Chapter Six
Why the hell am I on a date with a vampire?
Maybe something really was wrong with her head. She’d been humiliated and embarrassed trying to convince the police that a vampire had attacked her. Ha! If he attacked her again they would really have a laugh. In the hotel room she’d gone from trying to figure out how to reach the pencil in her purse to stake him, to agreeing to a date. All because of her stomach and its insistent need to be full.
When he’d asked her out she’d been more than skeptical, but with her stomach singing the songs of its people she had forgone all common sense and self-preservation. While he’d flagged down a cab, she’d sent a quick text to Bride and Jamie.
Grabbing something to eat. I’ll be back in a little bit.
At the last second, she’d left out the part about stupidly leaving with the vampire who’d attacked her. What could she have said anyway? “Hey, guys, guess what? I really didn’t lose my marbles. Vampires do exist. And by the way, I’m out having dinner with him and this time I’m not on the menu! Ha ha ha. Well, I hope that I’m not on the menu anyways. See you guys later! (Maybe) LOL”
The restaurant he’d taken her to resembled a regular shotgun style house that New Orleans was famous for. There were square tables placed strategically into four small rooms. Their table was in one of the larger rooms and shared the space with the five-seat bar slash overflow seating and entrance to the kitchen. Pictures of musicians dotted the much need of a fresh coat of paint walls. Outdated carpet was on the floor. Not the typical place that she would’ve stopped to eat at, but when she took the first bite of her food, she was glad that she hadn’t begged to go to a commercial restaurant instead.
Dani took another bite of her food, stuffing her mouth full of jambalaya and groaned out loud when an array of spices hit her taste buds.
Ramsey shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I take it that you like it?”
He sat across from her, looking as debonair as one of those high-end runway models that always looked delicious in tailored suits … and underwear. His dark hair was cut low on the sides with the top longer and scooped up in the front. His chiseled nose went perfectly with his full lips and strong jaw. But it was his eyes that captivated her, smoky grey framed in an abundance of long dark lashes.
His knee brushed against hers. Her heart raced, sending her stomach into a fluttery mess.
But in reality, he didn’t need to touch her for her to have a school girl reaction to him. All he had to do was look at her and say something in that sexy-as-hell French accent and she turned all gooey inside. Her best bet in getting through dinner without dropping her panties at his feet was to sit up straight so that they didn’t touch and not look at him.
She closed her eyes and chewed slowly, savoring the flavor and pushing thoughts of him from her mind. “Mmm.”
“See? I told you this was the best little-known restaurant in NOLA.”
She opened her eyes to focus on her food—not to take another glimpse his way. “How did you find out about this place anyway?” She used her fork to point at the empty placemat in front of him. When they’d sat down, their server, a perky older woman, hadn’t even offered him a menu or given him a customary glass of water. Did she know what he was? It was like he wasn’t even trying to hide it. “I’m guessing that you don’t eat.” She shoveled another bite into her mouth and almost orgasmed on the spot. Her eyes rolled back, and she groaned.
Ramsey cleared his throat and adjusted in his seat. “My assistant swears by this place. If his weight hadn’t started to be affected he would eat here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”
She swallowed and opened her eyes wide. “They serve breakfast, too?” Pictures of omelets, cheesy grits, and andouille sausages danced in her head.
“You should bring your…”
“Sister and best friend.”
“You should bring them here tomorrow. There’s usually a line going down the block, but if you want I can talk to the owner and let her know to expect you.”
When their cab had pulled up, it was to a crowd of people waiting to get in. She’d gotten out of the cab and made her way to the back of the line, assuming they would stand behind the others. But Ramsey had led her up the stairs and into the building where they’d only had to wait a few minutes for a table to clear.
“That would be great. My breakfast this morning consisted of two watery scrambled eggs, hard toast, a cup of apricots floating in syrup, orange juice, and sludge for coffee. So, yeah. I’m coming back here tomorrow.”
“I’ll let Drenda know. Excuse me.”
