“Hey, Stell, it’s okay.” Johnny pulled her into his arms.
It felt good to have her big brother hold her. She closed her eyes and breathed in his scent of tobacco and cologne. He’d been a thorn in her side for over a hundred years and she sincerely hoped he would be a thorn for hundreds more. She hugged him tightly.
“If you ever do anything like that again, I will string you up. I’ll never forgive you.”
“So you forgive me now?” Johnny grinned, his charming smile, one that had affected many women over the years. His dark hair fell across his forehead and there was his customary twinkle in his blue eyes. They didn’t look like siblings, but he was her blood.
“I don’t think I forgive you as much as I’m just glad you’re alive.”
“I don’t forgive you,” Wyatt said, coming back into the bedroom. “That was the crappiest thing you’ve ever done, Malone.”
Johnny’s eyes narrowed as he dropped his arms from around her. “I’m not too thrilled with you either, Axelrod. You’ve got a lot of nerve taking advantage of my sister in her time of grief.”
Uh. Stella pictured her hands yanking down Wyatt’s zipper in Johnny’s kitchen. “Johnny, that’s not what happened.” In fact, it might have been the other way around.
“Stella and I are together. This wasn’t about sex. We’re in a relationship and I love her, so get over it.”
He loved her. The sound of that, coming so easily from his lips, made her giddy. Stella hugged her arms to her chest. Her arms in his T-shirt. His pajama pants. Call her a complete dork, but wearing his sleepwear made her happy.
“For real? You love Stella.” Johnny looked incredulous.
“Don’t sound so surprised,” she said. “It is possible for a man to care about me.”
“Of course it is, don’t be a harpy.”
How was she being a harpy?
“Don’t call Stella a harpy.”
Johnny broke out into a grin. “You do love her. Man, I didn’t see that one coming.” He reached out and clapped Wyatt on the shoulder. “That’s awesome. Hey, if my sister has to be in a relationship, I couldn’t ask for anyone better than you to take care of her.”
Wyatt broke into a smile, too. “Thanks, bro. I plan on making her very happy.”
Hello. Stella standing over here. She was glad that they were making up, so to speak, but she would also appreciate it if someone noticed she was still in the room. “Can I say something here?”
They both turned and looked at her expectantly, but then she found she had no idea what she wanted to say.
Johnny said, “Cat got your tongue?”
“I just wanted to say that I love you both.” She did. Her heart suddenly swelled and she realized that she was one lucky vampire. She had family and friends and the man she wanted to spend eternity with.
“Aw,” Johnny said. “I love you, too. Group hug.” He threw his arms around her and Wyatt both, pulling them in close.
Stella wound up with her head buried between two chests since she was a foot shorter than them. Wyatt was laughing. Then Johnny was rubbing his knuckles across her hair like she was ten.
“You still owe me fifty bucks, Johnny. I didn’t forget.”
Johnny grinned at Wyatt. “You still sure you want to be with her? Stella never forgets anything, man.”
“Oh, I’m sure.”
The look he shot her was so hot and loving, that Stella said, “Johnny, you know the way out. Wyatt and I will see you tomorrow night.”
“Gross,” was her brother’s opinion on the matter.
But he left.
Wyatt came over to her and pulled her into his arms and gave her a soft kiss. “You okay?”
“Yeah. That was unexpected. But good. Even if I want to kill him.”
“Agreed.” Wyatt shook his head with a laugh. “Man, what a couple of nights. But hey, it brought us together and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”
“Me either. Me either.” Stella closed her eyes and lost herself in the kiss of the man she loved.
Chapter Twenty-three
THAT VOODOO YOU DO
CORT didn’t need to be asked twice. He found Katie. She’d told him her feelings, and he wanted nothing more than to be alone with her.
“Why do I have to leave?” Raven complained. “After all, he attacked me.”
“It’s true. Let Raven stay. I will leave.”
Peter rolled his eyes, exasperated. “Whatever. Just no more f**kin’ fighting tonight. Damn it, I thought the full moon didn’t affect your kind.”
Katie shot Cort a look. “Did everyone but me know what you guys are?”
Cort laughed and placed a hand on the small of her back. “Sorry, man,” he said to both Raven and Peter, then led Katie out of the back room and through the bar.
At the front bar, Drake sat leisurely sipping a drink and tapping his fingers along with an Eagles song playing on the jukebox. He didn’t appear to have noticed the commotion in the back room.
“Thanks for the backup, man,” Cort said as he passed. Not that he’d needed it, but it was just the principle of the thing. A bandmate should be there to back up a fellow bandmate.
“I’m a lover, not a fighter,” Drake stated. “Besides, I knew you had things under control.”
“Yeah, sure,” Cort said.
“I wasn’t talking to you,” Drake said. “I was talking to Katie.”
Katie laughed, the sound joyous and lovely. “Yes, I did.”
Cort rolled his eyes, even though he really did agree, she did have it in control. “You were just worried you’d lose another fang.”
“Totally,” Drake agreed without hesitation, then took another sip of his drink. “See you back at the apartment.”
Cort laughed and he and Katie left the bar.
Outside, they were immediately greeted by the Dancing Vagrant and Winston. Both seemed very happy to be reunited. The man jigged on the sidewalk, his moves surprisingly agile and rhythmic. The bird bobbed its head along with the man’s movements, quite content to be back with its owner.
“I got him back,” the man said to Katie as soon as he saw her.
“I see.” Katie smiled. “I’m glad.”
“You have no idea how glad,” Cort added wryly, and Katie elbowed him.
“Shake your groove thing. Shake your groove thing,” the bird crowed, and the Dancing Vagrant did.