Sunglasses at Night (Claws Clause 3)

Shea backed further away, leaning up against Colt’s chest as he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close.

Debbie took her place next to the bed, her lips pursed as she looked Tabby up and down. Adam stiffened when the Dayborn leaned in, her nose inches away from Tabby’s throat. She inhaled softly, almost snuffling, before she straightened.

Her gaze sought out Adam. An unreadable expression on her face, she motioned to him.

“Come with me.”

Adam hesitated. There was a look in Debbie’s eye that warned him not to disobey. Considering she could just use her innate Dayborn magic and force him to do what she wanted with as little as direct eye contact, he realized he should be grateful that she was giving him the choice.

Of course, that only worried him more.

He didn’t want to abandon Tabby. Then again, he was also afraid to ignore Debbie. Not because of who and what she was, but because he knew, from that single look, that she didn’t want any company when she told him whatever it was she planned to—and that, most likely, it wasn’t something he’d be eager to hear about.

With Shea’s murmured promise that she’d continue to watch over Tabby, Adam followed Deb out of the guest room. They went downstairs, winding their way to Colt’s back porch before the Dayborn felt confident enough that they had some privacy.

And then she dropped the bomb.

“Your pretty little slayer’s gonna be fine, but it’s not the witch magic holding her back. It’s not the Nightwalker’s bite, either. She’s not turning, since I’m sure that’s what you’re worried about, but… did you know that she’s your betrothed?”

“What? No—what?”

“It’s clear as day, sweetie, if one knows what to look for. You two perform the final blood exchange and you’re as good as bonded.”

“I just… how?” Debbie was right. All along, Adam had been scared shitless that the second blood exchange would be an unwitting catalyst to turn Tabby someday when, all along, he should’ve followed his instincts and realized that it was the second step in bonding his slayer to him. “No. I— that can’t be right. I mean, you… Deb, you’re the one who told me that it takes more than that.”

Debbie held up her hand. “Ah. I believe I told you that two blood exchanges wouldn’t be enough to create a bond between a vamp and a human—”

“Not a human.” The words just slipped out of him. “A slayer.”

He still wasn’t so sure what the difference was, but Tabby seemed to think there was one. It must have rubbed off on him.

“She’s something alright, but she’s not a Para, sweetie. And there are rules.” With a tut, guessing what Adam was going to cut in with next before he even got the chance, she quickly added, “I ain’t talking about the dratted Claws Clause. Bonds Laws? They’re lucky we don’t rise up against their ridiculous ordinance. As if the government can actually have a say in how we fall in love. But, whether you’re in love with your slayer or not… and I’m siding with you are at least a little bit… somewhere along the way the bond took.”

Adam couldn’t deny it; at least not the “in love” part. Deep down, he was pretty sure he fell for Tabby that first night in the alley, when he thought he was rescuing her from a Nightwalker and she surprised him with her bubblegum and her magic bandage.

And then there was their trip to Woodbridge and the way she took on a killer vamp and a feral shifter only hours apart.

Not to mention the nights they shared together...

“But you said I couldn’t force anyone!”

“That’s right. Did say that, and it’s true, too. So when did your slayer decide that she loved you back?”

Adam opened his mouth, thought about what she was asking him, and shut his trap.

Debbie lived to tease. A kind-hearted vamp with a big personality and an even bigger smile, she would poke and prod and tease while telling stories that had the world-weary and experienced former cop blushing.

Just then, though? She actually seemed to sympathize with him.

“Ah, baby. I guess she hasn’t yet. Well, that’s still alright, ain’t it? An unfinished bonding isn’t a death sentence, Adam. It might take her a little longer to heal than you’d like, but she’ll be back on her feet before you know it. And, if everything works out for you two?” She elbowed him, enough power in the friendly blow to have another Para stumbling. “I’m sure it won’t be long ‘til you have that wee thing on her back. My advice? Skip the condom, take a sip, and finish what you two started already. No point in waiting, eh?”

His jaw dropped as he straightened again, his cheeks going warm. He was probably burning through a whole pint of blood with that flush but it couldn’t be helped.

“Deb!”

She laughed. “Don’t go crying my name out so loud, Nightwalker. I don’t want your slayer waking up and trying to hunt me down ‘cause you screamed for me instead of her.”

Your slayer. Why was it when Debbie said that, it… it just sounded right?