” he says, leading the way through the bustling kitchen, tasting something on a spoon along the way.

“Ramon, those grits shouldn’t be wetter than when I’m touching your mom’s pussy, thicken them up! ” He shouts at his sous chef.

I cover my mouth to not burst out in laughter.

“My apologies, if you’ll follow me.”

The kitchen door swings open, and Warin has his umbrella in hand. A few beams of light slither through the shades and Warin avoids them, sliding into the cozy booth, and I follow suit.

The chef only hands me a menu and I look over at Warin.

“Thank you, Tony,” Warin says to the chef, though he’s blatantly staring at me.

“Of course. Veronica will be by shortly to take your order,” the chef says, giving me a wink and walking away.

I turn to Warin, not even looking at the menu.

“He knows what you are?”

“Yes. All humans under my employ know what I am. They’re just unable to tell anyone else.”

“Your compulsion?” I say, glancing down at my ring. The thing that protects me from him ever using it on me.

“Yes. It is necessary,” he says, tapping a gloved finger against the table.

“How does the council feel about that?” I question.

“Dealing with humans is a part of our existence. As long as we protect our kind, it is not frowned upon, in fact it’s typically encouraged.”

I purse my lips and open the menu, trying to decide between savory and sweet. Though, what I should really be figuring out is how the hell I’m going to ditch this vampire in this booth.

“They seem pretty suspicious about me being in your house though, not the humans you employ.”

“Well, I have given you access to spells that hurt our kind,” he says with a smirk and I sigh.

“Why is that exactly?”

“I’ve been nothing but honest in that regard, Ember. I truly want to keep you safe.”

“Even from you?” I ask with an arch of my brow.

His hand gently grips my wrist.

“Yes, Ember, even from me. Now, Tony is an amazing chef. Have you decided what you’d like?”

I hum under my breath and Warin clicks his tongue.

“Order as much as your heart desires.”

For once, I actually listen to Warin, ordering more food than I know I’ll be able to consume.

“What’s your coven like?” he asks, taking me off guard as I bring a glass of water to my mouth.

I worry about how much I should tell him, giving him some insight into my grandmother and mother was probably already too much information.

“I have no ulterior motive other than to get to know you, Ember.”

“They’re amazing, they mean everything to me, especially my best friends.

I mentioned Iris who was there when I accidentally burnt the church down, and Violet came into our lives as teenagers.

I can’t imagine my life without them. The coven has its own issues, but we’re working through them,” I say honestly.

I’m not sure why I want to be honest, maybe it’s a bit of practicing what I preach.

“Things have changed since Aster was sent away. She was a bit of a bitch,” he says and I snort into my water.

“You’re not wrong. My grandmother is beside herself that Lavender is High Priestess, she’s probably been the most vocal about it in the coven.”

“This upsets you?” he asks and I shrug my shoulders.

I lick my lips. Should I tell him more information? Right now I’m supposed to be separating myself from Warin, not getting closer.

“She’s disapproving of a lot of things, including me,” I say the last part in a near whisper.

Warin reaches out, touching my wrist with a gloved hand and squeezing softly.

“Then she doesn’t see what I see,” he says as he stares at me.

Okay charming, sweet Warin is in this booth with me, and I’m not sure what to do with him when he’s like this. It’s easier when he’s been demanding or scheming, but when he’s like this, I can’t help but to like him. So instead, like a coward, I pull my wrist away and change the subject.

“Do you like being a vampire?” I ask him, starting off easy.

“I do. I like being powerful, strong, and eternal. I miss the sun, I miss my ma, but my human life wasn’t much of a life.”

“What about drinking blood?” I ask, with a thick swallow, wondering about his answer. I don’t know why I need to know, but the idea of him sinking his teeth into someone else’s throat bothers me.

What’s wrong with me? My whole plan was to run away, but yet, here I am, endlessly fascinated with the vampire sitting across from me.

“At first, I loved it. Oz, despite his many faults, saw humans as a valuable resource. More than just food, he taught me restraint and how to contain my bloodlust.” He clears his throat. “The only humans I’ve ever killed were the ones you saw in my memories.”

I tilt my head at him, wondering how hard it was for him to indulge that little piece of him. I’m not sure why knowing that information helps me view him in a different light. I’ve seen Warin violent, but the fact that he isn’t aggressive toward humans softens me even more.

He’s been nothing but protective of me, and I can see that he’s trying, he’s doing what I asked of him.

I don’t want to run away from him, and that thought is terrifying.

“And vampires?” I ask, wondering if his answer will change my mind.

He smirks, a bit of fang showing. “I wouldn’t mind killing Joyce right about now.”

“I can’t believe you ever slept with her.” The words slip out of my mouth before I can take them back.

“It was another life ago. I haven’t…there’s been no one in a very long time,” he admits, and I swear there's a blush to his cheeks, maybe I’m seeing things. “What about you? Do you enjoy being a witch?”

I grin and nod while the server brings our food and I start in on the blueberry and peanut butter crepe.

“I can’t imagine my life without magic. It feels like it’s a part of me. I don’t know anything else, but I wouldn’t trade being a witch or my coven for the world. I might not be the best at it?—”

“I think you’re quite good at it. I think that your magic has been criminally underutilized. Clearly, you’re talented with your earth magic, but I think defensive magic is your true calling. Not any witch could master the spells in those grimoires like you could.”

My cheeks heat. My family never compliments my magic. Violet and Iris do, of course, but not as reverently as Warin does.

This vampire looks at me like no one else ever has, and despite my better instincts, I’m falling for it.

“I don’t know about that,” I say with a shrug.

“I do. You’re talented, beautiful, generous, and too fucking hard on yourself. You’re an exceptional witch and if someone has told you differently, I don’t mind making a pit stop on the way home.”

He looks dead serious, and I sigh.

“Are you really going to take out my grandma?” I snark.

He smirks at me, his elbows on the table as his gloved hands rest under his chin.

“Is that something that friends do for one another? Take out bitchy grandmas?”

I blink at him a few times and he grins.

“This is our friend date, and I have to say, it’s going rather swimmingly. Maybe this honesty thing isn’t so absolutely horrible. What else would you like to know?”

I have a bite of my omelet ready to go into my mouth when I pause at his question, bringing my fork back down onto the plate and wiping my mouth.

“You really want me to like you, don’t you?”

“More than anything,” he replies, his eyes searching mine.

It’s pathetic how happy I am that he took the sunglasses off when we sat down. His eyes are far too pretty to be hidden away.

“You’ll tell me anything I want to know, even the bad stuff?”

He nods, his nostrils flaring ever so slightly.

“Then you’ll tell me why you wanted this arrangement with me and about why you’ve been stalking me for what appears to be the last decade?

” I ask with an arch of my brow. It’s the last piece I need to know, it’s what will tip the scales on whether I stay and see what this connection is or if I run out this door kicking and screaming.

I’m staring him down. His lips part to speak when everything goes to absolute hell.