"I thought you were mad at him too for what he said," she asked with a frown.
"Well, I was, but I've been thinking he was right. We didn't mean to, but we were
treating you like a pet or something. None of us considered that you might want to do
something besides perform for everyone all the time, and—" She broke off and shook
her head. "There isn't time, just let him talk. I'll take over the booth; you two just take
your time."
Elvi watched her hurry off to the back of the booth, and then turned to see DJ break
off to join the blonde. Victor continued on until he stood directly in front of her. "I
don't think you're an idiot," he blurted. "I have the greatest respect for your
intelligence. I think you're charming, and beautiful and sexy, and sharp‐witted and sexy
and sweet and kind and sexy and—Ah hell." Giving up his verbal attempt to explain
himself, Victor grabbed her by the shoulders and dragged her against his chest to kiss
her thoroughly.
Elvi was gasping for breath by the time he released her, but still heard him say softly, "I
love you, Ellen Stone."
Letting her breath out on a little sigh, she leaned her head against his chest and
whispered, "I'm not an idiot."
"I know," he assured her, rubbing her back.
"I don't run heedlessly into danger."
"No… well…" Victor paused when Elvi lifted narrowed eyes. Grimacing, he said, "You
have a frightening tendency to rush about doing things without thinking first."
"Like what?" she challenged sharply.
"Like the cheesecake emergency," he pointed out. "The minute you knew you could
eat food you were off like a shot, desperate to get to the A&P, and woe and betide
anyone who got in your way."
"I wanted food," Elvi said in her own defense. "It had been five years, Victor."
"Yes, I know," he said soothingly and pressed her head back to his chest, but added,
"And then there was the bed business. The minute you realized you could sleep in one,
you were up and running for the door."
Elvi jerked back again to exclaim, "I was sleeping in a coffin!"
"Yes," Victor nodded, rubbing her back, and pressing her head against his shoulder
once more before continuing, "but you don't stop to plan things, you just rush ahead…
And it scared the hell out of me when I realized you were in that burning shed. That's
why I yelled at you… And you're far too trusting."
"Too trusting? I don't think—"
"Just recall how you were trying all those drinks Edward and Alessandro were pushing
on you at the Night Club. Things like that make me worried sick that you're going to
trust the wrong person and get hurt Elvi… er… Ellie… Ellen. What do you want to be
called?" he asked with frustration.
Elvi remained where he'd pressed her, her upset slipping away to be replaced by soft
chuckles.
"Are you laughing or crying?" Victor asked warily.
"Laughing," she assured him softly.
"Right," he murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Then he asked, "Is
laughing a good thing or bad?"
Smiling, Elvi pulled back and leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss him and then whispered,
"It's good."
"Oh." Victor smiled.
"Why did you cut your hair?"
His expression turned wary when she blurted the question. "Don't you like it?"
"Well…"
"You don't like it," he said with disappointment. "DJ was upset about the men hanging
all over Mabel over here now that she's turned and decided he was getting a shave
and haircut to please her and I thought you might like—"
Elvi covered his mouth with her hand to silence him, and said, "I don't dislike it. It's just
different and I fell in love with you with long hair. I'll adjust."
"You love me?" Victor echoed with a grin.
"Victor! Down!"
Elvi started to glance around to see what DJ was shouting about, but all she saw was
him flying toward them from the back of the booth. He crashed into them even as
Victor instinctively started dragging her to the ground. The three of them landed in a
tangle of arms and legs.
"Jesus, DJ," Victor muttered, struggling to sit up. "What the hell—"
Curious about his sudden silence, Elvi followed his gaze to see an arrow sticking out of
the counter right where she'd been standing before DJ's shout.
"It was Mike Knight," DJ gasped breathlessly, sitting up beside him.
Victor turned on the younger immortal sharply. "Mike Knight? Are you sure?"
DJ nodded.
"It couldn't have been," Elvi said positively. "He and Karen have been my neighbors for