“True, true. But at the very least, I’d like to have a little understanding with my cheap sex. Someone who had some vague inkling of what I endure on a daily basis.” He was still being gruff and demonlike, but there was a faint whisper of something surprisingly human under there.

I started to tell him that I didn’t think that was very likely. Then, I thought of Kristin, Kristin who watched him with doe eyes and fretted over his well-being. “Someone who sort of gets your job and has an appreciation for its absurdity? Someone who’s interested in helping you when you’re stressed, in connecting with you and understanding things to an extent where you don’t even have to say them anymore? Is that what you’re looking for?”

He snorted. “Yeah, like that’ll happen.”

“I don’t know. Maybe there’s someone out there like that.”

“You may not have been human for a long time, but you still cling to their delusions. That’s fairy-tale stuff. You can’t have that. I can’t have that. See you later.” He vanished, uncaring of any mortals who might see him.

I stared vacantly at where he’d been, wondering if what he said was true. Was he missing a good match right in front of him? Or was Kristin deluding herself with her crush on him? And was I deluding myself with my feelings for Seth? Was I really feeling connected to him or was it all just lust?

There was no use fretting about any of it now. Cedric didn’t seem to want to kill me at the moment, so that was the best I could get.

I drove over to Bellevue, just in time for the morning commute out of the city to be winding down. Bellevue was a suburb, a city in its own right, and the restaurant we’d chosen was in Bellevue’s old downtown, one that had eventually been supplanted when a mall rearranged the city’s trendy areas.

The place was a quiet little bistro, tucked between a jewelry store and a bakery. Seth and Kayla were already there. She sat in a booster seat beside him, examining a stuffed unicorn while he leafed through a menu. Seeing both of them sent ripples of warmth and happiness through me.

“Hey guys,” I said, sliding in across from them. Kayla gave me a shy smile, and Seth positively lit up. His hair was as messy as usual, and his T-shirt today advertised Trix, a cereal I’d forgotten even existed.

“Thanks for doing this,” I said. “I really appreciate it.”

Seth’s smile grew, though I saw the tiniest bit of apprehension in his eyes. “Just so long as you’re sure it’s . . . you know . . .” He glanced over at Kayla, who was groping for her glass. Seth hastily intervened to help her before she could knock it over.