~

 

Rick caught Chloe’s scent on the air a moment before he caught sight of her off to the left. She was moving way too fast to pass as human.

“Oh, would you look at that?” Rick pointed to nothing at all in the other direction.

“What?” Robert asked as he stared off in the direction that Rick was pointing.

“Shooting star — guess you missed it.” Rick lied.

He was trying to track Chloe’s movements, but his mate’s curious look caught his attention, and he tossed up his hands in frustration.

“What are you…?” She started to ask in a whisper that only he could hear.

“Vampire.” Rick leaned in and whispered back.

“Oh, that’s not good,” Elizabeth said, a little louder than she had hoped for and drew Robert’s attention towards her.

“What’s not good?” Robert asked.

“I — never got to wish on it,” Elizabeth rushed out on a grimace.

“Supernatural hocus-pocus designed for children,” Robert said.

“That’s…” Elizabeth half rolled her eyes. “One way to look at it.” She bit out in annoyance and Rick leaned in towards her.

“Want me to shift into my wolf and sink my fangs into his butt?” Rick offered. As he pulled back his head, she noted the teasing grin.

“Don’t tempt me.”

“The only way to look at it. I pity the poor souls who believe in the supernatural — they’re almost as pitiful as the ones who believe in alien abduction — almost, but not quite.” Robert offered back.

“Mind how you go, this path looks uneven,” Elizabeth said.

“No, it’s…” Robert tripped on nothing at all, well — maybe a little magic. He ended up on one knee with his palms braced against the ground.

“Whoops!” Rick bit out. At any other time, he might have berated his mate for using magic against a human — but he’d enjoyed it too much.

“Might want to fix that,” Robert grumbled as he picked himself up and dusted himself down.

“Might,” Rick grinned. But the sight of Chloe making another pass around them stole his attention away again. “Might be a good idea to double-time it back to the inn, feels like rain in the air.” He lied.

“A bit of rain never hurt anyone,” Robert said.

“Sounds like a good idea,” Elizabeth said and heard a grunt of annoyance that came from Robert. “I don’t want frizzy hair.” She tossed the man an olive branch.

“You two go on alone. I’m just going to mark out the place where Robert tripped and check it out in the light tomorrow,” Rick lied.

He hated to do it. Send his mate off with a human that he didn’t trust. But he trusted Chloe even less.

He might have had the urge to kill Robert — but, he probably wouldn’t act on it. The human discovering a vampire, now that was a different matter entirely.

It would be up to Monty then to wipe the man’s memory clear, but if it couldn’t be done, then they would have no choice but to kill him. Rick knew that he had to put himself between Chloe and Robert. Even though every instinct within him said to walk away.

 

~

~

~

 

“And what’s going on in here?” Hank asked as he walked into the kitchen and found three elder witches all talking over each other while Quinn looked on in horror.

“We are just discussing how best to help Quinn with his little problem,” Dorothy offered her mate a teasing smile.

“He has so many — which one?” Hank fell into line with the witches teasing. The sound of Quinn’s low, deep, warning growl wasn’t lost on the man.

“Now listen here…” Quinn started, but Angela lifted a little finger and wiggled it again, causing Quinn to snap back his head.

“You know…” Angela left the words hanging.

“Oh – oooh! That problem?” Hank raised his eyebrows as he turned a questioning look on Quinn. The man growled again.

“I do not have that problem,” Quinn grumbled.

“I thought you’d got past the denial stage?” Angela gave a small shake of the head and a disappointed look towards the elder.

“There’s nothing to deny,” Quinn growled.

“Which is a denial of a denial,” Valerie said.

She had to admit that she was having fun. Even if it was at Quinn’s expense.

She didn’t realize just how much she’d missed company. Especially company of her own age.

“I can’t be in denial of something that isn’t true,” Quinn said getting exasperated at the way the conversation was going.

“Don’t be ashamed,” Hank offered with a wave of his hand. “It happens to everyone — not me — but… others.”

“Well, not me!” Quinn growled back.

“I thought we already established that it did?” Angela asked.

“Did what?” Quinn was getting confused again.

“Happen.”

“What happened?” Quinn growled.

He’d only been trying to do the right thing. Feed his mate. Somehow everything had become a living nightmare for him.

Witches. It had been amusing to him when the mates picked on Hank or Lark, but now the shoe was on the other foot — he didn’t much care for it.

“Do you need to have a lie-down?” Hank asked and got another hearty growl from Quinn in return.

“No, I don’t!” Quinn grumbled.

“It could be an overriding loss of stamina,” Angela shrugged her shoulders.

“What could?” Quinn asked with a deep frown.

“Your inability to perform,” Angela offered him another sympathetic smile.

“Perform what?” Quinn growled.

“You know…” It was Dorothy’s turn to lift her pinky finger and wiggle it.

“I don’t have an inability to perform!” Quinn growled long and hard in frustration.

“Are you sure?” Angela asked.

“I think I might be losing my mind,” Quinn grumbled.

“An inability to perform — lost stamina — and senility,” Dorothy drew a long breath in between her parted lips and gave a slow shake of her head. “That’s not good.”

“You can say that again!” Hank offered.

“I might need to lie down,” Quinn grumbled.

“Well, you go right ahead, dear,” Valerie said. But she couldn’t keep the laughter from her voice. Quinn eyed her for a long moment.

“Why is everyone picking on me? Hank’s standing right there — can’t you pick on him for a while?” Quinn grumbled again.

“We’re just trying to help you,” Dorothy lied, but she did it well. Even her mate might have believed her if didn’t know her so well.

“Please don’t,” Quinn growled.

“Not only in denial, but he’s given up on life. How sad.” Angela sighed once more.

“I don’t think I like you people anymore,” Quinn grumbled.

“Well,” Valerie pushed up from the stool. She’d had to turn her face away from her mate because she couldn’t help the wide grin that stretched from ear to ear. “If that’s how you feel then I’ll be off.”

“That’s not…” Quinn started to explain, but she cut him off.

“I’m going to bed, and I’ll see you all in the morning — maybe.” Valerie offered back over her shoulder as she started towards the kitchen door.

“Now see what you’ve done!” Quinn grumbled another growl at the witches.

“Don’t blame us for your lack of wooing skills,” Angela said.

“And your inability to perform,” Dorothy added.

“How the heck do you live with them?” Quinn grumbled as he started off after his mate and eyed Hank with annoyance.

“Witches — they make life so much fun. Don’t you think?” Hank offered back on a small chuckle.

“I’m trying really damn hard not to knock your head off right now – don’t ask me to think as well,” Quinn growled.