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“I promise.”

“I don’t believe you.” He sounds like a toddler fighting with his mother which I most certainly am not.

“Zav, are you fucking kidding me?” I think I’ve cursed more in the last five minutes than I have in the last month. This is what he does to me. The smug bastard with his perfect face, adorable glasses, and kissable lips.

I find myself wondering what it would be like to kiss him which is a worrying stray of my thoughts.

Silence continues to greet me, and I look back up into Zavier’s emerald eyes to see excitement bursting in them. For a second, I’m worried he saw right through my inner monologue, but then he smiles the creepiest clown grin I’ve ever seen and bobs his head from side to side while doing a little shimmy dance.

“What’s happening?” My arms shoot out in self-defense as I lean away from the clearly unhinged man in front of me.

“You.” He squeaks out and puts his hands up in front of his mouth to rest on his chin like a little kid.

“Me? I’m failing to see the point.” Tapping my booted foot on the ground I watch him continue to flail in confusion.

“You. Called. Me. Zav.” A girly soundingteeheecomes out of his mouth and I roll my eyes.

“I’m going inside now. Goodbye ... Zav.” I throw the last part in as I enter the building, and the door shuts behind me, but not before I hear the second squeal, he lets out causing me to shake my head in amusement.

Where did he come from? It’s like this man dropped from the sky from some alien planet.

Plastering on a smile, I introduce myself to the owner and ask my questions, all while steadfastly ignoring the man that comes back inside and resumes his class like nothing happened.

CHAPTER 16

ZAVIER

"You look stunning. You’re such a catch anyone would be lucky to have you. Me? Oh, please you flatter me.” Batting a hand at the mirror I chuckle and turn away.

My reflection doesn’t respond, but Midnight watches from his cat bed with one eye open and one closed. A paw outstretched making air biscuits, the end of his tail lightly sways while he sprawls like he’s king of the castle.

“I have to practice, Mr. Meow Meow. You don’t get it.” Midnight harumphs before closing both eyes. I run my fingers through my hair, the nervous tremble impossible to ignore. “You’ve obviously never been nervous to go on a date with your dream girl.”

At this point I’ll have to comb my hair again with how many times I’ve run my fingers through it. Being a three-hundred-year-old vampire doesn’t mean I’m invincible from human emotions and I can say for a fact I haven’t been this nervous in a long time. I’ve dreamed about spending time like this with Celine since the day I spotted her in the warehouse, and now that it’s here I’m floundering.

I don’t like feeling like this … so out of sorts like I don’t know what to do or how to act in my own body.

“This has to be perfect. By the end of the night, I am kissing this woman and convincing her we’re meant to be together.”

Sure, a first date is probably too soon for that, but we’re mates. How can anything be too soon when you have an eternity together? I’m steadfast in my need for Celine to turn, but I still have to go at her pace.

“Meow.”

“Exactly, my friend. You and I know she and I are meant to be together, but she has to admit it to herself.” Bending down and stroking Midnight’s fur I smile. “Thank you for the vote of confidence. This is precisely what I need.”

“Meow.”

“I’ll see you soon, bud.”

With the silence and swiftness of my kind, I slip into my apartment when I hear the elevator and Celine’s scent becomes stronger. Did I sneak into her apartment to get a pep talk from my hype kitty? Absolutely. Midnight is my best friend. I just can’t let Tom find out or his feelings will be hurt.

Our earlier run in today has had my non-existent heart racing and my fangs refusing to retract as per usual. The fangboners are getting out of control. It’s a miracle I get away without her noticing my lisp that happens when they’re in the way.

Honestly, I’m not sure how much longer I can stay away from Celine. Well ... I already don’t do that great of a job at it, but my inner beast is clawing at its cage every time I walk away from her without staking my claim.

It goes against every animalistic cell in my body to not mark her slender neck with my bite for all to see. It’s part of being mates—the animalistic need to claim one another.

Although, in our case, I’m the only one with those urges it seems. As a human she’s certainly drawn to me, but she doesn’t appear to have the same need to claim me.