The barista, a gangly human male, was busy slapping a percussion accompaniment to the tinny Christmas carol that was piped in through the speakers. He did a head flip, which made the many cow licks of his blond hair even more unruly.
“Welcome to Queen’s Court Café,” he said without looking at Jade. “What can I craft for you today?”
“What do you recommend from your seasonal…drinks?” Jade cast a nervous glance at the chalkboard, but her voice was steady.
She’d worked hard on her anxiety since I’d met her and was much improved. However, she was too dissatisfied to notice, and freaked herself out with worries of imperfection.
“Frosted castle creamer,” the barista immediately said. “It’s a cold ice cream drink. Great, if you’ve got a sweet tooth. If you want something hot, then the royal gingerbread—woah! A vampire!” He squinted at me, but his manners were still shockingly casual. “We don’t get tons of vampires in here—lots more fae and wizards.”
“Vampires frequent wine bars over coffee shops—wouldn’t want to be up during the daylight, you know,” I said.
“So, why are you here?” The barista scratched his elbow.
“Because I like coffee—and I avoid wine bars. I don’t like being mobbed by humans,” I jokingly said.
“Huh,” the barista said, unimpressed. “Maybe you ought to wear a hat and sunglasses. If they can’t see your eyes, no one will know you’re a vampire.”
“It’s not just the eyes—it’s because he’s vampire handsome, and oozes pheromones.” Jade said. She was undoubtedly lulled into her work mode by a topic of discussion she knew best: me. Rather, I’d love if it were just me, but in truth discussing vampires in general made her more comfortable.
“Vampire handsome, huh.” The barista studied me for a moment. “I’ve seen better.”
“Landon! What have I said about insults?” An older woman popped out of a back room, shaking her head with frustrated affection.
“I wasn’t insulting a pet this time or him personally, just his self-assuredness,” the barista, Landon, complained.
“No insults. Ever!” The older woman turned to me. “I’m sorry. He means well, but he doesn’t have much of a filter.”
I recognized the woman from my previous solo trips to Queen’s Court Café—I used to stop here frequently when avoiding Drake vampires out on patrol. She owned the café. “No harm done,” I said. “Jade called me handsome, and that’s all that matters.”
I casually picked up Jade’s hand and kissed her palm, then waited for her response.
She didn’t seem to notice—she was too focused on the task of ordering. “Since I want something hot, I’ll have a sixteen-ounce royal gingerbread latte, please,” she said.
I was momentarily disappointed. Despite my best efforts, she seemed no more physically aware of me than when I was Connor.
On the other hand, her disinterest was quite pleasing as it meant she didn’t mind physical contact even though I was a lethal vampire legend and not a mild-mannered lone vampire who posed no threat.
If she doesn’t notice me romantically, I’ll happily settle for being comfortable in my presence. That’s surely a necessary step in our relationship progress.
Landon picked up a paper cup and wrote on it with a sharpie. “One royal gingerbread latte—you got it. You’re gonna love it. Do you want whipped cream on that?”
“Yes, please.”
Landon enthusiastically tapped several buttons on the register screen. “Okay! And for the vampire sir?”
Jade glanced at me, finally noticing I stood directly next to her. “Oh, no, we’ll have separate—”
I flicked my credit card out before she could protest. “A nitro cold brew—no toppings. Sixteen ounce.”
“Got it. Tap or scan to pay!” Landon pointed to the credit card reader, then swooped off with our cups.
Jade watched me pay. Based on the way she flattened her lips, I thought she was going to insist on giving me cash until she spoke. “Stop for a hot drink, huh?”
“As you pointed out, the weather doesn’t affect me.” I closed my wallet, satisfied she hadn’t complained further about me paying.
Perhaps I was farther along than I estimated in my seduction of the shy slayer?
Jade seated herself on a wrought-iron chair that belonged to a bistro set. “So, how do you feel about Orrin?”
