Mark of the Harbinger (Book 1)

24 - A Curse and a Gift

It always amazes me how terrible situations can devolve into worse situations.

My eyes were dry, my feet heavy. My skin itched and my hand ached. It was almost midnight when I parked the sedan in my complex's lot and traipsed upstairs, my keys braced in my good hand, my head hung. It wasn't until I was at my door, ready to unlock it and go inside, that I remembered leaving Telavar in my apartment for the whole day. 

The door opened, and the auburn vamp waited to greet me. 

"Hello, Ms. Winters." 

"Oh, shit," I swore, smacking my forehead with an open palm. "Telavar, I'm so sorry. I forgot you were here, and I had your car all day and most of the night—!"

"That's quite alright, Ms. Winters," he responded, stepping aside to open the door wide. "But there is something—."

"I feel like a jerk," I babbled as I came inside, tripping on the mat. "I'm sure it must have been uncomfortable for you to be stuck here after dark—." 

"Ms. Winters, there's someone—."

"I promise I didn't get a single scratch on your car, and I didn't get it towed, either. That's a record for me these days—."

I came into the apartment properly and caught a glimpse of the living room. It was spotless. The whole place was spotless. The floors, the walls, the ceiling—everything had been wiped, scrubbed, polished, or shined. My books were properly stowed away on their shelves, organized by subject and author, my papers sorted on the desk and my clothes put away.

I would have been more aghast at the idea of a vampire doing my laundry if I hadn't seen Aurel Havik sitting on my sofa, sipping wine. 

"What the hell!" I squeaked, rounding on Telavar as he shut the door with an apologetic shrug. "You let him into my apartment?!" 

"As I was trying to say—." He cleared his throat, the first sign of annoyance I'd ever seen him show. I was impressed. "Master Aurel is here to speak with you." 

"I can see that," I snapped, shoving his car keys into his hands. Havik could hear us perfectly well, but he was content to sit and sip his—my—wine until I stomped into the living room proper.

"Why are you here?" I asked as I stood before the couch, looking down at the vampire. It wasn't often that I could look down upon Havik, seeing as he was so stupidly tall. His gilded eyes flickered over me, taking in the injured hand, my pale face, and the dirt on my blazer. He leaned forward to set the wine glass down on the coffee table, even going so far as to use a coaster. "Have a seat, Ms. Winters."

His cordial welcome was surprising. He doesn't know I lied, I thought as I sank into the armchair with a huff. The touch of the lumpy cushions wasn't as comforting as it usually was, and I squirmed as the skin on my back and rear stung.

"Telavar," Havik drawled as he pulled upon the golden fob leading into his waistcoat's pocket and his watch fell into his hand. "Please wait in the car." 

"Master Aurel?" the younger vamp asked, confused. I was confused as well. Havik's temperament seemed almost...too calm. 

"Go, Telavar."

He didn't argue. With a short nod, the auburn vamp headed out the door. I called out thanks to him, but wasn't sure he'd heard me. I couldn't believe he'd cleaned my entire place. The poor guy must have been bored out of his skull.

"I've been here since sundown, Ms. Winters," Havik explained as he tucked the watch away again. "I don't like to be kept waiting." 

I snorted, slouching as I shuffled out of my blazer and slung it across the armchair's back. "Then you should've called."