Page 33 of Vampire so Virtuous (Boston Vampires #1)

“Not that table, let’s get the one in the corner,” Eve said. “Priya’s joining us.”

They were in the other coffee shop—the one between their two offices. Bright, uniform décor, functional layout, bulk-sourced coffee, efficient service. Everything their usual haunt lacked, including the cozy, welcoming feeling.

“Priya, huh? Wait. Does that mean Zara’s coming too?”

“Don’t worry, she’s on a work trip. Priya was feeling lonely.”

“Well, we can’t have that.”

“Yup,” Eve said, distracted by her phone. “She’s about here.”

“Ask what she wants.”

Eve sent a quick message and read the response. Her eyebrows twitched. “Uh, I’ll just forward this to you. You get the coffees, I’ll get the seats.” She headed for the corner.

Cally’s phone vibrated as she walked to the counter; the queue wasn’t long.

“Two lattes please, and”—she opened the message—“a… oh… er… a grande half-caf oat milk caramel macchiato with an extra shot of blonde espresso, one pump of vanilla, one pump of hazelnut, and a light caramel drizzle. Please.” She looked up, apologetic. “Did that make sense?”

“I think I got it,” the server said, frowning.

The thought of Antoine with such a drink was funny. Did all the blood he drank taste the same? Had he ever even tried coffee?

She shook her head, irritated with herself. Why was she thinking about him like that? He was a vampire. A monster. And hadn’t he proved it again when she found him enslaving people, turning them into ‘thralls’?

It was inexcusable. Yet he’d seemed reluctant, as if the whole process was distasteful. He’d said it was necessary… but was it, really?

What unsettled her most was her own response to it. To him. She should feel nothing but anger and revulsion—and she did. But it wasn’t that simple.

She leaned against the counter, trying to make sense of it.

It boiled down to this: Antoine seemed good.

Not that there was any real evidence—if anything, there was plenty to the contrary.

He took what he wanted, whether or not she said yes.

He stole free will like it was his right.

And yet, deep down, beneath it all, she swore there was a good man in there.

He might still be a monster, but fear no longer played a part in how she saw him. The only truly scary thing about him was what passed for his sense of humor.

And yes, it helped that he was smooth, effortlessly charismatic, teasing with a boyish charm, protective in ways she didn’t fully understand, and aggravatingly sexy. He oozed it, without even trying. Even when he wasn’t biting her and making her—

Cally swallowed hard.

Thank God her order was called a moment later.

Priya arrived too, wearing a skirt suit that was far smarter than her usual jeans and T-shirt. She waved as she bounced over. “Hey Cally. Where’s Eve?”

“In the corner.” Cally led the way, balancing the tray.

Eve greeted Priya with her boisterous cheek-bussing thing, which garnered even more strange looks in this venue than at their regular café. Then they all sat down, helping themselves to their drinks, suitably reverent as they all took their first sips.

“So, Zara’s out of town?” Eve said to Priya.

“Yup. Gone ‘til the weekend.”

“That must make things quiet.”

Priya lowered her eyes. “She’s lovely, but she can be… intense.”

Eve cocked her head. “That guy she was talking about a couple weeks back. The one she said she’d, uh, have some dinners with. Was that someone you were interested in, too?”

Cally looked up. She hadn’t missed Priya’s frown when Zara had shared that story.

“Oh no, that’s fine,” Priya replied lightly, neither affirming nor denying it. “Besides, I have a boyfriend now.”

“You do?” Eve perked up. “Details!”

Priya beamed, practically wriggling in her seat. “Well, his name is Michael. He’s six-two, lovely blonde hair, the dreamiest blue eyes, muscles in all the right places, and amazing arms.”

Eve glanced at Cally; Priya didn’t notice, too busy sighing happily. “Uh-huh. How did you guys meet?”

“Oh, Lily introduced us.” Priya leaned in, eyes dancing with glee. “It was a blind date. ”

“Lily, huh?” Cally muttered. “Where does she keep finding all these men?”

“She’s in some local Discord group, I think.” Priya took a sip of her coffee.

Cally blinked. “You hooked up with some guy Lily found in a Discord group?”

“That’s right,” Priya said, then saw Cally’s expression. “Don’t worry, it’s the same one she found Stefan on.”

“That makes me feel so much better,” Cally said dryly.

“Though she did mention that Stefan has been very quiet lately,” Priya continued, oblivious.

“Good.” Maybe that sleazy bastard had actually taken her warning seriously.

“How did your date go with him? I never asked you.”

“It didn’t work out.”

“Oh, such a shame.”

“How about you?” Eve asked. “Just the one date so far?”

“Two,” Priya replied brightly. “And we’re going out again.” She hesitated, her voice quieting. “He’s taking me to a club.”

