Fated to My Vampire Lord novel · Chapter 5 of 24

Chapter 5: The Basket

Keeley came to Crowhurst House at four in the afternoon, when the vampires were still asleep.

The steward woke me to say there was a wolf at the door.

I ran down the stairs in my socks.

She was standing in the front hall in the yellow coat I had given her two Christmases ago.

Her blue eyes were red-rimmed, and she held a wicker basket in both arms.

"Willa," she said, and her voice broke on it.

I crossed the hall and hugged her.

I had hugged her a thousand times, and I did it without thinking.

She held on hard, and the cold went into my hand at once.

It started at the fingertips and climbed to the elbow, the way it did at every full moon.

I told myself it was grief.

"I brought your things," she said into my shoulder. "Your notebooks. The ring from the cabin. I took them out of your room before Dad could burn them."

"Would he have burned them?"

"He was so angry, Willa. I've never seen him like that."

I sat her down in a chair in the shuttered morning room and took the one across from her.

Otis brought tea without being asked, set it down with a clatter, and stayed standing behind my chair.

Keeley smiled at him.

"You're the kitchen boy. Thank you for looking after her."

"Looking after her is my job," Otis said. "I'd do it for free."

"I know. That's why I love you."

He looked at her for a moment, said nothing, and went to stand by the window.

I held Keeley's hands across the table.

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