Free Mitch by Kathi S. Barton

move. Steele
laughed a little. “You’re going to have to learn to trust me at some point. And
I swear to you, I’ve come to talk to you about good things, not just bad ones.”
    “Are there bad things you need to tell me?” Steele
glanced at Mitch before he nodded. “Then let’s start with those. I’d like to
end on a good note for a change.”
    “All right.” After the introductions were
made, Gilda brought in tea and a plate of cookies. There were four cups, and
before Vinnie could ask her who else was coming, Gilda looked at her.
    “I wanted them to be comfortable.” Vinnie
nodded and tried to remember the last time she’d held a cup, much less drank
from one. Mitch laughed and she looked at him now.
    “Don’t do anything you’d not do if we weren’t
here. You don’t drink tea, that’s fine.” He picked up the plate of cookies and
took four before handing it to Steele. “Your father threatened Addie and Kari
today. And in doing so, he’s pissed the two of them off. Not a good thing if
you ask me.”
    “Did he hurt them?” Her grandmother looked at
her when Mitch said that he’d not. “Well then, it seems things are worse than I
thought. He apparently knows about your mate. You must do something now, my
dear.”
    “He didn’t appear to know about me.” They
both looked at Mitch when he spoke. “He only had a message for you and told
them in no uncertain terms that she was to give it to you. Addie said she and
Kari talked it over, and rather than kill him again, they thought they’d see
what you wanted to do. But he is coming for you, and I’d say he thinks he’s
going to win, too, from what they said. I’m assuming the rumors are true and
you did have something to do with his death.”
    “Yes. I did it. With the permission of the
council. Father was getting us into trouble with the humans. Killing and
leaving bodies in a position that would lead them right to our doorsteps. And
if not ours, then some innocent that might not have anything to do with being a
vampire.” Vinnie put Hugo down and got up to pace. She thought better when she
could move, and did so now. Hugo moved to Mitch and put his head on his leg and
watched him. Mitch asked her if he could pet him. “I’d say you should let him
have your scent. He’s my familiar. I know you think only witches have them, but
he protects me and my household during the day while I rest. He’s as old as I
am and as powerful when necessary.”
    “I know you have to stay in the darkness
during the day, and while I’d like to say I can handle protecting you from
everything, I know I can’t. Also, I have no safe place for you to stay either.”
Mitch looked around. “I’d say this is about as safe as you can get it, and I’d
bet it has doorways and extra things in it that no normal house might have.”
    “I bought it from a vamp that lost his wife
some time ago. He’d built it to protect them both. He sadly wasn’t here when
the humans came for them. But you’re right, it’s as safe as I can get it. I’ve
worked with a witch to make sure the house is impregnable too.” Steele laughed.
“You think I’m lying to you?”
    “We got in.” She asked him what he meant.
“We’re not human, and I’m assuming that’s what you were guarding against. Right?
But you had no ward on this house, other than to keep out mice and bugs. There was
a little bit of a spell on the door we passed through, but I think that was more
for humans than anything else. If your father wanted in here...well, had he
wanted in here before, he would have been able to come in while you rested
without any problems. In fact, I think he’s been here a great deal since his
death. I don’t know about the lands beyond this house, but the rest, as of now,
is safe.”
    Vinnie sat down next to her grandmother. “She
told me it was safe against all forms of threat. And that as long as I was
here, no harm would come to me and mine.”
    “You’ve been lied to. I’m