Concern flickered through her silver eyes. “You dreamed again?”
“Yes, but they weren’t really clear and didn’t make a whole lot of sense.” I shrugged. “I just woke up with the sense that it would all soon end—but not before blood is spilled.”
“Your dreams can be as unhelpful as the damn spirits.”
Wasn’t that the truth. I glanced past her as the door chime sounded and Aiden appeared. He spotted us immediately but the smile that tugged his lips failed to lift the weariness from his eyes.
“Afternoon, ladies.” He sat between us, his knee lightly resting against mine. It said a lot about my state that my pulse could do little more than briefly flutter.
“You look as if you not only need a strong coffee,” Belle said, as she pushed upright, “but a rather large energy jolt in the form of a chocolate brownie slab.”
“Maybe not a slab,” he said, expression amused. “The rest of your customers might complain if I devoured the lot.”
“Most of our customers haven’t got a full evening ahead of them.”
Aiden’s gaze shot to mine as she left. “I take from that comment you dreamed again last night?”
“I did. About shoes.”
Surprise briefly flared across his expression. “I know shoe fetishes are common amongst women—my sisters included—but it’s taking it a bit far to dream of them, isn’t it?”
I couldn’t help smiling, and had a vague feeling that was exactly what he’d intended. “I think most women would disagree with you on that.”
“So what was so special about these shoes?”
“They were black-and-white wingtips, and covered in blood.”
“The blood obviously signifies our vampire, but I can’t see the connection with the wingtips.”
“I saw them at the cabin that appeared in the first dream. I believe they’re his.”
“Even if they are, that’s not really going to help find either the cabin or the vampire. And it’s hardly practical to put an all-points out on a pair of shoes.”
“I know that.”
Belle brought over a mug of coffee and several pieces of the brownie, then left again. I drank my tea while he all but inhaled the rich slice.
“There is more if you want it,” I said, amused.
His smile flashed, and this time it was full-blown and decidedly sexy. “Tempting, but even a werewolf’s faster metabolic rate has its limits.”
“The calories in chocolate don’t count, and that’s a fact.”
“So Ciara insists.”
“She sounds like a sensible woman.”
“Sometimes,” he murmured. “But mostly not.”
The love he had for his sibling was very evident in his expression, and I couldn’t help the slight twinge of envy. Despite the fact I’d nearly died trying to save my sister, I wouldn’t have said any of us were that close.
“Did you manage to pull any information from last night’s shooter?”
Aiden nodded. “He’s not been overly helpful, though. He was hired a week ago, but can’t tell us who by and wasn’t called into action until last night.”
“And do you believe he’s telling the truth?”
He hesitated. “I’m inclined to. He did say he wasn’t the only gun hired, but he wasn’t sure what the others were up to. He was told to keep low until contacted.”