Page 26 of Big Enough to Bite
“Alsjeblieft. I’ll be in touch.” He hangs up.
I close the phone app. “What just happened? How is he going to help me?”
With an easy shrug, Sam says, “I have no idea, but if Ion says he’ll help, he will.”
Chapter Eleven
Sam
Taking Mari shopping is more fun than it should be. It’s about a thirty-minute drive to a furniture store. We take the highway, and the comfortable silence between us, plus her hand tucked in mine, is perfection.
Once inside the store, she touches everything, noting the texture and material of everything. Ultimately, she lingers in a soft cream-colored club chair, which I immediately tell the saleswoman to order for me. I can picture Mari sitting in it and reading. I may need a bigger house for all the places I imagine my vampire sitting, relaxing, and making love.
I swear my obsession with this woman is growing by the day.
I have two human-sized lounge chairs for the back porch added to the order. I want Mari to make friends and feel like she can entertain them at home. I need to add space for socializing to my list of home improvements.
Once we’re back in the truck, I admire the way she looks. Her dark-brown hair is pulled away from her face, but the wild curls always manage to escape whatever binding she uses to tame her tresses. Her cheeks are pink and her eyes bright. Even thoughshe hasn’t drank my blood in a few days, she looks like a much fitter version of the woman I first met. It’s evident to me that drinking animal blood is not a sustainable long-term practice, yet she survived.
“Why are you staring?”
Taking her hand, I say, “Because you’re beautiful.”
“Your state of calm is decidedly disturbing. At any moment, we will be in grave danger. Pierre will come, and he’ll try to kill you and take me away.” She holds tight to my hand, but there’s fear in her eyes.
“You are here and we’re together. It’s not that I’m in denial of what might happen, but I’m confident that together we can handle anything. Besides, I’m willing to bet as old as Pierre is, he’s not encountered a giant before.” I wonder if she can understand how much it means to me that she stayed because I asked her to.
“Not many creatures have encountered giants. As to my being here…” Her gaze softens. “You would have followed. It’s not as if I can disappear with a giant at my back.” Her tone is lighter.
I’m full to the brim with joy. “Giants stay away from others. They like mountains most of the time and stick to their own kind.” Starting the truck, I head back toward her house. I have some cleanup work to do, and there’s no way I’m leaving her alone with Pierre looming. I’d also like to find Tilda. Assuming she’s still in town, she might be a valuable ally if we can convince her that we can help.
“Why did you leave the mountains?” She cocks her head.
“I wanted to see the world, and my people had moved to a remote part of Russia. It was cold, but they could continue to avoid humanity. I wanted something else from my life. I worked in a circus for many years. It was easy to pretend I was a deformed human. People will try to be polite if they believeyou’re unfortunate. Sometimes things went terribly wrong and I had to flee, but many of my experiences were wonderful.”
The way she looks at me, with a half smile and eyes that catch the light even through her veil, makes my pulse quicken.
“I want to hear all the tales of your life, Sam.”
“We’ll have time. I promise.” I hold her hand and stop at the red light. It’s a long light and neither of us speaks.
I’m content to look at her. Her straight nose and pert chin make the perfect silhouette.
She looks out the window as a light rain begins to fall. “I’ve been thinking about Tilda.”
I nod. There’s no surprise that our thoughts have tilted in the same direction. “We should find her and help her if she’ll let us.”
Still stopped at the red light, Mari looks at me with the eyes of a frightened young woman, and I can imagine how it was for her all those years ago when her life was ripped away. “She’s either in a hotel or in the woods.”
“How do you know?”
Staring out the windshield as I get on the highway, she says, “Because that’s where I’d be. The hotel is to stay away from humans, and the woods are to feed.”
“The conservation area is a lot to search. Let’s start with the hotel.” The light changes and I get on the highway toward town.
“She won’t be at the one in town. Too many people who all know each other and talk. She’ll be at the one at the exit. At least, that’s what I’m guessing.” She fists her hands and sits up straighter, eager to help someone.
It’s hard to believe, but I think I love her even more.
