Sara peered out of the inner hallway, her face too pale. She let out a sigh of relief on sighting me, pressing her hand to her chest. “Jesus, you about gave me a heart attack. Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Had to set some things straight, but it looks like everything will be fine.”
Her blue eyes searched my face, judging the truth, and finding it better to let my little white lie go unchallenged. “Aside from the lack of windows, this place is pretty nice. I picked the room on the right. We’ve both got our own bathrooms and closets. Everything is already furnished. Looks like it was a couple of guys who lived here, though. The girly mags and lotion in the dresser were a dead giveaway.”
A giggle escaped me despite myself. Then I remembered that someone, probably the mute vampire, Mouse, had told me that the two men who had lived in this apartment before Max Carlyle came to town were killed in the fight in the basement. That sobered me quick enough.
“Just toss them. I don’t think their owners will be coming back for them.”
“Aye, love, ye may want to put some gloves on ’afore you handle that stuff,” said a chipper voice from behind me. I glanced over my shoulder—and then turned around, blinking down at a woman who barely came up to my shoulder. “Good tae see ye again, lovey.”
“Hi, Clarisse,” I said, smiling wanly at the tiny vampire. I edged out of the doorway to give her room to come in. She flounced into the room, bright green eyes the color of Easter basket grass glittering with curiosity and excitement as she took in Sara and the dogs at a glance. She was wearing silk pajamas an eye-rending shade of lavender that somehow worked with her porcelain features and her curly black hair that trailed all the way to her hips when unbound, as it was now. “This is Sara, my business partner. Sara, this is Clarisse. She’s one of the house guards. Don’t ever take a bet from her.”
“Ooh, lass, ye ruin all my fun,” she pouted, setting her hands on her hips. Despite her tiny size and disarming looks, the vampire was formidable. Like Royce and Wesley, as well as a number of other vampires in the building, she was very, very old, which meant she didn’t always need to rest the entire day. It was little wonder she had come to investigate. Eminently curious as she was, those Shirley Temple dimples distracted you from the dainty fangs that now peeked from behind bright red lips, and gave no hint as to the enormous strength in those tiny fingers.
“I hope ye two don’t mind my stopping by. I heard the hubbub when Ryan started complaining and came for a look-see.”
Sara, for her part, took it all in stride. She shushed Buster when he gave one sharp, authoritative bark—warning Clarisse not to approach. The dogs whined nervously in their corner, but obeyed, staying (mostly) quiet while Sara took Clarisse’s outstretched hand. She blinked at the vampire’s cold, firm grip, but exhibited no obvious alarm.
“Are ye contracted, lass?”
Sara blanched, glancing at me before answering the vampire. “No. No plans to be, either.”
“A shame. Ah, lovey, ye never know, ye might change yer mind ’afore ye leave.”
“Right, thanks, Clarisse,” I hurriedly interjected, ushering her toward the door. “Hey, maybe you could tell Mouse and everyone we’re here later. We need to get some rest. Long day and all that.”
“Oh? I smell a bet coming on.” Her eyes took on a dangerous twinkle, and I groaned. It was the same look she got when about to start a wager on who would sleep with whom in the household, or win the next round of American Idol. “Not to fear, lass. I’ll tell everyone to leave off until tonight. ’Til then!”
“’Til then,” I replied, ushering her out the door and locking it behind me. Followed by running my palm over my face for what felt like the fiftieth time today.
“Er, Shia?”
“What.”
“What the hell was that about?”
“Clarisse is going to start a betting pool in the house on who’s going to get you to sign a contract. Just ignore it; maybe it’ll go away.”
Sara paled, nodded, and rapidly walked away. “I’ll be in my bedroom for the rest of forever. See you later.”
I shook my head and followed her example, heading to my own room. I was grateful to see Louis and Ryan had brought all