Page 30 of A Touch of Brimstone

Anand then turned back to me, the hardness in his face when dealing with the vampire ebbing away. I wouldn’t allow him to get closer and kept a cautious eye on him as if he were an unpredictable predator—and I wasn’t convinced he wasn’t.

“You have no need to fear me, Luna.”

That seemed highly inaccurate, but him waiting patiently for me to move toward him offered some comfort. My migration toward him was done with hesitation. Each step slow, measured, and cautious.

“I saved your life,” he declared, sliding an assessing look in my direction. Still trying to process what happened, my mind was just a whirlwind of thoughts. “The older the vampire, the harder they are to kill. Ram a stake through the heart of a young vampire, and death comes rather quickly.” He was heading in the direction of Books and Brew, just a block away. “With older vampires, the process is slow, giving them ample time to feed and survive. For supernaturals, age has its benefits. But staking an elder vampire with Dracaena cinnabari will hasten the death process.”

“The older they are, the worse they are to deal with. Great.” Taking in the impromptu lesson in vampire slaying only cemented my theory that the supernatural world was driven by violence. It was doubtful I could ever get used to it.

“I don’t consider it worse. I enjoy the challenge.” Anand had a melodious deep voice with a hint of a rasp that I was sure was from lack of use. He struck me as a man of few words.

“And you’re an old…” I waited for him to provide his supernatural denotation. I had to navigate this world, and despite my trepidation, knowledge gave me an advantage. I was curious as to what supernaturals occupied the Underworld. I assumed the only other options were demons. Or fallen angels. Anand’s quiet beauty would easily be considered seraphic. Was he a fallen angel?

He stopped at the door, and I focused on the scar that ran along his face, fighting the urge of being all types of cringy and creepy by running my finger over it. Something that should have detracted and marred his appeal added distinct character.

“Never look a vampire in the eye, okay? That’s how they compel you. I suspect Kane was about to instruct you to hurt yourself, walk into traffic, perform a self-inflicted injury, come to him and request he feed until he is sated. A vampire is never sated.” He frowned. “If a vampire stares at you, gouge them in the eyes. If you don’t want to use your finger, keep something long and sharp with you—knitting needle, pen, whatever, and use that.”

“What!” I gawked at him. Was he trained by Helena? “Why is that option number one? What about not looking them in the eye? That’ll work too, right?”

He nodded and lifted his shoulders in a shrug of indifference. Then he headed to the counter of the coffee shop, and I went to the bookstore, acutely aware that he’d never answered my question about what he was.

I’d have another opportunity to question him. I’d requested Helena as a guard but got Anand. Although he struck me as a person who thrived on adrenaline, violence, and danger, it was still an upgrade. He’d only suggested gouging out the eye of a vampire who was trying to harm me; she wanted to murder me but had settled on just taking a finger.

The deep-seated frown brought on by thoughts of Helena relaxed when I caught sight of Cameron’s toothy smile. It was the smile she gave when she needed a favor. Based on how wide her smile was, it was going to be a big request. Hopefully it wasn’t a request for me to work later or the next day.

I wanted desperately to be done with Dominic, the supernatural world, and the lurking eyes. Where they excelled at being amoral, violent, and powerful, they totally failed at stealth. That failure was being demonstrated right now; the wolf who attacked me was perusing books in the corner of the store and obviously watching me. Another person sat at a table shooting me none-too-furtive glances. I had no idea who or what they were. The wolf shifter definitely had a look of discontent at the sight of me. Had he learned of Kane’s failure or was he acting alone and disappointed that Dominic hadn’t killed me? Who knew?

Anand walking into the bookstore had them all scrambling to get somewhere else, fast.

Cameron greeted me with an enthusiastic hi. It was times like this that Cameron reminded me of a hyperactive pup—and she evoked the same response. The smile that curved my lips widened despite knowing she needed a favor.

She finished up with the customer she was helping.

“I need a favor,” she announced. Shocker. She led me to the gaming section of the store.

“Really? I never would have guessed,” I teased.

“Reese had a family emergency and had to cancel and I was hoping Emoni could fill in. I know coffee shop music isn’t Emoni’s thing, but you know how much people enjoy our Wine-Down Thursdays.”

Cameron enjoyed them, too. Maybe it was the music or the reduced-price wine or a combination of both, but the income she lost on wine, she made up for in book sales. Buzzed book buying was more lucrative than I ever imagined.

“I’m not Emoni’s manager. Just ask her. She’s not shy about declining things when she’s not interested.”

“I know, but I’m the owner and she might feel obligated to say yes just to appease me. I don’t want her to do that.”

“No.”

Her eyes widened.

“See, I have no problem telling you no. Do you think Emoni is any less likely to do so?” I teased. Giving her arm a gentle squeeze, I told her I’d ask and headed off to help out a woman who looked as if she was searching the store for an employee. I looked over my shoulder at Cameron. “She’s going to say yes. You’re giving her an opportunity to do two things she’ll never admit she loves: coffee house music and performing covers.”

When Emoni arrived at work a couple of hours later, I was unsettled by Anand’s presence at the counter. He was studying the pastries on display. Had he anticipated my move, heard our conversation, read our lips?

Anand and I hadn’t spoken since he gave me his disturbing advice. He’d been inconspicuous in the store. Occasionally I got a glimpse of him leaving or moving but never knew when he had returned or how he managed to get close to me. When I saw him, it felt like he was allowing it. It was as if he faded into the nonexistent shadows of the store. Disappeared. I wasn’t convinced he didn’t. Employees typically commented on people who lingered in the store, but no one seemed to notice his presence.

As I eased my way closer to the side of the counter to talk to Emoni, I was staring at Anand until she cleared her throat.

“He’s new around here,” Emoni said. “He likes his coffee black,” she whispered. Her eyes slowly traveled over him.

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