Only it wasn’t there.
Chapter Forty-Five
Andrei dropped their suitcases on the ground. “What the hell!”
Tessa stared at the burned-out wreckage of what had been Andrei’s home. The front door hung askew, wisps of smoke curled through the broken windows, the luxurious velvet drapes were little more than blackened cloth.
She shook her head. His beautiful house, all those wonderful antiques, gone. “How could this have happened?”
He swore a vile oath. “Katerina happened. Damn her black soul to hell!”
“She did this? How can you be so sure?”
“Even the acrid smell of the fire can’t cover her foul stench.”
Frowning, Tessa opened her vampire senses. And then she smelled it too. The unmistakable scent that was Katerina. “But, why would she do this?”
“Because she’s an evil, vindictive, selfish . . .” Clenching his fists, Andrei took a deep breath and let it out in a long, slow sigh. “It doesn’t matter why,” he said flatly. “It’s done.” He glanced at the sky. It would be dark soon. Picking up their luggage, he clasped Tessa’s hand. “Looks like we’ll be spending the night at your place.”
* * *
Her condo seemed empty without Bailey there, waiting to welcome them home. Putting their Christmas gifts on the coffee table, Tessa walked through the house, turning on the lamps. She could see perfectly fine in the dark, but it just seemed more like home with the lights on.
Someone—Bailey, she guessed—had cleaned out the refrigerator and the cupboards, disposing of all the perishable food items. The bed in Bailey’s room was neatly made, the drawers empty of the clothing Tessa had bought her.
With a sigh, Tessa sat on the edge of the bed. How quickly her life had changed.
“You okay, love?”
She looked up to see Andrei standing in the doorway, arms crossed, his shoulder resting against the jamb. “I’m fine.”
“You look like you’re about to cry.”
“Maybe I am. I guess it just hit me. Bailey’s gone. Jilly’s married. I’m a vampire. My life will never be the same again.”
A muscle twitched in his jaw. “Regrets?”
“What? Oh, no. It’s just that it all happened so fast. I guess I need to call Mr. Ambrose and let him know I won’t be coming back to work.”
“Is that what you want?”
“I don’t know. I love my job, but . . . it just doesn’t fit anymore.”
“Well, I know how to fill your days and nights.” Moving to the bed, he sat down beside her. “We need to find a place to live. So, do you want to stay in Cutter’s Corner?”
“If we can. Jilly’s here.”
He nodded. “Then the next question is, shall we rebuild or buy something new?”
“I don’t know. What do you want to do?”
“Rebuild. It’s hard to find a new home with a big basement and we need a secure place for a lair. Something defensible,” he said. “And fireproof.”
Smiling, Tessa rested her head against his shoulder. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. There’s just one more thing we need to decide.”
“What’s that?”
“When we’re getting married.”
She looked up at him, eyes wide. “Seriously?”
“Damn straight. We’re through living in sin, woman. It’s time to make it legal.”
“The question now is where?” She grimaced, remembering what had happened to the justice of the peace.
“Here,” Andrei said. “In the living room. That way we don’t have to worry about any unwelcome visitors.”
“Then I guess the next question is when?”
“I’ll leave that up to you. Just make it as quick as you can.”
Tessa nodded. “I’d like to invite my parents, but they’d expect us to get married in a church, and probably the one they attend in Ashland.”
“Whatever you decide is fine with me.”
“I’m not willing to take the risk of having it in a public place. I originally planned to say we eloped and I think I’ll just stick with that and tell them that we’ll come visit them again in the spring.”
* * *
Sunday afternoon, Tessa called Jilly to let her know they were back in town and staying at her place.
“She burned down his house!” Jilly exclaimed. “Well, I’m not surprised. It sounds just like something that evil woman would do.”
“I know, but still . . . anyway, we’re going to rebuild. But that’s not why I called. We’re going to try getting married again, only this time at my place. I’m not sure when. I need to find another dress because I sure can’t wear the other one.”