Page 11 of Help Wanted, Vampires Inquire Within
Mason smiled. That response told him that his order was being ignored, and he was going to get whatever Jesse and the cook decided would be the most romantic food for him and Skyler.
Everyone wanted the two of them to get together, but that was because they were being willfully ignorant of how much danger Skyler was in. They probably thought his magic would take care of her if the two of them got together. It was sweet but deadly. Skyler needed land or a vampire to bond with or she was dead. As much as he loved her, he would never be enough.
“Mason?”
He looked up to see Skyler sitting up on the bed and rubbing her eyes. She was fully dressed except for her shoes. Had she been so tired she went to sleep in her clothes?
It was probably another sign that she wasn’t feeling well. That only made him more determined to get her into nature for the day.
Or at least as much of the day that was left. A look at the time on his phone revealed that it was almost noon!
“Good morning!” he said cheerfully. “Do you want a shower before we leave?”
“Uh, yes?” she said, standing up and looking at him blearily, eyes puffy from sleep. “Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise,” he declared. “But I promise you’ll like it.”
Her face transformed as she smiled at him. “I’ll be quick.”
She grabbed clothes from the pile of donated items that had flooded in since she’d been living above Joy. She’d lost everything but her purse when McConnell’s goons had tried to capture her that first night. After so much traveling, she was low on funds, but the community had stepped up and soon she had more than she could store in the small studio's closet.
Mason drank half the pot of coffee while she was in the bathroom. He stood near the apartment window and stared down at the little potted plant someone had gifted Skyler. It was a sage plant that had already doubled in size since being given to Skyler. She would stroke a leaf and talk to it sometimes. Remembering the times he’d walked in to see her sitting with the pot nearby made him wince. She’d been trying to do the best with what she had but one little plant wasn’t nearly enough.
He was going to fix this. He’d fix everything for her, even if it meant losing her.
She emerged from the bathroom with wet hair and an eager expression. “Can we get a latte on our way to wherever we’re going?”
“Of course!” he agreed. “We’re stopping by The Pack House first, then we can go to that coffee shop you like.”
She nodded her head and tugged on a hoodie and tucked her phone into her small purse. She was so happy it was like she was vibrating. “Ready.”
Mason led her out of the studio and down the stairs. He paused at the front door. Before they left the safety of the wards, he took a good look around. He didn’t see the human or the durmin. That didn’t mean they weren’t lurking somewhere, but he wasn’t too worried. It would be easy enough for him to shift and fly Skyler to safety if they appeared.
“I don’t see him,” she whispered behind him, eyes darting up and down the street.
“Hopefully he’s given up after that last encounter,” Mason said, although he didn’t believe it. Now that McConnell was aware that Skyler had a full-time gargoyle protector, he was probably trying to figure out another way to get Skyler.
Mason didn’t care. Let the vampire plot. No one was getting to Skyler as long as he was around.
He held out an elbow, and Skyler wrapped her long fingers around his arm. She looked happy even being outside, even though there wasn’t bare earth under her feet yet. The Pack House wasn’t far away, and they were soon stepping inside the popular diner.
“Mason, Skyler!” someone shouted as they walked in. Living above Joy and spending so much time hanging out in the bar meant there were a lot of familiar faces in the diner. Even Rissa and Zan were there having lunch.
When Mason caught Rissa raising an eyebrow, he felt obligated to explain. “I’m taking Skyler out to east county for a hike and picnic.”
Rissa gave him an approving smile. “Perfect!”
Even though Jesse had their food ready, it took a while to leave with everyone who wanted to talk to them.
Once they were back out on the street, it was a quick trip to the coffee shop and then to the Bronco. He didn’t relax until they were on the freeway heading east.
Skyler sat in the passenger seat, smiling widely as she sipped her sweet latte. “Tell me about your mom,” she said.
He hadn't told Skyler much about Elena except that she was a powerful bruja. “What do you want to know?”
“I know you were born in San Diego,” she said. “Was your mom?”
“No, she was born in the Yucatan Peninsula. She moved up here to be close to her aunt.”
