Page 4 of Veiled Yearning

“I’ll go.” There’s no hesitation. “Chiara knows me. We may not be friends, but she knows she can trust me.”

“Gavril…” Frederick starts.

“It makes more sense,” I continue, holding his gaze. “You can stay with Cait. That way, you’ll know for certain she’s safe.”

And it’s the least I can do for my oldest friend and his fiancee. After what I did to them… I never thought I’d earn their forgiveness. In truth, I didn’t think I deserved it. I’m still not sure I do.

But they forgave me for my horrible mistake. And I’m going to spend my life proving they weren’t wrong to do it. Starting with making sure the woman my friend loves is safe.

After a long pause, Frederick dips his head toward me. “Thank you, Gavril. I admit I’ll feel much better being with Cait.”

“Thank you, Gav,” Cait echoes. She recently started calling me Gav, which no one has called me since I was a child. I keep telling her to stop, but she resolutely refuses.

“And Gav—” Frederick smirks, the first sign of humor brightening his eyes. “Try to be gentle with Chiara. Not your grumpy self.”

I scowl at him. “Gentle?”

Cait giggles, then grins at me. “You can do it, Gav. Just smile a lot and try not to look so threatening.”

I don’t remember the last time I smiled. But I bare my teeth in a rictus of a grin at her and ask, “Better?”

“Not like that,” Cait laughs. “Like you mean it.”

David snorts. “Gavril smiling? Not intimidating? Good luck with that.”

What’s wrong with being intimidating?

Cait’s expression softens. “I’m sure you can do it, Gav. Just call it a feeling.”

2

A Surprise Visitor

CHIARA

It doesn’t feel safe here anymore.

My little cabin used to be my haven. The one place I felt truly safe.

When I built this place decades ago, it seemed like the perfect location. Tucked away in the woods up in northern Maine, just west of the Canadian border, it was far enough from civilization to feel isolated, but close enough to town to get blood when I needed to.

More recently, that’s become the worst part of my week; heading into the small town of Millinocket to find an unsuspecting human to feed from. I never hurt anyone and take great care to make sure no one ever remembers me, but I still hate it.

Not the taking blood part, but leaving my sanctuary in the forest. Leaving my safeguards and complicated system of alerts that should warn me the second anyone—human or vampire—gets close. Spending an hour or so out in the open, having to be around people, and constantly watching to see if anyone is following me.

As a vampire, it seems strange to be so worried. I’m well over a hundred years old, with the enhanced healing and strength and speed of an experienced vampire. Not to mention my unique ability, which makes me much more powerful than most of my kind.

I shouldn’t be scared to leave my cabin. I shouldn’t be afraid to be around people.

My cabin shouldn’t feel like a prison, and I shouldn’t spend hours each day checking and rechecking all my security. Casting and recasting spells of protection, meticulously arranging everything in my place so I’ll know if anyone disturbs it, making multiple sweeps of the property to see if there’s any sign of an unwelcome visitor.

I’m a vampire. This shouldn’t feel necessary.

But after those terrible days in captivity… it does.

My days are ruled by a strict schedule of preparations. I wake with the sun and begin recasting all my shields, imbuing a series of talismans around my house that should hide it from view. Once my house is done, I redo my own jewelry—the ring and bracelet that protect me from being seen by a Watcher, a Tracker, or a Hunter.

They all can do essentially the same thing; find a human or vampire from anywhere. And I’ll do anything to keep them from finding me.

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