Page 41 of Bewitched By the Headless Horseman
In what way did he mean it? Adorable as in a kid sister? Unless he just meant it in a nice way which was just as bad. All the while she’d been wanting to feel her fingers on himagain. She wouldn’t pester him for an answer, and instead, with a frown, she picked up the book to distract herself.
Nothing else stood out from the book, only pages of the different abilities in Sleepy Hollow over the years, which her mom needed to be added to them if they ever updated this book. Giving up for now, she finally went to take a shower before Rainier arrived. After toweling her hair and getting dressed, she found Lucia in the living room seated beside Kit on the couch.
“You’re here sooner than I thought. Did Kit let you in, or did you use a spell?” Stevie asked, combing her fingers through her wet hair.
“He let me in.” Lucia grinned. “We’ve been playing yes or no questions to keep me occupied. He leans toward me when it’s a yes, making his presence stronger, then away when it’s a no. I should’ve been doing this with ghosts as soon as the Eye opened!”
“Her game. Not mine,” Kit muttered.
“We’re taking your parents out for dinner soon, and before Rainier comes by I want to make sure you’re protected. My aunt swears he’s trustworthy, but eat this—just as a precaution.” Lucia held out a cookie with white sprinkles. “Keep the toad brew in your pocket too.”
Stevie arched a brow and took the cookie from her, inhaling garlic and something … moldy. “I’m assuming it tastes like garbage?”
Lucia nodded. “Indeed it does. But if he wants a snacky-snack, since vampires can still be unpredictable, he won’t suck you dry.”
Stevie bit into the cookie and gagged, forcing herself to swallow what had to taste like a rotten mushroom. “What elseis in this? Can’t you and your aunt spell these things to taste better? Her brew last night was just as rough.”
“I could, but I was in a hurry. Besides, it’s stronger this way.” Lucia patted Stevie’s arm. “If you need me, I’m only a phone call away. Ginger knows where his vampire ass lives if we need to go over there and shove garlic down his throat though.”
“Toad spray should work wonders,” Stevie pointed out while walking Lucia to the door.
She then poured herself a glass of milk, chugging it down to get the taste of the awful cookie off her tongue. As she popped a mint into her mouth, the doorbell rang.
Kit made it there before she did, slipping through the front of the house and back inside. “It’s the vampire. I remember seeing him at a village celebration when I was alive, pleasuring two women near the stables.”
Stevie bet he’d pleasured thousands of women by now. “You could’ve just peeked through this spot right here,” she said, peering out the peephole at mostly shadow inside the fog. The porch light had been left off to make him feel comfortable.
“Ah, but then how would I find out if he was truly alone?”
“Unless he scheduled a visit for backup later,” she added, opening the door.
The shadows lifted a little as moonlight caught on Rainier’s pale skin, dark hair, purple eyes, and sharp canines.
“Stevie?” His voice came out low, akin to a seductive musical note.
“Yep. I take it you’re Ginger’s friend Rainier?”
“That’s correct.So, are you going to invite me in?” he asked, his boots remaining firmly in place.
“Oh right. Sorry. Come on in.” She waved him inside. “I would offer you a drink, but I don’t think I have what you like.”
“That’s perfectly fine. I drink mostly blood bags these days,unlessmy lovers want me to feed from them of course,” Rainieruttered. He looked like the generic vampire type. All black, long sleeve button-up shirt, leather pants, his boots covered in silver buckles. An alluring face that was more pretty than handsome, and she could see exactly why Ginger had dated him.
Kit exhaled loudly, his shoulders squared in annoyance.
“Did Ginger tell you why I needed you here?” Stevie glanced at Rainier over her shoulder as she led him to the kitchen table.
“She told me you’re a seer and that you have someone rather special who you’re protecting. And if I speak of it to anyone, she will gladly take a stake to my heart,” he said, relaxing into a chair before stroking his index finger seductively over the wood like he was home sweet home.
Stevie smiled at Ginger’s use of words. “Do you remember a man named Kit Crawley from centuries ago? He worked for a witch and her husband was a warlock. Clara and Levi Bonham.”
Rainier lifted his finger and trailed it across his chin as the corners of his mouth curled up. “I do. Haven’t thought about Kit in centuries though. Poor fellow. Succumbed to death from attempting to woo the witch wife of a powerful warlock. He should’ve known how that would end. Levi spread such vicious lies about how Kit tried to murder him out of pure jealousy, that he’d planned to hurt Clara for not returning his affections, and the village certainly gobbled them right up. After having tasted his blood and seeing how dark his thoughts were, I knew better though. Yet it was really none of my concern.”
“That bastard,” Kit growled under his breath.
Stevie didn’t know if he meant Levi or Rainier, but what the vampire did or didn’t do then wasn’t what she needed now. “What else do you know about Levi?” Stevie leaned closer toward Rainier, hoping his answer would leadsomewherethat could help Kit.
“He had me bite him once for a spell, and besides that, he bargained with me for my blood on a few occasions, always madeit worth my while.” A wide grin spread across his cheeks. “Blood. Women. Things were different back then.”
