I automatically take the chair. He can sit on the bed if he wants. “What are we talking about?” I ask.
He doesn’t sit, at first. He slides his hands into his trouser pockets and studies his Berluti loafers for a moment. The guy’s got style—I’ll give him credit for that.
I mean, I expect him to be rich. That’s not a shocker. Old, rich vampires are as much of a cliché as biker werewolves or cage-fighting bear shifters. In fact, if an older vampire isn’t independently wealthy, I’d wonder what the hell is wrong with him. You have to be a special kind of stupid to be several hundred years old, or older, andnothave at least a Swiss or Caymanian bank account orsomething.
“Where do you wish me to begin?” He finally looks into my eyes, and I can tell he feels as unnerved right now as I do.
I also see that’s a considerable tent pole in his pants.
Yowza.
Nope,focus, girlie.That’s avamp. They’re fine as employers and friends, but not for fucking, anddamnsure not for fanging.
“What’d they mean about last night?” I ask. “Let’s start there and work our way back. What’d you tell them?”
He lets out a sigh. “I’m in town on business. As you might guess, Lucius and I go back quite a distance in time. He and my sire shared the same sire, hence why he’s my ‘uncle.’ After I admitted to him that I was considering greeting a sunrise, he asked Selene to bring out a special batch of blood and served it.”
I feel a little bad for him. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a vamp admit they’re…
Wow.
His gaze drops to his loafers again. “He thought perhaps, if I met you, it might change my opinion about…that.”
Okay, yeah, back to feeling pissed off at Lucius. I’m not a supernatural shrink. “Did he tell you I’m no sweetblood?”
I shove away more pounding coming from my mental closet. If I was going to break my personal rule, this would be the vamp to make me do it.
Which is all the more reason why I need tonotdo it.
“He did.” His gaze angles up. In this light, his eyes once again look a beautiful light blue and are filled with ancient pain. “I’d like to know if I could take you out on a date.”
“Awhut?”
A smile plays at the corners of his handsome mouth. “You know, take you out to dinner. Or a movie, perhaps?”
“I kinda know of a nightclub in town.”
He steadily meets my gaze. “Yes, but the owner can be a pretentious git sometimes.”
Now I’m laughing. “Holy shit.Dude. You didnotjust call the king of the vampires a git.”
“I believe I did.” His lips give up their smile, and I hate that it does things to me no other vampire or man ever has before. He cocks his head. “I’ve known him long enough I can get away with it. He’s notmyking. He might as well have accepted a scimitar from a watery bint in some lake.” I laugh again. Holy shit, he knows Monty Python. “I also noticed you weren’t genuflecting or calling him ‘sire.’”
I shrug. “I like to live dangerously.”
“Nooo,” he slowly said. “I don’t think that’s right at all. He hinted there was a story. While I can’t read you, I’d be willing to bet you’ve stayed here under Lucius’ protection because you are danger-averse.”
I don’t want to admit hammer just met nail, so I don’t reply.
Stalemate. We study each other for a long moment before I finally speak. “So, you don’t knowTorchwoodorDoctor Who, but you can sort of quoteMonty Python and the Holy Grail?”
He shrugs. “It’s my favorite movie. I saw it when it first came out, and it made me laugh. At that point, it’d been a long time since anything had made me laugh. It’s one of the few movies I own.”
“Ahh.” Yep, this guy is really lonely and feeling it. Vamps usually don’t allow others to see any hint of weakness on their part, especially loneliness.
He finally speaks again. “Anyway, you were…” Another sigh. “Delicious. Indescribable.”
Of course, there’s another little secret part deep inside me proudly preening over that. “Yeah, he makes a lot of money off me. Kind of creepy, though, when I’m working down here and describing the offerings and knowing some of them include some ofme. I try not to think about anything but the cash Lucius hands me when he does it. I let him take a pint from me every so often. Pays me a grand for it.”
