Page 20 of Just the Pool Boy at Vampire Mansion

I sent. I wasn’t in the paint aisle, but he didn’t need to know that.

A few minutes later, I’d gotten to the checkout when my phone buzzed his reply.

I see wot ur doing, pool boy

I chuckled at the screen and sent back,

were you asleep?

asshole

Shoving the phone away, I paid for the goods, and arms loaded with cleaning sponges and buckets, I crossed the parking lot to my car and rummaged around in my pockets for the keys.

A shiny gray truck rumbled by, its windows blacked out. I unlocked my car doors and dumped the gear in the back seat. As I got behind the wheel, the truck caught my eye again, parked a few rows over. Someone had detailed it recently. Glossy paint, no dust. Clean truck bed, as much as I could see from my low-down position. Something about it felt off. The other cars in the lot were dusty, and sure, the driver had just had it cleaned. Nothing wrong in that. But nobody had gotten out yet. The driver was sitting there, waiting.

I shoved aside the sense of unease, started my car, pulled out of the lot and into traffic, and half expected to see the truck pull out after me. It didn’t.

I was paranoid, clearly.

My phone in the cup holder buzzed. Then buzzed again.

I scooped it up, flicked it open.

Home alone tonight Come over

Instincts screamed no, bad idea. Forget all the drama, hanging out with my vampire boss alone at his house would not end well. I needed to keep things professional.

busy

I sent back, typing awkwardly with my hand and phone against the wheel while I was trying to drive. The string of replies came in one after another.

no ur not

I seen ur place

ur lonely

me too

come over

Theo wasn’t lonely. He probably had a thousand numbers he could call up. They’d all fall over themselves to hang out at his fancy house. He was bored. And he wanted me to be his new plaything, because why else would he want to spend time with me?

Im not coming to vampire mansion

I sent back.

promise not to eat you

cmon have fun

I will behave

no biting

U have my word

The texts came rapidly, one after another. I should say no. That was the only responsible adult reply I could send. No. And stop texting him. But his rapid-fire texts were penetrating through the I shouldn’t do this and landing somewhere around it’s just one night. What was I going to do tonight? Sit in front of Scrubs reruns and fall asleep on my couch.