Page 29 of The Vampire's Mate

I open my mouth to respond, but something over my shoulder catches her attention. Her face goes slack, her cheeks reddening as her gray eyes turn to molten silver. I look back to see what she’s staring at, and my mouth falls open.

Jesse is standing out on the sidewalk, his dark eyes trained on us through the large glass window. My heart rate accelerates at the sight of him in those tight jeans, his white t-shirt hugging his muscles.

“Holy hell,” Steph breathes. “I call dibs.”

“Too late,” I say, sliding my chair back and pushing to my feet. “That one’s mine.”

She finally tears her gaze away from Jesse to stare at me with wide eyes. “That’s him?”

I nod, and she lets out a low whistle. “You lucky bitch. Get out of here. Right now. Do not keep that beautiful beast waiting another second.”

She leaps to her feet, pulling me into a tight hug, whispering commands into my ear to call her later so I can finish giving her all the details. Releasing me, she gives me a light shove toward the door.

Laughing, I give her a little wave, grab my bag, and hurry from the coffee shop. When I stop before Jesse, he’s still staring through the window, a frown on his face.

“Hey, I didn’t expect to see you here,” I say, shifting my weight from foot to foot as he slowly turns to look at me with a frown.

“That’s your friend?” he asks.

“Yes,” I say, tilting my head. “What’s wrong?”

“And you said her aunt owns this place?”

“Yes. What’s going on? Why do you look upset?” I ask.

He stares at me for a long moment, then reaches out to take my hand. Leading me down the sidewalk, he doesn’t speak again until we’re far away from Blessed Brew. Stopping, he takes my other hand and holds them both tightly in his.

“I don’t know how to tell you this, Eden, but your best friend is a witch.”

12

TELL ME WHAT I AM TO YOU

“I don’t know how to tell you this, Eden, but your best friend is a witch.”

“Excuse me?”

“I think you heard me.”

“I don’t think I did,” I say, my heart racing as my brain tries to wrap itself around his words.

Steph is my best friend. There is no way in hell she’s a witch. I would know, wouldn’t I?

Yes. She would’ve told me. Even if it’s supposed to be a secret…

Shit. I’m keeping secrets from her. I didn’t tell her about Jesse until I got permission from him to do so, and even then, I refused to disclose his identity. What if she’s in the same boat? What if Jesse is right, and she is a witch, but can’t tell anyone…not even me?

“No,” I say out loud, my head shaking vigorously. “No way.”

“Eden,” he says, squeezing my hands more tightly, “I wouldn’t lie to you about anything, but especially not this. I could smell the magic wafting out of that place. It coated my skin when you opened the door, pushing back at me so I couldn’t enter. The shop is spelled to keep vampires out. Of that, I am certain. And if the owner is a witch, and Eden is her niece…”

His words trail off into silence, giving me a moment to digest their meaning and come to my own conclusion.

“That makes Eden a witch, too,” I whisper.

“From a very powerful bloodline, if the strength of that spell is any indication.”

“No,” I say, backpedaling. My mind refuses to accept this. “We’ve been best friends for years. I would know.”