Free Sweetblood 02.5 - Enchanted by Blood by Laurie London Page A

knew.
    “What the hell was… that? ” Charlotte whispered. “I know what I saw, but—vampires?”
    “We’ll talk about it in the car.” Maybe he could convince her it was nothing. Was that even possible after what she’d seen and heard? If not, he knew what he had to do.
    “No, I want to talk about it now.”
    He glanced around. There were too many people to risk it here.
    “Come on,” Charlotte said, as if sensing his reluctance. “Let’s take a walk.” Incredibly, she tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow.
    “A walk?”
    “Yes. I love this part of town. Besides, we’ll both think more clearly if we’re walking, and I have a feeling this is going to take more than a simple explanation.”
    He gave a short laugh. “You got that right.” Why did it feel so natural, so comfortable to be with her? he thought bitterly as he automatically matched his stride to hers.
    They passed a liquor store, making him wish he had a pint of something right now. Maybe it’d loosen up the knots of apprehension twisting in his gut. He wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Charlotte again. Hell, he’d barely said hello.
    “Listen, Charlotte. You weren’t meant to see what you did back there. That’s why I insisted on going to the party with you in the first place…so something like that wouldn’t happen.”
    “So what did happen?” Charlotte asked, her breath fogging in front of her face. “Leona kept referring to humans, not people . The fangs. The Council. Changelings.” She gave a nervous laugh but still hadn’t let go of him. “You can’t possibly be a…a… Can you?”
    “First of all, no matter what you saw or what you think I am, I care about you. A lot.”
    He cursed himself for thinking he could hide his true nature from her. Especially when he’d let himself get close to her again. Since hiring her, he’d spent time poring through the storage room boxes with her, taken her shopping for holiday décor, sitting down for afternoon tea with her and his grandmother. God, he loved spending time with her. It didn’t matter what they were doing.
    What a fool he’d been to think he could keep his distance this time, underestimating how powerful his feelings for her would be. The first instant when he’d laid eyes on her in the parking lot, he’d desperately wanted her back in his life, whether he’d been ready to admit it then or not. And now this? He cursed Leona and he cursed Xtark Software.
    “Yes…yes, I know you do. And I…well, maybe it’s crazy, but I feel the same way. About you.”
    She cared about him? Even now? Confused, he glanced down. Her chin was lifted, her expression relaxed, and she was leaning slightly against him as they walked. Not exactly normal reactions when a human woman suspects that the guy she’s been with is a vampire. But she’d clearly put two and two together. A spike of hope jabbed at his insides, trying to find a place to settle in and take hold. But he wouldn’t let it. He couldn’t.
    A group of clubgoers approached. They were within earshot, so he hesitated and waited for them to pass.
    “I love this little store,” Charlotte remarked, dragging his attention to the lighted display window. “Notice how all the elements are different and yet they work so well, grouped together like this.”
    He saw an eclectic mix of knit caps and scarves, hand-painted nutcrackers, driftwood picture frames, and antique toy trains. He would never have thought to lump such different items together, but she did have a point.
    They continued walking and with each step he took, his heart grew heavier and heavier. He wasn’t ready to say goodbye. A few minutes later, they reached a small city park overlooking the water, empty at this time of night.
    “Listen, Charlotte.” He reached for her hand, pulling her down to the park bench with him. “Before I tell you what’s going on, you need to know one thing. I would never do anything to hurt or harm you.”
    “You said that