Free Eternal Ever After by A.C. James Page B

appreciative for the company. After a few calculations I almost spewed a mouth full of coffee all over the keys of my laptop. The car easily cost more than a hundred thousand dollars.
    He didn’t buy me a car.
    He bought me a freaking house. I closed the laptop. A nice soak would be just the thing to calm my nerves.Mrs. Ellis always told me never to accept expensive gifts. Still, part of me smiled at the thought of Arie standing in a dealership, trying to decide what color I would like. On second thought, perhaps he didn’t buy it. Maybe he just dazzled them into handing over the keys. I didn’t know which idea I liked less, him buying it or using his power of persuasion to steal it.
    I walked into my bathroom and turned the water on in the tub. I turned the knob for hot water almost as far as it could go, then added a small amount of cold water. Grabbing a hair tie next to the sink, I used it to throw my hair up, and then poured some lavender chamomile bubble bath into the steaming water. My discarded clothing fell to the floor before I stepped into the scalding warmth that welcomed me.
    Leaning back in the tub, I sighed blissfully, closed my eyes, and placed a warm washcloth over them. Maybe I should call Trina for a ride instead of driving that thing out front. I couldn’t bring myself to call it a gift. It might tempt me to keep it. But knowing how much it cost made me leery to drive the car—I didn’t want to wreck it. It was beautiful, but I couldn’t keep it. When you keep a gift like that, it comes with a hefty price tag.
    If anyone had told me a week ago that I would go on a date with a vampire, I would have laughed. His obvious control issues with coming and going as he pleased and buying exorbitant gifts was just another ridiculous situation I didn’t know what to do with. It was irritating and flattering at the same time.
    Except now I couldn’t even change my locks. What would be the point? He’d obviously picked it when he left me the note. The whole thing felt like a bad science fiction comedy, and nobody told me I’d be the extra who gets killed off for no particular reason. Unfortunately, Arie stirred feelings that were impractical and would only hurt me. This could only end badly. I didn’t see any other way. No matter how much I wished it weren’t true.
    Return the car, forget Arie, and walk away.
    Though my better judgment argued its point with convincing clarity, I couldn’t get my mind off our dinner date. Arie was unlike anyone I’d ever known. He understood my visions and didn’t look at me like I was crazy. Lord knows I needed that. I needed to feel like someone got me and accepted the things that I had to hide from everyone else. I felt connected to him and it only made me want him more. Sometimes I felt like he wanted me just as bad. Clearly, he was hiding something, but he didn’t hide it well enough. The telltale signs showed in the pained expression that crossed his face so often.
    Water from the dripping faucet seeped into the tub with a plunking sound. I removed the washcloth from over my eyes, using it to lather with bar soap and shave my armpits. I started shaving my legs. Suddenly, I heard Mystic jump down from a higher surface with a thump. His uncharacteristic hiss startled me and I nicked my shin with the razor. A thin line of blood trailed down my leg. I sat up a little straighter in the tub. The bathroom door sat ajar. Something moved past so fast I couldn’t make out the blurry figure.
    “Hello…?”
    The dripping of the faucet filled the eerie silence and my heartbeat quickened. As I rose out of the water, suds clung to my skin. Grabbing a white towel from the rack on the wall, I wrapped it around myself, stepping out of the tub. Breathe…just breathe. Mystic appeared at my feet, making a strange chirping sound, and it appeared he wanted me to follow him. No one is here but you and the cat. Stop being so scared.
    Rationalizing my fear, I followed Mystic out to the