The Vampire’s Priceless Treasure

by Painter, Kristen

  She also did some things that weren’t work, but added to her increasingly busy agenda. Like making a vet appointment for Waffles just to make sure he was doing all right since recovering from the state he was in when she found him. Not only was he fine, but he’d gained some weight, putting him at a healthy twelve and a half pounds. Apparently, all his floof just made him look bigger.

  Outside of work and Waffles, she also spent some long-needed time with Hattie, and in the spare moments that were left, she reorganized her closet and seriously assessed each item in it as to whether or not it still suited her.

  She resolved not to wear so much leather when she wasn’t at work. She could see how intimidating a look it was, and while that image might have been something she actively cultivated once upon a time, not any longer. She wanted to leave some of that past behind. She wanted people to like her. She wanted friends.

  Along those lines, she even found time to meet Monalisa Tsvetkov for coffee.

  But not once in the last six days had she talked to her father about the bombshell Pavlina had dropped. She didn’t want to upset him, or bring such awful news into their relationship when it was going so well. She also didn’t want to cause waves when she needed him to be in a good mood. Just in case things between her and Greyson changed.

  Not that she’d spoken to Greyson since they’d gotten back, except to let him know the details of the treaty meeting.

  Despite that, she thought about him constantly. Wondered what he was doing. If he was thinking of her. If he missed her like she missed him. If she was being a fool.

  She almost called him twice. Almost texted him a dozen times. But what would that get her? They’d agreed not to see each other. That it was for the best. That they were better off as friends.

  But were they still friends? Didn’t friends hang out? Didn’t friends talk? Truth was, she didn’t know if she could have that kind of casual relationship with a man who made her light-headed and fluttery.

  Things weren’t supposed to get light-headed and fluttery in the friend zone. At least that’s how she thought it worked.

  And why did she care so much what her father thought about her and Greyson? Well, she knew the answer to that. She owed her father so much. Like her current situation. And without him, the life she was living would go away.

  Not that she thought he’d be so petty as to take everything from her if she did start seeing someone. He wasn’t Pavlina. He was as opposite as could be.

  But he’d asked her not to get involved with Greyson, and the thought of disappointing him…that was heavy.

  Still, Greyson was ever present in her head and heart. The constant push-pull between want and obligation made her feel so mixed up that staying busy was the only thing keeping her from breaking down, she was sure of it.

  But if this was the normal life she’d dreamed of getting back to, it was miserable. In fact, her mood seemed to be worsening the closer the treaty meeting got. Maybe because she’d be face-to-face with Greyson again. And she’d be reminded in that very visual way about what she couldn’t have.

  She put a basket of clean laundry on the bed, then sat beside it, closed her eyes, and made herself take a few deep breaths in a weak attempt to get the unhappiness out of her system.

  But Greyson was still there in all his charming, devilish glory. No doubt he’d show up to the meeting looking like his usual self. Hair a little too long and slightly unkempt, like he’d just rolled out of bed. A dusting of dark stubble accentuating his strong jaw. Dressed in some lace-cuffed shirt and black jeans with a velvet jacket as if he was on his way to audition for Sexiest Vampire of the Year.

  Which he’d probably get, because honestly, was there any competition?

  No. No, there was not.

  She braced herself on her hands and leaned back to stare at the ceiling. Why did he have to be so handsome? So kind? So sweet? And the sort of kisser that made her stomach do flips and her knees go weak?

  Why couldn’t she stop thinking about him? And worse, about future things almost too embarrassing to admit?

  Like marrying him. And buying a house with him. And having babies with him.

  She’d never been that girl who dreamed of the big wedding with the white dress and the flowers, and now, because of him, she was.

  Apparently, that’s what a man like him did to a woman.

  Her phone rang, startling her out of her head. She glanced at the screen. Hattie. “Hi, Mémé.”

  “Oh good, you’re up. Hi, honey. What are you doing? Tonight’s your night off, isn’t it?”

  “It is.” She’d been up for an hour, but she supposed her grandmother still thought of her as a kid. It was endlessly endearing. “I was going to finish organizing my closet. I still need to go through my accessories.”

  Hattie made an unimpressed grunt. “I don’t think so.”

  Kora laughed. “No?”

  “No.”

  “You have something better in mind?”

  “I do.” Hattie paused for obvious dramatic effect. “Coq au vin.”

  “Oh wow. That does sound better.” Hattie’s coq au vin was exceptional and not to be missed. She really only made it for special occasions. Kora guessed she’d made it now because she knew Kora was in a funk. She was remarkably perceptive like that.

  “I thought it would. You’ll be here at sundown, then.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” That was in less than half an hour. “Should I bring anything?”

  “Just yourself. And fix yourself up. I know you’re moping.”

  Kora shook her head. “I will.”

  “A little lipstick never killed anyone.”

  “Yes, Mémé. I’ll see you then. Love you.”

  “Love you, too.”

  They both hung up. Kora looked at Waffles. “I guess I’m not finishing the closet tonight, then.” She scratched under his chin, resulting in closed eyes and lots of purring. “You really need a buddy, don’t you? Maybe next week I’ll take a trip to the rescue and see if there are any suitable friends for you.”

