Page 29 of The Warlock's Kiss

Wasn’t it?

She lifted a hand and lightly tapped on the glass, producing a soft clinking sound with her nail.

I’m not going crazy.

She looked down. There wasn’t so much as a sliver of broken glass on the floor. Adalynn pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes until flecks of color danced behind her eyelids. When she pulled her hands away, she looked at the window again; it was still intact.

Not. Crazy.

Laughter carried into the foyer from down the hall, faint but undeniably Danny’s. Adalynn followed the sound, and the voices that came on its heels, to the kitchen. She slowed when she reached the doorway and leaned forward to peer around the doorframe. Danny and Merrick were seated at the kitchen table, sharing crackers and peanut butter.

“You’ve really never heard ofStranger Things? It’s like the best piece of entertainment ever created,” Danny said before shoving another peanut butter-laden cracker into his mouth.

“Several thousand years of human civilization may disagree with that assessment, young Daniel,” Merrick replied. He was leaning back in his chair casually, exuding effortless sensuality; Adalynn wouldn’t have thought him capable of it were it not for their brief encounter in the bathroom.

“Whatever, man. Just ’cause it’s, like, really old doesn’t mean it’s better.Stranger Thingsis pretty much set in old times, anyway.”

“Given what I know of modern entertainment,” Merrick replied, “I doubt I’ve missed anything.”

Was this really the same man from the day before? The one who’d seemed ready to shed blood over the very peanut butter they were eating now while discussing TV shows?

Danny’s eyes shifted past Merrick to meet Adalynn’s, and his smile widened. “Morning, Addy!”

Now that she’d been spotted, she had no choice but to enter the kitchen. She tightened her grip on the shoulder strap of Danny’s bag as she neared the table. “Morning.”

Merrick turned his head to look at her and arched one of his dark brows. The corner of his mouth rose along with it. A subtle light flared in his eyes, reminiscent of the light they’d contained last night in the bathroom.

Oh no, it wasn’t a dream at all. That wasreal.

“Good morning, Adalynn,” he said. “How did you sleep?”

His voice, deep and sultry, washed over her, making her nipples tingle and her heart beat just a little faster.

“Good. Very good, actually. Thank you,” she replied.

“Are you hungry?” Merrick’s eyes suggested he was—forher.

Instantaneous heat suffused her. How had things changed so drastically, so quickly?

“Merrick’s sharing his peanut butter,” Danny said. “I have a cracker waiting here for you.”

Her gaze shifted to her brother. “I am hungry, but… Danny, did you forget something this morning?”

He cocked his head, brow furrowed. “Huh?”

Adalynn swung his bugout bag off her shoulder and dangled it in front of him.

Danny ducked his head, cheeks coloring. “Ohhh. Well, I mean…it was with you, right? So it’s…okay?”

“Not okay. What if something happened to me?”

Danny’s shoulders sagged. “Sorry, Addy.”

Adalynn placed both packs on the floor beside the table before slipping her arm around her brother in a quick hug. “Just don’t forget next time.” She pulled back and straightened. “There’s hot water. You need to take a quick bath before we go. That is”—she turned her face toward Merrick—“if it’s okay with you, Merrick? I don’t want us to overstay our welcome.”

Merrick’s smile faltered, falling into a faint but troubled frown. “He may bathe, yes, and take some time to enjoy it if he is inclined. As for leaving…you do not yet have to go.”

“It’d be best if we leave soon. We have a long way to go before we reach the next town, and we’re losing daylight already.”

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