In the best way possible, of course. She’s bubbly and friendly, the kind of outgoing person that’s probably perfectly suited for a job like this, even though you still don’t understand how a person working at your wage level managed to actuallypurchasethe cafe in the first place.
Maybe she won the lottery or something.
Either way, you’ve never felt like you could ask, since it happened before you started working here, and you didn’t want to pry.
You carefully peel open the wrapping paper, revealing the box inside. It’s nice, the kind of black cardstock-covered hard case some small, fancy trinket might come in.
You glance at Mel’s waiting face as you pull open the box, thoroughly uncertain what you’ll find inside.
It’s…a letter opener?
Yeah.
A letter opener shaped like a very realistic little sword.
It’s actually pretty cool, complete with a glinting black blade. You reach for it without thinking, absently wanting to feel the smooth curve of the blade with the pad of your finger.
“Watch out,” Ziros growls, grabbing your hand before you can touch it. Sure,nowhe pays attention. “That blade is sharp.”
You pull your hand back, wondering why on earth someone would make a letter-opener with arealsword blade.
Then again, that’s probably the only way it would actually be useful. So there’s that.
But…what would have happened if you’d cut yourself?
Probably nothing, since Ziros didn’t exactly go crazy with bloodlust like most of your favorite book vampires the first time you got injured. Which is probably for the best.
Now that you think about it, he’s actually got a remarkable amount of self-control for a vampire.
But still. Better not to cut yourself here and test it.
Maybe he’s got such good self-control because he’s only half.
Half—you glance at his face, wondering what his other parent was. His other parent must have been a supermodel.
Or vampire genes are just super dominant, because he definitely looks the part, all angles and piercing steel blue eyes fit for a book cover.
“Isn’t it just the coolest?” Mel asks, breaking you from your thoughts as she beams down at the little sword where it rests in foam inside the box. “I wanted to get you something useful.” She points at the box. “See, it even has a matching sheath!”
You carefully take the tiny sword out, wondering what any of the cafe customers would say now if they walked up to the counter and saw you all gathered around a tiny, very sharp sword. Maybe it’s for the best that it has a sheath.
You carefully slide the sheath over the sword, surprised at how heavy and well-made it is. It’s so realistic.
Just…miniature.
“Wow,” you say, genuinely impressed as you slide open the sheath just enough to catch the glint of the blade in the light as you hold it up. “This is like, a real sword.”
Mel laughs.
“Yep.” She looks pleased that you seem to like it. “Exactlylike a real sword, because itisa real sword,” she adds with a wink, turning away.
Wait, why’d she wink?
What the heck wasthatsupposed to mean?!
“Anyway, I’d better scram,” she says, shutting her laptop and sliding it into her bag. “I’ve got some errands to run, but you have a good shift, and I’ll see you later if I’m back before Lizzie gets here. You’ve got my number if anything comes up!” With a nod at Ziros, she says, “Both of you feel free to grab a pastry from the display. Thanks again, June, for coming in on your birthday!”
With a wave, she disappears out the back door.
