Enchant the Night - Amanda Ashley Page 0,42
be afraid of,” he assured her, “although it might make you a little nauseous the first time. Ready?”
“I don’t think so.” She looked at him warily, wondering just what “transporting” meant exactly.
He chuckled softly. “Close your eyes, love. We’ll be there before you realize we’ve gone.”
Not knowing what to expect, Callie took a deep breath, swallowed hard, and closed her eyes. Her stomach plummeted, the way it did when planes took off, only much worse. She felt as if she was falling through darkness at the speed of light, and just when she was sure destruction lay ahead, it was over.
Blowing out a shaky breath, she opened her eyes to find they were at the edge of a small town surrounded by mountains thick with pine and juniper. The air was cold, the sky dark with the promise of rain.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Quill asked.
“I’ll let you know when my stomach settles and my head stops spinning.”
He laughed softly. “Come on, let’s find a place to stay.”
“Don’t we need reservations or something?”
“No. My people own most of the houses on the west side. We’ll just find a vacant one.” He shifted the smaller suitcase to his free hand and set off down the street.
Callie followed him. The town was divided in half, with houses on one side and businesses on the other. Most of the houses had lights showing in the windows.
Near the far end of the road, Quill stopped in front of a single-story house that was dark. He opened his senses, searching for signs of life, and when he found none, he climbed the two stairs to the narrow porch and opened the door. Glancing over his shoulder, he said, “Welcome home, love.”
Feeling like a cat burglar, Callie followed Quill into the house, then set his duffel bag on the floor. “Are you sure this is all right?”
He nodded as he turned on the lights, revealing a large, square room. A stone fireplace took up most of the wall to the left of the entrance. A watercolor painting depicting a herd of wild horses running across a starlit meadow hung above the mantel. The furniture was made of heavy dark wood. A sofa and love seat, both covered in a flowered print, stood on either side of the hearth with a coffee table between them. A half-wall divided the room. The other side held another sofa, a couple of easy chairs arranged in a semi-circle around a large TV set.
Quill dropped her suitcases, then locked and bolted the door.
Callie glanced around. An open archway led into a kitchen. A second arch opened onto a hallway. She assumed the bedrooms and bath were down the hall.
“What do you think?” Quill asked.
“It’s lovely.”
Taking her hand, he said, “Let’s take a look around.”
The kitchen held all the latest appliances—stove, microwave, refrigerator, dishwasher. A rectangular table and six chairs stood in front of the room’s single window. Three bedrooms opened off the hallway. The larger one had its own bathroom, and the two smaller rooms shared a bath.
“The larger one is yours,” Quill said. “I’ll go get our bags.”
“Okay.” Callie looked around the room. The queen-sized bed was flanked by a pair of cherrywood nightstands. A matching four-drawer dresser stood across from the bed. A dainty, padded rocker stood in one corner beside a window. There was a small walk-in closet and a large bathroom with both a tub and a shower.
“So, what do you think?” Quill asked, dropping her suitcases on the foot of the bed.
“I love it.”
“I thought you would. If you get bored tomorrow, you can go into town and pick up some groceries and whatever you want. Just charge everything to me.”
“I can’t let you do that.”
“You’re here as my guest. It’s only fitting that I pay the bills.”
Callie nodded reluctantly, though she wasn’t sure she felt comfortable with that arrangement. She was used to paying her own way.
“What’s wrong?”
She shook her head. “Nothing.”
He took her hands in his. “I know something’s bothering you. What is it?” he asked, and then he knew. “You just realized you’re in a town populated mostly by my kind and you’re wondering if coming here with me was a good idea.”
Her gaze slid away from his, telling him that was exactly what she’d been thinking. “I won’t let anything happen to you,” he said, pulling her into his arms. “I know most of the vampires who live here. They’re all married. Most of them have children. No need to feel