The Reluctant Vampire - Lynsay Sands [24]
“That sounds interesting,” Harper decided, and moved forward to peruse the little discs. “Can I have one?”
Tiny paused and glanced at Harper with surprise, “Well, yeah sure, that’s why I made them.”
Nodding, Harper took one and lifted it to his mouth to try a bite. Eyes widening as he swallowed, he pronounced, “Mmmm. Good.”
Tiny stared at him silently. When his gaze then slid to her, Drina promptly turned away to begin collecting the Wal-Mart bags from where Stephanie had set them. But she heard him say, “Have another.” And she glanced over her shoulder to see Tiny watching the man closely.
“Thanks.” Harper took a second cookie, and glanced to where Stephanie was hovering over her cups of cocoa. “Can I help you with that?”
“Well, it’s ready except for the water, but if you’ll pour the water in when the kettle boils, I could help Drina carry the bags up to our room.”
“Okay,” he said agreeably.
“Thanks.” Stephanie grinned at him and rushed around the counter to Drina’s side.
“I’ll help with the bags while you boys oversee the food and drink,” Mirabeau announced, as Drina straightened and headed for the stairs. She had just started up when she heard Tiny murmur, “So you’re eating again, Harper?”
“Oh, yeah, I started a year and a half ago when I first came to Port Henry and met Jenny.”
“Your life mate?” Tiny asked.
“Yes, meeting a life mate reawakens old appetites, of course, and I guess they don’t just die if the life mate does. They’ll go away again eventually, but it will take a while I suppose.”
“But I didn’t think you’d been eating since Jenny died,” Tiny said mildly.
Drina paused on the stairs, waiting until Harper answered with, “I guess I was too depressed to be bothered, but going out with the girls today perked me up some, and my appetites are back.”
“Hmmm,” Tiny murmured, and Drina continued up the stairs just as Stephanie and Mirabeau came out of the dining room and started up the stairs behind her.
“Okay, spill,” Mirabeau said firmly as soon as they were in the room Drina and Stephanie were sharing.
“Yes, Drina, show her what you got,” Stephanie said lightly, dropping her bags and hurrying to close the door behind Mirabeau.
“I didn’t mean—” Mirabeau began.
“She knows,” Drina pointed out on a sigh. The kid seemed to know everything. There probably wasn’t a thought in this house the girl didn’t hear.
“I just wanted to close the door so the guys don’t hear,” Stephanie said in a hushed voice as she moved past Mirabeau to Drina’s bed. Sprawling on the twin bed, she smiled at Mirabeau, and said, “Marguerite picked Drina for Lucian to send just as she suggested Tiny and you bring me here.”
Mirabeau’s eyebrows rose as she recognized the significance of that. “Harper’s your life mate?”
“It would seem so,” Drina said wearily, dumping the nearest bag on the bed and beginning to sort through the clothes that spilled out.
“Christ. That means we have another distracted hunter guarding Stephanie,” Mirabeau muttered with disgust. “What was Lucian thinking sending you here if—”
“Because he doesn’t care if I’m distracted.”
“What?” Mirabeau asked with surprise.
“He planned to send someone named Bricker down here to replace me the moment Harper and I acknowledged we were life mates, but it turns out there’s been a sighting of Leonius in the States, which means you guys weren’t followed. Stephanie’s safe, and Anders and I are just—” Drina snapped her mouth closed as she realized what she was about to say, but Stephanie finished for her.
“Babysitters,” the girl said with amusement, and then reassured Drina, “It’s okay. I’m not upset.”
“Huh.” Mirabeau muttered and leaned against the dresser drawers at the foot of the bed. She was silent for a moment as she took it all in, and then glanced to Drina and asked, “So what’s all this nonsense Harper was spouting downstairs about his reawakened appetites being leftovers from Jenny?”
“He believes it,” Stephanie said simply, sitting up to help Drina sort the clothes they’d bought.
Mirabeau narrowed her eyes. “Why? Hasn’t he tried to read