Seventh Seal - Jacquelyn Faye Page 0,14

me a lot more when I was near. He needed my energy as a familiar and being apart was rough on him. It made me happy he thought Shea was worth it. "Nothing. Just happy."

He brought my hand to his lips and gently caressed the back of it with them. Then he sniffed my skin. "You smell stronger…"

"I showered before I came here?"

"No. Not scent. Power. Cold and dark."

Pulling my hand from his grip, I frowned. Damn him and his hellhoundy nose. "Long story."

"The vampires?"

I nodded.

"Something else, too. Vaguely like Shea?"

He was way too fucking good at this game. "Dark elf. Elleslyn. He's staying at the house."

"In your bed?" He grinned at me.

"No. On the couch."

"Odd place for a lover to sleep."

"Not my lover."

"Yet."

"Gah! What is with all of you and your obsession with me collecting guys like baseball cards?"

"I sincerely doubt any of us wish to be stuffed in a plastic sleeve and stuck in a book."

"You know what I mean." I frowned at him.

He pulled me to the side of the aisle to give the elderly lady behind me room to pass. "Thank you." She grinned at him before turning to look up at me. "If the others look like this one, keep on collecting them!" She cackled and ambled down the aisle.

"Oh, I will!" I smiled at her retreating back. "Okay, seriously. Why is it whenever a guy shows up, you all keep badgering me about them?"

Dar at least had the decency to blush. "Because."

"Why?"

"We want you to be happy."

"And you don't think I am with all of you?"

"Yes. But if another lover makes you that much happier, it makes us happier. Does that make sense?"

"Vaguely. But I don't think my vagina can take much more happy. I'm completely happy. Any happier and I'm going to get friction burns."

"Might I suggest lube?"

"You know what I mean. You guys give me so much love and loving, I don't need any more."

"And if that makes you happy–"

"Finish that sentence and you're not going to be happy. All of you need to quit worrying about me so much and be happy yourselves!"

I hadn't realized my voice had risen in volume out of frustration. The rest of the bookstore did. They were openly staring. Hopefully, it didn't sound like a threat and I wouldn't end up in the paper again.

Dar grabbed my arm and started pulling me toward the front of the store. "Come with me, Master."

"Where?"

"To the diner. You need some food."

"I'm not cranky! I was happy until a minute ago."

"And I intend to rectify that." He grinned at me in apology.

"Well, I am a little hungry. I mean I could eat…"

We stopped at the curb until there was a lull in the traffic long enough for us to get across the street. The diner seemed to be as busy as the bookstore, but not busy enough we had to wait. I just didn't get my table but managed not to snarl at the couple sitting there as we passed.

As soon as we sat down, Marge made a beeline for our table, coffee and menus in hand. "Did you see what that shit rag printed about you?"

"I did."

"You gonna sue? I'd sue. Slanderin' you like that."

Dar shot me an inquisitive look across the table.

I shrugged at him and sighed before answering Marge. "Technically, they didn't print one thing that was a lie. They totally twisted the context of the situation, but there's nothing to do. I'm not worried about it. None of the…" I paused to look over where the vampires normally sat when they were hanging out in the diner. "None of the people that I was talking to filed a complaint, so it's just one of those things."

"Still. Those kids were petrified of you until you did whatever you did. First time I ever seen 'em that happy."

That brightened my mood a little. "Thanks, Marge."

She waved my thanks off and pulled out her order book from her apron and her pen from her hair. "Whatcha havin?"

"Steak and eggs," Dar answered with a grin.

"Coffee? Coke? Both?"

"Coffee and a water, if you would, please." She smiled and turned to me.

"I'll have the same." When I was with Dar, my craving for red meat skyrocketed exponentially. I didn't want the eggs, but asking for a steak for breakfast might have seemed a little odd. He could have mine if he wanted.

"Scrambled, too?" She knew his preference for eggs from him ordering just one time. She amazed me sometimes.

"Please."

"Erky derky," she answered