right about keeping it.”
“Please accept it, Callie. Consider it a heartfelt thank-you for saving my life and easing my thirst.”
How could she refuse when he put it like that? “Can I ask you something that’s kind of rude and none of my business?”
“I didn’t steal it, if that’s what you’re thinking,” he said with a wry grin.
She made a face at him. “How can you afford it?”
“Ah. I’ve made several rather good investments through the years. Believe me, my sweet Callie, this won’t even put a dent in my savings.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Say, ‘Thank you, Quill. I love it,’ and kiss me.”
Going up on her tiptoes, she said, “Thank you, Quill. I love it.” And she kissed him—until someone let out a wolf whistle. Stepping away from Quill, she saw one of her neighbors standing at the end of the driveway. He winked at her, then moved on.
Quill glanced at her pajamas. Lifting one brow, he said, “Isn’t it a little early for bed?”
“I’ve been too busy to get dressed.” She took another look at the car. “Can we take it for a drive later?”
“It’s yours. We can do whatever you want.”
“Well, come on in.”
Callie felt an odd tremor in the air as he crossed the threshold. Funny, she had never noticed that before. After closing the door, she followed him into the living room. Gesturing for him to sit down, she took the place beside him.
“You look troubled. What’s wrong?” he asked.
“You mean aside from learning that my grandmother really was a witch and that I might be one, too? I found a journal that’s mostly blank except for a letter from my grandmother. It explained a lot although I still have a ton of questions. Wait a minute and I’ll get it.”
She returned moments later with a large, leather-bound book. Resuming her seat, she handed it to him.
Quill ran his fingers over the cover. Even after all these years, Ava’s scent clung to the leather. He glanced at Callie, wondering if Ava had written anything about him.
He read the letter quickly, until he came to one paragraph.
I would also warn you against vampires—yes, I know from personal experience that they exist—both Transylvanian and Hungarian. The first will steal your life, the second your soul.
He read it three times, relieved that Ava hadn’t mentioned him by name. He wasn’t sure how Callie would react if she discovered the brief, intimate details of his association with her grandmother. Ava had been a free spirit, eager to explore all of life’s mysteries. And he had been eager to share them with her. “How old was your grandmother when she passed away?”
“A hundred and six.”
Quill nodded. Of course, Ava would lie about her age. In reality, she had been closer to a hundred and fifty. Even that was young, for a witch. They often lived to be over two hundred. In spite of the popular stereotype of old crones with big noses and warts, thanks to heredity and their ability to alter their appearance, they rarely appeared old or ugly.
“They told me she passed away quietly in her sleep.”
He looked at her sharply. “You weren’t there?”
“No, I was in Paris. She must have known she was going to die because she left instructions with her lawyer, saying that she didn’t want her death to ruin my vacation and she wanted to spare me the necessity of arranging her funeral. When I got home, it was all over. Why would she do that?”
“You just told me. She wanted to spare you.”
“I should have been there.”
After setting the journal on the coffee table, Quill put his arm around Callie’s shoulders. “There’s nothing you could have done if you were here, love.”
“I know, but it isn’t right! She was the only family I had. I would have liked a chance to say good-bye.”
“The lawyer had to obey her wishes.”
“I know. But sometimes . . .”
“What?”
“Like I said, I never got to say good-bye. And I know this is going to sound a little weird, morbid even, but sometimes I feel like she’s not really dead.”
Quill nodded. Oddly enough, he’d been having the same feeling. Hoping to cheer her, he said, “Come on, let’s take that new car of yours for a spin.”
* * *
It was late when Quill left Callie’s house. They had taken the Jag for a long drive, then returned home and sat in front of the fire for an hour, content to hold each other close.
After kissing Callie good-night, he