  She kissed his head. “Right now, I need to get dressed. What do you think Mémé will accept as fixed up? Probably not pants. But I don’t have a lot of dresses that aren’t leather. Maybe I should get some.”

  She went to her closet, well aware of what was in it due to her reorganization. “You think I could get away with jeans and a nice blouse with a little sweater?”

  She looked over her shoulder. Waffles had his feet in the air and was soundly asleep. She laughed. “Thanks for the input. I bet the sound of me opening your dinner wakes you up.”

  Picking something out didn’t take long because there wasn’t much left to choose from. She ended up with the new dark-washed jeans she’d just bought this week to add some depth to her new friendly wardrobe, a printed red blouse, and a navy cardigan. The latter two being gifts from Hattie that Kora had never actually worn. She slipped her feet into black flats, did her hair and makeup, then added a little jewelry and took a turn in front of the full-length mirror. “She can’t complain about clothing she gave me.”

  After feeding Waffles, which did indeed wake him up, she jumped in the car and headed for her father’s house. The car reminded her she really needed to talk to her dad about the vehicle. It was beautiful, but it wasn’t practical. And it was silly for someone in her financial situation to drive something this expensive. A secondhand crossover would be just fine. Something she planned on buying herself.

  The idea made her smile. What would it be like to make a car payment? Certainly about as grown-up as she could imagine. She didn’t think her father would let her pay rent, but someday, she’d get her own place and do that, too.

  Maybe she’d ask Greyson to go car shopping with her. That would be a good excuse to see him, wouldn’t it? She didn’t care one bit if taking a man along made her appear less independent. She was tired of not seeing him, and that seemed like a valid reason to reach out.

  She sighed. It really was time to
take her father aside and gently broach the subject of having a man in her life.

  Her thoughts continued in that vein through one quick stop at the florist then on the rest of the drive to her father’s house. Twilight was such a lovely time of evening. The faint purple light felt warm and promising. She took it as a good sign and clung to whatever that portended for the rest of the night.

  After the week she’d had, she needed something good to happen. Something that stopped all the longing and uncertainty in her head.

  Talking to her father would be a great way to make that happen. She hoped.

  But as she pulled into the driveway and stared up at the house, a little of her courage slipped away.

  She turned the car off and sat there for a minute. No, she was not going to let this go. She couldn’t. Her personal happiness was at stake.

  He had to understand that. Especially now that he was so happy with his new wife, new house, Hattie’s return to the mortal world, and his new life that could be lived out in the open.

  Maybe Kora hadn’t exactly earned all that yet, but happiness was an inalienable right. Her father wanted her to be happy, she knew that. She just had to make him see that Greyson was a big part of that happiness.

  She got out of the car, the flowers she’d bought for Hattie tucked in one arm.

  Of course, all of that would hinge on one very important detail—Greyson still wanting to be a part of that happiness.

  She walked up the steps to the front porch. This week apart could have changed things for him. Could have made him see that he was just fine being single. She hoped that wasn’t the case.

  The door opened as she lifted her hand to knock. Hattie smiled up at her. “Hi, honey. You look so nice.”

  “Hi, Mémé. Thanks.” She held out the simple bunch of daisies and some little purple flowers. “These are for you.”

  “Oh, they’re lovely. What a nice surprise. Come in.” Hattie took the flowers.

  Kora kissed her on the cheek as she stepped inside. “The house smells delicious. I can’t wait.”

  “Your father and Imari are in the living room, if you want to say hi.”

  “I do, but don’t you need help in the kitchen?”

  “No, everything’s done. You go on in. In fact, tell everyone to come to the table.”

  “Okay.” She went into the living room while her grandmother went back to the kitchen.

  Lucien looked up from the Tombstone, the local Nocturne Falls paper. “Good evening, Kora.”

  “Hi, Dad. Imari.”

  Imari put her magazine down and smiled at her. “Hi there. Are you recovered from your trip?”

  “Mostly. After the treaty meeting tomorrow, it’ll finally all be behind me.”

  “That will be good.”

  “It will be.” She hooked a thumb toward the dining room. “Mémé says everyone should come to the table.”

  Imari put her magazine aside. “I should see if she needs help.”

  She disappeared into the kitchen, and Lucien joined Kora. “You all right?”

  “I’ve been better. Can we talk after dinner?”

  “Of course. You know I’m always here for you.”

  She nodded, smiling tightly. Knowing that and guessing his reaction to her decision were two different things.

  How different remained to be seen.

  Greyson paced when he had something stuck on his mind, when he was waiting, or when he needed to think through a problem.

  At the moment, he had a trifecta going on.

  His phone buzzed, stopping him in his tracks. He checked the screen, then nodded as he read the brief message.

  She’s here.

  It was go time.

  He took one final look in the mirror. Too late to get a haircut now. Why hadn’t he thought of that sooner? He knew why. His brain was clogged up by a tall blonde who made everything else fall by the wayside.

