“Do you like being a vampire?” I ask him, starting off easy.
“I do. I like being powerful, strong, and eternal. I miss the sun, I miss my ma, but my human life wasn’t much of a life.”
“What about drinking blood?” I ask, with a thick swallow, wondering about his answer. I don’t know why I need to know, but the idea of him sinking his teeth into someone else’s throat bothers me.
What’s wrong with me? My whole plan was to run away, but yet, here I am, endlessly fascinated with the vampire sitting across from me.
“At first, I loved it. Oz, despite his many faults, saw humans as a valuable resource. More than just food, he taught me restraint and how to contain my bloodlust.” He clears his throat. “The only humans I’ve ever killed were the ones you saw in my memories.”
I tilt my head at him, wondering how hard it was for him to indulge that little piece of him. I’m not sure why knowing that information helps me view him in a different light. I’ve seen Warin violent, but the fact that he isn’t aggressive toward humans softens me even more.
He’s been nothing but protective of me, and I can see that he’s trying, he’s doing what I asked of him.
I don’t want to run away from him, and that thought is terrifying.
“And vampires?” I ask, wondering if his answer will change my mind.
He smirks, a bit of fang showing. “I wouldn’t mind killing Joyce right about now.”
“I can’t believe you ever slept with her.” The words slip out of my mouth before I can take them back.
“It was another life ago. I haven’t…there’s been no one in a very long time,” he admits, and I swear there's a blush to his cheeks, maybe I’m seeing things. “What about you? Do you enjoy being a witch?”
I grin and nod while the server brings our food and I start in on the blueberry and peanut butter crepe.
“I can’t imagine my life without magic. It feels like it’s a part of me. I don’t know anything else, but I wouldn’t trade being a witch or my coven for the world. I might not be the best at it?—”
“I think you’re quite good at it. I think that your magic has been criminally underutilized. Clearly, you’re talented with your earth magic, but I think defensive magic is your true calling. Not any witch could master the spells in those grimoires like you could.”
My cheeks heat. My family never compliments my magic. Violet and Iris do, of course, but not as reverently as Warin does.
This vampire looks at me like no one else ever has, and despite my better instincts, I’m falling for it.
“I don’t know about that,” I say with a shrug.
“I do. You’re talented, beautiful, generous, and too fucking hard on yourself. You’re an exceptional witch and if someone has told you differently, I don’t mind making a pit stop on the way home.”
He looks dead serious, and I sigh.
“Are you really going to take out my grandma?” I snark.
He smirks at me, his elbows on the table as his gloved hands rest under his chin.
“Is that something that friends do for one another? Take out bitchy grandmas?”
I blink at him a few times and he grins.
“This is our friend date, and I have to say, it’s going rather swimmingly. Maybe this honesty thing isn’t so absolutely horrible. What else would you like to know?”
I have a bite of my omelet ready to go into my mouth when I pause at his question, bringing my fork back down onto the plate and wiping my mouth.
“You really want me to like you, don’t you?”
“More than anything,” he replies, his eyes searching mine.
It’s pathetic how happy I am that he took the sunglasses off when we sat down. His eyes are far too pretty to be hidden away.
“You’ll tell me anything I want to know, even the bad stuff?”
