Page 17 of Every Bite You Take (Midnight Siren Supernatural Cruises #1)

CHAPTER 17

KYLIE

T he tinkling sound of the piano keys reached me as I served customers in the Celestial Lounge. The view of the ocean stretched across the room from the windows that lined the space. It had been a month since I’d joined the staff of the Moonlight Siren.

Gianna had thrown me a going-away party at the Danger Zone, a phenomenal night where I had a chance to say goodbye to good friends.

“I'm gonna miss you so much, Kylie.” Gianna had given me a big hug.

“I'll miss you too,” I said, choking up a little. "And everyone here." I glanced at the familiar faces of coworkers and regulars who’d come in over the years.

“Come back and visit us,” said Eddie, a longtime customer.

“I will.” Pushing forward a smile, I added, “Come and see me too. Book a sailing. You'll have a blast.”

“Oh, I definitely will,” Gianna declared. “Maybe get a bunch of us together.”

“That would be fantastic,” I replied.

The next day, I’d flown from Boston with a bit of wistfulness back to Seattle to start my new job working onboard. Change was exciting, yet it wasn’t easy to uproot your life to start over somewhere else without the familiarity of home. But I was thrilled that I worked up the nerve to take this leap.

The piano set ended, and the bustle died down, so I was able to take a short break. I walked around the outside deck, gazing up at the moon and stars while the sea breeze flowed through my hair. I inhaled the ocean scent, letting the salty aroma soothe me. Once I reached the bow, I stared forward at the dark waves where the ship sailed. New discoveries lay ahead with a new itinerary and passengers. I was excited to explore our next ports of call when we repositioned to the Caribbean.

Piper walked around the corner with staff from the art auction, all of them in uniform. “Kylie, thought you were working tonight?”

“I’m on break,” I said with a smile. “Meet up tomorrow?”

“You bet,” she said with a grin.

Piper was my first friend on board, and it was great to hang out with her whenever we both had the same time period off, especially while Damien slept. Both she and Damien had introduced me to many crewmates. There were so many that it would be some time before I met anyone. But I liked meeting new people, seeing familiar faces, visiting new places—and most of all, spending time with Damien.

What he’d said was spot on about our connection—I’d never felt so close to anyone before. I didn’t have his supernatural abilities, but I did know what we had was real, without any doubt.

I returned to the lounge for the last part of my shift, where Damien would play an acoustic set. Blue Luna Shadows was searching for a new bassist since Angus had quit. When Damien had come to Boston, we’d talked about where we should go. Stay in Boston. Return to the Moonlight Siren. Start fresh somewhere new.

With help from the Salem Supernatural Network, I was hired by the cruise line. The line for drinks grew as people poured in, keeping me busy for the next several minutes. The sound of guitar strumming caught my attention. I glanced up, caught Damien’s eye as he began to play, and he winked at me. A rush of heat surged through my veins, the way it always did whenever I was near him.

I smiled at him. Yes, I’d made the right decision. I couldn’t think of anything better than exploring the world with my sexy vampire.