Free Dangerous Promise by Gwendolyn Cease by Gwendolyn Cease Page A

kiss you good night.”
    “Cool,” she said, and took his hand. “You can tuck me in.”
    Grimm followed Olivia up the stairs to her room. He didn’t understand how this tiny human, knowing what he was, trusted him. Did she believe him when he told her he was a vampire? Or did she think he was joking? Hell, he wasn’t sure and wasn’t positive he wanted to find out.
    “This is my room,” she announced as she waved her arms around to encompass the pink and purple painted space.
    Bookshelves ran along one wall and were packed with books, dolls and stuffed animals. The walls contained posters with Monster High written on them with pictures of girls with fangs and tails. Two windows faced out toward the street, and he moved to them to check how secure they were. There wasn’t anything anyone could climb to break in, but then again the blood-addicted didn’t need anything, did they? He watched the little girl as she climbed into bed. He would do whatever it took to keep her, Abby and Kate safe.
    “I’m ready,” she said, staring up at him. “You can tuck me now.”
    He squatted down next to her bed. “You’re going to have to tell me what to do. I’ve never tucked anyone in before.”
    “Okay, so you need to hand me Mister Tiddles.” She pointed to a black and gray stuffed cat sitting at the end of the bed.
    Grimm handed her the fluffy toy and she stuck it under the covers.
    “Now you need to just shove the comforter and sheets under the mattress. I don’t want it too tight since I’ll have to get up and potty. But tight enough so I’m snug.”
    Grimm followed her directions until all he could see was her small face and Mister Tiddles’s head. “Is that okay?”
    “Perfect.” She glanced over to the half-closed door and dropped her voice to a whisper. “Can I see your fangs?”
    “I don’t want you to be scared,” Grimm said equally as quietly.
    “I won’t be. I promise.”
    He shrugged, they’d have to get used to it anyway. He wasn’t preparing to go anywhere, and in fact, he planned on them moving in with him in the near future. He looked over his shoulder to make sure Kate wasn’t watching and let his fangs drop. Olivia’s eyes rounded, but then she smiled.
    “Okay, that’s super duper cool.”
    “Thanks.”
    “My first mom died,” she said suddenly.
    Grimm waited for a minute since her abrupt changes of topic always forced him to rethink what he was going to say. “Your first mom?”
    “Yes, the lady who gave birth to me. She was Momma’s sister, and she couldn’t take care of us—me and Abby. So we came to live with Momma. Somebody killed the lady who gave birth to us.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “I didn’t know her very well. I mostly lived with Momma. But after the lady died, these bad people came around and tried to take us. We had to move because they wouldn’t leave us alone.”
    Grimm now understood about the security system, and the fear. If what Olivia was telling him was even close to the truth, the girls’ birth mother was murdered. But who would try to take the kids? The people who killed Kate’s sister? It didn’t make sense, unless the woman had been mixed up in some heavy shit. But even then why take the girls? Sell them? Use them as leverage? Whatever it was, it didn’t matter. Grimm was going to make certain they stayed safe.
    “You’re never going to have to worry about anyone bothering you again.” He ran his fingers lightly over her cheek. Damn, she was so small and fragile.
    “You’ll protect us, right?”
    “You all are mine, now, and I protect what’s mine.”
    She smiled. “Okay. But what if I need to talk to you? Sometimes I get scared. I don’t tell Momma ‘cause she worries.”
    “My number is right on her phone. You can call me anytime.”
    She didn’t look as certain as he wanted her to, but she nodded. “You can kiss me on the forehead, now.”
    He smiled and did as she bid. “Good night, Olivia.”
    “Good night, Grimm. See you