Page 108 of Vampires of Eden

“It wasn’t easy.” Leoni lifts her finger, then carefully traces the rim of her empty wineglass. “The first one they arranged, I locked myself in my room. I didn’t feed for weeks and I told my parents that I refused to mate with a literal stranger. They made exceptions after that and let me get to know the vamps they’d chosen.” Leoni shakes her head. “I still didn’t want them. After a while I developed a reputation for being ‘difficult.’ My parents couldn’t get anyone else to try with me, so they let me come here. Thank you, baby Jesus.”

“Wow,” I say, truly amazed. “I’ve never thought of outright refusing my mother. You’re a brave vampire.”

Leoni chuckles. “Your madre is ambitious, the eldest and definitely more ferocious than my mama. I think I’d be scared to refuse her too. I don’t blame you.”

Feeling validated, I nod. “Thanks. I agree with your unpopular opinion.”

Leoni blinks as if she’s surprised. “You think sex is overrated?”

“Well,” I consider, folding my arms. “I’ve only done it a couple times and it was just alright. Awkward. It definitely was not the passionate and steamy event that TV, books and movies make it out to be.”

Having emptied his glass, Daniel reaches across the table for a different bottle. “The passionate and steamy stuff can be real with the right vampire. Sometimes, it takes practice and communication to properly learn your partner. When you do, making love and giving and receiving pleasure is phenomenal.”

The flash of fire in my groin makes mymouth go dry as I watch him pour the deep maroon liquid into his glass. Leoni eyes him too, smiling. When the silence is obvious, Daniel looks up. “What?”

Leoni’s expression is smug as she reaches for the wicker basket of folded papers. “Not that you’re trying to convince anyone for your own personal agenda.”

“Shut up.”

“Why are you taking another drink?” I ask him. “I thought the rules were that you only had to do one tasting if you disagreed?”

He pauses with the glass halfway to his lips, practically snarling at me. “Because I’ll do what I want. Fuck rules.”

“Now, now,” Leoni says, unfolding the paper. “Don’t take your frustrations out on him. Find your Zen. I’ll read the next one. It says, ‘Cats are better than dogs’” She drops the paper and chuckles. “You’re so cute, Puercoespííín.”

I lift my chin, feigning insult. “How do you know that’s mine?”

“Who else has cats on the brain in perpetuity?” Daniel shakes his head as if he’s annoyed.

All week, we’ve been doing yoga together in the mornings. He helps me stretch and my eyes alight every single time, but he’s never offended by it. We’ve been working well together at Kat and Roland’s, too. Seamlessly as we laugh, talk and joke.

Today, though, he’s been snapping at me and it reminds me of how we were in the beginning. I don’t know what’s wrong or what I’ve done, but it’s noticeable.

“I agree with you about cats,” Leoni says. “But I want to drink anyway.”

“Same,” Daniel agrees, looking uninterested. “See? Not an unpopular opinion.Do better.”

Frowning, I take the next folded paper from the basket. “This is my first time playing and I didn’t know how provocative it would get. I decided to play it safe!” When I unfold the paper, Daniel’s elegant scrawl is neatly arranged in the center of the smallrectangle. I read. “‘Feeding is more intimate than sex’… Welp, for sure my responses are more suitable for the thirteen and under edition of this game. Next time we play, I got it.”

Leoni sits back and folds her arms as her brow furrows. “Hm, this is an interesting one. As someone who prefers feeding from bags, I think I’m gonna have to disagree.”

“Not when it’s a bag,” Daniel clarifies. “When it’s done from the body of another vampire. Think about it more deeply. Anyone and anything can have sex, yes? But as vampires, we’re the only species on this planet that can nourish each other by giving our blood. We’re capable of sharing our bodies and the unique, supernatural life essence that flows through us. It’s an exceptional kind of intimacy that only we can indulge in.” Having made his point, Daniel shrugs, then sits back.

Leoni lifts her glass. “Alright, I can see the logic in that. Well said.”

“Thanks,” Daniel sighs. “But sex is nice too.”

“Aye aye aye, someone get me a bucket of ice water.”

“What are your thoughts?” Daniel asks me.

“I agree with you,” I admit. “Feeding is an emotional act. Intimate thoughts and feelings are directly conveyed to the other vampire—and it’s possible for our essence to be released and freed. I’ve read on the Internet that having your aura pulled by another vampire is like nothing else in this world. The pleasure, I mean.” I take a deep breath. Look at me, raising the stakes. I need to make up for my too politically correct submissions.

Daniel raises an eyebrow. “You read this on the Internet?”

“I’ve never experienced it, personally.” I chuckle. “Ollie barely wanted to touch me—of course we never got that far.” Curious, I look at Leoni. “Have you experienced it?”

She shakes her head. “Nope. Have you, Danny?”