[Dennis]By the time Wednesday came around, I found I was truly smitten by Sybil. Her perspective was different from any I’d ever seen. She was a realist in many respects but also had a bright and shining form of optimism that often caught me off-guard. I never knew when she would be one or the other. Most evenings, I was coming to her work and talking with her while she stocked shelves. I even took the initiative to help by marking the things she needed while she worked. It wasn’t something I imagined doing, but it was relaxing to have this little tradition building. I wasn’t unaware of the danger in her working at this place, but I held my tongue. For now. I was waiting for the right time to broach the subject of her coming to work for me. After seeing her work ethic and diligence, I knew she was someone my company would benefit from having. I just needed to find the proper position for her. Sybil wasn’t just some infatuation. I had never been the type for that. The sound of her voice aroused me in a way I hadn’t ever experienced. Not just my body, but my mind and my heart. I couldn’t believe she had been here this whole time and I had never seen her. As I entered the shop at midnight, I took the clipboard from her with a smile. She smiled back at me and let me have it. Our conversation picked up from where it had left off earlier in the night. Talking to her was easier that it was with other people. “Billie, I wanted to ask if you have plans for tomorrow night.” She glanced over at me. “Hmm. Not that I can remember. I think I was just planning on staying in and relaxing. Were you wanting me to go out to one of your clubs or something with you?” “No. Actually, my niece, Echo, is throwing a small celebration in her home. Her husband got a new job. I was wondering if you would be interested in going with me.” I said.“You want me to meet your family already? Big step,” Sybil replied with a giggle. I couldn’t help but smile at the sound. “I know you would really like Echo. She’s a sweet girl and she loves making new friends.”She thought it over for a few moments. If she had plans, I wouldn’t have a problem, but I hoped she would go. I wanted Echo to meet her. Something in me said that Echo would be able to indicate if this was really what it felt like. I couldn’t trust my own mind, because all it wanted was more of Sybil. “I’d love to go.” “Wonderful. I… I just wanted to ask you about something. In all the talking we’ve been doing, there’s one subject we haven’t really touched on,” I replied. “What’s that?” “Supernaturals.”Before I said that, her full attention had been on the shelves in front of her. Sybil tensed and her hand went to her side. I could smell her fear starting to come out. “What about them?” she whispered. “Echo is a dhampyr. It’s like a living vampire. She’s facilitated alliances between all the supernatural groups in the area. At this dinner party, there will be fae, witches, vampires, and werewolves. I wouldn’t normally tell a human this, because of the risk of hunters, but you’ve been so honest with me. I couldn’t keep it from you,” I said. A slight tremor went through her and she clenched her fist. Sybil turned to me and came over, taking the inventory sheet from me. I knew we weren’t finished, but she didn’t look like she intended to do more. “I need to check my planner. I think I actually do have plans tomorrow,” she said softly. I didn’t have a chance to say anything else before she headed to the back. The scent of her fear had become heavier as I talked and I didn’t understand. I knew she was afraid of the dark, but it was light in the store. The scent of her fear held the same weight it did the night we met. She was dismissing me or getting space. Something in me told me to follow her to the back. I listened to the urge and went through the door behind her. Her back was to the door, but she turned to me as I entered. There was a lost expression on her face. I could see that she was struggling with something. I wrapped my arms around her and held her, hoping to help with her fear. “You smell so frightened. I’m sorry. I only wanted to be your friend. I didn’t know you were afraid of us,” I murmured.Sybil stiffened and pushed at me. A human was no match for a vampire, but I wouldn’t force her into a situation she didn’t want to be in. I let her go and took a step back. “Billie, if I had known how you feel about supernaturals, I wouldn’t have ever let it get so far…. Or maybe I would. You changed my world,” I told her. Her eyes widened and I could smell her fear growing even stronger. She was afraid of me. I had never wanted someone not to be afraid of me as much as I did at that moment. My heart broke a little. I could protect her. I would never hurt her. Our whole week together had meant nothing if she could still fear me after getting to know me. “Please leave, Dennis. You’re not allowed back here.” “Let me explain. You probably only know stories about us. We’re not like all the legends say. They can seem terrifying, but that’s not us.” She took a step back and raised the bottom of her shirt. For a moment, I didn’t know what I was looking at until my mind started making sense of the mess on her body. Scars. They were on her abdomen and over her ribs. Without thinking, I reached out to the skin. There were jagged slashes that could have only been made by werewolf claws. I knew some mutt had tried to kill my Sybil. I managed to contain the rage that threatened to overflow my body. I wanted to kill him for harming her. “A werewolf attacked you…? When? Where? I’ll hunt him down and kill him. Or was it a female? It doesn’t matter. Whoever it is will die for harming you.”Sybil blushed and lowered her shirt, pushing my hand away. There were tears in her eyes. This had taken a lot of strength for her to