Vampire's Companion by Jory Strong Page B

savoring freedom. He’d make this work somehow. Sometimes the prickly ones were the most interesting to get to know.
    She stopped in front of a quaint house in an older part of town where lots were large and offered privacy. It was one story, light green with white trim, the windows oversized.
    Potted plants lined a tiled porch. Wind chimes and a swing hung from the underside of the porch roof.
    He parked behind Cia and got out.
    The house door flung open. A woman emerged and hurried toward Cia, the resemblance to Lucy Liu lessening but not disappearing.
    The two hugged. He joined them when it ended. “I’m Israel.”
    “Tessa.” She glanced at Cia, eyes sharp, questioning. “You didn’t say you weren’t alone.”
    “She didn’t know I was going to show up.”
    He placed a hand on Cia’s lower back, his thumb stroking her spine.
    She stiffened, though a blush spread across her cheeks and her nipples hardened to become visible points.
    He hid his smile. She wasn’t immune to him.
    Tessa gave the slightest nod. He could practically hear her thinking, lover’s tiff .
    Her gaze flicked to him. He allowed the smile.
    People interested him, always had. He liked figuring them out and helping when he could.
    It’d led him to bar tending and the fit had seemed perfect. His downfall had come in not understanding at first that a supernatural world existed alongside a human one.
    Tessa led them to the kitchen and an assortment of sandwiches on the table, complemented by potato salad and macaroni salad. “Canned drinks in the fridge,” she said.
    Terach reached it first, snagging a soda for himself and handing off a lemonade to Cia when she said that’s what she wanted. His cock stirred with the brush of her fingers against his, awareness flashing between them before she hastily turned away.
    “Get you one?” he asked Tessa.
    “I’m fine.” She dropped into a chair, waited until Cia took the one across from her before saying, “I really hate to spring this on you.”
    Cia selected a ham sandwich. “Which is why you’re softening me up with food.”
    “True. And you’ll notice I’m sparing you the donuts and coffee thing.”
    Cia laughed. “Only because you were a cop.”
    “That would also be true.”
    “Does this have something to do with your prayers being answered?”
    “Yes. I’m heading to Italy. A friend from college is getting married and I’m staying to explore afterward. That’s why your call went to voice mail earlier, I was on the phone frantically trying to find someone willing to hunt a runaway.”
    “I’ll do it.” Just like that.
    Israel admired her for it. Secretly smiled because the task just might be a way for Terach to demonstrate how useful it was to have a vampire for a lover.
    “What’s the story?” he asked.
    “The girl’s name is Kadence Kramer. She’s sixteen. Mother is desperate. That’s it in a nutshell, other than money is tight. Very tight.”
    “Money’s not a problem.” A rock backward and he’d feel the thick wad of bills still in his pocket. He lifted his fork. “We can eat the costs. It’s the least we can do for the room and board.”
    Across from him Cia twitched. But Tessa laughed. “Well, I don’t want to misrepresent the situation. I rushed to the deli before you got here. Unless you and Cia want to live on canned soup or rice or beans, you’ll have to grocery shop. I cleaned out my fridge.”
    “We can handle a little shopping.”
    Cia glowered at him. His smile widened.
    Tessa hid amusement behind a fist and hasty cough, going cop-serious in a blink and asking Cia, “Why are you on leave?”
    Cia got busy scooping potato salad onto her plate. “I shot someone.”
    “He’s dead?”
    “Yes.”
    Tessa drilled him with a look, like he should be doing something or saying something. He didn’t dare, didn’t have a clue. He’d been in Las Vegas less than twenty-four hours when he’d been presented with the tights and told to put them on, along