  Well, he’d had enough. Not of her. He’d never have enough of her. But he’d had his fill of just sitting around, abiding by her father’s wishes. His fill of longing to touch her and hold her and kiss her and not being able to.

  Being friends was worthless when it didn’t assuage the needs of his body, mind, and heart. A useless platitude that meant they might see each other only by accident.

  Screw that. He wasn’t living in the same town as the woman he loved and hoping to occasionally run into her at the grocery store.

  Neither one of them shopped enough for that to even happen.

  Greyson was a man in love. A man who was done waiting around. Done feeling like this and seeing no end in sight. And Lucien was just going to have to understand that Greyson intended to claim Kora as his own.

  Naturally, this was all with the understanding that she still wanted him. Because if she didn’t, this could get pretty embarrassing for him.

  Her rejection tonight would make tomorrow incredibly uncomfortable, too. He’d put so much in place, all because of the way he felt about her.

  Not that he’d change anything he’d done.

  But if she turned down his big gesture, he was going to feel like a fool. Granted, he’d live through it and get on with his life. Somehow. He’d managed after Jayne, but this…this felt different. Bigger. Much more like forever.

  Maybe he’d move out of Nocturne Falls. Some time away could be good. He could spend the next century at Catherine’s apartment in Paris, licking his wounds.

  Because if Kora turned him down, he was really going to need some time to figure out where he was going wrong with women.

  No more thinking about all that now. Time for positive thoughts and action. He jumped in his car and sped through the streets of Nocturne Falls toward Lucien’s new Victorian, getting to the house in what was probably record time. But then, he was a man on a mission.

  He ran up the walk to the porch and found the door open just as he’d been told it would be.

  The tantalizing smells of dinner and the chatter of harmonious conversation reached him at the same time.

  Both suddenly crystalized what he was about to do. Intrude on a family event. The possibility existed that his interruption would not be well received. But there was no other way to do this. He needed to speak his mind, and he wanted the whole family to know at the same time what he was about. This was his moment. It would determine the course of his future. He felt as sure about that as anything.

  He strode boldly into the dining room.

  Hattie’s smiling face was the first thing he saw, followed by Kora’s confused one.

  Her brows bent. “Greyson?”

  “Hi, sweetheart.” Every nerve in his body was electric with hope. “I need to say something to you, Kora.” He turned. “And to you, Lucien.”

  The reaper set his fork down, wiped his napkin across his mouth, then sat back. “Go on, then.”

  Bright red courage flowed through Greyson’s veins with the same ferocity that blood once had. “I love your daughter.” He glanced at Kora. “I do, you know.”

  She was smiling. That was a good sign. “I know. I love you, too.”

  Relief swept him. He approached Lucien again. “I know you don’t think she should be seeing anyone right now, but you’re wrong. I’m good for her. She’s incredible for me. I’m asking you right here and now not to stand in the way of what’s meant to be.”

  Imari clapped her hands together. “This is so romantic.”

  Lucien frowned at his wife. “You would think that.”

  “Well, it is, Lucien.” She shook her head at him. “And honestly, why are you telling your adult daughter how to live her life?” Imari rolled her eyes. “Men.”

  Lucien opened his mouth, but Hattie spoke first. “You have my blessing.”

  Lucien’s second frown was directed at his grandmother. “Mémé, please. You don’t understand—”

  Hattie’s stern frown was everything. “I understand that Greyson is a lovely man with good manners, a firm financial background, and that he has on
more than one occasion protected our Kora from danger. He loves her. He just said so. And she loves him. What else is there to understand?”

  Lucien leaned forward, both hands on the table. “She is trying to establish herself. To get her life on track.”

  Imari crossed her arms. “I’d say having a man like Greyson as her partner would put her life on track about as firmly as one could hope for. The rest will come with time.”

  Greyson finally got a word in. “I have more than enough to take care of both of us. And Waffles.”

  Kora laughed softly, her gaze on him and him alone. “I’ve missed you.”

  “And I, you, love.” He went to stand by her chair.

  She took his hand immediately and finally looked at her father. “Dad, this is what I wanted to talk to you about after dinner anyway. I’m miserable without Greyson.” She shook her head. “I’m not going to derail the progress I’ve made just because I’m in a relationship. Especially not with a man like Greyson. Something you should know very well.”

  Hattie nodded. “Very true. Who do you always call when you need something? How much better will it be to have him at Kora’s side?”

  Lucien grimaced. “I’m being railroaded.”

  Kora shrugged. “It’s a little hard to get hit with so much truth all at once, I know. Kind of like what happened to me when I returned home to find you married.”

  Lucien sighed. “I suppose. But that was different. That marriage was to save Imari.”

  The genie snorted. “But look who it really saved.”

  Lucien reached over and took his wife’s hand in a move that clearly showed how much he agreed with her.

  “Dad, I just want to be happy. Don’t you want me to be happy, too?”

  A long moment passed, then he nodded. “Of course I do, Kora. But what if things don’t go the way you hope?”

  “I could say the same about you and Imari, and maybe I would have once upon a time, but not now, because I can see how much you care about each other. You’ll just have to do the same for us. Let time show you the truth.”