Page 30 of Dark Destiny: The Turning Of The Loom

That wasn't much of a compliment, but it was the best Yaaf could come up with, and it was sincere, which was what mattered.

"Thankfully, the moon isn't obscured by clouds and is nearly full, so it isn't as dark as it usually is in the village at night," she said. "I can see well enough not to stumble over a loose rock or my own feet."

"I've got you." Yaaf tightened his hand over hers. "Immortals can see in almost complete darkness."

"Show-off," she teased. "But that's not the only thing immortals can do. You can illuminate the path with the glow from your eyes."

He cast her a sidelong glance. "I can't just will them to glow."

She smirked. "No, but I know how to press the button that activates your flashlights. All I have to do is turn you on."

Yaaf stopped in his tracks, and before she realized what was going on, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, letting go of her mouth only when she ran out of breath.

His eyes were glowing, and he was smiling, fangs bared.

She laughed. "I should take you trick-or-treating with Tomek on Halloween."

He frowned. "What's Halloween?"

"Don't you watch any television? Humans have a holiday to celebrate the dead. They dress up in costumes, and children go from house to house asking for candy. They like scary things on Halloween."

"I don't like it." He wasn't smiling.

"What don't you like? The holiday, the candy, or me using you to scare unsuspecting humans?"

"I don't like Tomek going to strangers' houses to ask for candy. I'll buy him all the candy he wants."

"You'll be there to protect him, and so will Bowen. He suggested it. He said kids have lots of fun on Halloween. I'm surprised Tomek didn't tell you about it. He can't decide what to dress up as."

"Maybe he knew I wouldn't like it." Yaaf took her hand again, and they kept walking.

"It's possible, or maybe he wanted to wait and surprise you with his costume."

They crossed a small bridge into the newer section of the village, where the houses were bigger, and the paths were wider.

"I'm glad I wore the dress," she said. "Margaret told me to wear jeans, but I would have felt underdressed next to you."

He looked at her, his gaze roving over her body. "It doesn't matter what you wear. You looked beautiful to me in those ugly work coveralls you wore in the garden, and everything is an improvement over that."

"Thank you, but I prefer a nice dress."

"Then I prefer you having many nice dresses."

"You are so agreeable."

"So I've been told."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "By whom?"

"You." He gave her a smile. "By the way, Bardov will be at the bar tonight. He's meeting with Asira there, but they won't be joining us."

"Good."

Bardov stressed her out, and the whole point of this date was for her to unwind and relax.

"Here it is," Yaaf said. "The Hobbit Bar."

She saw it a moment later as they drew closer. A round door leading into a hill. Two round windows.