by V. A. Dold
“Etienne never does things by halves,” Nick chuckled as he put away his tools. “He wanted to not only protect you and your home but add to the grandeur of the house you live in.”
She grinned over her shoulder at him. “He certainly accomplished what he set out to do. I’ll be sure to thank him tonight.”
Jacquelyn joined her on the patio. “Now that your home is ready, perhaps I can help you get ready as well. If I heard correctly, Etienne will be here in an hour.”
“Crap! Is it six already? I have to get moving. Come on, you can help me pick out something to wear.”
Willa did her hair and makeup while Jacquelyn dug through her closet. “Are you dressing up or is tonight casual?” Jacquelyn called from the bedroom.
“I think tonight is casual,” she yelled back.
Jacquelyn pulled a pretty forest-green silk blouse from the closet and paired it with jeans and leather flats. When Willa walked in with her hair pulled up and fastened with a green jewel-encrusted clip, she clapped her hands together. “Perfect. This outfit will be absolutely perfect.”
Willa shucked the robe she’d put on and donned the clothes. “How do I look?”
“Beautiful. You are going to knock his socks off.”
She smoothed the blouse and asked in a small voice, “Do you really think so?”
“Without a doubt. I better go. He’s going to be here in a few minutes. Have a great night and let’s get together soon.”
“Thanks, Jacquelyn. For everything. I’ll call you, and we’ll do coffee or something.”
“You’re welcome. Lock up after me. Etienne will have a cow if he gets here and your door isn’t locked.”
“I’m right behind you. I used to have the door unlocked all the time when I was home. But now, I don’t think I’ll ever leave my door unlocked again. Drive safely, and I’ll give you a call.” Willa closed and locked the silver gate that added protection to her front door and waved as her new friend drove away. She had the wooden door half closed when she felt eyes on her. Evil, angry, emotions rushed at her. The feeling so intense, she took a step back. In a panic, she slammed the door shut and threw the lock on it as well.
She was still staring at the door when a knock tore a scream from her throat.
“Willa! Open the door, or I will rip it down.”
“Etie? Is that you?”
“Yes, my love. Please, let me in.”
She cranked on the deadbolt, threw the door wide and was poised to jump into his arms when she stopped short. The silver gate was in the way. Frustrated, she unlocked that as well and rushed into his arms.
“What happened? Why are you shaking?” he asked as he backed her into the apartment and closed the door.
“I felt that man watching me when I was locking up. I thought you were him trying to get in.”
“I walked the perimeter before I knocked. He isn’t out there. Are you sure you felt him?”
“Oh, yeah. He was out there all right. You know what? Give me a minute. I’m getting my Ruger. If that bastard comes near me again, I’m going to blast him to kingdom come.”
When she returned a couple of minutes later carrying a slightly larger purse, he smiled. “I will have Nick drop off a box of silver bullets for your little peashooter.”
“Peashooter! I will have you know, I can do some damage with Matilda.”
He cocked his head and pressed his lips together, obviously suppressing a smile. “Matilda?”
“My gun.”
Then he chuckled. “You named your gun, Matilda?”
Willa slammed her hands onto her hips and narrowed her eyes “Don’t be dissing my gun. Matilda was my grandmother’s name, and she was a badass.”
“In that case, Matilda is perfect.”
She smiled happily. “I’m glad you agree. By the way, though you make a suit look great, you totally rock a pair of jeans.”
“Thank you. You look amazing as always.” He lowered his gaze and bit his lip as he took in her lush, curvy body. He stepped closer and pulled her into his arms. Then he was sampling her full, moist lips. “You smell great as well,” he growled as he buried his face in the hollow of her throat.
“Mmm. I like the way you say hello.”
“I love saying hello to you, Willa. Regrettably, we have to get going. I have reservations at one of my favorite restaurants. They have a private room at our disposal for the evening. We have much to discuss.”
She sighed. “You’re right.” Then she winked at him. “You can say hello to me again after dinner.”
“I will hold you to that. Now, if you would be so kind as to open the security gate, I will wait while you lock up.”
“Why do I— Oh yeah, I forgot that silver will burn you if you touch it without gloves.”
About ten minutes later, Etienne opened the door to the famous B’s restaurant at 417 Royal Street and held it for her. As she preceded him, his gaze traveled down her body. He reined in his visceral reaction and followed her into the darkened reception area.
If all went well, he would have her warm and naked in his arms tonight. When they were alone in the privacy of her bedroom, he would run his hands over every inch of her. Until then, he would be the epitome of a gentleman on a date with his intended.
He forced his attention away from Willa to address the hostess.
Minutes later, Etienne held a chair for her and waited for her to be seated before taking his own.
“I had no idea this restaurant had a private dining room,” Willa said as she placed her napkin on her lap.
“It is a well-kept secret. The owner is fae or faerie as many refer to them. He maintains this room for the supernaturals to use.”
Willa leaned across the table and whispered, “Aren’t faeries tiny little things like in children’s movies?”
“They can be. The fae have the ability to change their form and size,” he whispered back.
