My eyes landed again on the big man at the counter. “I think I’d prefer a man. Someone who could stand to lose a pint of blood.” I licked my lips. The smells of pancakes and fry grease competed with those of a more human variety.
Our server came up then. Her breasts were huge. Just as big was her hair, dyed a bright, cherry red. I noticed her Adam’s apple too, but my eyes kept swerving back to her cleavage. I wanted to bite into those soft pillows of flesh.
“Hey, sugar,” the server said to me in a voice as sweet as it was deep. “What can I get for you?”
“Waffles?” I said. “I mean, do your waffles have eggs and milk in them? I’m trying to go vegan.”
She nodded sympathetically. “Yes, honey. The best we can probably do for you is a plate of hash browns with a side of pie filling. We’ve got apple, cherry, blueberry, or peach. Being a southern girl myself, I’m particularly fond of the peach,” she said with a wink.
“That sounds good.” I wondered if she’d caught me staring at her boobs. One look at her face told me that yes, yes she had. “Um…and a water?”
You rescued me then with your own order. Our server was just as friendly with you, but she did lean across me to grab the empty bottle of syrup, giving me a direct line of sight into her tight, polyester shirt where her lace bra strained against the weight of her breasts.
“Let me just fill this up for you, fellas,” she said with a flirtatious smile aimed in my direction.
I was still reeling when she left our table.
“I try not to feed on the staff,” you advised like you were giving me feedback on an academic paper. “It leads to complications.”
“Um, yeah, sure. What about truckers though? Don’t they have to pull all-nighters? What if they get drowsy on the road?”
“Perhaps you can interview your potential blood host to get a better idea of what their plans are for tomorrow? Tourists are ideal, but they seldom travel alone. If we were closer to the Strip, we could possibly pick off an inebriated reveler, but there are a lot of surveillance cameras in that section of town. We don’t want our activities to be seen or recorded.”
This was some serious undercover stuff. You’d never told me much about your work trips—definitely not this aspect of it—and now I was getting up close and personal with your double life. I didn’t want to be a baby about it, but it was a little intimidating.
I made another visual sweep of the restaurant. It was getting late, so there was only one family, sunburnt and on the verge of a meltdown. Several hipsters with tattoos were lounging at an oversized booth—we could follow one of them home. A few women who were too thin for bloodletting, in my non-expert opinion. A beefy couple who would do nicely if they weren’t together…
And then there was the man at the counter. Alone, maybe even lonely judging from the slump in his shoulders. Tired. Probably a trucker or a laborer who’d just gotten off an evening shift.
“What about him?” I nodded.
Your gaze shifted subtly. “He might be good, even better if he’s staying nearby. I’d prefer a private room for your first time, not knowing how it might go.”
I squirmed in my seat. “How might it go?”
You looked at me directly. “Messy.”
I licked my lips and stared at your sensual mouth.
“What now?” I was anxious to get this party started.
“It appears he’s only just ordered. Why don’t you eat your dinner, then go over there and strike up a conversation? I’m reluctant to advise this, but I’d suggest leading him to believe you might perform some sexual favor.”
“I won’t have to do that, will I?” I asked in a sudden panic. That wasnotwhat I had in mind when scoping out our prospects.
“It’s only a ruse to get him alone. Unless you can think of some other reason for joining him in his hotel room?”
I clawed at my arms, my anxiety getting the better of me, and you laid your hands over mine so that I wouldn’t be able to scratch.
“Would you like for me to lure him into a private setting?” you said.
“No, it’s fine. I have to learn.”
Our food arrived then, and despite my nerves, I scarfed mine down, including two glasses of ice water. This desert heat was intense. I’d take swampy humidity over this hellfire any day.
“I’ll be watching you every step of the way,” you reminded me as I stood to make my way over. “You’re safe here, but don’t hesitate to call for me.”
I smoothed down my hair as best I could. After so many hours traveling, I was sure I smelled ripe. “How do I look?”
