Page 41 of Midnight Enchantment

“Don’t threaten me, Varden. I don’t like it.”

They stared daggers at each other across the table.

“Do you know where she is?” he asked again. “I’ll make it worth your while if you tell me.”

Claret snorted. “You don’t have anything I want. And even if I knew, I wouldn’t tell you.”

“Why the hell not?”

“Because I don’t like you.”

“You’re siding with that witch family against your own kind?”

“So it would seem.”

When he loosed a string of vile oaths, Claret threw her drink in his face. “Get out!”

Furious, he reached for her throat, only to draw back when half a dozen male vampires suddenly appeared around the booth, eyes sparking red, fangs bared.

“I’ll find her, with or without your help, “Varden snarled, then vanished from sight.

Claret smiled at the vampires surrounding her. “Merci, mon amis. Tell Claude the drinks are on the house.”

Chapter Nineteen

Lily’s heart skipped a beat when she heard Raedan’s knock on the heavy oak door.

Running a hand over her hair, she ran down the stairs to let him in. “Hi!” she said breathlessly.

His gaze moved over her, the heat in his eyes warming her from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. “Good evening, love.” He started to take her in his arms when Quill appeared.

“Where are the two of you going this evening?”

Raedan looked at Liliana.

“To the movies and then, maybe, for a walk around town.”

Quill nodded. “What time will you be home?”

“Dad!”

“I’m sorry, Lily, but if you insist on putting your life in danger, I need to know where you’re going and when to expect you back.”

With an aggrieved sigh, she said, “No later than midnight, I guess. Is that okay?”

Quill nodded. “Have a good time, Princess.”

Lily grabbed her coat, smiled when Raedan took it from her hands and held it for her.

Raedan glanced at Quill. “Stop worrying. I will take good care of her.”

Quill grunted softly. Feeling as if he had just agreed to let his only lamb go out with a hungry lion, he closed the door behind them.

“Sorry about that,” Lily said as they walked down the flagstone path to the sidewalk.

“He is your father, love. You cannot fault him for worrying about you.”

“I guess not.”

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