“What’s the plan?” Fox asked.
Winter pushed to his feet and put the chair he’d been using over at the desk. “For now, my main priority is to keep you out of Damon’s hands and to get to the root of this prophecy nonsense. We need to know the exact wording of the prophecy and who made it.”
“Have you considered that maybe the witch got the wrong person for the prophecy? Or maybe even Damon’s goon picked up the wrong witch? I mean, think about it. Why me? I am the world’s worst witch.” Right now, those were the only things that made sense to Fox. He couldn’t possibly be the reason Winter and his family came to harm.
Winter’s lips dipped into a frown. “I don’t know why they think it’s you, but it doesn’t change anything. I don’t know who gave the prophecy, so I can’t track down anyone to confirm who the prophecy witch is. And more importantly, Damon thinks you’re the witch he needs, so that makes you a target. If he’s right, you’re a threat to my family while you’re with him. And if he’s wrong…”
“Damon would kill me,” Fox mumbled, a chill sliding across his skin. It wasn’t a new idea. He’d been sure Damon meant to kill him all along.
Winter shoved his hands into his pockets, his brow furrowed. “You’re going to stay with me for now. At least until we can deal with Damon.”
Fox snorted, forcing a small smile he didn’t quite feel. “If my choices are you, Damon’s goons, and death, I really don’t have a problem sticking with you,” he teased, ticking each of his options off on his fingers.
The vampire glanced over at the clock on the nightstand. “We’ve got several hours until nightfall. I’m going to catch a few more hours of sleep.” He paused and stared at Fox for several seconds as if he were trying to decide what to do with the witch.
“I’ll behave,” Fox quickly said, holding both of his hands up. “No need to tie me up if you’re just going to sleep. We can save it for fun things when we get to your secret lair.” Not that he meant it. He wasn’t interested in ever being bound again if he could help it. The teasing just made it a little easier to breathe and made the scary and sexy vampire more manageable.
Winter rolled his eyes before he finished gathering up the food. He pushed the trolley out into the hall and locked the door again.
Pulling back the blankets, Winter settled on the other side of the bed, but he didn’t close his eyes. He just stared up at Fox until the witch finally smiled at him.
“Go to sleep, bloodsucker,” Fox mock ordered. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“As your jailor, I’m a little skeptical.”
Huffing a laugh, Fox scooted down until his head was on the pillow next to Winter’s. He lay on his side, facing the other man. “I prefer to see you as my vampire bodyguard.”
Slowly, Winter’s eyes closed, but there was the ghost of a smile on his lips that tugged ever so slightly at Fox’s heart. “Sounds like a cheesy Hallmark Halloween movie.”
Fox hummed. “And I bet you only watch the sappy Christmas ones.”
Winter didn’t respond. His breathing evened out, and his body slowly relaxed into sleep. Fox watched him for a long time, loving the way his black hair flowed like a river of midnight across the snowy white pillow. His long eyelashes were black fans against his pale cheeks, hiding the circles that remained under his eyes. A worry line still dug between his brows, as if he couldn’t escape all his dark thoughts even in sleep. Fox had to clench his hands tightly together to keep from reaching out and smoothing his thumb along that line.
Sleeping at last, Fox was stunned at how young Winter looked. He had to have been in his early twenties when he’d been turned, but Fox couldn’t see that while the vampire was awake. There was an energy about him, a weight in his words and in his eyes, that made him feel so much older.
Part of Fox was anxious to get back to his life in Colorado, but it was a small part that he very much refused to listen to. He wanted to know more about Winter and this family he was so desperate to protect. When Winter spoke of them, Fox got the impression that he saw them as real family, not just a bunch of vampires in a clan. Were they truly that close?
Fox wouldn’t describe himself as adventurous. Not really. He liked hiking, not rock-climbing. He did a little kayaking, not white-water rafting.
But Winter left him wanting to stick around just a little bit longer to see where this adventure led. At least until he was sure Winter’s clan was safe.