The Vampire's Assistant

Chapter Twelve

When we returned to Shreveport a week later, Eric insisted I stay at his house. His excuse was that Shreveport still wasn't safe, but I suspected that he would have found a reason no matter what. I couldn't really complain about getting to stay in the splendor that was the Northman house. I'd been there before, of course, but only in the living room and Eric's office. Now I had free reign and got to take full advantage of the hot tub, pool, the library, and home theater. It was fun to play at living a life of luxury but after a week or so, I started to feel like a kept woman and it chafed. I needed to go home, to get back to my routine and regain some sense of normalcy after the whirlwind of the past few weeks.

I knew Eric wouldn't understand my feelings. I didn't expect him to. But I owed it to him to at least discuss it. So when he woke on Sunday night, his night off from Fangtasia, I carefully broached the topic with him. We were standing in the kitchen, and as I warmed a bottle of True Blood for him, I casually mentioned that I was thinking of spending the night at my apartment.

"Absolutely not," he said. His words didn't infuriate me as much as his attitude when he said them. He was dismissive, swatting away the idea like he would the nonsense of a child.

I bristled. "I wasn't asking."

"I don't care. You're not going."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Am I a captive here or a guest?"

Eric's eyes narrowed. "A guest. For now."

My knee-jerk reaction was absolute fury but I took a deep breath and tried a different approach. "Can we please discuss this like civilized people?"

He looked at me and slowly, deliberately said, "It would make me very happy, Abigail, if you stayed in my home where I know you are safe and not being beaten or raped by members of a fanatical religious organization."

"Don't patronize me." The microwave beeped. I sat the warm bottle down on the counter in front of him and circled behind him to slip my arms around his waist. His mood softened. "You can't keep me hidden away here forever," I said quietly.

"I could turn you."

"I could leave during the day."

We were both angry again. Eric took a sip of his True Blood and sat it back down loudly. "You wouldn't dare."

I laughed. "Wouldn't I?"

"I'm serious, Abby."

"So am I."

He grasped me by the arm and slowly pulled me around to face him. "Abby," he said, his voice deep and unnatural. He met my eyes purposefully. "You will not leave this house without me. You're going to stay here."

My jaw dropped and I jerked out of his grasp. "Tell me you're not trying to do that thing to me!" He stared at me, dumbfounded. "You are! Oh my God!" I stormed out of the kitchen, fuming. I got to the door leading to Eric's basement level bedroom suite before he appeared beside me.

"How dare you," I shot over my shoulder as I flew down the stairs.

He caught up to me at the bottom and held me by the shoulders, a wild look in his eyes. "How did you do that?" he demanded.

"Do what?" I tried futilely to wriggle free.

He studied me, scrutinized my face. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "Are you human?" he breathed.

"Of course I am! What else would I be?" I twisted furiously in his grip and he let me go. "Aw, what's wrong? Did I bruise your precious ego? Can't believe I didn't fall for your stupid little magic trick?"