Okay, definitely the authors of all your favorite vampire romance novels. They absolutely knew.
But still.
“And for the birthday human,” Ziros says, presenting you with a perfectly-cut slice of cake. There’s even two layers of chocolate frosting between the layers.
It looks like something you’d see in a store.
“Okay, no lies: You seriously made this? No joke?” You’re still not quite sure you believe him. It hardly seems possible. “I didn’t even hear you cooking.”
Ziros frowns, and for a second you swear he looks like he wants to say something. But he just shrugs and says, “You were sleeping pretty soundly.”
Odd. You’re not usuallythatsound of a sleeper.
“I guess I must have been really tired.”
Now for the real test.
You slice off a bit of cake onto your fork, bringing it to your mouth. Ziros watches from a few feet away as you slowly savor it.
Well, hold my donuts and drink my coffee!
It doesn’t just look good.
It tastes amazing!
Ziros grins, cutting a slice for himself. “Based on your expression, I’ll take it you like it, human.”
“Not to inflate your oversized ego any more than I already have, but this is amazing. I still can’t believe you made it. You could seriously open your own bakery. Or—” You stop mid-sentence, struck with what you hope is an amazing idea. Possibly the best idea. “I work at a cafe. You could totally get a job there. Ibet my boss would be all over hiring someone who can cook like this. What else can you make?”
“A job, huh?” Ziros sets his empty plate down—yes, empty already—and stares off into space. For a moment, he looks like he’s considering it. Then he shakes his head. “Nah. I don’t need a job. That sounds like work.”
“Exactly! That’s the point.”
“I don’t like work, human. I only like fun.” He smirks, leaning in over you where you sit on the edge of the bed. So close, he could kiss you. But instead he just brushes the edge of your lips with one finger. Smirking harder as you blush, he says simply, “You had a crumb on your face.”
You fold your arms, turning away with a pout. “You did that on purpose.”
“Did I?”
He gets up, heading for the kitchen sink with his empty plate.
Based on the way he’d swept through your kitchen like a storm the first night, you never would have expected he could be so organized and so good at baking, but the kitchen is surprisingly spotless. Even the cake pans are already washed.
“Did you take so much blood that I died, or maybe I’m still asleep? Is that it? Because this feels like a strange dream.”
Okay,allof this has felt like a strange dream. Everything ever since the moment that weird bookshop appeared.
Nothing has been normal since.
Not that you’re complaining.
“As long as it’s not a nightmare,” Ziros says, turning around as you try to sneak to your closet to grab a change of clothes.
His eyes travel down the length of your bare legs, then back up.
“My shirt looks good on you,” he says with a slow smirk, leaning back against the wall as he watches you pass. “You should wear that more often.”
You blush.