Ramsey stood, and Dani tried hard not to lose her breath. Good lord, he’s a perfect specimen.
He had on a black, short-sleeved polo shirt that left little to the imagination. The shirt looked as if it had been poured over his well-formed chest muscles. Hard nipples stabbed at the material. His shirt was tucked into fitted, purple slacks. His pants didn’t cling to his legs, but showed the definition of his muscles clearly underneath. His pants tapered at the bottom and rose just above his ankles. His black leather shoes matched the belt cinched around his lean waist. Not many men could’ve been able to pull off his look, but Ramsey did it with style. He was the epitome of sexy.
When he walked away, exuding confidence, she sucked in a breath as she watched his ass. Round and firm. She would love to cop a feel. Just one squeeze would hold her over for eternity. Never going to happen. She let out a sigh.
He turned to give her a look over his shoulder. One side of his mouth lifted.
Did he hear me?
The knowing smile of his told her yes.
Dani flushed all types of red and dropped her gaze to study him through her lashes. He stopped by the bar and sandwiched himself between two customers. When he leaned over to speak to their server his pants stretched across his backside.
Her mouth dropped open. Oh, my God. Why did he have to do that?
The server looked in her direction and smiled. She was an older lady with white hair pulled into a bun. A multitude of wrinkles covered her face. She said something to Ramsey, and he chuckled. She gave him a pat on his arm and nodded.
The exchange was personal and friendly. A slight pang of jealousy crept through her. When he sauntered back to the table she pretended that her food was more important than anything in the world. She couldn’t watch him coming back. She wasn’t sure if she could control the lust on her face if she did. He was Adonis incarnate.
He pulled out his chair and eased into it gracefully. Every move he made was fluid. “Drenda said to come by anytime you want and she’ll get you a table.”
“Thanks.” She took another bite of her food, and it melted across her tongue. She moaned again.
Ramsey cleared his throat. “So what have you and your friends done since being in town?”
She watched him pointedly. “Besides cruising up and down Bourbon Street and getting assaulted by vampires?” She shrugged. “Nothing special.”
He crinkled his nose. “Those two items are kind of in the same category, huh?”
She couldn’t help but chuckle. “Yeah, I would lump them together.”
Her phone chimed with an incoming text. Probably Bride or Jamie wondering why I left without them. But when she pulled the phone from her pocket, Alex’s name was displayed.
Just checking in on you. Are you having a good time?
Weird. Since when did Alex text her about anything other than work schedule issues?
Something primal … dangerous flashed behind Ramsey’s eyes. “Boyfriend?”
She shook her head and stuffed her phone into her pocket without responding to the message. “No, just a coworker.”
He lifted his chin a fraction of an inch. “You do know that there are a lot of things to do in and around the city besides Bourbon Street, don’t you?”
She rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. “Tell that to my sister, Bride. All she wants to do is party and pick up guys.”
He narrowed his eyes. The playfulness dropped from his face. “And you? Are you here to pick up guys?”
“Guys? Heck no.” With school and work taking up all of her time she couldn’t entertain the thought of a boyfriend. Maybe after she graduated and got a new position she could finally focus on having fun and a social life. She could even try one of those online dating sites. She stirred her food with her fork.
“Why the ‘heck no’?”
She gave her head a light shake. “I’m not here for that. I would love to do all the touristy things that this city has to offer. It’s my first time here. I would love to see the sights. This place has so much history and culture. Nothing like Los Angeles where everything is so commercialized. I would hate to come all this way to spend my time on a few streets and don’t experience anything else.”
“We’ll have to fix that.”
She looked up. Her breath caught in her throat. He was so perfect that it was almost a crime.
“I’ll have to come back someday, maybe without my sister if I want to do more than drink and party,” she said when she’d finally found her voice.
He stared at her. His eyes sucked her into him. Her breaths became deep and labored, making her chest hurt.
He broke eye contact and crossed his legs. The effect that he had on her body didn’t dissipate. She tried eating again, and instantly the pain in her chest was replaced with heaven in her belly. Food solved all problems. It was such a giver that way.
