The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride (35 page)

Hugh kissed her soundly as he eased her to her feet. “You scared me to death.”

She kept her arms around his neck and stared adoringly up at him. “Almost literally, apparently.” The adoration changed to scolding. “I can’t believe you were going to walk into the sun like that. What if I hadn’t woken up in time? Or made it down here before you—”

“But you did.” His hands settled at her hips, splaying possessively over her curves. “And technically, it’s called facing the dawn.”

“Sounds like a bad romance novel.” She made a face, showing off her fledgling fangs. “One I don’t ever want to read. I only like happily ever afters.”

He laughed, the ache in his soul replaced by the glorious lightness of Delaney’s presence. “I love you. Let’s go down to the lab and get you fed.” His hands slipped from her waist to cup her backside. “I have
plans
for you.”

“Really? What kind of plans?”

“The kind you’re going to need a lot of energy for.”

Two days—actually, two
nights
—later, Delaney stood beside Hugh’s car, about to take her first nervous steps toward Main Street as a vampire. Where she would mingle with humans.

What a weird thought to get used to.

What wasn’t weird anymore was how sharp her senses were. Even at night, colors seemed oddly bright. She’d imagined Hugh having to live in some dark, muted world without his amulet, but the truth was vampire sight wasn’t like that at all.

Things were crisp and clear and she could see for what seemed like miles. Hugh came up beside her and slid his hand into hers and squeezed. She squeezed back, finding strength in the power and size of her fiancé’s hand. Her fiancé. Now
there
was a thought that never failed to leave her giddy.

“Everything all right?” he asked.

She nodded, but was already second-guessing herself. “What if I forget and my fangs slip down? What if my eyes glow? Maybe I should wear sunglasses.”

He pressed a reassuring kiss to her lips. “First of all, you’ve practiced, and you can control both of those things very well.”

“And second?”

“Second, this is Nocturne Falls. If you forget and let your guard down, people are going to think you’re pretending to be a vampire.”

“Right. I just feel like I’m wearing a big blinking sign that says ‘Hey, I’m a vampire!’ Which wouldn’t be much of a costume, but—” She took a breath. “Did you know the smell of chocolate increases theta brain waves, which trigger relaxation?”

He put his arm around her waist. “In that case, I know exactly what you need.”

He guided her down Main Street in a familiar direction. “Please tell me we’re going to the Hallowed Bean.”

“We are, but now you’ve ruined the surprise.”

She stuck her hand out and flashed her gorgeous ring. “
This
is a surprise. A trip to the Hallowed Bean is nice, but doesn’t quite compare.”

“I set a high bar for myself, is that what you’re saying?”

She laughed. “Pretty much. But don’t worry, I don’t expect you to top this.”

He made a strange, throaty chuckle but said nothing else.

They turned onto Black Cat Boulevard and walked toward the Hallowed Bean, but Hugh didn’t cross the street like she’d expected him to. Instead, he stopped them across from the coffee shop and faced her. “Maybe I did set a high bar with that ring, but I’m hoping that you’ll like what I’m about to show you just as much.”

She stared at him curiously. There wasn’t much on this side of the street except an empty storefront with paper over its windows. “What are you up to?”

He grabbed the shop’s door and pulled it open. “Look for yourself.”

Light spilled out. She stuck her head in. The shop was large and empty, its white walls and dark hardwood floors pretty but nondescript. A sofa covered with a drop cloth and a floor lamp were all the furniture it contained. “I still don’t get it.”

He nudged her inside and pulled the door closed. “This was an insurance office, but now it’s all yours, Delaney.”

She began to tremble as the realization of what he was saying came over her. “Do you mean…” Something stuck in her throat.

“Yes. This is your shop to fill with sweets and cookies and cakes and whatever else you want to make.”

Happy tears stung her eyes. A shop of her own. “Are you serious?”

He nodded. “Stanhill told me what my grandmother promised you and how you turned it down for me. There was no way I could let you give up your dream like that.”

With a soft sob, she hugged him, kissing his face and mouth with delirious abandon. “I don’t even know what to say. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

He grinned and held her tight. “I want my wife to be happy.”

