two fake red holes dripping fake blood down the side of your neck.”
Alexa crossed her arms over her chest, emphasizing her big breasts. “It’s demeaning to real vampires. And it’s annoying. Instead of the daytime talk shows focusing on interracial relationships between vampires and other beings, they’re doing shows on the phenomenon of the undead. We’re a very old, venerated race, and these books have made a mockery of us.”
Max bit back a sigh. He truly felt bad for Alexa. He understood her point, but he also thought she was just a little too touchy about the subject. He figured it harked back to her relationship with Tremain, who’d been a fan of those books before they were popular.
Tremain, who was a real Acerbian vampire like Alexa, had opted to use the undead persona as his performance schtick. Angsty teens and obsessed women flocked to his shows. As his popularity grew, he began talking about the books he loved, and his fans rushed to emulate him. Suddenly, the books were just as popular as Tremain, and the whole undead trend was born. And Alexa had gotten really uptight about it.
The limo pulled up at Butcher’s Block, and Max jumped out, holding out his hand for Alexa who hid behind her sunglasses again. Inside, the hostess led them to their usual table in the corner. A waiter came toward them and set a Manhattan in front of Max and a Pear Martini in front of Alexa.
They both looked up at him. Young and handsome in a brash sort of way, his eyes twinkled at them with good humor.
Alexa smiled. “Hi, Marty! How are ya?”
“I’m still breathing and still not interested in being the undead,” he replied with a grin.
“Good. It’s always better to be a living, breathing being. Trust me on this.” Alexa’s dark head dipped in an emphatic nod.
“She’s like a broken record on that topic today. Good to see ya, Marty.” Max grinned at the waiter.
“Good to see you too, Max. How’s your ass?” Marty’s emerald eyes danced with laughter.
“Worth a couple mil according to the insurance company,” Max quipped. He waved off the menus Marty started to hand him. “Just the usual for us. No surprises. It’s been a long day of shopping.”
Marty started scribbling on a pad. “What did you buy?”
Alexa growled a little, rolling her eyes in true snark fashion. “Nothing. The Prince here couldn’t find a mattress to suit him.”
Marty looked at Max in surprise. “You were shopping for a mattress? Aren’t they all kinda the same?”
Max sighed. No one understood his dilemma. “No. They aren’t all the same. I need something softer than the usual mattress. I just can’t seem to find anything that will work.”
Marty looked thoughtful for a moment, then he said, “Lemme think about that while I turn in your order.”
The expression on Alexa’s face was priceless. Max’s lips quirked up. When Marty was out of earshot they both started laughing. “That would be the weirdest thing ever, Maxie. Our waiter solving your sleep issue.” Alexa wheezed as she tried to stop laughing.
Taking a deep breath to push the laughter down, Max shook his head and reached for his drink. “I don’t care who solves it, as long as it gets solved.”
“I just don’t get why it’s so important.” Alexa rubbed her finger down the stem of the glass.
Max wasn’t about to explain it to her in a public place so he made light of the situation. “It’s important because I never get to be on the bottom.”
Alexa choked on her drink. “Max, you’re not even seeing anyone.”
He gave her an arch look. “If I meet someone today, I don’t get to be on the bottom.”
She rolled her eyes and groaned. “You’re incorrigible,” she muttered.
Marty returned with fresh drinks for them. “You know, Max, I may have something different for you to try. I’ll make a phone call and let you know.”
They stared at Marty’s departing back then looked at each other blankly.
“Now, that’s just
Alexa crossed her arms over her chest, emphasizing her big breasts. “It’s demeaning to real vampires. And it’s annoying. Instead of the daytime talk shows focusing on interracial relationships between vampires and other beings, they’re doing shows on the phenomenon of the undead. We’re a very old, venerated race, and these books have made a mockery of us.”
Max bit back a sigh. He truly felt bad for Alexa. He understood her point, but he also thought she was just a little too touchy about the subject. He figured it harked back to her relationship with Tremain, who’d been a fan of those books before they were popular.
Tremain, who was a real Acerbian vampire like Alexa, had opted to use the undead persona as his performance schtick. Angsty teens and obsessed women flocked to his shows. As his popularity grew, he began talking about the books he loved, and his fans rushed to emulate him. Suddenly, the books were just as popular as Tremain, and the whole undead trend was born. And Alexa had gotten really uptight about it.
The limo pulled up at Butcher’s Block, and Max jumped out, holding out his hand for Alexa who hid behind her sunglasses again. Inside, the hostess led them to their usual table in the corner. A waiter came toward them and set a Manhattan in front of Max and a Pear Martini in front of Alexa.
They both looked up at him. Young and handsome in a brash sort of way, his eyes twinkled at them with good humor.
Alexa smiled. “Hi, Marty! How are ya?”
“I’m still breathing and still not interested in being the undead,” he replied with a grin.
“Good. It’s always better to be a living, breathing being. Trust me on this.” Alexa’s dark head dipped in an emphatic nod.
“She’s like a broken record on that topic today. Good to see ya, Marty.” Max grinned at the waiter.
“Good to see you too, Max. How’s your ass?” Marty’s emerald eyes danced with laughter.
“Worth a couple mil according to the insurance company,” Max quipped. He waved off the menus Marty started to hand him. “Just the usual for us. No surprises. It’s been a long day of shopping.”
Marty started scribbling on a pad. “What did you buy?”
Alexa growled a little, rolling her eyes in true snark fashion. “Nothing. The Prince here couldn’t find a mattress to suit him.”
Marty looked at Max in surprise. “You were shopping for a mattress? Aren’t they all kinda the same?”
Max sighed. No one understood his dilemma. “No. They aren’t all the same. I need something softer than the usual mattress. I just can’t seem to find anything that will work.”
Marty looked thoughtful for a moment, then he said, “Lemme think about that while I turn in your order.”
The expression on Alexa’s face was priceless. Max’s lips quirked up. When Marty was out of earshot they both started laughing. “That would be the weirdest thing ever, Maxie. Our waiter solving your sleep issue.” Alexa wheezed as she tried to stop laughing.
Taking a deep breath to push the laughter down, Max shook his head and reached for his drink. “I don’t care who solves it, as long as it gets solved.”
“I just don’t get why it’s so important.” Alexa rubbed her finger down the stem of the glass.
Max wasn’t about to explain it to her in a public place so he made light of the situation. “It’s important because I never get to be on the bottom.”
Alexa choked on her drink. “Max, you’re not even seeing anyone.”
He gave her an arch look. “If I meet someone today, I don’t get to be on the bottom.”
She rolled her eyes and groaned. “You’re incorrigible,” she muttered.
Marty returned with fresh drinks for them. “You know, Max, I may have something different for you to try. I’ll make a phone call and let you know.”
They stared at Marty’s departing back then looked at each other blankly.
“Now, that’s just
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