Page 43 of Hunters and Hydrangeas

“Okay.”

He passes Cassian on his way out. The vampire prince gives Noah a questioning look and then places the prescription bottle in the ice.

When the door closes, he says, “Your boyfriend looks broody today. Trouble in paradise?”

“Hardly,” I mutter, sitting at the table with a sigh.

“I brought you a gift.” Cassian sits across from me and sets another prescription bottle on the table, this one full of capsules.

I look at it warily. “Why are you giving me random drugs?”

His eyes light with humor. “It’s not random. It’s the daylight medication.”

My gaze flies to his. “They didn’t approve me for the study.”

“I pulled a few strings with the research group and chatted with your doctor while we were working out the prescription. He said it was fine. They’re going to send your official prescription next week, but you can have one of my bottles until then. I order a few months’ worth at a time.”

“You can’t share medicine,” I say. “What if the dose is different?”

He rolls his eyes like he’s already several steps ahead of me. “You think I didn’t check?”

I take the bottle, wrapping my hands around it. “I can actually have them?”

“They’re all yours. Take one a day, preferably with food. It takes about twenty-four hours for it to start working and forty-eight to reach full strength. You can go in the sun as soon as tomorrow as long as you wear a high SPF sunscreen and don’t stay out too long.”

“Not to sound dramatic, but this might be the best gift anyone has ever given me.” I don’t know if it’s because I’ve beenon a rollercoaster of emotions this morning or what, but my eyes get misty. “Thank you.”

Cassian frowns. “Are you okay?”

Nodding, I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand. Deciding I need to change the subject away from my vampire mood swings, I ask, “Any idea where Alfred might be?”

Cassian’s expression immediately sours. “I called Jameson this morning. He said Alfred is staying at a hotel in Miami Beach, though he doesn’t know which one.”

“Who’s Jameson again?”

“Alfred’s father.”

“Oh, right. I wonder how Alfred will feel about his dad helping you.”

“I doubt he’ll be too happy.” Cassian sits back in his chair, getting comfortable. “Jameson didn’t particularly care. Apparently, Alfred has a yacht as well, so he might be there instead of at the hotel.”

Vampires and oceans don’t seem like they’d go well together, but what do I know? I’ve only been a vampire for a few weeks.

“If he’s on his yacht, how will you find him?”

“That’s where it gets complicated. He could be near Miami and the Keys or off touring the world.”

“Okay…but how will you find him if he’s here?”

“We’re going to have someone call him from the local NIHA office. If he answers, they’ll track the signal, and Noah and I will head to that location.”

“And then what?”

He smiles to himself. “That depends on if he cooperates.”

“Great,” I say. “Well, you guys have fun with that.”

“What are you going to do with your day?”

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