wore them.
"Thank you so much."
"Of course," he said. "It really has been a joy to have you here, Victoria. I hope you come back next year."
"Don't hold your breath," she said, laughing.
"So, where are you going tonight?"
"He wants to meet at this restaurant on the other side of town."
"Are you ready? We'll leave whenever you want."
"Amit, no. I didn't mean…you're off the hook. I was going to catch a cab."
"Nonsense. I'll be in the limo outside. Just come down when you're ready."
Amit didn't have time to turn around before she surprised the Renaissance man with a hug. Victoria squeezed the air out of him, drawing a laugh, before he hugged her in return.
"Thank you for everything."
"You're very welcome."
CHAPTER 5
Patrick was already at the restaurant when Victoria arrived. He sat near the back, dressed in a suit, which fit him very well. A bucket of ice on a cart was next to him, with a single champagne bottle inside. He held a physical book in his hands, a seemingly rare sight in the technology-driven twenty-first century.
At the sight of her, he rose to his feet. She wasn't sure whether it was anxiety, or old-fashioned manners, but she smiled all the same.
It dawned on her as she made her way between the dining mortals that it would be their first time alone together.
They were both attracted to one another, and they were both aware. Attraction was an easy thing to detect after four centuries. Patrick may have been younger, but could certainly sense it as well.
"I think every mortal's neck in here just snapped trying to look at you."
Victoria turned in place, and did catch a few of them staring, men and women both, along with dirty glares from their significant others.
"Wow," she said, sitting across from Patrick. "I guess it's good that after so long, my red hair still pulls them in."
"Yeah, it's just the red hair," he joked.
A waiter stopped by and grabbed the bottle from the ice. He popped the bottle open and poured two small glasses. She stole peeks at the mortals as they ate and laughed around her. How would they feel if they knew two supernatural beings were drinking blood mere feet away? It was somehow exciting, to be doing something they weren't supposed to do, in full view of everyone.
"Did you have this planned?" she asked, taking a sip.
"No. Actually, I was coming here whether you joined me or not. I'm just glad you did."
"Me, too. I'll be honest, I was about at the end of my rope at those meetings. Spending time with you and everyone else was the true highlight of this trip."
"Time for some honesty myself. I'd been trying to figure out how to approach you since day one. But it's always fun, battling the nerves. I mean…what does someone say to impress a woman like you?" He hung his head low as he took his own drink. "Holy shit, did I just really say that out loud?"
"I believe you did. Well, old or not, I am still a woman. You could tell me I look good in this dress."
He smiled. "Good," he repeated. "I don't quite think that word covers it."
Victoria had such a good time that she lost track of it. The mortals slowly trickled away, leaving only the two vampires and handful of others behind. They sipped on blood all night, so much that the waiter brought another bottle. She wasn't sure when it happened, but sometime in the middle of the night they ended up sitting next to each other, instead of across the table. Laughing quietly, flirting, playful touching. It was good to know that while so very different, mortals and vampires could enjoy the same things.
Something was happening. She couldn't say exactly what it was, but it was tangible. She was certainly familiar with the possibilities. A one-night-stand, a long term relationship, an endearing friendship, maybe just heavy petting and making out in the back of a limousine. She wasn't sure which.
Victoria had
"Thank you so much."
"Of course," he said. "It really has been a joy to have you here, Victoria. I hope you come back next year."
"Don't hold your breath," she said, laughing.
"So, where are you going tonight?"
"He wants to meet at this restaurant on the other side of town."
"Are you ready? We'll leave whenever you want."
"Amit, no. I didn't mean…you're off the hook. I was going to catch a cab."
"Nonsense. I'll be in the limo outside. Just come down when you're ready."
Amit didn't have time to turn around before she surprised the Renaissance man with a hug. Victoria squeezed the air out of him, drawing a laugh, before he hugged her in return.
"Thank you for everything."
"You're very welcome."
CHAPTER 5
Patrick was already at the restaurant when Victoria arrived. He sat near the back, dressed in a suit, which fit him very well. A bucket of ice on a cart was next to him, with a single champagne bottle inside. He held a physical book in his hands, a seemingly rare sight in the technology-driven twenty-first century.
At the sight of her, he rose to his feet. She wasn't sure whether it was anxiety, or old-fashioned manners, but she smiled all the same.
It dawned on her as she made her way between the dining mortals that it would be their first time alone together.
They were both attracted to one another, and they were both aware. Attraction was an easy thing to detect after four centuries. Patrick may have been younger, but could certainly sense it as well.
"I think every mortal's neck in here just snapped trying to look at you."
Victoria turned in place, and did catch a few of them staring, men and women both, along with dirty glares from their significant others.
"Wow," she said, sitting across from Patrick. "I guess it's good that after so long, my red hair still pulls them in."
"Yeah, it's just the red hair," he joked.
A waiter stopped by and grabbed the bottle from the ice. He popped the bottle open and poured two small glasses. She stole peeks at the mortals as they ate and laughed around her. How would they feel if they knew two supernatural beings were drinking blood mere feet away? It was somehow exciting, to be doing something they weren't supposed to do, in full view of everyone.
"Did you have this planned?" she asked, taking a sip.
"No. Actually, I was coming here whether you joined me or not. I'm just glad you did."
"Me, too. I'll be honest, I was about at the end of my rope at those meetings. Spending time with you and everyone else was the true highlight of this trip."
"Time for some honesty myself. I'd been trying to figure out how to approach you since day one. But it's always fun, battling the nerves. I mean…what does someone say to impress a woman like you?" He hung his head low as he took his own drink. "Holy shit, did I just really say that out loud?"
"I believe you did. Well, old or not, I am still a woman. You could tell me I look good in this dress."
He smiled. "Good," he repeated. "I don't quite think that word covers it."
Victoria had such a good time that she lost track of it. The mortals slowly trickled away, leaving only the two vampires and handful of others behind. They sipped on blood all night, so much that the waiter brought another bottle. She wasn't sure when it happened, but sometime in the middle of the night they ended up sitting next to each other, instead of across the table. Laughing quietly, flirting, playful touching. It was good to know that while so very different, mortals and vampires could enjoy the same things.
Something was happening. She couldn't say exactly what it was, but it was tangible. She was certainly familiar with the possibilities. A one-night-stand, a long term relationship, an endearing friendship, maybe just heavy petting and making out in the back of a limousine. She wasn't sure which.
Victoria had
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