Willa sat back, her eyes wide. “No kidding?”
“No kidding. We should order dinner and then we can talk. What do you like? Personally, I enjoy the blackened redfish.”
“I think I’ll have the shrimp creole kimchi.”
Etienne stacked their menus on the edge of the table and smiled. “That is an excellent choice and my second favorite thing on the menu.” He waved the waiter over to take their dinner order and asked that a bottle of their best wine be brought to the table. Taking a sip of water, he swept his gaze over her face.
She wore her hair up so that it cascaded in riotous curls from a decorative clip that glistened with each movement of her head. Several pink and purple strands were left loose to curled over her left shoulder, drawing his gaze to her left breast. He longed to set the rest free and feel the wealth of silk sliding through his fingers and brushing over his naked body.
Every single cell in his body responded to her. No one, not even Amalia, had ever made his body roar to life the way Willa did. Just gazing into her sapphire blue eyes. Just smelling her night flower scent propelled his body into overdrive.
“Do you like what you see?” Willa asked with a teasing tone to her voice.
“I love what I see,” he responded with all seriousness. He smiled when she blushed and glanced away. His Willa was stunning with a flush pinkening her skin. “Though tonight is most definitely a date, it is also about information and answering questions. Perhaps we should start with easy questions and answers. What are you mastering in at college?” he asked as the waitress brought their wine.
“I double majored in architectural preservation and art history. My master’s program is in preservation studies.”
He nodded. “Impressive. I imagine you enjoy hours on end at the museum. What is your favorite piece in the collection?”
“Actually, my true passion is the preservation of the historic houses and buildings of the city.”
“In that case, do you have a favorite building or home?”
“Not really. My favorite seems to change with what I’
m studying or working on. Currently, I’m trying to find information on the Lalaurie Mansion about seven blocks from here. Contacting the current owner has proved to be problematic.”
“Not really.”
Willa paused with her wine glass halfway to her lips. “What do you mean?”
He gave her a broad smile and raised his glass to clink with hers. “You are having dinner with the owner.”
“No way! You own the property?”
“Yes. I had it built in eighteen thirty-two.”
“But everything I’ve read says the Lalauries moved into it that year.”
“Yes. It would. I have taken great pains to cultivate horror stories and imposter owners to cover the fact that I have owned it for almost two centuries. The Lalauries are friends of mine and two of the sweetest people you will ever meet.”
“Are you saying they’re still alive?”
“Of course. They are vampires like myself. The last time we spoke, they were living in Buenos Aires.”
Willa shook her head as if trying to wrap her mind around that. “I can understand the repeated sale to new owners, but why the stories?”
“They keep lookie-loos away. Few humans have the courage to cross the threshold of a house with such a sordid history. It ensures our privacy. As you can imagine, vampires require concealment from the human race.”
Willa laughed out loud. “That makes sense. So, would you give me a tour if I asked?”
“Absolutely. As you know, I no longer reside there, though I maintain a suite of rooms for personal use. Some of my family lives there now. Actually, I own the entire block from Royal Street to Decatur Street and Ursulines Avenue to Governor Nicholls Street. I purchase a large property for the local vampires to reside in as a community in each major city in the United States.”
“Holy Moses,” she breathed out. “That’s mind-boggling. Based on your mansion in the bayou, I knew you had money, but you’ve got to be billionaire rich.”
Etienne cocked a brow. “I keep the lights on.”
“You just made another joke.” She laughed at his pained expression. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell.”
Etienne shrugged playfully. “Be my guest. Everyone I know will believe you are telling tales. Before we get down to the nitty-gritty of all things vampire, I would like to ask you one more question. Last night you said you are an empath. How sensitive are you?”
Willa sighed heavily. “Very. The weight of humanity’s emotions crushed me as a child. My friends and I aren’t sure how it works, but somehow when we’re together, I’m shielded. Having them while growing up saved my sanity. I don’t know about your teenage years, but nowadays, teenage angst is one long drama fest. Without my girlfriends, I would have done myself in before I graduated high school.”
He frowned. “Why aren’t you overwhelmed now?”
She waved his concern away. “I met a really cool chick during my freshman year who taught me a few tricks to dampen down the bombardment of emotions. In a nutshell, I can turn my empathy up or down at will now. I don’t view my gift as a curse anymore.”
“Can you read my emotions right now?”
Willa winked at him. “Baby, I can read you without my gift. You’re thinking naughty thoughts, not that I’m complaining.”
Etienne cleared his throat. “I see.”
Willa took a sip of wine and set the glass on the table. “Karen mentioned that vampires have gifts, too. What’s yours?”
“All of them. There is nothing I cannot do. But just because you can do something, does not mean you should.”
“Geez.” Willa sat back hard in her chair. “That’s kind of scary.”
Etienne grinned and waggled his brows. “Only for my enemies. Never you.”
Willa laughed and shook her head. “You’re a nut. The vampire thing aside, you behave very differently from the men I’m used to. There is something very old world about you.”
He chuckled. “Old being the operative word.”
Willa cocked her head and studied his face for a moment. “Do you mind if I ask how old you are?”
