worse than a cat with their snotty attitudes. He circled back to my right, posting with his head bobbing. He wore a rainbow-striped tie—that was a new one. Heaving a small sigh, I decided to put him out of his misery. “Come here, Fred.”
He gave a deep-throated cluck, eyeing Devraj, like he hadn’t been after my attention this whole time. Or maybe he was protecting his hen, aka me, from the dangerous vampire. What a cutie.
I rubbed a fingertip along his chest feathers. He didn’t like being touched on the head. My magic responded as quick as taking a breath, flowing river-like from my chest, down my arm, and out through my fingertip. The effortless sensation of pure magic pouring from the energy in the air around me, sending a droplet into the rooster, took all of five seconds. Fred swaggered off, fluttering his feathers with the zing of magic pumping through him.
That’s when I realized I’d just used my magic in front of my annoying new neighbor/former assailant. Not that I cared that he’d watched, but it was something I tended to do in private or only around family and friends. But the look of shock and awe on his face made it worth it.
“Did you just…?” He paused and pointed toward Fred retreating back to the coop in the back. ”Did you just use magic to extend life to a rooster?”
I tucked a lock of hair behind my ear, refusing to roll my eyes yet again, then stood up. He stood along with me. He wouldn’t understand. That rooster owned a piece of Violet’s cold, snarky heart. Just like Zombie Cat did of Evie’s. So yes, I used my magic to extend their lives. Not make them immortal or anything, because that was impossible, but extend I could and would do until they were ready to let go.
Ignoring his question, I gave him the first smile since our brief acquaintance. “Apology accepted. And now our business is at an end. I doubt we’ll have any reason to see each other, so I wish you well.”
And I honestly did. Even cocky bastards like him needed well-wishing from time to time.
“I still have to return your bike.” His discerning and unsettling gaze swept over my face.
“Not a problem. Just prop it under the garage.”
No need for interaction of any kind.
“I’m sure we’ll see each other around the neighborhood.”
“Not likely.” I rocked on my heels, waiting for him to excuse himself and leave. I wasn’t going to be that rude and kick him out. But I was eyeing the greenhouse and thinking of bolting to my hiding space if he lingered much longer.
He eased forward in that vampire way of his, sidling closer without being seen doing so. He tugged on a strand of my hair that dangled against my arm, then let go just as quickly. I frowned and stepped back, definitely ready to escape to my greenhouse.
But by then he was turning away, muttering under his breath, “We’ll see.”
Chapter 4
~ISADORA~
I stood sleepy-eyed at the kitchen sink, feeling out of sorts. All week, I’d been plagued by the presence of our new neighbor. First of all, he played his music way too loud. I begrudgingly admitted—only to myself—that the upbeat Hindi music was quite pleasant to listen to while working in the greenhouse.
But then he had to do his shirtless yoga every day! Except for Friday. I didn’t catch a glimpse of him through the fence on Friday on my way to water the pansies. Instead of yoga, he decided to wash his car in the driveway. I just happened to notice when I was pulling up weeds around the front gate. There really weren’t many weeds since I pulled them up a few days ago, but curb appeal is so important! My sudden interest in our front garden had nothing to do with the unobstructed view of a certain vampire bent over his hood, his muscular legs flexed in those shorts, his wet T-shirt clinging to his chest.
No surprise that he attracted a few admirers. I thought the girls sitting on their porch sipping iced tea across the street were going to drown in their own puddle of drool. So sad they had no idea how arrogant he really was.
I rubbed my forehead in frustration. “Jules, have you seen a package for me?” I grumbled.
I pulled a strawberry yogurt from the fridge, then opened my box of granola.
“Sorry. No.” Jules sat at the dining room table, coffee in one