“How long will you be in town?”
“Until Sunday.” She stuffed another bite into her mouth.
He gave her a thoughtful nod.
She swallowed hard, forcing the too-big food wad down her throat. “How long have you lived here?” She pointed at him. “And if you tell me something like ‘hundreds of years’,” she mocked his deep French accent. “I will stab you.”
He chuckled, and dimples displayed in both cheeks. “And why is that?”
“Because it would be so unfair if you were hundreds of years old when you look like you’re in your twenties.”
He used his finger to pretend to write on his palm. “Don’t tell Danya how old I am. Check.”
She laughed. “I go by Dani.” Something flashed behind his eyes, but it was gone before she could put a finger on it.
“Dani? That’s an … interesting name.” He looked off in thought. “I’ve heard it before,” he said more to himself than to her.
She shrugged. It wasn’t that interesting at all. “But back to what we were talking about, don’t tell me your age if it’s going to freak me out.”
“Just to give you an idea of my age. I’ve been at my current residence for about fifty years now.”
Her jaw dropped. “I swear you don’t look anything near fifty.”
He lifted a perfectly sculpted shoulder. “It comes with the condition.”
She eyed him. How crazy was her situation? She was sitting across from a real vampire…
But was she really? How was she to know that he wasn’t just some psycho who went around with fake teeth attacking helpless women? For all she knew he’d probably planned all of this.
She squinted at him. “How do I know that you are what you say you are?”
He looked at her quizzically. “And that is?”
She leaned over the table. “A vampire,” she whispered.
He leaned to meet her. “I never said that I was a vampire. You did,” he whispered.
She pulled away and inhaled a sharp breath. “You have got to be friggin’ kidding me,” she mumbled. “You are some psycho playing a game with me.” She snatched the napkin from across her lap and balled it up and threw it on the table. “Can’t get a date the regular way?” She slid back her chair, ready to bolt for the door. But before she could blink he was behind her, pushing her chair into place. “Wha—”
He leaned over her shoulder. The heat from his skin caressed the side of her face. “I am a vampire,” he whispered into her ear. “And just for the record never run away from one of us. We would love nothing more than to chase you down. We’re predators.”
This was all kinds of wrong. His obvious threat sent tingling pleasurable shivers across her neck and down her spine. She let out a ragged breath. He pushed away slowly then walked around the table and settled into his seat.
“You could’ve just said so without being so damn dramatic about it.” She stabbed at her food again.
He let out a laugh. “Seriously? You were more upset when you thought I was a man playing dating tricks than about me being a vampire?”
She glared at him. He was even more the epitome of perfection while he laughed. “I thought it was all an act to get a date.”
He laughed harder and tried to stifle it with a hand covering his mouth.
“It could happen,” she grumbled. “There are a lot of weirdos out there.”
He tried to rein in his laughter. “Yes, yes, there are. So, have you determined if I’m a weirdo yet?”
“Dude, you drink blood.” She held her fork above her head. “You’re like up here on the weirdo scale.”
He pouted. “Well, that sucks.”
This time she chuckled. She set her fork down and shrugged. “But what’s crazy is that you aren’t the weirdest guy I know.”
“He isn’t?”
Dani stared up at a pale man with silver hair and a lean build. His presence was jarring. She could’ve sworn that he hadn’t been standing by their table a second before and now he was, this man dressed in a tailored suit.
The man looked at Ramsey and frowned. “Because he’s definitely the weirdest guy I know.”
Ramsey laid a hand on the table and thrummed lightly. He looked relaxed, but his body seemed coiled in tension, ready for battle. “Vallus, is there a particular reason why you’re here disturbing my … date?”
Wait. They were on a real date? Her heart did that fluttering thing, and she went all giddy inside. Why was she happy that her attacker was taking her on a date? If that didn’t prove she was stupid nothing would.
“I stopped by your house, and Marcos said that you were out with a woman. A human one.” Vallus turned to her and held out his hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Vallus.”
She took it. His hand was cold and hard like steel, but she smiled at him. “Dani.”
