I extend my hand to shake his and he looks at it like it’s made of fire. He gently pushes it back with his finger.
“What’ll it be, Ivy?”
I blink as I notice all the handles and steins, all the bottles behind the bar.
“Oh, I’m not old enough to drink.”
Chloe rolls her eyes. “Um, yes you are.” She winks.
I blink, looking between her and the bartender.
“I won’t be twenty-one for another three months,” I say in a hushed whisper. Chad giggles.
“The drinking age here is nineteen, love,” Chad says, showing off his fanged grin. “For vampires.”
Oh.
Suddenly I feel on the spot and nervous.
“Just get us both a Dracula’s Kiss, thanks,” Chloesays as Chad nods, heading off to presumably make our drinks.
“I thought you said we were dining,” I bite.
Chloe smirks.
“Oh, we will eat. Make no mistake about that,” she says, showcasing her fangs.
“But first we need a little lubrication.”
“Lubrication?” I ask warily.
Chloe leans across the bar, the motion drawing attention to her slender arms and perfect breasts. She gazes back at me with her emerald gaze.
“A drink definitely enhances the experience before you sink your fangs into someone.”
I look around the room, scouting to see if there are any humans here, but I do not smell them or see them. What I do smell is…
I stop, my gaze settling on one man in the back of the room, sitting alone with a drink in his hand, and my heart stops. His dark hair is swept back, and he looks almost melancholy, as if he has sustained some great despair. And all at once that feeling returns in my chest, and I can’t take my eyes off of him.
He looks up, almost as if my gaze alone could summon him like a demon.
“Well, would you look at that. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say fate was messing with you,” Chloe says as Chad settles our drinks down. I blink, pulling my eyes away as heat flushes my cheeks.
“Of course it is,” I mutter, feeling irritated. Of all the people to be in this bloody restaurant…
I thought I’d seen the last of Wesley Castor when he ran off like I had the literal plague.
Chloe sips her drink, sucking loudly, and I reach for my straw, trying to be as mannerly as I can. My etiquette teacher would be thrilled with my attention to manners.
The liquid hits my tongue, and I nearly jump. It is fizzy, cola-flavored, but with a stark sweet taste of cherry and something that tastes almost like disinfectant smells.
“Oh Gods, what is in this?” I say with a grimace. Chloe laughs and the sound is like bells on the wind.
“Vodka, sweetheart.” She bats her eyes at me.
“Ugh. It’s… so…”
“Tastes like shit, but I guarantee you, you’ll feel more relaxed in about fifteen minutes if you suck that thing down.”