show me. The scent of her fear reminded me again of the night we met. Things started falling together in my head. “This is the reason you were scared when the power went out. You don’t have to be scared. I can protect you from them. All of the werewolves who live in town are tame and good people. You don’t have to worry about them,” I promised. “What about you, though?” she asked softly. That was a ridiculous question. I was a warrior before I died and I hadn’t been as weak as a human since I was a very small child. A werewolf was no match for me. “What about me? I don’t need any protection from werewolves. I fought them hundreds of years ago and I am even stronger today than I was when I was alive.” Her eyes widened. “You’re not a werewolf?”I laughed at the idea of anyone mistaking me for a werewolf. Her blush returned and I saw her eyes darting back and forth as she started making connections of her own. “You’re a vampire,” Sybil said breathily. I smiled. “Yes, Billie. I was born a dhampyr and passed on to my second life when I died. I’ve been a proper vampire for four hundred years.” Rushing at her, I carried her backward until her back met the wall. Caging her against the wall with my arms, I stared down at her. She shuddered and looked up into my eyes. Her arousal was beginning to overpower her fear. There was something women loved about this position and I never saw the appeal until now. “In four hundred years, I have never been as eager and filled with anticipation as I am when I wake every evening and wait for your phone call. I lay there, feeling giddy at the next time I’ll be able to talk to you. I strain to pay attention in my meetings, because I know I’ll come to see you as soon as they’re over. When Francesca rejected me, I thought I would never feel this. You’ve captured me, Billie… Sybil.” I bared my heart and soul to her in the cocoon of our desire for each other. She bit her lips together slightly and I couldn’t help my attention being drawn to them. In all the nights we had been together, I had imagined kissing her. I felt like a boy with a crush. It was embarrassing and invigorating all at the same time. Lowering my lips to hers, I took her mouth with my own. Her lips were soft and slightly damp. I lost myself in the gentle exploration of Sybil’s mouth when she opened to me. I couldn’t hold back my desire for her any longer and let go of the wall, grabbing her shoulders. Sybil grasped my open jacket and pulled me closer to her. I wrapped my arms around her, wanting to get as close to her as possible. For the first time since I had switched to bagged blood, I wanted to drink from a warm body, from her warm body. I wanted to feel her in my arms as I drank her sweet blood. Unfortunately, as with all things, the kiss had to end. Sybil didn’t push me away or try to escape. Instead, she laid her head against my chest and let me hold her longer. She was afraid of werewolves. Not vampires. Not me. Thank the goddess. “Come with me tomorrow night. I promise, no one will harm you. If one of those werewolves even tries, I’ll rip their arms off.” “Wouldn’t that make Echo mad at you?” Sybil asked.“Yes, mostly because they’re all her family and friends, but I’ve promised to protect you and I shall. I never break my promises. I’ll keep you safe for as long as you’re with me.” “Does this mean you’re my boyfriend now?” It felt as if my heart was trying to climb out of my throat. She wanted to keep me. She wanted to know what we were to each other. Sybil didn’t want me to leave. “Absolutely. If you’ll have me, that is. I know a young woman like you has other options than an old man like me, but I will give you anything your heart desires if you’ll choose to be mine.” “Thirty-five was old even when you were alive, Dennis. I’m not some girl who is new to the world. I hope you don’t think this is going to turn me into some simpering child,” she laughed a little. “Never. That’s not the woman I’ve fallen in love with. You’ve seen the world. Sown your wild oats. Now is the time to settle down and be pampered like you deserve.” I murmured, kissing her on top of her head.I held her for as long as I could. It felt like something she needed as much as I did. Being touch starved was something even vampires could end up feeling. We weren’t as needy as werewolves when it came to touching, but even we needed to feel as if we were loved. We pulled away from each other when the time was right. Sybil looked as if she felt better and I was happy I had been the one to help her get there. “I need to go. Our time is up for this evening. I’ll come get you after the sun sets tomorrow. Stay safe until I can be with you again,” I said. “I will. Thank you for not letting me run away. I’d hate to miss out on a man like you because of a misunderstanding.” She smiled at me and my heart soared. I put my hand over my heart to calm the beast from whatever new movement it was going to try to perform. Sybil giggled at me. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to have someone say something like that to me, Sybil. I’m glad you were willing to listen. I would have hated to lose you because of a misunderstanding,” I murmured. Briefly, I cupped her cheek in my hand. Sybil rubbed against my hand in a darling way that made me feel happier than anything had before. Before I could do anything to mess up this perfect moment, I turned and left the store. When I got to my car, I messaged Echo that Sybil would be coming to her party and told her about the werewolf attack. Echo replied quickly that she would make sure all the werewolves were on their best behavior. I would trust her. If not, I would protect my… girlfriend… with everything I had in me. Even if it meant angering Master Nightshade and Master Marius. I just hoped it didn’t come to that.