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I nodded. “Definitely the little things.” I opened my eyes and looked at him, refraining from letting my gaze drag south.
“Now that you’re caffeinated, may I interest you in some breakfast? Maybe a bowl of cereal or a frozen breakfast sandwich I can nuke? Or some toaster waffles?”
I grinned and wrapped my hands around the coffee mug. “Not much of a cook?”
He shook his head. “Eh, somewhat. I just need to go to the store.”
I lifted the mug. “Not really hungry. This is perfect, actually.”
He looked relieved and that was amusing.
“I was just going to walk to the lake, see how pretty it looked in the daytime. If you want to join me,” I added before taking another sip.
“Absolutely. Let me throw on a shirt.”
Or don’t.
What was wrong with me, lusting after a werewolf? Not okay, Nera.
He disappointingly emerged from a back bedroom in a white tee and some sneakers. I took another sip before we headed out into the crisp morning air.
With both of us holding our coffee, we didn’t hold hands, but that was okay. I sucked in the clean, fragrant Louisiana air and smiled at the tall green cypress trees surrounding us. The black wrought-iron gate was mostly hidden by the giant trees, and maybe I only noticed it because I knew it was there.
Once we got to the gate, Shep produced a key from the pocket of his sweatpants and unlocked it. I walked through and stood on the bank of the lake, marveling at the glint of morning sun bouncing off the dark water.
“How do you not come out here every morning and just marvel at the view?” I asked him.
I jumped a little when his hands went around my waist, their warmth landing on my belly. I leaned back into his heat, wanting to rub myself all over him like a cat.
“I do sometimes, when I don’t have meetings or appointments, which take place more often than not.”
I understood that. I was a nurse by trade—something to supplement my income while I learned spells and rituals—and having to make money took priority over everything until I could become self-sufficient. I supposed he was the same way.
“I’d be out here every weekend at least,” I murmured, lifting the coffee cup to my lips. I was going to need a refill. This shit was absolutely insane. I’d need to get the name of it. It tasted expensive and decadent.
As decadent as the feel of Shep’s warm hands on my belly. He made me feel safe and relaxed. Something I hadn’t felt in weeks until I was brought to this compound, just wanting to go home.
“What’s on your agenda for today?” I asked.
“Oh, this and that. Phone calls. Zoom meetings. Finding vampire sex-trafficking assholes and ending them.”
I turned in his arms and looked up at him. “Do you really think you can locate them?”
“Yes, the fuck I can. And I will. I mean it, Nera. You give a detailed description to Wizard. Let him do his hocus-pocus with the computer, and we’ll find that guy. Then, we’ll be visiting this Shark Bait place and seeing if he’s hanging out there. They sound real stupid.”
I agreed, but no way was I going anywhere near Biloxi. “Don’t you have a supernatural hierarchy here? Like, where are the vampires of New Orleans? I mean, that sounds stupid now that it’s coming out of my mouth since I’ve read too many books, but… does that make sense?”
A grin twisted his lips. “I know exactly what you mean. There’s another MC here—the Nighthawks. They’re the vamps who oversee this area. It’s on my agenda today to reach out to their leader and see if they have jurisdiction over Mississippi. If they don’t, Viper will know who does.”
My lips twitched. “Viper?”
“Yes. Since you hate snakes, I won’t be introducing you.”
“I’m sure he’s much more deadly than the yellow one on Bourbon Street last night,” I quipped.
“You aren’t wrong. He doesn’t fuck around. But, sweetheart, neither do I.”
He looked like he was going to lean down and kiss me, and I wasn’t sure I was ready for that. As hot as he was, my demons roared to the surface at any sort of intimate contact, so I needed to back off.
