Page 6 of Help Wanted, Vampires Inquire Within
“He can stay if he wants or reschedule,” Mason agreed. “Do me a favor, watch how he reacts. If he gets really pissy, then he probably won’t be a good match for Skyler. She needs someone patient.”
“I’ve got you,” Rissa said with determination. “I’ll give you a full report when you get here.”
“Thanks,” he said with a forced chuckle. Rissa ended the call, and Mason tucked the phone in the backpack.
He knew what needed to happen, but it didn’t make this process any easier.
After he’d packed a fresh set of clothes and shoes, Mason stripped and put the backpack on backwards over his chest. He stepped out onto the patio and activated the spell his mother had put there. There wasn’t enough room for him to flap his wings to take off, but Elena’s spell shot him up into the sky.
The strong spell was a rush. He was wide awake now!
When he hit the apogee of the spell-fueled push, he spread his wings and turned in the direction of Joy.
Soon he was landing on the open-top floor of a short parking structure where his Bronco was housed. There were only a few cars parked there and no one around. He shifted and dressed quickly. Jogging down the few flights of stairs, he ducked into a nearby convenience store, then rushed to Joy.
He walked in to find the place almost full of pixies. What the hell? Looking around, he saw the colorful playing pieces on several tables. It was game night. Rissa had warned him that game night had exploded and might take up most of the bar.
There was one table where a man sat alone with a wine glass in front of him. He was observing everyone around him with a bored expression.
This had to be their interviewee. Mason already didn’t like him.
Ignoring the disinterested vampire, Mason carefully moved through the room. Pixies might be tougher than their small, delicate bodies looked, but he didn’t need extra guilt from accidentally stepping on someone’s foot, even if he was unlikely to hurt them.
“Pizza will be here in about ten minutes,” Rissa called. He flashed her a smile, then ducked into the narrow stairwell at the back of the bar. Soon he was facing a closed door. Should he knock or simply walk in? It wasn’t his home; it was Skyler’s. But he’d been living here with her since day one.
Except he’d been mean to her.
Guilt ate at him and made him wish he’d bought more things from the convenience store.
Before he could decide what to do, the door swung inward to reveal Skyler.
She gave him a hesitant smile and stepped back to let him in. “I wasn’t sure what was going on, but decided I should open the door in case your hands were full, and you couldn’t get to the doorknob."
“I wasn’t sure about coming in,” he admitted, walking past her and to the small table near the kitchenette. “I wasn’t nice to you earlier. I’m sorry about that.”
Skyler shook her head. “No, I’m sorry! I was scared you’d decided I was too much trouble and didn’t want to come back. I was dumb this morning.”
“I’d never leave and not come back.” He dropped his backpack on the table and opened his arms.
She stepped into his embrace, hugging him tightly. He folded his arms around her, careful not to squeeze too tightly. She felt so delicate. Nymphs were like pixies, deceptively tough. Even knowing that, Mason’s instinct to protect roared to life.
“I’m here for you until we find a safe vampire for you to bond with,” he promised, even though the words sent a shaft of pain through his chest.
Even if it means I lose you,he added silently.
Chapter 3
Skyler
It was hard, but Skyler resisted the urge to slip her hands under Mason’s shirt. Not touching Mason inappropriately was growing more difficult by the day. How much worse would it be when she couldn’t even hug him like this anymore?
“I brought you some stuff,” Mason said, pulling out of the hug.
Skyler bit her lip to keep from whimpering in distress. She never wanted the embrace to end. Hugging herself, she watched Mason dump the contents of his backpack. When he was done, there was a mound of all her favorite candy on the table.
Her stomach was too knotted to eat, but she was overjoyed at the gift. It was a reminder of how much Mason paid attention to her.
“You wanted to tell me something on the roof, but I was too much of an asshole to listen to you,” Mason said, keeping his eyes on the candy. “Would you say it now?”