“What kind of club?” Eve asked.

“A nightclub.” Priya shifted in her seat. “I don’t really dance.”

“A nightclub, huh?” Cally said, frowning. A corridor stretching on and on, an ornate door held closed with a chain, a presence emanating. “Where is this nightclub?”

“Theatre District. There’re several around there, but this one’s supposed to be nice.”

“Cool. When are you going?”

“Tomorrow night,” Priya blurted out, like she’d been dying to tell them but was too nervous to.

“Oh, how convenient,” Cally said lightly. “Eve and I were thinking of going to a nightclub tomorrow.”

“What?” Eve glanced up, her hand frozen midway to scratching her nose.

“Yes,” Cally added firmly, giving her a pointed look. “We were talking about flying through one to see what it was like, remember ?”

“Huh?” Her eyes widened. “Oh. Oh yes, of course. Uh, double date?”

“What a great idea!” Cally jumped on it. “Let’s all go together. Think Michael would mind?”

“Not at all. That would be lovely.” Priya looked between them, surprise and pleasure in her eyes. “I didn’t know you guys were dating. ”

“Oh, we’re not dating,” Eve said breezily. “It’s more about the casual sex for us.”

Cally choked on her latte, snatching a napkin to dab at the spill on her blouse. She glared at Eve, who gazed innocently back.

“Oh, cool,” Priya said, looking between them in surprise. “Well, I should get back. We don’t get long breaks. Tomorrow night?”

“Great,” Eve said. “We’ll see you there. Text us the location and time?”

“Will do!”

They sat in silence as Priya walked off. Then Eve leaned forward. “Why did we just agree to go clubbing with Priya and her blonde physical specimen of no personality worth mentioning?”

“To be perfectly honest, I’m not entirely sure,” Cally admitted with a frown. “But that was a foresight spell, right? And the whole nightclub thing… it’s too much of a coincidence.”

“Your vision was of that nightclub?”

“My vision was of a nightclub. No idea which one, but I’ll recognize it as soon as I see it.” Or feel the evil, emanating presence. “I think we should be there with Priya. Just in case. If it’s not the same club, we don’t have to stay long.”

“Leave early?”

“Exactly.”

Eve waggled her eyebrows. “Go home and have more casual sex?”

Cally sighed. “The next love spell we do is yours, okay?”

*

Cally had dressed in a sleek, sparkly crop top paired with form-fitting jeans, but she hadn’t been clubbing since her MIT days, and felt self-conscious as she took the T’s Green Line into Arlington.

It was raining when she emerged, but in Boston, no one went anywhere without checking the weather first. She flicked up her umbrella and pulled her cropped leather jacket snugly around her. The club Priya had shared was only a short walk away, and the rain beat a staccato rhythm on her umbrella.

They’d agreed on a time to meet, but Cally was early, her intuition urging her to arrive before Priya had a chance to enter.

Something felt off, though she couldn’t put her finger on what.

She’d been looking over her shoulder more often lately—but it didn’t take much imagination to know why. She resented Antoine for that.

Another thing to add to the list.

It was a Thursday, but if Cally thought that meant a quieter clubbing night, she was mistaken.

The line outside was already long, snaking toward a couple of large bouncers and a red rope beneath an awning that did little to shield anyone from the rain.

No cover for those waiting, but plenty of umbrellas.

Cally joined the queue. At least she could save a spot for the others.

Eve arrived a few minutes later, wearing a corset-style top beneath a black denim jacket and figure-hugging black jeans. Her umbrella was look-at-me hot pink, a bold departure from her usual black wardrobe. It clashed spectacularly with her auburn hair.

She came right over, ignoring the protests of those who had joined the queue after Cally.

“Well, this is nice, isn’t it?” she said, and Cally wasn’t sure if she meant the weather, the club, or a general sardonic outlook on their evening’s plans. She leaned in close. “Have you recognized it yet?”

“No, I only saw the inside in my… previous visit. ”

“Oh, right.” Eve folded her umbrella, slipped her arm around Cally’s waist, and huddled beneath hers. Her body was warm, a pleasant contrast to the chill of the night, but Cally tensed. A hug in Eve’s apartment was one thing. Clinging to each other in public was another.

“Relax, babe,” Eve said. “Priya’s about to walk up with her beau, and we’re a couple.” She went up on tiptoes to murmur in Cally’s ear, “Having casual sex, remember?”

“That was just—” Cally began, but broke off with a gasp as the wet tip of Eve’s tongue flicked over her lobe. “Eww!”

Eve lowered with a playful grin, but then her smile faltered. “‘Eww’ because ears, or ‘eww’ because my tongue?”

“Ears,” Cally replied quickly, offering a mock shudder. It was the safest answer.