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relationships, and those mistakes opened me up to temptations and regrets that I could have avoided if I’d been wiser. On the flip side, even wise, obedient women had struggles to deal with. Whether my past was full of sexual missteps and codependence or pride and self-righteousness, the result was still the same. I needed forgiveness and healing. Fortunately, God had already given me both through Jesus. Nothing could change that no matter how I might screw up … and I still wasn’t completely convinced that I wouldn’t wind up regretting our sleeping arrangements.
    As I waited for my newfound ally to emerge from the bathroom, I tried to quiet my anxious mind by reviewing a few memory verses in my head. Eventually, Augustus finished getting ready and turned off the lights when he stepped into the bedroom. The vampire joined me under the covers, but he kept his distance as he broke the deafening silence.
    “Is it alright if I put my arms around you,” he asked.
    “Why?”
    “Our scents will mingle better if there’s prolonged physical contact.”
    “That’s fine,” I muttered. “Go ahead.”
    Augustus must have detected the hint of hesitancy in my voice because he let a moment of stillness pass before he moved over and enveloped me in his arms. Because of his nocturnal nature, I’d expected his entire body to be cold, but only his hands were chilly. Feeling his cool hands versus his warm body reminded me of my mother of all people. Before her cancer diagnosis, she’d had a whole host of health issues … anemia and poor circulation being two of them. Every time she hugged or touched me, I teased her about her cold hands and she’d joke that people with cold hands had the warmest hearts.
    While I knew Augustus wasn’t exactly warm-hearted, that pleasant yet unlikely reminder of my mom distracted me from my racing thoughts and calmed me enough that I was able to slip into a peaceful day of uninterrupted sleep.
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CHAPTER 3
    When I opened my eyes the next afternoon after a surprisingly peaceful morning of sleep, I realized that I had rolled over during the night because Augustus was the first thing I laid eyes on. While the vampire didn’t necessarily look threatening or inhuman when he was awake, the awareness and intelligence in his deep-set green eyes made him seem decades older than he appeared. Even before I knew about his nocturnal nature, something about him had made my skin crawl slightly, but that unease had dissipated since our first meeting. Despite the sleeping vampire’s borderline angelic appearance, I knew that he was anything but.
    What do vampires dream about, I wondered. Do they ever imagine themselves basking in the sun like humans and then feel disappointed when they wake up, or do they dream of blood and violence?
    Those thoughts reminded me that I would soon be a member of the sun-fearing race. I wasn’t exactly an outdoorsy girl, but I did enjoy feeling the sun on my face and sitting outside on my balcony back home or in the picnic area attached to my church while I read a book or studied the Bible. In less than a week, my days of reading by sunlight would be over. I’d also have to change careers since every accounting job I knew of involved dragging myself in around nine o’clock, leaving by six o’clock, and usually working in buildings illuminated by perilous amounts of natural lighting.
    My life is going to change drastically.
    As I contemplated the adjustments I’d have to make, Augustus awakened as well. When he opened his eyes, the innocence I’d seen as he slept faded away to his usual demeanor and only a glimmer of softness remained.
    “How did you sleep?”
    “Fine,” I replied. “How about you?”
    “Very well,” Augustus answered. “I probably should have warned you that vampires don’t tend to move in their sleep. I hope you weren’t uncomfortable.”
    “I slept fine. It’s not like I haven’t