Page 152 of Vampire so Virtuous

The kettle clicked off, the water boiling, and she turned to make herself a coffee. He exhaled softly.

“Something amiss?” she asked.

“No,ma chérie,I am content.” His voice came from just behind her—she hadn’t heard him move. She looked over her shoulder, and he was leaning with both elbows on the breakfast counter, watching her with his intense expression, taking a long breath as his chest continued to swell.

“You like the smell of the coffee?”

“Not particularly. It is too strong.”

She wondered what he was scenting if it wasn’t the coffee. Then the answer was obvious, and her face heated. She checked her robe, pulling it tighter around her, but it was secure.

The corners of his lips curled ever so slightly upward.

“Do you like it?” she asked, nodding toward the book he’d brought with him, resting on the counter beside his hand.

“It was a good choice. I’m happy to read it again.”

“You’ve already read it?”

“There’s a copy on my bookshelf at home. It is fun reading what chat—humanswrite about vampires.”

She tensed. “That’s all I am to you, isn’t it? Chattel?”

“So much more,ma cherie,” he replied, his voice soft. “Besides, you were never truly a chattel. You are a witch, one growing in power.”

“You only learned that two hours ago—and you didn’t even know what it meant.”

He shrugged. “I do now.”

She shook her head, turning away. “I don’t even know what it means. I can’t even believe it. Magic?” She scoffed. “It’s the thing of fairytales.”

“And yet, here I stand, proof of magic. The dark kind, anyway.” He blinked sluggishly, his head drooping.

She cocked her head. “Are you okay?”

“Very tired, I’m afraid. I had hoped to make it back to Fisher Hill before the sun caught me, but it is bright today. Makes it… harder.”

“Do you want to sleep here?” A vampire, peacefully asleep in her apartment? That was right up there on the list of things she never thought would happen.

“That might be for the best,” he said. “At least I’ll be close to you if anything occurs. Though I do sleep quite deeply, at least until after noon, soyou will have to make quite a racket to wake me.” He straightened and turned to survey the living room, wincing at the sunlight streaming through the curtains, bathing the couch.

“Let me close those,” she said, setting her coffee down and walking past him to pull the blinds into place. It made the apartment gloomy, with barely enough light to see, but Antoine relaxed as though he’d been suffering in stoic silence. She flicked on a side lamp.

“Much better, thank you.” He sat on the couch and began to unlace his boots.

She watched him, conflicted, but when he started on the second boot, she blurted, “You can sleep in the bed if you want.”

He looked up in surprise, then gave her a soft, sleepy smile. Strangely endearing. “Most kind,ma chérie,but I will be quite content on the sofa. Or I could sleep in the armchair, if you want to sit here?”

“Take the bed, Antoine,” she said flatly. She couldn’t deal with his selflessness on top of everything else. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Then I will gladly accept. To wrap myself in your scent—” He stopped abruptly, clearing his throat. “My apologies. I am half-asleep. That was… a little sudden.” He concentrated on removing his other boot.

Sudden?Well, yes. Yes, it was. But also kind of sweet.In a creepy stalker way.

He rose, carrying his boots in one hand, but she stirred herself and stepped ahead of him. “Let me make sure the blinds are drawn before you go in.”

“Most thoughtful. Thank you.”