Yvette's Haven

Zane nodded. “I’m not planning on sleeping.”

Haven glanced at the bald vampire, picking up the implied warning. Yeah, he understood: Zane was keeping watch on him rather than stand sentry in case the witch showed up. Mistrustful bugger.

“I’ll show you to your room,” Eddie said behind him.

Haven sought Yvette’s eyes to send her a silent message that they still had to talk. Nothing in her impassive face showed that she understood or agreed. Not wanting to give Zane any reason to be any more suspicious than he already was, he turned to Eddie.

“Sure, thanks.”

“The bedrooms are all in the back of the house. No windows.”

Eddie opened a door, and they stepped into a corridor which was lit with the same natural looking light as the living area. Several doors lined the hallway.

“This is it.” Eddie pushed the door to the guest room open and stepped inside. Haven followed into the comfortably furnished room. A large queen-size bed, bedside tables, and a dresser were made of the same wood. In one corner of the room was a large armchair with a reading lamp. The room was bathed in a warm glow coming from lighting strips hidden behind cornices on the walls.

“Thanks.”

“You have your own bathroom.” Eddie pointed at a sliding door.

“So this is your and Thomas’ house?”

Eddie laughed and slapped him on the shoulder like they were old buddies. “I wish. No, it’s Thomas’. I just live here. He’s my mentor.”

“Your mentor?” Haven had first assumed since they lived together that they were boyfriends, even though neither of the two acted in any way campy. But when Eddie had offered Yvette his own room, he figured if they were lovers, they’d share a bedroom.

“I’m new to the vampire thing.” Eddie grinned, showing his dimples. “Thomas has agreed to help me work through the change, teach me stuff, you know.”

Haven nodded, even though he didn’t really understand what Eddie meant. “Like biting?” As if a vampire needed to be taught. He was sure instinct told him just how.

“You’re funny, you know that?” Eddie’s goodnaturedness didn’t wane. “Trust me, I know how to bite. Comes with the territory. But Thomas teaches me to control my powers and instincts, so that I don’t accidentally hurt people. It’s kind of hard to understand your own strength at first.”

Haven was aware of that strength only too intimately. Yvette had used it on him, but he was also aware of how gently she had taken his cock in her mouth and sucked him when she could have easily ripped him apart. The thought of Yvette brought back the reason why he’d started to make small talk with Eddie in the first place: he needed to find out where his room was.

“That’s nice of Thomas to let you stay with him. So, you got your own room here.” Haven motioned his head toward the open door. He hoped Eddie didn’t see through his pathetic attempt at subterfuge.

A flash in Eddie’s eyes told him that the young vampire was just as smart as the rest of the bunch. And the grin that followed confirmed that he wasn’t as concerned with keeping him from Yvette as Zane seemed to be. “Down the hall, last door to the left.”

“Thanks, listen, I—”

Eddie held up his hand. “Two things: stay under Zane’s radar, and don’t hurt Yvette. She’s had a rough few days.”

“I know. I was there.”

Eddie shook his head. “No, you don’t understand. First she thought you were dead, and then we had to tell her that her dog’s gone, simply disappeared. She’s close to breaking.”

Yvette had a dog? Did that mean she formed emotional attachments? Was she capable of that? “She was upset?”

Eddie darted a quick look toward the door as if making sure they were still alone. “You seem like a nice guy, trying to shield her when you thought the sun was streaming in.”

Haven cringed, wishing to wipe that embarrassing moment from his memory. It had exposed his feelings for her, feelings he didn’t want to admit to himself, let alone to a bunch of vampires. “Just a reflex.”

A quick shake of his head meant that Eddie didn’t believe him. “Odd reflex for a vampire hunter. Hey, I’m not one to judge. Just saying, be nice to her. I don’t wanna see her cry again. It hits me in the gut.”

Eddie turned and left, pulling the door shut behind him.

Yvette had cried? Over him?

Haven raked his hand through his hair. What was he supposed to do now? Had this whole thing suddenly stopped being about sex and sexual attraction? Because if it had, then all bets were off. He wasn’t getting into a relationship with a vampire, no matter how hot and sexy she was.