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Fuck.I hadn’t had this moth-to-flame sensation with a mortal since I’d met Elsie a decade ago. Back then, I’d asked Cherie to turn her within a couple of months, too eager to start the rest of forever.

That was always my problem—too eager. Too much of a head-in-the-clouds romantic. And when I was paired with someone like Els?

It was amazing we’d held out as long as we did.

Surely, Vi was unaware that she was showing off the long line of her neck with the curious tilt of her head, drawing my attention to her pulse thrumming just beneath her ivory skin. Even so, the move was incredibly effective.

I wasn’t the only one who noticed either. Sel, one of my regulars, glanced down the bar from their usual stool, their mouth slanting into a charismatic smile as their glance turned into a full-onstare.

Fucking bastard vampire and I had the same type.

I’d practically had to beat them off with a stick when Elsie started coming around. Seemed like I’d have just as much competition when it came to Vi.

That was, if I was going to cross that line.

It wasn’t until Vi cleared her throat expectantly that I realised how much time had passed, her glass now empty where it rested in her hand.

“Come around to this side and I can show you,” I suggested, collecting her empty cup with a lingering brush of our fingers.

“We won’t worry about the point of sale tonight. I’ll have you working the waitress’ queue. Nice and easy that way.”

Vi hopped off her stool, and I politely pretended not to notice the flush dusting her shoulders and chest. Her tiny sparkly handbag caught the lights as she rounded the bar and ducked under the little hinged opening.

“Are you sure it’s okay that I’m dressed like this?” she said with a laugh, motioning at her bare legs and borrowed low-top Converse sneakers in baby pink. In all fairness, the stilettos she’d come in were fine for dancing, but open toes shoes were a hazard on this side of the bar.

Without the added height of the heels, however, I towered over her. The feeling was heady.

I swallowed hard, willing my heavy tongue to say something—anything—that wouldn’t make me sound like a total fucking— “You look good enough to eat.”

What?! Who the fuck says that? Especially when you’re practically this poor woman’s new boss.

Not like that’s stopped you before,a tiny voice chided.

Okay, yeah. Ididhave a habit of dating the girls who worked at the club. But in my defence, it kind of came with the territory when you worked in the service industry. No one else was insane enough to put up with the hours.

Plus, I watched them walk around either half or fully naked all night. I wasonlya vampire.

Vi smirked, using her hip to nudge me out of the way to finish pouring the beers I’d stalled out on during my internal crisis. “Why don’t I just take care of these for you?” she said, voice light with amusement as her warmth leached into my skin, making me even more aware of her proximity.

I turned away quickly, hiding my embarrassment by keying in my code to the register to pull up the outstanding orders.

“I—I meant for theclients,” I replied hastily, though we both knew I didn’t. “Baby told you about the guests, right?”

“Sure you did,” Vi muttered with a laugh that made a prickle rush up the back of my neck. “And, yeah. Not that she needed to... I mean… O is the most notorious vampire club in the Lower City.”

“And the most exclusive,” Sel called unhelpfully.

“Right,” I gritted out, fighting the urge to look at Vi again. Before she could get distracted by the masculine vampire, I clicked on one of the orders. “Can you mix four blood drops and a dry martini?”

“You got it,boss,” Vi said, moving to grab a shaker. The motion made her brush against me, a wave of the sweet perfume clinging to her skin flooding my nose in a tide of vanilla and sweet honeysuckle.

It made my fangsache, the monster lurking under my skin roaring to life like it had in that damned coffee shop. Far too eager for my taste. All the more reason I needed to at least…attempt…to resist.

I was not good at resisting.

I leaned forward to touch the keypad, moving the screen to the next chit, the tips of my fangs practically dripping venom when the side of my body brushed against the front of hers unexpectedly.

“Just so you know…Danais actually your boss,” I ground out through my locked jaw, grabbing a pair of pint glasses. “I’m more like your… supervisor. If that, really.”