Page 166 of Vampires of Eden

“Thank you, Kathryn, and your grace.” Reginald bows again. “You won’t even notice that we’re here.” He winks, which makes me distrust him even more. I hate winkers. Reginald and his camerawoman step off to the side and he’s wrong. I do notice them as they skirt the edges of the room, getting various shots of me (and hopefully Kathryn) as we talk to other vampires. Eventually, they leave the kitchen and something inside of me unclenches.

After a while, Roland comes and joins me at the registration table, switching out with Kathryn. I offer to switch with Danny or Leoni, but they don’t want me outside managing the line and insist that I’m of better service here. I don’t even see Danny or Leoni as the day wears on because we’re all too busy.

Things don’t die down until the afternoon. When there’s only a handful of vamps wandering the property with Kathryn as their guide, I sneak off to the back porch to simply breathe and decompress. Today has been great. Exciting, but I feel as if I haven’t stopped talking for hours. Plus, Reginald Vern and his camerawoman haven’t come back to find me yet, so I figure I’ll sneak away for a break before I have to talk and smile some more for an interview.

The hazy mist from the morning has cleared and the air isdewy and warm. Sun rays peek from behind puffy clouds over head as I take my usual spot on the top step of the deck.

I feel Danny coming and I snicker to myself. The familiar rush of his electric heat bristles over my skin and body. It’s amazing that a couple months ago, I recoiled from this feeling. Condemned it, even. Now, I inhale and bask in the subtle pleasure it offers.

Within a minute, he steps through the back door. “Hi.”

I tilt my head back to view him upside down. “Hey.”

“What a crazy day.” He comes and sits down beside me. “I don’t know how they’re going to handle this volume of vampires. Some of them drove hours from all over the island to get here!”

“Agreed,” I say, glancing over to take in his profile as I relax back against my palms. “We’re going to have to open up other safe houses much sooner than we thought. Possibly route each community’s collective taxes into funding a local clinic? I could add that to the proposal.”

Daniel nods as he stares out into the lush green of the woods. “I like that idea. I don’t mind paying taxes so long as it’s being used properly and for the benefit of society as a whole. Not when it’s just lining some arrogant purebred’s fucking pockets…” He bites his bottom lip and looks over at me. “No offense. Please don’t take that personally.”

I chuckle, shaking my head. “I won’t. But there’s obviously still some residual anger looming in there.”

His fingertips brush mine against the wood of the porch. I flip my palm and he wraps his fingers around my hand. “Not directed toward you, though,” he says quietly. “Anyway, I came out here to let you know that I’m heading back to the vineyard. Leoni has an appointment and I need to drop her off since we came together. Will you leave now, too?”

“Not yet. There was a reporter earlier that asked to interview me once things calmed down. He gives me ick vibes, but I have to put my poker face on and give a friendly interview.”

Daniel huffs in a laugh. “What ‘poker face’?”

I frown. “Um, the same poker face that has successfully won multiple bets and bluffs, and the one that hides the fact that I think most of my fellow Eden purebreds are assholes.”

Daniel shakes his head, smiling. “I’m sorry to break this to you sweetheart, but you havezeropoker face. To me, you’re like an open book. If other vamps can’t clock what you’re really thinking, it’s because they’re not paying close enough attention—which makes sense with how self-centered most of the vampires in your world are.”

My heart warms as I squeeze his hand. “You pay close attention to me?”

He leans into my space so that the warmth and buzz of his essence caresses my cheek and neck. “I do. I’d like to take my analysis even deeper, if you’d let me?”

I take a breath as my pulse races.

He means feeding. “Danny, are you sure you want this with me? Once we cross this line, it’s… You can’t easily come back from it. You know this.”

He inches even closer. “I do know this. I also know that I’ve never been more certain of anything else in my life.” Softly, he pulls at the lobe of my ear with his teeth and tongue. “I want to show you what’s in my head and heart. But you have to trust me, Alexander. Will you?” He sits straighter, waiting patiently for my answer.

Daniel sees me. He pays attention and I see him, too. I know he’s right for me, and I know he’s what my nature wants…

It’s time to say the words. I have to take the leap.

“I do,” I say, swallowing hard as I face him. I inhale another deep breath. “You have consent.”

A subtle but undeniable glow radiates from Danny’s presence as the invisible barrier between us comes down. He leans in once more, smiling and resting his forehead to mine. “Thank you.” He kisses me. A teasing, sumptuous kiss that reminds me of a butterfly landing on a flower. Like delicate wings pulsing atop velvet petals and kickingup pollen.

He lifts and we stare into each others eyes. Mine are alighted, of course, because any time he touches me my nature goes berserk. I’ve given up on trying to control it. I can’t.

“So…” I hesitate, glancing around. “Are you about to bite me?”

“Not on this fucking back porch, no.” He juts his chin forward and kisses me again, then shifts to stand. “I want privacy with you. No interruptions. Text me when you leave?”

I grin, laughing to myself. “I will. I won’t be too far behind you, hopefully.”

My raven king glances down at me. Haunting, seductive and confident.