Morning sunlight streamed through the windows of Caldron and Counsel law firm. Gwyneira fought back a yawn as she removed her coat and hung it on the rack. The biggest mistake of her career trailed behind her and lazily sunk down into one of her chairs. 

“I think that went pretty well, don’t you?” Emrys asked with a grin, as if he thought he’d gotten away with everything. 

Gwyneira reached across her desk for an abandoned newspaper, rolled it up, and whacked him in the side of the head. “You lying fool!”

“Hey, what in the hells what was for?” Emrys rubbed the side of his head, and regret knotted in her chest when she realized she’d hit the sensitive point of his ear.

“You lied right to that cop’s face.” Gwyneira shook her head.  “When it comes out that you knew Iron Fang, that’s going to raise a lot of suspicions.  You should have just kept your mouth shut.”

Emrys’ ears curved inward as he murmured, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Gwyneira massaged her temples because it certainly was not fine, but she hadn’t intended to upset him. Vampires lied through their fangs all the time to get what they desired, so he probably knew no better.  “From here on, no more lies. Got it?  Not to me and not the cops.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Emrys nodded.

“I suppose that’s all for the day.” Gwyneira glimpsed at her pocket watch with a sigh.  “I have court tomorrow night, so I need to rest.  I’m sure the cops are nearly done combing over your motel room, and if not, maybe they’ll give you another room for the night.”

“The sun’s already up,” Emrys gestured to the window with a deepening frown.  “I’d rather not lay in a coffin where a dead vamp was either. Gross.” He cringed.

If the bat guards caught him out during the daylight hours, they’d at least fine him. Worst case scenario would be they locked him up in the police jail for the morning. Neither of those would help his current situation either. 

All Gwyneira wanted was to sleep for a spell. She couldn’t afford to be drowsy and not at her best during court tomorrow. Perhaps it was the sleepiness finally getting to her, but it wasn’t like the vampire could do much harm in her firm, right? She’d warded it heavily and nobody would even know he’d stayed there. 

“I’ll get you a blanket and you can stay here.” Gwyneria ignored the way his ears perked up and the way he smiled at her with the giddiness of a child given candy before dinner.  She would definitely charge him for room and board later. 

The wind outside howled like a wounded beast as she fetched one of her spare blankets from the back. Snow flurries continued falling throughout the morning, so she lit some candles for Emrys to keep him warm after tossing him the blanket.

“If you want to sleep, just blow them out.  Please, for the love of the Goddesses, don’t burn down my office.”

Emrys chuckled.  “Don’t worry, I won’t.  I appreciate this.”

“I’m sorry I don’t have any, uh, refreshments to offer you.” She glanced over at her coffee pot, knowing full well vampires could only digest blood. Any drinks or foods made them horrendously sick.  “I don’t get vampire clients very often.” Or at all.

“It’s fine.  I’m good.” His smile vanished, pursing in a tight-lipped frown.

Emrys nestled down in his chair, wrapping himself up the cozy blanket she’d lent him.  There was a faraway look in those piercing crimson eyes of his, and Gwyneira’s heart tightened as she resisted the urge to ask him what was really wrong.  It was none of her business. Emrys was merely a client, and she’d overextending her kindness enough by letting him stay in her office.

“Well, I’ll be locked up in my bedroom, but I’ll come check on you in the afternoon.” Gwyneira took a reluctant step away from her desk, wondering if she should offer to stay.  For some reason, she didn’t want to leave him alone.  And not because she was weary of trusting him.

Any sane witch would be overjoyed to get far away from a bloodthirsty vampire.  But Gwyneira wasn’t so sure Emrys was truly bloodthirsty or vicious.  She moseyed off toward the back of her office, retrieving her wand to wave over a bookshelf to reveal a hidden nook that only opened to the magic on her fingertips.  

Before she stepped inside to rest for the morning, she noticed Emrys slip his romance novel out from his pocket and pop a few blood pills in his mouth.