“This place is nice,” Ezra remarked, looking at the high ceilings and the airy vibe of Kayla’s apartment.

The colors and decorations were muted and subtle, and it looked much cozier than the villas and castles he was used to. It was a nice change of pace.

Kayla was still standing near her door, looking like she wanted to bolt instead of show him the place. He was surprised she had even agreed to bring him to her apartment. Then again, she had already taken the money.

He knew he had just given her a lot to process, and he hadn’t been very gentle about it. But Stephen hadn’t left him with a lot of choices and Kayla intrigued him. Ezra told himself he claimed her out of necessity alone, but the truth was, he was looking forward to getting to know her better.

And since he needed her cooperation in order to convince Stephen and any other vampire he ran into that he was serious about turning her, this whole apartment situation was pretty perfect. They would live together, as couples tended to do, and Kayla would get something out of the deal in the form of a generous rent payment.

Very slowly, Kayla finally stepped inside, closing the door after her. She didn’t look particularly excited to give him the tour, No, her expression was more resigned than anything. “I didn’t agree to be engaged,” she said. “Does that even matter to you?”

The disappointment in her voice stuck a chord with Ezra and he gestured toward the couch, hoping she would join him and that his explanation would smooth things over. Despite pressure from Stephen, he wasn’t about to turn someone who didn’t want to be turned.

“Don’t worry, Kayla, this is just temporary,” he replied, watching her hesitantly sit down on the other side of the couch.

Ezra nearly gave in to the urge to reach out and wrap an arm around her shoulder.

He thought better of it, though.

“You see, my Maker, that is the vampire who turned me, has given me an ultimatum, basically. I need to start offering the gift of immortality to worthy humans, or he is going to cut me from his line. You don’t know what that means, of course, but let me assure you, it’s not good.

“So, he sent me off to find myself a bride. Now, I’m somewhat of a bachelor and taking care of a new vamp is not my idea of a good time. But I need to show Stephen, my Maker, that I’m serious about this. Now, I’ve pretty much moved in, I’ve claimed you, what’s more serious than that, right?” he asked, earning a weak nod from Kayla.

“We play this game for a while, until I can make up a reason why it’s not working out, we break up and both go our separate ways. How’s that sound?” he finished, studying her reaction.

“So, this whole claiming me thing isn’t real?” Kayla asked, perking up somewhat.

“Oh, it’s very real. As far as any other vampire is concerned, you belong to me. But you don’t have to think about it like that. You can see it more as a… business deal.

“You play along as my betrothed as I convince Stephen I’m preparing to turn you, and I’ll make sure the rent is paid, even after our arrangement ends,” Ezra replied. “Does that sound reasonable?”

“You could have explained it like that before you decided we should be vampire-engaged or whatever,” Kayla pouted, but Ezra could tell her anger was starting to fade a little.

“I’m bad at thinking things through,” Ezra shrugged. “But you’ll probably figure that out soon enough, dear fiancée,” he grinned, earning an eye-roll from Kayla. “See? You’re warming up to me already.”

* * *

The sun was barely up when Ezra had finished moving his stuff into Kayla’s apartment, careful not to disturb her as he did so. He could hear her breathe, deep and peaceful, in her bedroom, as he slipped into the kitchen.

He knew it was only a matter of time until she woke up for work, so he started prepping for breakfast. Ezra himself didn’t need the nutrition, being on a liquid diet and all, but he thought he should do something nice for his bride-to-be after upending her life.

It was selfish of him to involve Kayla in his scheme to please Stephen without actually becoming a Maker, he knew that. But it had been selfish of Stephen to force him into that kind of responsibility. That didn’t make what Ezra was doing right, by any means, but putting some of the blame on his Maker did make him feel a little better.

It’ll be fine. I won’t interfere with Kayla’s life if I can help it, and we’ll both come out of this mutually benefitted, he told himself, opening the fridge he had taken the liberty to stock earlier.

As he got out the eggs and bacon, he could hear Kayla’s alarm beeping in the master bedroom, followed by the sound of her tossing and turning before shutting it off. There was a soft groan as her feet hit the floor, and she shuffled into her bathroom.

Now that she was awake, Ezra turned on the stove and got out a pan, making quick work of treating Kayla to a delicious meal.

They do say breakfast is the most important part of the day, he mused, pouring out a glass of orange juice and setting in on the counter.

By the time Kayla padded into the kitchen, he was all but done cooking and was plating her a pile of scrambled eggs, crispy bacon and some toast. Kayla’s eyes widened at the sight of him behind the stove, and she hesitantly sat down at the counter.

“Good morning,” Ezra said, sliding the plate of food her way.

Clad in fluffy pink pajamas, with her hair in a messy bun and her bangs hanging in her face, she just as cute as he remembered, and Ezra couldn’t help but smile. He still hadn’t figured out why he found Kayla so special, but there was definitely something about her that kept drawing him in.

Flicking her hair out of her face, she looked at the food, and then at Ezra. Her hazel eyes were remarkably clear, despite her otherwise sleepy appearance, and Ezra couldn’t help but stare.

“Good morning to you, too,” she replied, picking up a fork and twirling it between her fingers. “And thanks for the breakfast. I’m always too lazy to cook in the mornings,” she said, giving him a small smile.

“Anytime. I have to win you over somehow, don’t I?” Ezra winked at her.

“Bacon is definitely a good start,” she replied, picking up a piece and taking a bite. “Aren’t you going to have some?”

“I could, but I don’t really need to,” Ezra said, turning off the stove and sitting down opposite her. “Undead, bloodsucking creature of the night et cetera, et cetera…” he trailed off with a flourish of his hand.

“Wait, do I need to invest in some thicker curtains or what?” Kayla asked, looking concerned as she glanced over at the apartment’s huge windows.

“No need,” Ezra chuckled. “Being exposed to sunlight does wear me out, but I don’t burst into flames or anything. Thanks for worrying, though. Good to know you care.”

“This is the weirdest breakfast ever,” Kayla remarked. “I never thought I would be discussing the effects of sunlight with a vampire.”

“You better get ready for a weird ride, then,” Ezra replied. “Because this is just the beginning.”