I tip my chin. “You wanted to discuss the library?”
She weighs my words. “Not exactly,” she admits, her face turning from the stars to mine again. I’d almost forgotten in my days away how stunningly beautiful she is. Pale creamy skin, dark hair with flecks of gold, inquisitive gray eyes, high cheekbones, and a full, lush mouth. She’s still dressed from her workday in a skirt-and-blouse combination that makes me all too aware of her female curves and the precise length of time it’s been since I was with a woman. My thoughts turn sinful.
“Have a seat.” I motion for her to join me, and Tressa does—taking a spot on the chair across from me.
The furniture out here is comfortable and plush—a requirement of mine since I enjoy being outside in the evening.
Tressa eyes the coffee table between us. “Would you like a cocktail?” I ask.
She nods. “I don’t really drink, but sure. Why not?”
I fix her the same drink I’ve made for myself—a tart cranberry and lime cocktail. She accepts the glass, and when her fingers brush mine, that electric heat I’ve felt on day one is back, sending sparks of pleasure through my veins.
Tressa seems just as surprised, fumbling with the glass before finally bringing it to her lips for a long swallow.
I try not to look at her throat moving as the liquid slides down. I fail miserably. Just because I’ve forbidden my brother from going near her doesn’t mean I can’t look my fill.
“It’s beautiful here,” she says. “And the cocktail is delicious. Thank you.”
I nod, still watching her. “You mentioned you had a question. I assume it is related to your work.”
She shakes her head. “It’s actually something more personal in nature.”
Now I’m intrigued. “Let’s hear it.”
“Are you sure… I don’t want to overstep…” She sets her drink down on the coffee table and twists her hands in her lap.
She’s beautiful and she still smells faintly of peaches and vanilla. It’s an intoxicating combination.
“Now I’m even more curious.” I grin at her.
“It’s just that… I’ve never met anyone like you before. And you asked before if I had any questions, and now that I’ve thought about it, I guess I do.”
I take a sip of my drink and watch her fidget.
“If that’s okay,” she adds, nervously.
Why not? I’m amused by her and all her many reactions to me. “What would you like to know?”
“You’re my first, um, vampire…” she stammers. The fire in her eyes speaks of her curiosity.
“It’s natural that you’re curious.”
She nods. “Right. It’s just, some of the things I’ve heard… like stakes, and garlic, and… I’m not sure…”
I chuckle. This girl is not like I expect. “Shall we take them one at a time?”
Despite her strange response to me, she’s still here. She’s trying to understand me and my world. I suppose there’s some small part of me that likes that.
Since Tressa is waiting so patiently, I decide to begin. “A stake driven into the heart of a vampire will kill us, that’s true.”
She nods. “I see.”
“I have no idea where the garlic thing came from. It’s tasty, but no, it has no effect on us.”
“Coffins?” she asks next. If I wasn’t so turned on right now, I would chuckle at her innocence. Tressa has piqued my interest in more ways than one.
“Urban legend.”
“Sunlight?”
I take a sip of my cocktail. “Bothersome, but probably no more than what a nocturnal animal experiences in the direct sunlight. It makes us a bit tired, but it’s not painful and doesn’t cause us any harm.”
She regards me with curiosity. “And you’re… immortal?”
I nod. I’ve found that to be an unfortunate side effect of my condition, and while I’m happy to exchange the truth with her, I decide I don’t need to be that vulnerable. I’m entitled to a few secrets.
We cover my increased strength and stamina next, as well as my need for blood. Tressa takes all of this information with a wide-eyed look and clutches her drink in her lap. But she doesn’t look frightened, only curious, like she wants to understand me.
“What about… Bats? Werewolves? Mermaids?” Her gaze moves to mine, and she watches me in wonder.
I chuckle. “Only on TV.”
Satisfied, she snaps her fingers. “I knew it.” Her laugh is soft. I like the sound of it immediately.
She seems pleased for a moment, and we each take another sip of our drinks as the evening breeze lifts a strand of hair from her collarbone. I watch the way it dances in the breeze before landing against the soft skin of her throat again. She’s dizzying and distracting, and I don’t know what to make of my body’s response to her. It’s curious, for certain.
Her mouth is by far her most enchanting feature—lush and full and pink—and I spend more time gazing upon it than I should.
“Is your brother like you?” she asks in a low voice.
An uncomfortable cramp settles in my stomach at the mention of my brother. Remembering his words from earlier makes my fists clench. Have you fucked her yet?
Maybe if I had I wouldn’t be sitting here practically salivating over the poor girl. There’s something to be said for working something out of your system.
“Yes. But he’s younger. Not as disciplined. And his cravings run a little stronger than mine at times.”
I shift uncomfortably in the chair. My brother is a pain in the ass, that much is certain. Still, it’s long past time to get this conversation back on track. I’d much rather learn about the enchanting girl seated across from me than talk about Alastair. “I’ve told you some of my secrets, now it’s time you tell me yours.”
I hear her quick intake of breath and her cheeks blush wildly. Her reactions to me are adorable and my body twitches with pleasure.
“A secret for a secret. Are you game?”
“How does it work?” Her voice sounds steady even if she looks uncertain.
“We each share one truth. Can you handle that?”
She lifts one shoulder. “If you can.”
I offer her a grin. “I’ll begin.” I lean back in my seat and cross one knee over my ankle, still watching her. “Tell me one truth about you that no one else knows.”
For a moment, I’m not sure if she’ll play this game with me. Her expression is open though, and her eyes meet mine. I feel her assess me, her gaze vigilant.
“I felt something when we touched.”
I felt it too—that hot, electrical pulse between us when her skin met mine for the first time.
Emotion stirs within me where it has lain dormant for half a century. It’s disorienting.
“Your turn,” she says in an encouraging voice. To be here, swapping secrets with my new librarian is the last thing I expected, but you couldn’t tear me away now.
Part of me wishes I were human. Maybe instead of the depraved things I crave, I’d have the urge to gather her in my arms and hold her close. Whisper sweet words into her neck, rather than sink my fangs into it.