Page 64 of Fang Fatale

I shake my head.

"I'm not going to become another version of that."

The words snag somewhere behind my ribs.

"It doesn't matter how I feel."

I force a quiet breath.

"That's my problem."

I meet her eyes.

"Not yours."

Birdie studies the fire as though she might find her reflection somewhere inside the flames.

The silence stretches long enough for regret to creep in around the edges.

Finally, she says,

"You're a weird vampire, Grimhaven."

"Guilty."

This time she smiles.

Not the guarded little almost-smile I've become accustomed to.

The real thing.

Small.

Lopsided.

Beautiful enough to make several centuries of emotional restraint feel like an embarrassing life choice.

We fall into an easy silence.

The wind howls outside while rain taps against the windows, and for a little while I let myself pretend we're simply two refugees hiding from someone else's bad decisions.

Birdie curls her legs beneath her on the rug, the fire painting soft gold across her face.

I watch her without meaning to.

She looks...

Peaceful.

The realization catches me off guard.

I can't remember the last time I'd seen her look peaceful.

Something ancient shifts in my chest.

Something I'd rather not examine too closely.

Hours slip by.