his shoulder. “I hope she doesn’t mind me telling you that.”
“I don’t!” Tenzin’s voice was faint, coming all the way down the hall. “She’s hungry, Benjamin.”
He smiled over his shoulder, then nudged her toward another door. “Let’s get you fed, then.”
Ben led her through a dining room and into the kitchen she barely remembered from the night before. An older man was cooking behind a large, professional range and an elderly woman was sitting at a breakfast table, surrounded by a newspaper she appeared to be reading.
“Ah,” the man said. “Our guest is awake. What can I get you to drink, dear? Mineral water or juice? There’s still some coffee if you’d like some.”
“Coffee would be great, thanks.” Natalie followed Ben to the table and sat down across from the old woman, who had the most vivid green eyes she’d ever seen. “Hi.”
“Hello.” The woman smiled, her face crinkling as the morning sun shone on a cap of neatly cut silver hair. “You must be Beatrice’s friend, Natalie.”
“Beatrice?” She blinked. “Is this her house? No one told me. Wow.”
The woman nodded. “I’m her grandmother, Isadora. This is my husband, Caspar.”
“Hello.” The older gentleman smiled as he set down a cup of coffee and gave his wife a soft kiss on the cheek. “I understand you and Baojia have had a rather interesting few days.”
She sipped her black coffee. “You could say that.”
“He’s such a dear man,” Isadora said.
Natalie blinked, surprised by the obvious affection in the woman’s voice. “How do you know Baojia?”
She heard Ben rifling through the refrigerator, but Caspar came and sat next to Isadora.
“We’ve known him for years. He upgraded the security in the house a few years ago when we first moved here. Then last year—”
“Beatrice and Gio had to go to Italy for some time,” Isadora broke in. “Baojia stayed with us until they returned. Then he had to return to San Diego. But he still calls occasionally to say hello and asks after us.”
“Very fine individual,” Caspar said, his English accent giving the words a crisp, dignified tone. “I’m so glad he felt comfortable coming here when he needed help.”
Isadora gave her a mischievous smile. “And I do believe he and Gio might get along better now that you’re here, Natalie.”
She frowned. “Uh… why would they—”
“Roast beef or turkey?” Ben called. “You want a sandwich?”
“Turkey would be great.” She sipped more coffee. Apparently everyone here thought well of her vampire, even if she still had her doubts. “By the way, is there a phone I can use?”
Caspar and Isadora exchanged guarded looks.
“I really need to call my editor and let her know I’m alive. I don’t need to tell her where I am—she’s used to me being vague—but if I don’t call her by today, she’ll be calling the police to report me missing. We kind of have a three-day rule.”
Caspar visibly relaxed and nodded toward the counter. “There’s one right there.”
“And I don’t even know where I am, so it’s not like I can call the cavalry to come in.”
Isadora let out a tinkling laugh. “My dear, I believe you’ll discover the cavalry is already here.”
Natalie poked her head into the library. The windows were shuttered are
A low voice came from the far corner of the room. “Natalie Ellis, why do you trespass on my inner sanctum?”
Natalie rolled her eyes and flipped a switch, flooding the room with light. “Really?”
Her old friend’s laughter burst from the far corner of the library. “Oh my gosh, your face, Nat!”
“Get the hell over here and give me a hug, you weirdo. And no biting. I heard you like that now.” Beatrice rose from the chair where she’d been sitting and crossed the room, just slightly faster than should have been possible.
“Hey, you.” Beatrice gave her a hard hug. “How did you end up in my guest room?”
She tensed for a moment when she felt her old friend. It was Beatrice, but the difference was there. The cooler skin. The stronger arms. Natalie forced a smile to her face. “Long story. So you’re really a dark and mysterious creature of the night now?”
Beatrice pulled back and grinned, her fangs dropping down as Natalie’s stomach also took an instinctual dive. “Yup.”
“Well.” She blinked and shook her head. “You never really were one for sunbathing, I guess.”
A wistful smile touched Beatrice’s mouth. “Not so much. It’s good to see you. Despite the circumstances. I have to stay away from most of my old friends, so… It’s really good to