When her breathing slowed to deep and even, Emery slid out from under her and cocooned her body in the covers the way she liked. He stared down at her for a long while, memorizing her beautiful face, playing through all her hilarious anecdotes and funny musings. Remembering the way she’d looked at him as she stood within that press of enemies and vowed not to let him die.

She was so much woman. Brave, strong, yet sweet. A breath of life. The very essence of nature.

He blew out a breath and turned, but it was impossible to walk away like this. He couldn’t do that to her.

Faltering, he found a piece of paper and scratched out a quick goodbye note. He wished he could do more.

He closed the door softly and turned, hiding his surprise when he saw Darius waiting down the hall. The vampire’s face was impassive, but his eyes were knowing.

“The most powerful of the spells that Penny and I did are still in our utility belts. They didn’t fit the situation.”

“Lucky for me.” Darius walked closer. “I assume you are headed out.”

“Yes. We’ll have to settle up for what we have. Or what I have. I’m not sure what she wants to do with hers.”

“She’ll give them to me and insist you get paid for it. Her mother will agree, because she doesn’t trust my kind. Would you like to go through the spells now, or…”

“No.” Emery looked in the direction of the door. “It’s best that I leave now.”

“You don’t have to. I can easily hide you, if that is your fear. You can help with Penny’s training, if you want. The dual-mages would take you in, or you could stay at any number of my properties. Your life a month ago doesn’t have to be your life tomorrow.”

Emery shook his head, the desire to give in and stay almost buckling him. But he had an obligation to his brother to fulfill, and he meant what he’d said to Penny. She was an angel. She deserved the absolute best, and in his absence, hopefully she’d find it.

The memory of her body pressed against his as she asked him to be her first burned through his brain. He bowed with regret, stabilizing himself with a hand on the wall. Refusing her had taken more strength than he’d known he possessed.

“I have the location of my brother’s death,” Emery said. “I need to visit the site and say goodbye properly. I need to apologize in person. Then I need to disappear.”

“Well.” Darius walked Emery toward the door. “Whenever you need money, you know where to come. I am most often in New Orleans of late. I have an interest there. Should you want to speak with me directly, that is the best place to find me. That is, of course, assuming you lose your phone.”

Not this time. Emery wouldn’t be losing this phone like he had lost all the others. He had Penny’s number stored in it. One day, if he could ever figure out how to change his stars, he’d contact her again. Just to see how her life was turning out. Just to hear her voice.

“Do me a favor,” Emery said, knowing he was putting himself at the debt of a vampire, a very bad place to be. For her, though, it was worth it. “Watch out for Penny. Keep an eye on her. Make sure she stays safe. I will exclusively sell magic to you if you agree.”

Darius nodded. “Done. As I said, my interest in her has many facets. As does my interest in you.”

“I know. But you’d be surprised at how much harder she’s going to be to manage.”

“Oh, I doubt it. Not compared to…” He paused, and his face softened before a confused scowl crossed his visage.

Emery didn’t want to know. Whatever gave a vampire pause was not something he wanted any part of.

“Anyway.” Emery stepped away. “I’ll be off. I’ll stay with a friend tonight and meet you tomorrow night for the handoff. You have my number?”

“I do.” Darius looked at him for a long moment before shifting. “Keep your head down.”

“Don’t I always?” Emery smirked and turned, then strode for the door.

He didn’t get very far when someone much scarier than a vampire could ever be stepped into his path.

He threw up his hands. “I’m leaving. I told her goodbye. I told you I’d leave, and I am. Penny is safe from me. She’s free to find someone with some worth, like you said.”

Penny’s mom, whose first name she still hadn’t divulged, stared him down with all the fire he occasionally saw spark in Penny’s eyes right before she did something crazy. “She found someone with worth. She just needs that someone to express it.”

Emery stared at her stupidly, gobsmacked. That had not been what he’d expected.

“Listen.” Ms. Bristol shifted and gingerly switched the hand still holding the envelope from earlier. “My daughter is a lot like her father was. She always sees the best in people. She can be timid, and she can wreak havoc, but she is true to herself. When it comes to her principles, or matters of the heart, she is immovable. Stubborn as all get out. She believes in you. She trusts you. And I would have to agree with her sentiments. Now it’s just you who has to believe in yourself. You who has to trust yourself. If you could do that, then you would be deserving of her, and her of you. It all comes down to you.”

All he could do was stare and blink. Of all the unexpected things these last few days, this was probably the most surreal.

“Now that that’s out of the way.” She glanced around him and lowered her voice. “Where did the vampire get this?” She indicated the envelope.

“Stole it, and a lot of other records, out of the guild’s records room. They are surely sorting through everything and scanning like mad.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Can’t be a coincidence that they picked out a random Sheriff’s file.”

“I suspect not. He wants to know more about Penny.”

Her lips tightened. “Well, if he thinks getting one over on her is going to be easy, he doesn’t know very much about me.”

He couldn’t help a wry grin. “I suspect not.”

She harrumphed. “Well, then.” She patted his shoulder. “Take care, Emery. Don’t forget about us.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

He waited for her to disappear into the hallway before he headed for the door.