Kate Evangelista

“With his height, Caleb looked over their heads toward his cousin and…his throat tightened. There in a yellow dress that emphasized the elegant line of her shoulders and a new hair cut that accentuated the shape of her face stood the most exquisite girl to have ever graced the Dodge Cove elite with her presence.”

“Dealing with Dillan being a jerk can mess up any saint on a good day. And you know I’m no saint.”

“We do things we’re not proud of. Nikolas more than most.”

“You’re a people pleaser, aren’t you? You’re the type that can’t stand someone not liking you and showing it.” Raising his head, he laughed openly now.“That’s just...” I wanted to take a book from the shelf beside me and throw it at him. “I don’t even have a word—”“Then I suggest you read a little more so you can find the word you’re looking for.” He hid his chuckle behind a fist.”

“Ereaders were a great convenience, but nothing could beat the smell of a library and old books.”

“I thought you were good. That some part of you was good.”In a blink of an eye, Balthazar stood right in front of her. Arianne yelped. He took her wrist and brought the tip of the knife to the center of his chest. With his other hand, he tilted her chin up so she could look into the white center of his black irises. His silver hair rained over his forehead, covering the crease that marred its usual smoothness.“You think I’m the good guy?” he whispered. She continued trembling, worse now. He leaned down until his lips touched her ear. “I’m not.”

“Dillan didn’t just kiss. He slow danced. We moved in sync. I wanted to lose myself in him. In his touch. Right then the world seemed like such a perfect place.”

“He opened the door for me with an impassive expression. Oh, but he couldn’t fool me. I knew very well that he gloated inside. He had the right to. I’d be gloating aloud if I were him. I slid into the plush black leather seat and ran my hands over every surface I could touch after buckling my seatbelt. Awe, like a slow burning fuse, spread all over my body. My fingertips sizzled. It was one thing to hear Gramps talk and completely another to actually sit inside the fantasy.“Should I give you two some time alone?” “What?” His smile gave me unexpected quivers. “Stop molesting my car.”

“Go.” Granmare pointed at the door. “Let me work in peace.”Balthazar didn’t look back when he left.“Now, my dear,” the witch turned to her, “let me give you what that foolish boy paid for.”“He’s not foolish,” Arianne said. For giving a drop of his blood, the least she could do was defend the annoying oaf. “He’s going out of his way to help me, so if there’s anyone foolish here it’s me.”“My, my, my.” Granmare Baba gasped, spreading her hand at the center of her chest. “You have a mouth on you. I will so enjoy watching what happens to you when the time comes.”A chill went down Arianne’s back. She’d almost been afraid to ask, “What do you mean?”Granmare Baba only smiled her yellow toothy smile before she went about putting things together in a large cauldron that seemed to have magically appeared in the center of the round room.”