Page 18 of A Vampire Bewitched
Clearing her throat, she swiftly changed the subject. “So, now that I know you’re a…what you are. What do you know about where Keira is?”
Unwilling to upset her more after the shock he had just given her, he let her steer the conversation to safer ground. This time. “That’s what I need your help with.”
Frowning at him, she asked, “Don’t you think if I knew where she was, I would’ve found her myself by now?”
Nik studied her. He sensed her frustration and tried to gauge how much more she could take. Although she seemed to be recovering quickly from his big reveal, she still looked a little off. It might be a good idea to give her a minute before he laid anything else on her.
Plus, although it didn’t bother him, the temperature was dropping and she didn’t have a coat.
“Why don’t we go inside where it’s warmer to continue our talk?”
She glanced at him, distrust all over her features.
“I give you my word you’re safe with me. Have I done anything yet to make you think otherwise?” He gave her his most innocent face. It didn’t seem to help.
“Come on. Let’s go inside. I promise to behave. And…” Standing up, he stretched his arms over his head. “I’ll tell you everything else you want to know.”
It took her a moment, but his acting all chill must have worked.
She stood a bit shakily and walked to the front door. Not waiting for him to follow, she went into the house, letting the screen door bang shut behind her.
He watched through the screen as she turned on the lights, put her bag down and went into the kitchen to fill the teakettle with water.
He waited for her to notice he hadn’t followed her in. Other than not being able to go out in the sunshine, this was the second most frustrating thing about being what he was.
Finally, she came back to the door to find him still standing on the porch.
“Why are you just standing there? You’ve been dying to come in here all night.”
“Uh yeah, about that…” Sticking one hand in his pocket he reached up to rub the back of his neck with the other. “You need to invite me in,” he grudgingly admitted.
Leaning back against the porch railing and putting his hands low on his narrow hips, he tried to make it look like this wasn’t weird at all.
“I’m sorry?”
“You need to invite me in,” he repeated. Casually surveying the area around him, he looked anywhere but at her.
“You mean youcan’tcome in unless I invite you?” Reluctantly, he raised his eyes to hers with a sigh. He nodded, and watched a gloating smile spread slowly across Emma’s face.
“Well, well. Doesn’t this thicken the plot?” She frowned a bit as something occurred to her. “But you walked right into the bar tonight. How did you do that if you need an invitation?”
“The bar is a public place, not a private home. I only need to be invited into personal residences. Unless it’s owned by another vampire, of course.” He held her gaze.
“Huh.” Emma leaned against the doorframe. “Maybe we should just continue this conversation from right where we are then.”
She was laughing at him, now that she knew she was safe inside her home. “Come on, Emma. Invite me in.”
He didn’t like her being out of his reach. It made him nervous.
He chose not to dwell on the reason why.
“What if I don’t?” she asked with a rebellious gleam in her eye.
Starting to really feel antsy now, he told her, “I can make you invite me in, but I’d rather not. I prefer not to mess with your head like that.” He pushed away from the railing and walked up to the door. “And I don’t think you would appreciate it either.”
“I wouldn’t,” she said in all seriousness. “Promise me you’ll never do that to me.”
“I swear I will never alter your thoughts or memories.” And he meant it.
