He ignored Beatrice’s presumptuous statement and asked, “Why is she conflicted?”

“Men.” She shook her head. “All idiots. Why do you think, vampire? She’s human. She’s spent her whole life thinking her happily ever after is going to involve finding someone to love and grow old with. Have kids and maybe a dog.”

Baojia forced himself to relax and stepped closer. “I don’t have a problem with dogs. I’ll get her a dog.”

“That’s not…” Beatrice shook her head. “That’s not the point. She’s adjusting to the new reality, you know? She’s had, what? A couple of weeks? It took me months to get used to the idea with Gio. Years, really.”

Baojia smirked and sat across from her. “I remember. It was kind of fun to see you put him through the wringer.”

“Yes, I’m sure you enjoyed that.” Byed aceatrice set down the coffee and reached for his hand. “You were a good friend to me, even when I didn’t know it. And… if there hadn’t have been Gio—”

“Don’t. There was. There always was. And it’s not the same.” He looked toward the door. “Nothing is the same with her.”

“I’d like to see you happy.”

“I am,” he said, somewhat surprised. “I think… I am.”

She smiled. “Then run along.” She picked up her coffee again and sipped. “And don’t mess it up.”

Baojia rose and walked toward the door that would take him back to her. He paused at the threshold. “Beatrice?”

“Hmm?”

He turned and leaned against the wall. “Do you ever wonder?”

“About…” She raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah.”

She grinned. “When he’s pissing me off? Sure.”

Baojia broke into a grin and started to laugh as he walked down the hall and toward the lower floors. He punched in the code and slipped into the dark room where Natalie was already sleeping. As he reprogrammed the lock, he noticed she had left on the light in the bathroom and had pulled his pillow under her face, clutching it as she slept.

“Natalie?” He laid his clothes carefully over the chair in the corner when he undressed. He’d hang them the next night. “Natalie?” he whispered again as he slid into bed behind her.

“Hmm?”

“I’m back.”

She was still sleeping, but she snuggled up next to him, tucking her back into his chest and fitting their bodies together like two pieces of a puzzle.

“Hey. Cold.”

“Sorry about that. I was swimming.”

“Gonna talk tomorrow, mister.”

No doubt she’d have an opinion about him taking off without her. Baojia smiled. “I’ll put it on the schedule.”

“Hmm,” she sighed. “Going back to sleep. Missed you.”

Murder. Betrayal. An uncertain future. And despite it all, he was happy.

“I missed you, too.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Natalie was trying to take her first tai chi lesson seriously. Really. She was. But the feel of Baojia moving her arms and legs into various positions, then standing really close to move her from form to form was more than a little distracting.

“You should really put on a shirt if you want me to concentrate.”

He moved in front of her and tilted her chin up as she stood with arms stretched out and legs half-bent. “I don’t have many clothes here, and I’m not going to ruin my nice shirts practicing. Now focus.”

She muttered, “Kind of hard to do after that thing you did an hour ago.”

A lift at the corner of his mouth was the only reaction she got.

They were in Beatrice and Tenzin’s studio again, but this time it was just the two of them in the empty practice room. She focused on moving her limbs slowly. Deliberately. Her breath moved in and out of her body at a steady rate. She’d never been athletic, but she had practiced yoga with her mother her whole childhood. Though she’d stopped after Mallory Ellis’s death, the breathing exercises were like riding a bike.

ўcedBaojia moved around her, sometimes demonstrating, sometimes correcting. Always very… present. Even when he didn’t say a word, she was intensely aware of him.

“Soften your arm. Keep it relaxed, but strong.”

She frowned. “I’m not sure what that means. And this seems so slow. Why are we—?”

“The purpose of teaching you this self-defense technique is to teach you to respond to an opponent with more physical strength than you. You will not be able to counter with an equal opposing force, so you must learn to yield to it.” He stepped forward, moving one of his arms as if to punch her. She tried not to flinch when he grabbed her arm and moved it to block his. Her balance shifted without thought. “Yield to it, then counter. The best fighters know how to avoid a fight if they can. Never waste energy on an unnecessary struggle. It will leave your resources drained when you might need them later. Avoid the punch.” He moved her arm across his, directing it to the side so that it passed her body, leaving them in an odd embrace. “See? You will do this slowly, then the movements will become very natural. Your balance is excellent. You have a good awareness of how to move in response to me already.”

She couldn’t hide the smile. “You’ve mentioned that.”

Natalie felt his chest move in silent laughter. Then his arm reached back and around her waist, pulling her closer. “I’m teaching. Pay attention.”