“I am. More than I ever thought I could be. And not just because of the shop but because of you. I had no idea stealing someone’s identity could be so rewarding.”

“Yes, well, I don’t think that’s how it usually ends up.” He looked around. “Do whatever you need to fix the place up and make it exactly the way you want it. What are you going to name the place?”

She was about to respond when the shop door opened, and a stern-faced man walked in, his resemblance to Hugh uncanny.

Hugh nodded at him. “Delaney, this is my brother Sebastian.”

So this was Sebastian. He eyed her like she was a dangerous thing to be wary of. “Hmph. You’re the one my brother’s ruining his life for.”

“Sebastian.” Hugh’s voice held a warning.

“Just a joke.” But Sebastian’s tone was less than convincing. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“I can tell by the way you’re all smiles.” Delaney didn’t bother to offer to shake his hand. He didn’t look like he’d take her up on it anyway. She let it slide considering she knew he’d been part of the crew that had rescued her from Fat Eddie and his gang.

Hugh held a hand up. “You two need to find some common ground. You’re going to be working together. Delaney, Sebastian handles the finances for the family. I’ve already told him you’re to have our full resources at your disposal to get things started.”

Sebastian nodded. “Whatever you need.”

“Really? After all that ‘ruining his life’ business?”

Sebastian shrugged. “He’s a grown man. Who am I to stop him from making his own mistakes?”

“Love the vote of confidence,” she muttered in Hugh’s direction.

Sebastian made a noise in his throat. “You know I can hear you, right?”

She smiled, showing off her fangs. “Yes.”

She turned to Hugh. “There’s just one problem.”

“What’s that, sweetheart?”

“How am I going to run a shop like this when I can’t go out in the daylight?”

“You can always hire—”

“That reminds me,” Sebastian interrupted. He pulled a thick, ivory envelope from his inside jacket pocket and handed it to Hugh. “Didi sent these for you.”

Hugh opened the envelope, took out two tissue-covered bundles and unwrapped them. A matching set of amulets.

Delaney’s mouth fell open in surprise.

Sebastian put his hand on the door as if to leave. “She said there are no strings attached according to the deal she and Delaney made, whatever that means.”

Hugh stared at his brother. “How did she know I needed another one?”

Sebastian shrugged. “You really have to ask how Didi knows anything?” He looked at Delaney. “There’s seventy-five thousand dollars in an account in your name in the Nocturne Falls Credit Union. When you need more, let me know.” With that, he left.

Even with that news, Delaney still couldn’t get over the amulets. “I can’t believe she gave these to us. She must really want grandchildren.”

Hugh handed one amulet to her, then tucked the other in his pocket before nuzzling her neck with a kiss. His arms wrapped around her and his voice was soft and breathy on her skin, spiraling a delicious shiver through her. “Then we really ought to go home and start working on that.”

A laugh trilled out of her, a mix of sheer pleasure, happiness and the overwhelming desire to have Hugh as immediately as possible. “Or…”

He looked at her, brows raised in question. “Or?”

She reached over and turned the lock. “We could christen the shop.”

His eyes took on the wicked glow she’d come to love. “Miss James, I like the way your mind works.”

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About the Author

Kristen Painter likes to balance her obsessions with shoes and cats by making the lives of her characters miserable and surprising her readers with interesting twists. She currently writes paranormal romance and award-winning urban fantasy. The former college English teacher can often be found all over social media where she loves to interact with readers:

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Other books by Kristen Painter

URBAN FANTASY

The House of Comarré series:

Forbidden Blood

Blood Rights

Flesh and Blood

Bad Blood

Out For Blood

Last Blood

Crescent City series:

House of the Rising Sun

City of Eternal Night

PARANORMAL ROMANCE

Dark Kiss of the Reaper

Heart of Fire

All Fired Up

SIN CITY COLLECTORS

Queen of Hearts

Dead Man’s Hand

Double or Nothing

Nothing is completed without an amazing team.

Many thanks to:

Cover design: Janet Holmes

Interior formatting: Author E.M.S.

Editor: Joyce Lamb

Copyedits/proofs: Dana Waganer