Page 60 of Santa's Wish
"Maybe they were irrational?" Kristin shrugged.
Colette tapped her sharp fingernail against the glass conference table. "Calculating, yes. Crazy? I don't think so. I've known Cassius for centuries, thanks to our sire."
"There's nothing in his past with the empress to indicate he wanted revenge on her."
"What if their target was Colette?" I asked. "You're the only one who would miss me. Well, you and Santa."
Colette scraped her nail across the countertop with a sharp squeal before snapping her fingers. "We need to look for a connection between Cassius and Santa."
Harley frowned. "Santa's been in the U.S. for over a century. Cassius arrived ten years ago from Italy."
"I'll check the last ten years," Colette said.
"I'll take the rest." Harley had looked rested and festive on Christmas Eve, but now, dark bruise-colored crescents rimmed his red eyes. I didn't envy his job as liaison to the empress one bit.
"I'll ask Santa," I said. He'd never mentioned a history with Cassius. He didn't know the vampire's name until I told him, but he rarely mentioned his past before returning to the U.S. If I asked him about it, he might remember something vital to save us time.
While I could hold a conversation, I wasn't thinking clearly. Santa was waiting at the curb to take me home, but I lost track of time after that. I blinked,and then I was staring at spreadsheets on my work laptop in my third-floor living room, somewhere I hadn't visited in a week. I tried to focus, but my eyes kept drifting to the windows.
Santa found me sitting on the window ledge, the bug screen lodged in the hedges below.
"A fall from this height would hurt," he said.
"At least then I would feel something." Fuck. I'd said that out loud. I could feel, at least, physically. My emotions were a mess. Instead of dealing with them one at a time like I usually did, I felt numb.
Santa masked his concern with a smile and hopped onto the ledge with me. "We can jump together."
"I'm fine, really. I'll put the screen back on."
"Why? My vampire tenants don't have screens on their windows. They can jump to their pain whenever they want."
His phrasing made me laugh. Gods, he was funny and sweet. I didn't deserve him. Tears slid down my cheeks. I didn't know why I was crying.
"Let's get you to bed." He gently took my hand and carried me back into the apartment, closing the window behind us.
"I can't. I'm supposed to be working."
"Colette planned on you being gone for six months," he chided. "You can rest for a few hours a night."
"He's right, you know,"Empress Marcella's voice whispered in my head. "Take a moment to be yourself."
"I don't know who I am anymore,"I responded.
"Figure it out together."
Together … I still wasn't ready for sex, but maybe …
"Do you want to go for a run with me?"
He looked at me like I was crazy, and maybe I was. I'd hated running when I was human, but I still wanted to make the trip to Cambridge.
"Blood Drive first," he said. I'd mindlessly finished the carafe.
It was there, in the luxurious heat and the smells of the blood cafe's delicious infusions that I remembered my question for Santa. Unfortunately, the timing couldn’t be worse. I didn’t want to disturb the other customers. They ranged from dock workers to people in suits. We had a bustling vampire community in Boston, and the diversity astounded me every time. We'd even seen a ballet troupe waiting for their to-go cups a few nights ago.
When we were outside again, I drained half my cup. "Ready to run to Cambridge?"
"Where in Cambridge?"
