“Okay, that’s him.” I bumped Charlie with my elbow. “Remember, the signal is, if I tap my fingers on my knee three times, you come save me with some family emergency.”

“Got it, Blondie. Don’t you worry.” He turned sideways on his stool. “Ooo. He’s a pretty one. Go get him.”

He patted me on the behind, a little encouragement. My date, Christopher, was searching the bar, but stopped when he saw me. Whoa. Now that was a beautiful smile.

“Christopher?” I asked, knowing it was him. He looked exactly like his profile.

“That’s me.” He smiled wider, his dimples popping. Mercy. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Isadora.”

He held out his hand so I shook it. A good shake. Pleasantly firm grip.

“Um, I saved us a booth over here.” I gestured to the corner near the stage. Nico was set up but wasn’t playing just yet.

We settled in, and I felt surprisingly at ease. Strange that it should be with a vampire that I felt most comfortable.

“Nice place,” he said, looking around. “Never been here before.”

“It’s my family’s place,” I admitted, deciding to be more open and honest with this date.

His blue eyes widened. “Really? That’s so cool.”

“Yeah. Me and my sisters own it together. I do the bookkeeping for both the Cauldron and Mystic Maybelle’s next door.”

“That’s a great setup. A family business. Or businesses, actually.” When he chuckled, it was a pleasant, rumbly sound. “I’m an architect for a larger firm, which isn’t always that great. I imagine the family business is rewarding, even if it’s hard working with your sisters sometimes.”

“True, it is. What firm is that?”

“Bentley and Marks. We’re based in Kenner actually. Do mostly commercial work for Metairie and Kenner.”

Wow. A well put-together guy who answered my questions and everything. This date was going amazingly well. And still, I didn’t feel that spark of attraction, that undeniable chemistry that I’d hoped for.

“Hey, Iz.” Belinda sidled up to us. “What can I get you two?”

Christopher turned to me. “What do you have good on draft?”

“The Witch’s Brew is really good.”

He turned to Belinda. “I’ll take that then.”

“A glass of Chardonnay for me,” I said.

“Any particular brand?”

“JJ knows what I like.”

While she marched off, I caught Devraj sitting at the bar next to Charlie. He was turned sideways on the stool, one hand wrapped around a tumbler of what looked like JJ’s Blood Orange Old Fashioned. He was listening to Charlie, but as if he knew my eyes were on him, he looked directly at me. I held for just a second, then turned away, a little shocked to catch such a somber expression on his face. Last time, he’d found my whole dating thing amusing.

“You alright?” asked Christopher, reaching across the table and touching my hand.

I drew back on instinct.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized. “You just looked upset.”

“No, it’s okay. It’s nothing.”

Nothing but the realization that seeing Devraj sad made me suddenly very sad. Was Mr. I-Could-Charm-the-Panties-Off-Anyone more interested in me than I’d thought? Maybe something with the case had him looking that way. Maybe it had nothing to do with me.

“You sure?” asked Christopher.

“Absolutely. So tell me about blood-drinking,” I charged ahead. “What’s that like?”

“Wow. So we’re just going there right away.”

“Yep.” I wanted more answers about this side of the vampire, and Christopher could give them to me. “We are.”

He laughed, dimples popping, which was endearing as he fiddled nervously with the napkin in his lap. Note to self: a blushing vampire was adorable.

“Can I be totally honest?” he asked, chin down as he peered up beneath long eyelashes.

“I prefer that.”

He shifted anxiously and set his clasped hands on the table. “It’s a lot like sex actually.”

“For the vampire or for the blood host?”

“For both.”

“You’ve been both?” I asked curiously.

I’d never thought of a vampire being bitten as well, but of course anyone could serve as a blood host. Humans were just more open to the idea.

“It’s very intimate,” he said. “And pleasurable. For both parties.”

Belinda strode up and set down our drinks. “Here we are. Enjoy!” She smiled and sauntered off just as Nico settled behind the mic, hooked his guitar strap over his shoulder, and started to play. I recognized the soft tune of a familiar song. Then he began to sing KALEO’s “I Can’t Go On Without You.”

Christopher drank a little of his beer. “I have to say I’m a little surprised you’re interested. I mean, are you interested?”

His demeanor remained friendly, but his blue eyes rolled with silver, his vampire very much liking the idea.