Ramsey thrummed his fingers louder. Vallus released her hand. “Just making nice,” he said to Ramsey.
“Vallus,” Ramsey said in a voice that set the hairs on the back of her neck on end. “You have less than a minute to explain yourself before I make you regret showing up here.”
“I was coming by for a visit. I was a little curious about your date. But I can come back when you’re in less of a…” He glanced at Dani. “Killing mood.”
“I would suggest that, too.”
Dani watched the exchange, her eyes darted from Vallus to Ramsey. If they had some kind of vampire battle she and everyone else in the restaurant would be caught in the middle.
When Vallus didn’t reply she looked up and found an empty space where he’d been standing.
“Whoa,” she exclaimed.
Ramsey waved a dismissive hand at the empty space. “Never mind him. He’s prone to the theatrics at times.”
“So does that happen often?” Dani asked. “Enemy vampires popping in on you?”
Ramsey frowned. “Huh? Vallus is one of my closest friends.”
Her jaw dropped. That’s how vampire friends reacted to each other?
Drenda came over with a to-go box. “Dessert, honey?”
Dani wanted to say yes, but the zipper on her jeans were about to pop. “No, thank you. I don’t think I have any more room in my stomach.”
“Do you like chocolate cake?” Drenda asked.
Dani’s mouth salivated. She nodded.
Drenda gave her a wink. “Well, I’ll get you a slice to go. You can eat it later.” Drenda slapped Ramsey on the arm with the towel that had been in her apron pocket. “That’s for letting her fill up. You know I like for folks to enjoy my cake.”
Ramsey feigned hurt and rubbed his arm. “I’ll remember next time.”
The smile dropped from Dani’s face. Next time? How many women did he bring here?
Probably tons. Just look at him.
Her heart became ten times heavier. She concentrated on putting the rest of her food in the container and not spilling it all over the table. When she was done she put the container in the bag. Ramsey came around to pull out her chair.
“We didn’t get the bill yet.” She stood and reached into her purse with her free hand. What she wasn’t going to be tonight was just another one of his many dates. She would pay for her own meal, thank you very much.
He reached around her waist and placed a hand on hers. His touch electrified her. His body pressed against her ever so lightly.
“I’ll take care of Drenda later.” His face was close to hers again, and she tingled. “Besides, this was a gift to you for last night. You weren’t paying anyway.”
So not really a date, date. Just something to satisfy a guilt trip. Dani pursed her mouth closed and glanced away.
Drenda came by with another small container that she put in Dani’s bag. “Happy eating, child,” she said while watching Ramsey with one eyebrow raised.
Ramsey took a step away from Dani’s back and with that movement, took his heat with him. “I’ll see you later, Drenda.”
Drenda gave him a stern nod, then glanced at Dani, and her face lit up again. “And I’ll see you in the morning.”
Dani returned her smile. “You bet.”
Ramsey led her outside by the elbow and hailed the first cab that came their way. On the way back to the hotel neither one of them talked. They sat on opposite ends of the back seat. When the cab pulled up in front of her hotel Dani scrambled out with a goodbye and thank you. Too many emotions warred within her body, and too many thoughts ran through her head.
He was a friggin’ vampire. She’d seen the movies and read the books—tons of them. She was attracted to him because she was supposed to be. He was a predator, he’d admitted as such. He probably had four different women for each day of the week. This was not normal. No matter every which way she sliced it, flipped it or turned the situation over.
She could not be interested in a vampire.
She almost ran to her room and opened the door. Jamie and Bride both looked up at her at the same time. They were on opposite beds and in their pajamas.
Jamie got off the bed first and made a beeline straight for Dani. “Mmm goodies. What do you have in the bag? It smells delicious.”
“What took you so long? You said that you were going out to eat hours ago,” Bride said.
Dani let Jamie liberate the leftovers from her then leaned her back against the door. “I went on a date with the vampire.”
Jamie froze.
Bride jumped off the bed. “That’s it. We’re taking you back to the hospital.”