“Not at all. I am five hundred and ninety-eight years old. I do not age the same way humans do. Once a born vampire reaches maturity, we stop aging. Forever. A made vampire will remain the age they were the day they complete the required blood exchanges. Only a silver stake through the heart or beheading will end my life. Until then, I will remain as you see me now.”
Willa was flabbergasted. “You’re not joking with me, are you?”
“Not even a little. I would never tell you an untruth. You are my muierimei. It would be dishonorable to do such a thing.”
“Cheese on a cracker! No wonder your manners are so old school.” She considered him for a minute. “Please don’t be insulted, but is growing up so many centuries ago why you speak the way you do? You never use contractions.”
“Perhaps. When I came to the new world, I had to learn to speak English. It is a difficult language, and as such, I picked my way through conversations one word at a time. I guess I never bothered to get into the habit of using contractions.”
“Use one for me. Say don’t.”
“Do… don’t,” he said, catching himself before he broke it into two words.
“Excellent. We’ll work on that. It will help you blend in better.”
He gave her a patient smile, then nodded. “As you wish.”
Suddenly she sat up straight and stared at his mouth. “I want to see your fangs again.”
Etienne sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. “Are you sure? The last time did not… didn’t end well.”
“Last time you took me by surprise. This time I’m ready for it. Come on, pop those chompers for me.”
He blinked at her for a second, then chuckled softly before parting his lips. His canines were as sharp and pointed, no sharper and longer than she imagined.
She started to reach out to touch one and then bit her lip and dropped her hand into her lap.
“Go ahead. Touch them. Though take care. They are,” he sighed and then continued, “they’re sharp.”
Chapter Seven
Like a child told not to touch a hot burner, she reached out again and tested the point with a fingertip. “Son of a—” She yanked her finger back and stuck it in her mouth to soothe the ache.
“As I said, they’re sharp.” He frowned and tugged on her hand until she allowed him to take a look. Then he swept his tongue across the tip and kissed each knuckle. “All better.”
Willa inspected the injury and sucked in a breath. “It’s gone.”
“Of course. I would never allow you to suffer. My saliva has healing properties. That is”—he took a breath—“that’s why a vampire licks the punctures left by their bite.”
“So, that part of the legend is true?”
“Yes. But very little else.”
“Etie, would you mind putting those chompers away for a few minutes?”
He gave her a sheepish nod. “Of course. I forget myself around you.” He grinned to show her they were safely tucked away.
Then she pushed her chair back, stepped around the table, took his face in her palms, and kissed him. Hard.
Taken by surprise, he froze for a heartbeat, then quickly got with the program and gripped her hips with his hands. He moaned softly into her mouth, his tongue sliding against hers.
She swept her hands to the back of his head and threaded her fingers in his hair. Power zinged from him to her and back again.
When she broke the kiss and eased back, he gave her a crooked smile. “What was that for?”
“No reason. You make me feel feminine and loved.” She shrugged and added, “I just had to kiss you.”
His eyes took on an inhuman glow. “Perhaps you should do that again.”
She bent closer again and whispered, “I think you’re right.”
A few minutes later a throat cleared. The waiter shuffled from foot to foot a few feet away. “Um. Would you like to h
ave a few more minutes of privacy before I bring your dinners?”
Willa turned bright red, straightened, and went back to her chair.
Etienne shook his head. “Now is good.”
Once the waiter left them to enjoy their meal, Willa swallowed and said, “We need to talk about your people. There’s so much I don’t know.”
“I agree.” Etienne picked up his water glass and took a sip. “Where do you want to start?”
She stared at her plate. It was less distracting than his piercing eyes and less likely to derail her train of thought. “I had a long talk with Karen. She told me about the history of vampires and where your people came from. Because of that, I know that you’re the king of the vampires.” She shivered a full-body shudder before adding, “I also heard about the witch hunters.”
“Ah, the guild. They’re the bane of our existence. Carolyn warned us that they’re coming to New Orleans. I have men watching for them, but we have not… haven’t found a trace of them in town. Either they changed their minds or haven’t recovered from the damage we dealt them in Savannah.”
Willa nodded. “That’s what I heard.” Then she hesitated, gathering her thoughts and a wealth of courage. “I need information and honesty from you if we’re going to give this relationship a fighting chance. I need to know everything. Otherwise, we’re doomed to fail before we get started.”
He nodded and reached across the table to take one of her hands. “I agree wholeheartedly. I can give you that. I want to give you that.”
“Good.” She gave him a determined look. “If we’re ever going to move forward to the big stuff like living together, which everything you say about muierimeis and férjés indicates is the goal, then I need to know what I’m getting into. Tell me about vampires. How do you become one? Do you have to drink blood? How are you able to be in the sun? Do you… kill people?”
He opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again, but nothing came out.
Willa knew they were having what could be the most important conversation of their lives, but she couldn’t help but be amused. Etie’s stunned, open-mouthed response was priceless. She knew his brain was stuck on living together. So, she sipped her wine and waited, astonished that she could render a centuries-old vampire speechless.
