Aiden reached past me  to pluck an early daisy from the vase beside Mr. Fish. "Raife had them behind glass. They look like spell books to me. I thought you might find something to Were in them. They’re yours if you want them. I’m not going to tell him where they went." His eyes were eager for the chance to help me, but I didn’t move, standing beside the sink with my arms crossed, eyeing them. If the master vampire had them under glass then they were probably older than the sun. Even worse, they had the look of demon magic, making them useless since only demons could work it. Generally. Uncrossing my arms, I considered them again. Maybe there was something I could use. "Thanks," I said, moving to touch the top book and stifling a shudder when I felt a slight sponginess, as if my aura had gone from liquid to syrup. My torn skin tingled, and I wiped my hands on my jeans. "You won’t get in trouble?" The faint tightening of his jaw was the only sign of his nervousness. "You mean in more trouble than trying to kill him?" he said, flicking his long bands from his eyes. I gave him a sick smile. "I see your point." I went to get myself a cup of coffee while Aiden poured a small glass of orange juice and set it on a tray he pulled from behind the microwave. The plate of toast went on it, shortly followed by the daisy he had picked from the windosill. i watched, my curiosity growing when he gave me a sideways smile to show his sharp canines and hustled into the hallway with it all. Okay, so it wasn’t for me. Leaning against the counter, I sipped my coffee and listened to the door creak open. Aiden’s voice called out cheerfully, "Good afternoon Ashley. Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey!" "Shove it Aid," came Ashley’s slurred mumble. "HEy!" she cried louder. "Don’t open those! What the hell are you doing?!" A smile curved over my face and I snickered, taking my coffee and sitting at the table.

"There’s my girl," Aiden coaxed. "Sit up. Take the damn tray before I spill the coffee." he said. "It’s saturday," she snarled. "What are you doing here so early?" As I listened to Aiden’s soothing voice rise and fall in an unrecognizable patter, I wondered what was going on. From famillies of walth, Aiden and Ashley had grown up together, tried the cohabitation thing, and parted as friends. Rumore had it Raife planned for them to get together and have a passel of children to carry on his living-vamp line before one of them died. I was no expert in relationships, but even I could tell that wasn’t going to happen. Aiden cared deeply for Ashley, and she for him, but seeing them together always gave me the feeling of a close brother/sister relationship. Even so, this breakfast in bed thing was unusual. "Watch the coffee!" Aiden exclaimed, shortly followed by Ashley’s yelp. "You aren’t helping. Get out of my room!" she snarled, her gray-silk voice harsh. "Shall I lay out your clothes love?" Aiden said, the fake British accent he uses to tick her off on full and laughter in his voice. "I adore that pink skirt you wore all last fall. Why don’t you wear that anymore?" "Get out!" she exclaimed and I heard something hit the wall. "Pancakes tomorrow?" he asked still with laughter. "Get the hell out of my room!!" The door clicked shut and I met Aiden’s grin with my own when he came in and went to the coffee maker. "Lose a bet?" I guessed and he nodded his his somewhat thick eyebrows high. I pusheda chair out kitty-corner from me with my foot and he settled in with his mug, his long legs going out to encircle mine under the corner of the table. "I said you could go on a run with Clay and come home without turning it into a slugfest. She said you couldn’t." He reached for the sugar bowl and dunped two spoonfuls in. "Thanks," I said, glad he bet against her. "I lost on purpose," he said, crushing my vindiction before it even took its first breaht. "Thanks alot," I amended, pulling my feet from between his. Setting his mug down, he leaned forward and took my hands in his. "Stop it, Spencer. How else could I find an excuse to come over here every morning for a week?" I couldn’t be mad at him now, so I smiled, dropping my gaze to our twined hands, mine thin and pale beside his tan, masculine fingers. It was nice seeing them there together like that. The past four months he had not lavished attention on me, but was rather there and available whenever the mood struck either of us. He was incredibly busy running Raife’s affairs now that the undead master vampire was in jail, curtousy of yours truly, and I was occupied wiht my end of Ashley’s and my runner firm, Vampiric Charms. As a result, Aiden and I spent spontaneous snips of intense time together that I found both extremely satisfying and curiously freeing. Our brief, nearly daily conversations over coffee or dinner were more enjoyable and reassuring than a three-day weekend backpacking in the Adirondacks dodging weekend-warrior Weres and slapping mosquitos. HE felt no jealousy about the tiime I spent pursuing my career and I felt only relief that he slaked his blood lust elsewhere; it was a part of him I was ignoring until I found a way to deal with it. There were problems brewing in our future, as blood-chaste witches and living vampires were not known for making long-term commitments. But I was tired of being alone, and Aiden met every emotional need I had raised and I melt all of his except one, allowing someone lese to do that with no distrust on my part.