do it just because you said I shouldn’t?”
“No. That would only be if I told you that you couldn’t read it. Then you’d be defying my direct wishes, which wouldn’t really be what my direct wishes are. That’s reverse psychology. What I said was, I don’t care if you don’t read it—because I genuinely don’t. I just want one thing from you before you come back again.”
“Hold the fucking phone, I have to come back? Nobody said anything about long-term therapy.”
“Do you want your friends to quit hassling you?”
“Like I want a GD bacon cheeseburger.”
“Do you think they will if you don’t come back?” She posed the question with her eyebrow raised and a smile on her lips.
Nina rasped a long-winded sigh. “Fine. Tell me what you want me to do.”
January rose, pushing her cushiony chair back and holding out the packet. “In one word, tell me what you miss about being a vampire.”
Nina rose, too, her long limbs untangling as she eyed January. “That’s it? You’re full of shit.”
January waved the packet at her and shrugged her shoulders in nonchalance. “Nope. That’s really it.”
Nina’s skepticism was palpable and the entire time, while she considered January’s words, she prayed Nina would just take the packet.
Goddess, please take the packet.
And then she did, tucking it under her arm and turning to leave.
Fighting the urge to sink down into her chair in relief, January called after her, “Don’t forget to make an appointment for tomorrow with Elsa on your way out, Nina!”
There was grumbling and then the sounds of Marty’s and Wanda’s squeals of delight that no one had lost an eye during their hour together.
Only then did January head to her office bathroom, with its cool white subway tiles and stark white walls, close the door and collapse against it, fighting tears of frustration and fear.
There was hope. She had to hang on to that.
Nina was her absolute end-of-the-line last hope.
Chapter 3
“ H ave I told you, you smell amazing?” a voice purred in January’s ear—a deep, silky voice she hadn’t been able to resist since day one.
But January pinched the back of the wide hand around her waist, resisting the temptation to press it to her lips. “Have I told you you’re not supposed to be able to tell me I smell amazing because you’re not supposed to be here, Galen Markus? You’re supposed to be waiting for that call anywhere but here with me. I could kill you!”
Galen chuckled, the husky sound warm and inviting against her ear. “Already dead, honey. But if push comes to shove, will you wear that cute nightgown and use your magic wand when you attempt my murder? I love when you use your wand. It’s pretty hot.”
“No, but I am going to bring cauldrons back from the fifteenth century and boil you in one. We can’t afford to get caught. Not when we’re this close, Galen,” January whispered into the dark as he slipped both arms around her waist and pulled her to his broad chest.
Turning her in his embrace, he looked into her eyes and asked, “Do you think this Nina read the note in the packet?”
“I guess we’ll know in just a little bit, if she calls you on that burner cell. I gave her the number in the packet. If she was even a little interested in figuring out her humanity with my help, she’ll see it when she opens the stuff I gave her. I pray she opens the stuff I gave her.”
His handsome face, the face she loved almost above all others, with its sharp angles and smooth planes, grimaced. “You don’t really think these women can help us, do you, January? They don’t help people who are already paranormal. They help people who are accidentally turned into paranormals. I looked at that crazy website they have. Did you see it? It was all red and shiny with all kinds of stuff about how they’re nothing like sparkly vampires. How can you take that seriously?”
January scoffed up at him. “You have any better ideas? I’m