The Reluctant Vampire Page 0,94

to come?"

"I'm not sure," she said on a sigh. "I'd think Lucian would want her restricted to the house a er these attacks, but since the last one took place in the house . . ." She shrugged unhappily.

"Yeah," Harper murmured, then they both glanced toward the house as the front door opened and Leonora and Alessandro came out. Harper whistled, and when Alessandro stopped and glanced his way, he tossed them the car keys, saying one of them may as well drive since they were essen ally just dropping everyone off.

Chapter Fourteen

Casey Co age was dark and silent when Leonora dropped them off. Anders didn't waste any me but got immediately into the SUV he and Drina had driven down in. He started the engine and was backing the vehicle out almost before Alessandro had cleared the driveway. Drina shook her head at the man's impa ence. Really, he was so rude some mes, she thought, as Harper ushered her up the sidewalk along the garage.

The house was heavy with the smell of smoke when they entered, and Harper heaved a sigh as he closed and locked the door behind them. "I hope the insurance people can get this cleaned up and back in shape before Elvi and Mabel return. They'd be heartbroken to see it like this."

"Yes," Drina murmured, reaching ins nc vely for the light switch and glancing around with surprise when Harper caught her arm to stop her.

"It's probably be er not to," he said quietly. "The wiring may have been damaged in the fire. If we turn on the juice, it might spark something and get it going all over again."

"Oh, of course." Drina let her hand drop when he released it and shrugged. "It's probably for the best anyway. It's doub ul anyone would be watching the house now it's uninhabitable, but there's no sense advertising we're here."

"No," he agreed.

Drina glanced around. It was a clear night, dim moonlight creeping through the windows. With their night vision, they didn't really need the lights anyway.

"Maybe we should collect some clothes too while we're here," Harper suggested, bending to slip off his snow-covered boots. "They'll probably reek of smoke from the fire, but a good wash or three might take care of that."

"My own clothes," Drina said on a sigh as she shrugged out of Teddy's coat and laid it over the radiator. She didn't mind going without a bra and pan es so much, but had spent most of the day tugging up the joggers Stephanie had brought to her. They had a drawstring, but she'd only been able to ghten it so far. The darn things were loose enough they kept dropping to ride her hips rather than staying at her waist, where she would have preferred them.

Harper tossed his own coat over the radiator next to hers and chuckled as she stepped out of Teddy's overlarge boots without undoing them. He then caught her hand and headed for the curving staircase.

"I'm sure Stephanie would appreciate it too. The poor kid has no hips yet and has had to hold her pants up since she put them on."

"I'll pack her things too," Drina murmured, as he led her upstairs. When he reached the landing and turned le rather than right toward the bedroom she shared with Stephanie, she asked, "Where are we going?"

"We'll start with my clothes and then stop for clothes for you and Stephanie on the way back down," he announced.

"Or I could gather Stephanie's and mine while you get yours. It would be faster," she said with amusement, but Harper shook his head at once.

"I'm not le ng you out of my sight un l this business is finished and I don't have to worry about your getting hurt in sudden attacks."

"But Stephanie isn't with us," Drina pointed out gently, as he turned le at the end of the landing to head for the stairwell leading to the third floor.

"No, but you are," he said at once.

"Yes, but Leonius isn't interested in me," she pointed out, and Harper came to a halt and turned to peer at her solemnly.

"Drina, you're an incredibly vibrant, sexy, and beau ful woman. If he's been watching us, he's seen you, and if he's seen you, he might be tempted to take you as well as Stephanie. Hell, he might even decide not to bother with her and just take you. You'd be incredible breeding stock."

Drina blinked. That had all been really sweet right up