Before Daybreak (Love Bitten)

“You do realize you’re going to have your hands full when she’s a teenager, right?” Ren murmured as we flanked my daughter and hurried up the sidewalk.

“Absolutely.” I beamed a smile his way and used telepathy to add, but at least we won’t have to deal with the boy-crazy stage human parents go through.

Ren’s laughter hung in the air when we reached the steps to the house. It wasn’t difficult to guess how the rumor had started since the owner had done a great job decorating for Halloween. The ceiling over the covered porch was swathed with cobwebs, and a very convincing-looking witch’s broom sat in the corner. A black cat peered out the first-floor window, and candles flickered upstairs. The woman who opened the door was dressed in a gorgeous, hooded cape, and there was a smoking cauldron on a table to her left.

“Twick or tweat,” Marshall cried, smiling up at her as he held out his bag.

I held back as Ren brought Maxine next to her brother so she could get her share of the loot, too. When she echoed the saying, the witch held a bowl of candy out to them. “The two of you are such convincing vampires, I think you should get extra treats. Go ahead and pick out a few.”

“Yay!” Maxine did a little excited dance while she waited for her brother to grab his candy. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure.” When she pulled the bowl close to her body again, a few pieces fell out. “Oops, sorry. I’m not usually quite so clumsy.”

“No worries.” Ren bent low to retrieve the candy she’d dropped. Instead of dropping them back into the bowl, he handed them directly to her, letting out a surprised hiss when their fingers brushed. The faint smell of brimstone filled the air, and power swirled around Ren and the woman—or more accurately, witch, since that was what his destined consort appeared to be.