hidden chamber down in the basement. The panic room was created to keep magic and intruders out , and anything up to a demon in . No daylight filtered in; no hunters could intrude, stakes in hand. I could tuck Erin in during the day and she would be safe, with no one being the wiser.
“Erin? You awake?” I gave her a few minutes to come out of her stupor. As she sat up, it occurred to me she had no clothes except what she’d been wearing. If there was one thing I didn’t appreciate, it was a vampire who dressed in smelly, messy clothing. It was bad enough we fed on blood; we didn’t have to look the part. She didn’t like Chanel, anyway, and I wasn’t going to force it on her like Sassy had. Erin was a grown woman; she could wear what she wanted.
She blinked, then pushed herself to her elbows. “I’m awake. It takes me a while—Sassy says that will change. Is she right?”
“As you age into your new life, yes, you will wake easier and with more clarity. Some of the ancient vampires can last against sunrise for an extra half hour or so, and can wake up even as the sun is starting to dip below the horizon. As long as they aren’t directly in its path. Listen, I’ve got work to do. Important work. I want you to stay with Tavah this evening. She’ll take you clothes shopping and then to the bar. I’ll meet you there later.”
Erin nodded, a hopeful look crossing her face. “Can I help you out? Please?” And then her words spilled out in a rush. “Menolly, I’m bored. I loved running my shop. I hate just sitting around at Sassy’s and playing games or watching TV. Put me to work, and I promise: I won’t let you down.”
I blinked. The thought of putting Erin to work had never occurred to me. Most vampires I knew were content to run around without a job to impede them. “You’re serious? You wouldn’t mind working in the bar at night?”
Erin flashed me a grateful smile and her eyes lit up in a way I hadn’t seen in a long time. “I’d love it! I miss being busy. I miss . . . being needed. With my store, my clients needed me. Now . . .”
“Sassy needs you.” I tried to make her feel better, but that opened up a whole new can of worms.
“I know Sassy needs me, but I feel like her pet.” She glanced over at me. “You think we’re in love, don’t you?”
I slowly nodded. “Sassy gave me that impression, yes.”
Erin shifted, obviously uncomfortable. “Sassy is in love with me. But . . .”
“But you’re not in love with her?” Understanding began to pound its way into my brain. Why, oh why hadn’t I talked this over with Erin before? I’d taken Sassy’s word for everything. Feeling every inch the neglectful parent, I asked, “What do you really think of her?”
“I am grateful,” Erin said with a shrug. “She’s taken me in and makes sure I’m safe and fed and comfortable. I care about her. Maybe I could love her if we were equals, but we aren’t. She’s my foster mother. She’s a good fifteen years older than me, which wouldn’t matter if I were really attracted to her in that way. But the whole affair gives me the creeps. I know what she wants and I don’t want to give it to her. Truth is, I’m not that interested in a relationship with anybody. I’ve got too much to learn about myself now.”
I sat there dumbfounded. Erin made perfect sense. I kept forgetting that full-blooded humans were more prone to focusing on age than the Fae or half-Fae, or vampires who had been in the life for a long time. Because humans age so quickly, fifteen years could signify a lifetime to some people.
Leaning forward, I propped my elbows on my knees and shook my head. “I’m so sorry, Erin. I never would have left you there if I’d known about this. I should have asked you earlier how you felt.”
“I wanted to say something, but I didn’t want to displease you.” Once again, Erin flashed back to the nervous daughter.
“How’s your inner predator?” I asked, cautiously
“Erin? You awake?” I gave her a few minutes to come out of her stupor. As she sat up, it occurred to me she had no clothes except what she’d been wearing. If there was one thing I didn’t appreciate, it was a vampire who dressed in smelly, messy clothing. It was bad enough we fed on blood; we didn’t have to look the part. She didn’t like Chanel, anyway, and I wasn’t going to force it on her like Sassy had. Erin was a grown woman; she could wear what she wanted.
She blinked, then pushed herself to her elbows. “I’m awake. It takes me a while—Sassy says that will change. Is she right?”
“As you age into your new life, yes, you will wake easier and with more clarity. Some of the ancient vampires can last against sunrise for an extra half hour or so, and can wake up even as the sun is starting to dip below the horizon. As long as they aren’t directly in its path. Listen, I’ve got work to do. Important work. I want you to stay with Tavah this evening. She’ll take you clothes shopping and then to the bar. I’ll meet you there later.”
Erin nodded, a hopeful look crossing her face. “Can I help you out? Please?” And then her words spilled out in a rush. “Menolly, I’m bored. I loved running my shop. I hate just sitting around at Sassy’s and playing games or watching TV. Put me to work, and I promise: I won’t let you down.”
I blinked. The thought of putting Erin to work had never occurred to me. Most vampires I knew were content to run around without a job to impede them. “You’re serious? You wouldn’t mind working in the bar at night?”
Erin flashed me a grateful smile and her eyes lit up in a way I hadn’t seen in a long time. “I’d love it! I miss being busy. I miss . . . being needed. With my store, my clients needed me. Now . . .”
“Sassy needs you.” I tried to make her feel better, but that opened up a whole new can of worms.
“I know Sassy needs me, but I feel like her pet.” She glanced over at me. “You think we’re in love, don’t you?”
I slowly nodded. “Sassy gave me that impression, yes.”
Erin shifted, obviously uncomfortable. “Sassy is in love with me. But . . .”
“But you’re not in love with her?” Understanding began to pound its way into my brain. Why, oh why hadn’t I talked this over with Erin before? I’d taken Sassy’s word for everything. Feeling every inch the neglectful parent, I asked, “What do you really think of her?”
“I am grateful,” Erin said with a shrug. “She’s taken me in and makes sure I’m safe and fed and comfortable. I care about her. Maybe I could love her if we were equals, but we aren’t. She’s my foster mother. She’s a good fifteen years older than me, which wouldn’t matter if I were really attracted to her in that way. But the whole affair gives me the creeps. I know what she wants and I don’t want to give it to her. Truth is, I’m not that interested in a relationship with anybody. I’ve got too much to learn about myself now.”
I sat there dumbfounded. Erin made perfect sense. I kept forgetting that full-blooded humans were more prone to focusing on age than the Fae or half-Fae, or vampires who had been in the life for a long time. Because humans age so quickly, fifteen years could signify a lifetime to some people.
Leaning forward, I propped my elbows on my knees and shook my head. “I’m so sorry, Erin. I never would have left you there if I’d known about this. I should have asked you earlier how you felt.”
“I wanted to say something, but I didn’t want to displease you.” Once again, Erin flashed back to the nervous daughter.
“How’s your inner predator?” I asked, cautiously
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