Page 6 of Every Bite You Take (Midnight Siren Supernatural Cruises #1)

CHAPTER 6

DAMIEN

“ Y ou look beautiful,” I greeted Kylie when she met me in front of the main restaurant, wearing a pin-up style black dress that clung to her curves and flared down around her calves. Her purple hair was curled into sleek curls that stood out against the black. Her scent filled my nostrils, igniting that familiar craving for her. Since I knew to expect it now, it was easier to control my reaction, rather than turn into some rabid, ravenous beast.

“Thanks. You look very nice yourself.” Her captivating blue-gray eyes twinkled. She glanced at my outfit—one of the usual types I performed in, which was black jeans and boots —but I added a blazer over my shirt to better fit with the vibe. The cruise had a more casual atmosphere than some of the elegant ones I’d heard about, but many opted to dress up more in the evenings.

I turned to the host. “Rula, we’re all set whenever you are.”

I’d stopped by the restaurant earlier to make sure it was cool that I come in with Kylie tonight, and she told me to come later, after the rush. It wasn’t as if I ever ate much in crew dining so coming here once in a while shouldn’t be a big deal. Fortunately, this ship wasn’t as strict as others I’d heard of, where it would be forbidden to date a passenger.

After we were seated at a table for two near the window, the server Henri offered us napkins and menus. Mine was more a formality as I ordered red wine with blood, which I hoped wouldn’t put Kylie off, considering the incident the first night.

While Kylie ordered prosecco, soup, and seafood, I scanned our surroundings. Most of the tables were full, covered with white cloths and elegant place settings. The scents of varied food surrounded us.

“Wow, now this is not what I expected when I booked this cruise.” Her lips curled into a knowing smile. “A fancy date with a vampire rock star.”

“Vampire, yes. Musician, yes. Rock star? That might be pushing it.” I chuckled. “In my teenage dreams, maybe. Now I’m just happy to be able to make a living while creating music.”

Our wine arrived and we each took a sip. Mine was a cabernet with the perfect amount of blood, slightly warmer than room temperature.

“That’s great. How do you like working on the ship?” she asked.

“I’ve only been doing so for a few months, but so far, so good. We work hard but get to visit new places and meet new people.”

Her gaze drifted off. “That could be a bonus. I work evenings myself, but it’s usually the same people. Same place.” She laughed.

“Do you like it there?”

“I do. It’s home. And home is comfortable.”

Or it could be reminders of things you wanted to forget. That wasn’t something I’d bring up, so I changed the subject. “What did you do on your first day onshore?”

“Oh, it was great.” Kylie’s eyes lit up as she told me about walking around Sitka. “So many cool things to see. The totem poles. Learning about the Tlingit culture. Seeing whales as I walked along the shore.”

Her food arrived, and although she noticed I wasn’t eating, she didn’t point it out. She must have been familiar with vampires back home.

Tension from our earlier encounters faded away as our conversation flowed around music, travel, and where we were from. It reminded me of our dance last night. At first, we’d been stiff around each other, but then we’d found an easy rhythm. The memory of holding her in my arms again returned, a reminder of how she’d felt. Her body temperature. How she’d smelled. It had taken all my self-control not to ask her to go somewhere we could be alone—because I wasn’t sure I could trust my impulses around her.

“Kylie, there’s something about you I can’t place. You seem human and—something else.”

She sighed. “I have some witch blood,” she admitted. “But it’s two generations back, dating to my grandmother. Sadly, I don’t seem to have any of her magic.”

A bit of witch blood. That could explain her scent—but not my near-crazed reaction to it. I assessed her. She had to have some magic to bewitch me this way.

She lifted her wine and took a sip, drawing my attention to the shine on her lips. After she put it down, she asked, “What about you? How long have you been a vampire?”

I tore my gaze from her mouth and leaned back in my chair as I contemplated my response. Something about her made me want to share, but I also didn’t want to scare her off. “I was turned ten years ago. In New Orleans.”

“Is that where you’re from?”

“Yeah.” My lips curled as the memory resurfaced. “Many vampires inhabit the area, and when I met one at a show, I asked him to turn me. I’d wanted an escape, thinking it would lead to everything I wanted. I’d be able to pursue my music, without limitations. Who needed sunlight anyway when you were in a band? But I underestimated the negatives. The struggle.”

“For— blood ?” Her voice lowered to a whisper.

“Yes,” I admitted. “Fighting an instinct to become something…darker.”

She stilled, watching me for several seconds, and I was terrified my confession might have scared her away.

Then she asked, “Do you feel…lost?” Her voice remained low, concerned.

“Aren’t we all?” I let out a nervous laugh and ran a hand through my hair. Then I met her eyes again, seeing compassion rather than fear or judgment. “Music helps. It’s always grounded me. Connecting me to something deeper. It helps me feel—human.”

She let out a slow breath. “That makes sense. I think we’re all probably struggling to figure out who we are.” After a pause, she added, “And what we want.”

Surprised, I asked, “Even you?”

She glanced around the dining room before bringing her gaze back to mine. “Yes,” she said. “You’re right—we’re all a little lost no matter what we project to the world.”

Henri arrived with a bowl of chocolate mousse for Kylie, and she smiled and thanked him. God, I was drawn to her.

Once he left, I grinned. “Whoa, I didn’t mean to get so heavy on our first date.”

She took a bit of her dessert slowly, the movement of the spoon sliding into her mouth entrancing. Once she swallowed and put her spoon down, she said, “I like it. Being real. It’s better than phony small talk.”

I kept things lighter as we finished our meal, talking about travels, me living in Nashville, and my favorite ports. When I glanced at the time on my phone, I frowned.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“I need to head out to get ready for my set.”

“Oh, I thought you were done for the night.” Her voice dropped with disappointment.

“With the band, yes. But once a sailing, I perform an acoustic set on my own.”

She gave me a small smile, and her expression brightened. “I get it. You need to work. I had a great time talking with you tonight. Thanks for dinner, Damien.”

No, that couldn’t be the end of this. “Trust me, the last thing I want to do right now is pause this.” I motioned between us. “Come see me later.”

She tilted her head and gazed off with a thoughtful expression. “Well, I was going to go to the musical. Heard it’s a good show.”

Right. She was on vacation. She didn’t want to spend her nights listening to some guy singing cover songs in another bar.

“Hard to compete with a big production.” I forced a half-smile.

“I’m kidding, Damien,” she said. “Of course I’ll come see you play.”