Maybe not, an inner voice said. Maybe he’ll just rip my throat out and chow down like he hasn’t eaten in a decade.
Looking at the clock, I frowned. It was close to five and I was already exhausted. This afternoon, I had to meet with a ton of Witches who had complaints that couldn’t be handled by any of the Council members. Most of them were about dogs shitting on lawns or someone failing to trim a tree. I didn’t see why those cases had to come to me, so come Monday, we’d all sit down and have a serious talk.
Shutting down my computer, I grabbed my things to head out. I stopped and glanced around my office one more time, just in case. Ethan usually came to see me home. I missed him, yet here I was, going into the devil’s lair. Shaking the thoughts from my head, I focused on my house and disappeared.
STANDING OUTSIDE DRAKE’S house, I nervously debated if I was really ready to go in. If I were a smoker, I’d be on my fifth cigarette by now. I took a deep breath and started forward, then heard something crunching behind me. I held my breath and spun around, afraid someone was trying to sneak up on me.
Using my magic, I surrounded myself with light and looked around. Standing several feet away was the shadow of a man, as if he had been waiting the entire time.
“Who the fuck are you?” I demanded, trying to make sure my voice didn’t shake. Damn, I could be such a wimp sometimes.
“It’s me.”
Frowning, I took a step closer, then released a breath. “Kevin? Shit. You’re one creepy fucker! Why are you always outside his house, sneaking around?”
He chuckled. “I always walk the perimeter, just in case. He put me on his guard for this location.”
Kevin used to be an assassin for the previous High Mistress. He was as deadly as they came. We became friends when we worked together to take down the previous High Mistress, Daphne. She had his sister killed, so he wanted revenge. I kind of missed him, so I made a mental note to visit him more often.
“Well, I’d better get inside. You should stop by my office sometime so we can catch up. You hardly come around anymore.” I started up the steps to the door.
“I might sometime soon, but we’ll have to actually do something. I don’t want to just watch you work.”
I laughed. “Fine. I’ll see you later.” I waved, but he had already melted into the shadows. He was probably the sexiest killer I knew. There was no doubt in my mind he took many lives, probably using his good looks to do it. He reminded me of a shorter Chris Hemsworth.
Examining the shadows, I tried to see where he went, but the door of the house opened. Drake, wearing one of his impeccable suits, leaned against the frame.
“I thought I heard you out here.”
“I was just saying hi to Kevin,” I explained, walking inside.
Setting my purse down on the table next to the door, I admired how well he kept the place up. It was old, but you couldn’t tell. The woodwork of the floor and walls was detailed and extravagant, polished to a high gloss. A chandelier with tear-drop crystals, the light reflecting off them, hung in the center of the room. I always loved the cozy feel of the place.
Drake closed the door and led me to the dining room, the smell of food slowly invading my senses. “You always did look beautiful in that dress,” he said, looking me over.
I smiled at him, my stomach rumbling. After all, I hadn’t eaten all day. Ethan usually kept track of that for me; otherwise, I would starve myself and only drink wine.
The dining table was covered with many different foods, from ham to fruit to salad. Wine had already been poured into two glasses. Humming my approval, I picked up one and took a sip. I sighed happily, taking my seat when he pulled out a chair for me.
“This looks fantastic,” I told him.
“Thank you. Kevin arranged it when I told him I was having a guest over. The man has many talents.” He chose the seat next to me.
We started serving ourselves, passing the bowls and plates to each other. Once my plate was completely full, I began shoveling food into my mouth. Drake chuckled. Most of the women he dated only ate salad. With me, I was going to eat something of substance, which usually consisted of red meat.
“I had my assistant draw up contracts for our treaty. I think you’ll approve,” he said before taking a bite of ham.
Swallowing my food, I nodded. “I kind of figured. My assistant died when Finn infiltrated our campus, so I have been shorthanded.”
Drake winced. “I’m sorry about that.”
I waved him off. “Hardly your fault. He was going behind both our backs.”
“True.”
While we ate, we discussed the treaty between the Witches and Vampires. It was a surprise we talked about it so quickly. Maybe the dinner had been just for that. I couldn’t help the disappointment, but I shoved it aside when Drake led me into the living room once we finished eating.
This room was my favorite place in the whole house. It was large, but cozy, with plush, comfortable furniture that was easy to fall asleep on. I knew that for a fact, considering I fell asleep on the couch numerous times. As I looked around the room, I ran my hand over the wooden bar, the smooth surface clear of any blemishes.
“Sophie, I wanted to apologize for the way I’ve treated you recently,” Drake said, setting his wine glass on the bar.
“I know you were in a bad place, Drake. No need to apologize.”
I stepped back when he reached toward my face to brush some of my blonde tendrils behind my ear. I knew I looked
