Yuri took a step back but didn’t retreat further. He simply did it so he could more comfortably cross his arms on his chest.
“And how am I supposed to trust you?”
“I don’t know. Isn’t that what trust is? You just give it and, abracadabra, it’s there.”
His brows snapped together. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”
“It’s still true.”
“I’ll repeat, that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard, but this time I’ll share that’s the case and I’m bloody six hundred and ninety-seven years old.”
Another blink, this one coming along with her full lips parting.
“Witch—” he tried again.
She stuck out her hand, interrupting him. “I’m Aurora.”
For fuck’s sake.
“Please tell me your witch mother did not name her witch daughter Aurora,” he clipped.
Her hand dropped and her expression betrayed hurt when she said quietly, “She did.”
He looked to the ceiling, partly due to exasperation but also irritatingly due to the fact he didn’t like to witness that expression, especially with the knowledge he gave it to her.
Once his eyes were to the ceiling, he muttered, “Bloody hell.”
“They’ll kill you,” she said softly, and he looked back to her to see she’d rearranged her features, hiding them behind a vacant mask, and Yuri found that even more difficult to witness. “They’re witches. And since they are, has it occurred to you that if they’re conniving to trip The Prophesies one way or another, they would never, not ever, ally themselves with vampires?”
It hadn’t.
It should have.
Yuri said nothing.
“They’re planning something else,” she continued.
Brilliant. They did not need to contend with angry, conniving witches along with everything else.
Yuri again clenched his teeth.
She wasn’t done and she straightened her shoulders when she continued, “So, you need me. I’m young, but I come from a long line so I’ve got juice. I also know people and they have juice. I can speak for you and get you what you need without anyone dying, most especially you.”
He examined her. She was still wearing her mask, but she couldn’t hide it all from him. There was a hint of fear but a stronger hint of excitement. And, again, courage. Her heart was beating steady and strong, if fast.
Her gaze was unwavering.
Fuck it.
“I’m not one to be trifled with,” he warned at the same time he capitulated.
She lifted her hand to her neck, which was marked with the red welts he’d given her, and fuck him, he had to fight back a flinch.
“I got that.”
He tilted his head to the side. “This is dangerous for you.”
“In a variety of ways, least of which is teaming up with a vampire, and since my kind seriously hate your kind, that’s saying something.”
“Then explain why you’re doing it,” he demanded.
That got him yet another blink. “Um, well, I guess to save the world. I know a fair number of humans. It’d suck if they were enslaved and forced to exist for the whim of demented immortals. And Lord knows what that coven has in mind. They’ve been chewing on centuries of rage and that’s never a good thing.”
At least with that she unquestionably spoke the truth.
“So you’re assisting me as well as giving me your protection,” he stated.
“Yes,” she confirmed.
“If that’s the truth, I also give you mine, to the death,” he returned, and her head jerked.
“Is that a vow?” she asked.
“It is,” he answered firmly.
Her eyes again grew wide and she breathed, “A vampire vow?”
She clearly knew that no vampire would break a vow, not for any reason. They’d kill to keep it, or die for the same reason.
“I am vampire and I just verified it was a vow, so yes, obviously, it was a vampire vow,” he answered unnecessarily.
“Well then.” The mask slipped as a smile dawned and her hand came out again. “We just became a team.”
Heaven help him.
He stared at her beautiful face, then he stared at her small, lovely hand.
Slowly, he lifted his and curled his fingers around hers, engulfing her hand in his.
She didn’t let him go as she asked, “What’s your name?”
“Yuri.”
“Promise me something, Yuri,” she said, still holding his hand.
“What?” he asked.
“When you meet my mother, be cool. No choking or the like. She’s already gonna flip. I’ll talk her around, but there’s no talking around choking, and…erm, the like. Not with my mom. She’s awesome, but I’m sure it won’t surprise you that vampires are not her thing, like at all. She’ll be big on helping to save the world, but she won’t pretend to like doing it with a vampire.”
Yuri did not like where this was going. “And why would I meet your mother?”
She continued to hold his hand but lifted her other one and his tightened around hers when she flicked out her fingers.
A profuse scattering of pink and blue particles flew from her hand and twinkled for but a moment before they exploded into hundreds of butterflies that drifted about the room, lighting it with a glow from their shimmering gossamer wings. Then they exploded in miniature fireworks and disappeared.
Yuri was six hundred and ninety-seven years old and it was one of the most beautiful things he’d seen in all his history.