“That’s fucking disgusting,” Theo tells Mabel as she pours a can into a wine glass.
“It doesn’t taste that bad,” she says after she takes a drink.
“That badisn’t how I want my blood to taste,” Theo goes on.
“Hey, if you like it, then drink it,” Zeke tells Mabel. Even though I’m unclear on if he turned her against her will because he couldn’t stand the thought of living without her, there’s no doubt that this love and support of this woman is real.
“This place is cool,” I say. “Did they really have speakeasies like this?”
“Not like this,” Mabel says and looks at Zeke. “I think.”
“No, they weren’t like this,” he tells both of us. “They were hidden, so you wouldn’t find anything this big or fancy.” He turns to Theo. “You spent a lot of time in Chicago in the 1920s, so you’d be the best to judge.”
“Did you meet famous gangsters?” I ask, half joking.
“Al Capone begged us to turn him,” Theo says, making a point to sound bored as he casually name drops one of the most notorious gangsters ever.
“Why didn’t you?”
“He got himself arrested,” Theo says. “Don’t you know your history?” Mabel looks at me and makes a face mocking Theo. We both laugh and he just shakes his head.
“You can leave, you know,” I tell him. “I don’t think the Order is going to go after me tonight, though part of me hopes they do.”
“They can’t just walk in,” Mabel says. “You have to show ID to get in.”
“Honey,” Zeke puts his hand on her. “That doesn’t mean they’ll know who is in the Order.”
“Ohhh, that makes sense.” She nods and picks up her drink. “Take a picture of us?” She hands her phone to Zeke and leans next to me. We pose for several photos and then get so Mabel can fill a little tour.
“I think Theo hates me,” I tell her.
“He hates everyone, and he only tolerates me because he has no other choice. And now that you’re in the house, I’m not the only outsider. But at least I’m a vampire. And he must not hate you that much because he’s here. He could have told Xavier no. He wasn’t commanded to watch you.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that.”
Mabel loops her arm through mine. “I think he’s jealous that Xavier pays more attention to you than him, which sounds weird since they’re brothers. I didn’t mean it like that. Just for centuries, it’s been the two of them. Even Zeke told me he’s felt rather left out, and there’s not much of a death-age gap between them.”
“He was Xavier’s grandson, right?”
“Right.”
I shake my head. “Fuck, that’s so weird.”
“I thought the same when I was human.” She shrugs. “I’ve just accepted it now. Though now Devon is the newest addition to the family in a sense, and even I was a tad annoying when I was newly turned.”
We stop next to a photo wall and take a few pictures. I want to ask Mabel more about what it was like becoming a vampire, but now is not the time nor place. Instead, we make our way back to the table so I can sample all the food the cook is bringing me so I can write a review to go along with Mabel’s post.
“You sure you don’t want some?” Mabel asks Zeke, holding up her cup of blood.
“I’m sure, darling,” he replies gently and leans over, kissing her. Suddenly, Theo tenses. Zeke does a couple seconds later, followed by Mabel.
“What is it?” I ask, turning and following their gazes to the entrance of the bar.
“Werewolf,” Mabel whispers. “Which is fine.” She put her hand on Zeke’s arm. “They’re allowed to be here.”
“They are,” Theo agrees but he looks quickly at me. Right, Xavier has filled him in on what Larkin told me.
“Oh, I know that wolf,” I say when Delphi comes into view. She stops, scans the bar, and then spots me and makes a beeline over.