The fact is, I was interested. But not with him, I didn’t think. I needed to be sure.

“Let’s dance.” I took an unladylike gulp of my wine for courage then set it down and stood from the booth.

“Okay.”

He seemed caught off guard but stood and took my hand quickly enough. He led me the few paces to our small dancefloor.

We slid into each other’s arms easily, his hands on my waist, mine laced around his neck. He wasn’t quite as tall as Devraj, bringing our faces closer together. He was a seriously good-looking guy. Hot, even. And nice. Friendly. Normal, not a nut job. And yet, still, I swayed in his arms, wondering why he couldn’t make me feel the way Devraj did.

My gaze skated over his shoulder to the man forefront in my thoughts. He stood beside Charlie now, back to the bar, both elbows resting behind him. He was not happy. But all I could do was eat up his perfect physique in dark jeans and black fitted T-shirt. Good heavens, that man was fine. And sweet and gentle. My pulse tripped faster, and not because of the man I was dancing with. This was so unfair to Christopher.

Nico’s voice, normally so deep, crooned the lilting melody of KALEO’s desperation in his high-pitched key when he sang the chorus. Nico’s eyes were closed as he sang with heavy emotion, drawing the attention of everyone in the restaurant. The incessant chatting had lowered, and I couldn’t do anything but stare at Devraj, wishing I was dancing with him.

“Isadora.” My gaze snapped to Christopher. Damn, now his eyes were all sad. “You’re a lovely woman, but I’m pretty sure your heart isn’t into this.” He lifted a hand and gestured between the two of us. “Am I right?”

“No, Christopher. I mean, maybe. I don’t know.”

“I think I do.” He looked over at the bar at Devraj who unashamedly watched us, his expression stoic, steady. Not threatening, but still, a touch too intense before he turned to something Charlie said beside him. “I think that vampire at the bar staring daggers through the back of my skull might be the reason.”

“I’m so sorry,” I stammered. “I didn’t mean to waste your time.”

“You didn’t.” He smiled, and I wished I could be attracted to this uncomplicated, great guy. But I knew I couldn’t. “Let’s finish our drinks, then I’ll be on my way.”

I nodded, and we ambled back to the booth and did just that. Christopher talked about trivial things, the last St. Patrick’s Day parade in the French Quarter where he watched a friend drink from a woman while she downed a green beer, both of them getting wildly drunk on booze and boozy blood. I smiled and laughed where appropriate, but all I could do was hope he’d leave soon. Devraj was still there, and I couldn’t focus on much while he was.

Before long though, Christopher pulled out a twenty and set it on the table and stood. “It was such a pleasure meeting you, Isadora. I hope he deserves you.”

“Not sure he wants me the way you’re thinking.” In the permanent way, my poor heart whimpered. But I was starting to realize I wanted him for as long as I could have him. And no amount of dating other people was going to make me want someone else.

Christopher came to my side, cupped my cheek, leaned over, and pressed a slow kiss to my lips. It was nice. Really nice. But it wasn’t Devraj.

He pulled back, still holding my cheek. “Maybe that’ll get him moving.” He caressed my cheekbone with his thumb. “If it doesn’t work out, please give me a call.” Then he flashed one of those dimpled smiles and left.

Three seconds later, Devraj was standing beside me, examining my features with somber intensity. “Can we talk?”

I gestured toward the spot where Christopher sat a minute before. He stared at it, clenching his jaw.

“Somewhere else?”

“Sure.”

When I stood, he laced his fingers with mine and led me out the door and up Magazine where people meandered to and from bars.

“How’d your date go?” he asked, a roughness in his voice I wasn’t used to.

“Fine.”

“Just fine?”

Sighing, I pulled my hand from his and faced him. “I liked him. He’s a nice guy. Has a steady job here in New Orleans. He’s attractive.” When he winced, I continued, “So yeah, it was fine.”

A laughing couple brushed past us. He took my hand and tugged me around the corner of the Cauldron into the alley. “Then why did it last barely an hour?”

“What are you getting at?”

He shoved his hands in his jean’s pockets. “I just want to know if you’re really interested in him before I offer a proposition to you.”

I leaned back against the brick wall behind me. “What kind of proposition?”

He eased closer. “So you’re not going out with him again?”

No reason to pretend I was, I shook my head. His dark eyes flared with silver before he pressed closer, placing his hands on either side of my head, caging me in.