Provided he wasn’t planning to bite her with plastic fangs then drag her into a coffin in his mom’s basement.
She let out a soft, placating chuckle. “Right, of course you’re a vampire. Which is what makes you perfect for the role. But how about you tell me a little bit about what you’re like when you aren’t a vampire. Do you have any other hobbies beyond acting?”
The smug grin dropped from his face, replaced by something that almost looked a little like sadness.
“I mostly hunt down and kill rogue vampires,” he stated plainly, as if discussing his job as an accountant for a mid-level dental firm. “I’m the prime enforcer for my cadre, and there’s been an increase in rogue activity lately that keeps me occupied most days. I do get to travel, though, so that’s nice.”
Cora sighed and leaned back in her chair. Fucking actors.
“Look, Saiden, I really appreciate the dedication to your craft, but can we just talk person to person for a second? Obviously you have the acting chops. If I didn’t know better, I would swear you were being serious. But we also need to talk about the financial side of things. Did you see in my ad that I’m looking for an investor as well?”
“I did,” he answered nonchalantly, grabbing a chair from the back of the room and sitting in front of her. “And I can assure you that money is not an issue.”
Her heart skipped a beat hearing that dream phrase, and she fought back a blush when he raised an eyebrow. She’d thought she kept her features neutral since it wouldn’t help negotiations if he knew she was practically drooling at this opportunity.
“That’s good to know,” she replied, keeping her voice steady as she reached up to switch the camera off. “Let’s go over some details then. This film is basically my life’s work, and I’ve spent nearly five years perfecting the script. More than anything I want to see it completed and get it submitted to festivals, but I’m running out of time to do that.”
Saiden narrowed his eyes on her. “Why exactly are you running out of time?”
Cora focused on unscrewing the camera from its tripod, not wanting to meet his gaze. There was something about his eyes that made her want to spill all her secrets, but she wasn’t about to go there with this stranger, no matter how devilishly handsome he was.
“That’s personal,” she asserted, carefully setting her camera back into the case and securing it. “All you need to know is that I am fully committed. I have a crew, a script, and most of the shooting locations locked down. However, thanks to a recent incident with a former cast member, I now find myself in need of a new villain. That’s where you come in.”
Saiden leaned back in the chair, balancing it easily on two legs. “And you think I would make a good villain?”
Cora snorted. “Yeah, I mean look at you.” She gestured idly at his chiseled physique that was obvious underneath even the baggiest of t-shirts. “You’re like the epitome of tall, dark, and viciously handsome.”
The corners of his mouth curled up into a feline grin, and he leaned forward, resting the chair on all four legs again. “You think I’mhandsome?”
“Oh, please,” she groaned, shaking her head at him. ”Don’t tell me you’re one of those actors that needs constant validation? I really don’t have the energy for that right now. So do you want to discuss the film or not?”
“Yes, I would love to in fact. That’s why I came here.” Saiden drew his tall frame out of the plastic chair that looked tiny by comparison and moved over to Cora’s side. Perching on the edge of the table, he locked eyes with hers. “Tell me more about this script of yours. How did you come up with the plot?”
Cora leaned back slightly. Hotness level aside, he was a little too close for comfort. “Um, I don’t know. Ideas just come to me randomly. It’s gone through four or five different revisions at this point, but I didn’t steal the story if that’s what you’re asking.”
Saiden inched forward, closing the gap between them until his thigh rested against her hand, and she had to crane her neck to look up at him.
“And did anyone help you with the story or the plot points? Anyone suggest little details for you to incorporate?”
“No…” she answered, confusion beginning to outweigh her attraction. “I never even let anyone see my rough drafts. Nobody saw the script until a week ago when we started production. So I don’t know what you’re accusing me of, but it’s my script. Completely one hundred percent mine.”
“Interesting,” Saiden commented as he stood up and paced in front of the table.
She watched him move back and forth like a trapped jaguar evaluating the quickest method for escape.
He paused after a second, fixing his intense stare on her. “One last question. Has there been anyone new in your life recently? Aboyfriend perhaps, or a close friend?”
Oh, for fuck’s sake. This conversation had gotten a little too bizarre for her tastes. She had limits on how much she would endure just because a guy had money, and she was done letting him test those boundaries.
“No,” she snapped, grabbing her camera case and jumping to her feet. Whatever this guy wanted, she didn’t think it was to finance her movie. “As weird as this has been, I think I’m going to go now.”
Hitching the bag over her shoulder, she started for the door, but between one blink and the next, Saiden went from standing on the other side of the table to blocking her escape.
“How did you…?” She looked back to where she was certain he stood a second ago.
“My deepest apologies, Cora,” he offered. “I didn’t mean to startle you or make you feel uncomfortable. The strange questions are just part of my job.”
She wrinkled her brow. “Your job?”
