Page 12 of Reap the Night
I plucked it off my desk to see four messages, all from Kaster Black over the course of the past week.
I know you probably won’t see this until you’re back on your feet, but I want you to know I’m thinking of you and I would be there if I could.
They tell me you’re healing well. You have no idea how relieved I am.
There’s a new restaurant opening next month. We should go.
I wish you were awake so I could get your opinion on color schemes for my new apartment. In fact, I’m going to wait until you’re better. Hopefully soon.
A smile tugged at my lips. Maybe work wasn’t the only thing to look forward to…
Chapter 5
THREE WEEKS LATER
There was something incredibly appealing about a man in paint-stained joggers and a T-shirt. And the fact that Kaster didn’t need a stool to reach the crease between the ceiling and the wall when painting was even sexier.
Urgh, I shouldn’t have been thinking about him as sexy. He was my friend, nothing more. We’d agreed, weeks ago, that whatever was between us would remain platonic, and yet somewhere along the way, the boundaries had begun to blur.
The easiest thing to do would be to limit the amount of time I spent with him. Easy enough to do now that the missing persons cases were at a roadblock. The canvasing had yielded no results, and we were banging our heads against a brick wall. No more cold ones had been spotted since the attack on the School of Creation, even though we continued to patrol. Turned out that the Sangualex who’d gone missing by the river had been killed by cold ones, their bodies found downriver, mangled but not eaten. I guessed vampires weren’t as appealing to cold ones as children. No new information had come to light about the boathouse fireeither, leaving us in the dark about why the chapter operatives had been sent there. Poor Padma was still at Harriet’s mercy, and I was still trading my blood for the doctor’s services.
So yes, there wasn’t much tying me to Kaster, so once I finished helping him decorate his apartment, I’d pull away from our relationship.
My heart sank because we were almost done. Just one more room to paint and a few knickknacks to source, then his New Town apartment would be complete, and I could back off and reaffirm our boundaries.
I slid a glance his way, noting how his tousled dark hair fell across his forehead and into his eyes. Here, like this, away from society and convention, he was relaxed, both in appearance and action.
He set his brush down and surveyed his handiwork.You were right about this color,he said in my mind.It does make the room look larger.
And the mirror we found in that thrift shop will make the perfect centerpiece. We can stick that chest of drawers underneath it and the candelabras on either side, get some flowers and?—
His laughter filled my head.How about we get some food first?
I fell back onto the tarp-covered sofa. I can’t be bothered to get dressed and go out tonight.
We don’t have to go out. I'm going to cook.
My brows went up.Oh? And what are we having?
My signature dish. Creamy carbonara with homemade garlic bread.
My tummy rumbled.Sounds delicious.
Why don’t you hop in the shower, and I’ll get started?
Don’t you want to shower too?
Is that an invitation?
My mouth went dry, and I forced a laugh.Bad idea.
His gaze darkened, and he stepped closer.Is it?
The heat from his body kissed mine, the smell of paint overpowered by his bergamot scent, an aroma that evoked a sense of security and safety.
He was a vampire just like Ezekiel, but even though I knew Ezekiel would protect me, that he wouldn’t hurt me, I never truly felt safe with him.
Not like I did with Kaster.
