Page 15 of Santa's Wish
After a few turns, the apartment building loomed before us. It was darker than the other buildings, with no lights showing above the first floor, thanks to the vampire-safe window treatments on most of the windows and blackout curtains on the others.
"Give me a moment on the stairs. I'll let you know when it's ready. I can arrange the big stuff for you, but then you're on your own for unpacking."
"Thank you," I said, not knowing how else to respond. I stayed in the laundry room off the kitchen while he zipped up and down the stairs with my stuff.
"Okay," he called from the larger of the two bedrooms a moment later. It took me a hot minute to find him. Everywhere I looked, I found organized chaos. I'd expected boxes to be strewn everywhere, but he'd piled them neatly along the walls, including the wall alongside the bedroom door.
"Is the bed where you want it?" he asked.
"Beneath the window is fine." I imagined throwing the blackout curtains wide and letting the sun wakeme. "I've never been fond of the sun, but I can't imagine not seeing it again."
Santa made no sound as he centered the bed beneath the window. He pointed to a box beside the door. "Sheets."
"Thanks for the furniture, again."
"It was sitting in storage, collecting dust. You're going to need your beauty sleep to work for the empress." He winked again, and my insides melted a little more. "I've got to get to work. Text me if you need anything. I'll be back around three."
"I'll be asleep." My cheeks burned at the admission. Our sleep schedules were completely opposite. We might have an hour or two each night before he left for work, but that was it. The alternative, waking before seven when I started work at nine, sounded terrible.
Besides, he was my landlord now. I wondered if that changed anything about his offer to take my pesky virginity. I'd clarify before our date on Monday, just to be sure.
CHAPTER 5
SANTA
I lovedthis time of year. We were getting closer to the winter solstice, when darkness occupied more hours than sunlight. That meant I could spend more time with Boz before I left for work.
I wasn't spending time with him, though. I didn't want to be that needy vampire. Instead, I'd been ordering things he would need from online stores and having them delivered to his address.
Oh, and food delivery. Lots and lots of food delivery. I loved the smell of good food. I couldn't eat it, but I often bribed my human tenants and coworkers to taste-test food that smelled good to me. They agreed I still had decent taste.
I hoped Boz agreed. I wanted him to know what was good around here, so he could fend for himself during the summer months.
If he was human come summer. He was still undecided on becoming a vampire. I hoped he had enough time to come to terms with it before the empress forced his hand.
I'd never felt this protective of anyone before. Boz was different. Special. I should have stayed far away from him, not to mention Empress Marcella. Maybe I had a death wish. Perhaps that was the reason I didn't mind walking into the lion's den with both eyes wide open.
The thing about the empress was, she didn't forget anything with her steel-trap mind. She knew I'd murdered my sire, yet she had never come after me. I wasn't foolish enough to think changing my name had worked.
She knew where I was and what I'd done with my life since then, but I wasn't as valuable as Key. I didn't get a special summons or a party in my honor.
The last time she was in Boston, she didn't notify me at all. Part of me wished she had, but I was also glad she didn't. She'd contacted Dobbins's associates, and now they were all dead. Two of my favorite Fanglory coworkers now worked for the council after her visit.
I pulled up Key's text with his address. Everyone knew where the council building stood. The address he gave me was down the street, within walking distance of his workplace and my favorite Blood Drive.
I didn't envy my friends. I didn't. I loved my job. It got me out of the house, away from sitting around thinking lovesick thoughts about a human I had no business liking.
My friends' new location reminded me of a little restaurant I'd frequented for years. Before work Saturday, I called them and was immediately put on hold. I waited several minutes, and the young woman sounded relieved I wanted a reservation for Monday, not the weekend.
Too soon, the sun set on Monday afternoon just after 5 p.m. The moment I'd been waiting for. I took my time with ablutions, scrubbing the leftover gel from my hair and washing between my toes, behind my ears, and scouring everything from my treasure trail to the top of my ass crack and back again. I liked to be prepared for anything, and I didn't want to smell like sex after three full days of working the VIP room at Fanglory.
Twenty minutes later, I knocked on Boz's door.
"Swear to God, if this is another fucking food delivery—" Boz swung the door open and his eyes dilated on contact with my tuxedo. The fabric was a deep purple that looked black until I stood beneath a spotlight like the one in the hallway outside his door.
"Hello." He dragged a couple more syllables than necessary from the word. "You clean up nice."
"This is just another costume." It was true. I couldplay Santa one month and Lucifer Morningstar the next, all before breaking out a Cupid diaper or an Easter Bunny suit.
