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He leans close to me and whispers in my ear. “I am glad you are here.”
I grin, wanting to kiss him, but not knowing if it is appropriate. “I am, too.”
Raúl sits back right as another vampire asks him a question concerning the werewolves. They’d been spotted near the lake again. According to the discourse I am hearing now, it is a constant struggle to keep them away.
I lean close to Raúl. “Why do you want to keep them away?”
“Because werewolves never stick to themselves and always try to invade our castle,” he says in a low voice, while those in the room continue to brainstorm strategies.
“Why can’t they stay at their old castle? The one I was in.”
Raúl raises an eyebrow. “The crumbling building is a hazard. They would never live in it.”
I rub the fabric of my dress between my fingers, a notch in my forehead as I thought. It made sense to not want to live inside a collapsing castle. “What if it were fixed?”
“They would never be able to fix it themselves,” Raúl says, his voice still directed only at me.
What if they had help? asks Nava.
“Excellent idea, Nava. Raúl, what if the vampires helped them to fix the castle? In exchange, the werewolves would have to agree not to invade yours.”
Raúl opens his mouth, then closes it again. I grin at him and grins back, running a hand through his hair. “Let’s talk about it with the rest. It might just work.”
He stands up, rapping his knuckles on the desk a few times, until the room quiets down. Everyone stares at him and he gestures to me. “Penny came up with an idea, and I want to hear your opinions.”
While he launched into my idea, a glow of pride settled in my heart. Not only had he wanted me here, but I provided a suggestion that was actually helpful. I couldn’t help but wonder if this could be a future role for me.
The meeting continued as the vampires debated costs, supplies, and labor. Not to mention seeing if the werewolves would agree to live in the castle. It ended with steps to gauge the interest of the creatures.
One by one, the vampires exit the room, leaving me and Raúl alone. He moves his chair to face me and holds out his arms. In seconds, I am in his lap. I lean forward and kiss him gently before pulling away. “I liked having you here,” Raúl says. “You should come more often.”
“Deal,” I say. I lean forward to kiss him again when the door flings open. Henry stands at the door, panting.
“Sir,” he says in between gasps. “Vampire rebels were spotted a day’s journey from the castle.”
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Raúl jumps up, the chair toppling behind him, me in his arms. In a flash, he is at the door, setting me gently down onto the floor. He stares into my eyes and holds my face. “I need to take care of this, Penny.”
I nod, understanding. He grins mischievously, then leans forward and kisses me thoroughly. Before I can even respond, he’s gone, the warmth of his lips still lingering on mine.
“Nava, where are the rebels?”
A day’s journey, camping in the forest. Waiting.
“Can you find out how many?”
Yes, she says.
A yawn overcomes me. I take a few more steps toward my rooms as yawn after yawn comes. I try to hurry. Just as I make it inside, one last yawn overtakes me, and I collapse to the floor in exhaustion.
“Penny? Penny? Are you all right?” A hand shakes my shoulder and I groan as I open my eyelids, stuck shut from sleep.
“I’m fine.” Raúl kneels above me, concern etched into his features. I reach out to reassure him. “I used an energy spell earlier,” I say by way of explanation.
Raúl scoops me up with a grin. “Of course you did. Mother’s used that one plenty, and tells me the rebound is worth it.”
I agree as he helps me into my bed and puts me in, climbing in after me. The only light flowing from my curtains is the sunrise. I admire the glittering silver bouncing off the reds and oranges before snuggling closer to Raúl. “Did you find the rebels?”
