Love Bites

“I’m sorry about that, but I had to go out.”

“Lucas said you went to the store.”

“I did.”

He thought of the tests he’d lined up on the kitchen counter. He’d had no clue which pregnancy tests to get, or if they would even work, but the helpful salesclerk had oh-so-perkily directed him to the ones he’d purchased. She’d suggested an ovulation predictor kit, too, which he’d bought as well, though he was pretty sure Sydney would be done ovulating by now.

Not that he could say for certain. He was a guy. Much more than a guy, true, but he was still male. What the hell did he know about ovulation? Even the word sounded ominous.

“What did you buy?” Her voice was slurred, alluringly so. She sounded as if she’d had a bit too much to drink. When he met her heavy-lidded eyes, she smiled. “Anything for me?”

“A couple things, actually. I bought you a treat.”

“Really? What?”

“Strawberry ice cream. You told me once that was your favorite.” Noticing her skin seemed flushed, he got up to turn on the air-conditioning unit he’d purchased for the window. The heat didn’t affect him anymore, but it was a warm day. He didn’t want her to be uncomfortable.

“It was. But will it still taste the same? And can I even eat?”

“You can still eat, but regarding the taste? Only one way to find out. “

Kellan fiddled with dials and knobs. He had no clue how to work the blasted thing. Lucas was the one who knew how to use the stupid machine, not him.

“Where’s Lucas? He’s always playing with the A/C.”

“He’s at

work. He has an office downtown that he goes to occasionally. Most of the time he works from home.”

Even he could hear the irritation in his response, but come on. What man liked hearing that another could do something he was apparently incapable of? Especially something as lowering as operating a damned A/C unit.

To his surprise, Sydney rose and took a few halting steps to join him at the window. Her soft fingertips slid over his, pushing buttons and rotating dials until a steady stream of cool air wafted over them.

“There. Perfect.”

He cupped her cheeks in his hands and kissed her lightly on the mouth. “You’re a genius.”

“Hardly.” She grinned against his lips. “I have the same unit in my apartment.” Then her smile dimmed. “Had. Since I’m guessing you won’t allow me to leave.”

His chest tightened until the area seemed too cramped to hold his rampaging heart. “You want to go?”

“I can’t stay here forever.”

“Until you’re well—”

“I won’t ever be well.”

“You know what I mean.” Kellan finger-combed her silky hair away from her face. “You’ll get to a point where the change has progressed as much as it can, but you’d need to be bitten again to the brink of death to become a true vampire. Now you’re somewhere in between.”

“With red eyes.”

“The woman I’m looking at right now has green eyes. Beautiful, clear green eyes.”

She stared at him for a moment, then dashed off to the bathroom to check for herself. At her joyful whoop, he grinned.

“They really are green!”

“Told you.” He laughed when she appeared in the bathroom doorway, all but vibrating with exhilaration. “You’re most of the way through the transformation. The book said up to two weeks, and it’s been almost that since we picked you up.”