ago, hoping she would get bored. I ignored her, but she kept coming back. I was easy to find, you see, because of the distillery. I started it before coming here. I simply moved the operation with me. I ended up in Tucson about fifteen years ago. Siannon found me again about five years ago; made promises, didn’t keep them. Lucius, the king of my kind, runs Tucson. He has made it clear to Siannon that he will not tolerate her killing any more humans. She’s been warned.”
“And how many warnings does she get? Because she already threatened me, and probably would have killed me last night had you not shown up.” I press my lips in a hard line.
“You’re right. I personally have given her too many warnings to count, but this time, it isn’t just me. I have the king backing my warning. If she tries to harm you, he will put her to death.” He turns and takes my hand. “I promised you I would not leave your side, and I don’t break my promises.”
“All right. I believe you.” I smile at him. I’d probably forgive him anything, except letting Siannon get to me. Of course, if Siannon did get to me, I’d be dead. “I swear, though, if Siannon kills me, I’m gonna come back and haunt you for the rest of your life.” My grin grows.
He chuckles. “It’s a deal. I won’t let her kill you.” He cups my face in his large, cool hand and kisses me.
When the kiss ends, I pull down the mirror and look at my face. It is still a little splotchy from my crying, but luckily I’m wearing waterproof mascara, so I don’t have trails of black gunk traveling down my cheeks. However, seeing how splotchy my face is, I wish I’d gone ahead and brought my purse with my compact in it so I could maybe try to cover some of it up. I frown at my image in the mirror.
“You still look stunning,” Aaron says as he starts the car.
I laugh. “You’re biased, I think. I look a mess.”
“I disagree. However, if you’d like, we have time to stop at the drug store and I can buy you whatever you think you need.” Without waiting for an answer, he pulls out of the parking lot we were sitting in and drives a few more blocks before pulling into an open twenty-four hour drug store lot. “Here, take my credit card.” He pulls out his wallet and grabs the platinum card from its slot.
I arch a brow, not reaching for it. “You aren’t coming in?”
He smiles. “I can if you’d like me to, I just thought you might want a moment to yourself.”
I take a breath and just as I am about to take the card and climb out of the car, the memory of Siannon coming out of nowhere to attack me flashes before my eyes. “Actually, would you come in?” My voice is small, almost a whisper. “With Siannon out there somewhere, I just…” I let my words trail off.
He gives a sharp nod and returns the card to his wallet. “You’re right. I didn’t consider that she could have followed you, or me to you.” He turns off the engine and climbs out, then goes around the front of the car and helps me out.
Together, we go inside. I wander the aisle until I find a compact that matches my skin tone, and then a lipstick that I like. On the way to the counter, I grab a box of Kleenex and a bottle of water. We pay for the goods and return to the car. Aaron sits patiently, waiting for me to open my items and apply them in the mirror. I close the compact with a snap. Once my face is fixed, I open the box of tissues and the water. I dab at the cuts Siannon made on my wrists, cleaning them up. When I’ve finished, I look over at him and smile.
“Thank you. I feel better now.” The powder on my face feels like my armor. I don’t want Siannon to know how upset I got. I don’t want to give her the satisfaction of knowing she’s shaken my confidence.
Aaron takes my arm and gazes at the wounds on my wrists; they are nearly gone. I wonder if his blood in my system from earlier might have helped in healing me a little.
“Do your wrists hurt?” His fingers gently trail over