“Here’s to tonight,” I said.
She clinked her glass against mine. “To tonight.”
As we looked over the menu and read the specials board, trying to decide what to eat, a violinist and vocalist came to our table and serenaded us. While the old man crooned an Italian love song and the old woman accompanied him on the violin, I glanced over at Penelope, who had a faint smile on her face.
She leaned in closer, making me think she was going in for a kiss. A bold move for sure, but who was I to complain? Confident women have always turned me on.
“Do you think they’re married?” she whispered, her breath tickling my ear.
I honestly hadn’t given the musicians much thought since my attention had been focused entirely on Penelope. The couple seemed to be directing their music as much to each other as they were to us. “They’re definitely romantically involved,” I whispered back.
“I agree.”
As if caught under a spell, I put a finger to her chin, turned her head toward mine, and gave her a soft and chaste kiss. Her skin smelled like vanilla and fresh citrus. It was what I remembered a sunny day smelled like. The song ended, so I didn’t have time to gauge her reaction to my kiss as I pulled out my wallet to tip the musicians.
“Grazie,” said the old woman as I handed her a bill. “You make beautiful babies together, no?”
Penelope turned bright red and laughed nervously. “This is our first date.”
“Ah, but you will have many more.” Then the old couple moved on to the next table.
Penelope focused intently on her menu again. She couldn’t decide between the butternut squash ravioli and the chicken piccata, so we ended up ordering one of each and sharing. Although neither dish would’ve been my first choice (I’d have opted for the medium rare steak), I found them both to be surprisingly tasty.
“Growing up in Nocturne Falls must’ve been a lot of fun,” I said, swirling a piece of chicken in the lemony sauce and popping it in my mouth. “Halloween every day, all the fun activities. It must have been a kid’s dream come to life.”
“My mother and I moved away when I was seven. After that, I only spent my summers here.” I waited for her to tell me more, but she quickly changed the subject. “I don’t know if this is impolite to ask—feel free to tell me it’s none of my beeswax—but how long have you been a vampire?”
I twirled the wine glass. “Since the turn of the century.”
“Had you always wanted to be a vampire?”
I waited a moment before answering. “It wasn’t by choice.”
Penelope’s eyes widened. “Are you saying someone turned you without your permission?”
I gave a grim nod.
“But…doesn’t it take a bite on each of three consecutive nights in order to become a vampire?”
“It does.” Seeing the tender concern radiating in her eyes, I continued. I hadn’t told the story in a long time. “I had just turned twenty-three and landed a big part in a Broadway show.”
“You were an actor?”
“How do you think I managed to be so comfortable posing for Paint a Paranormal?” I said with a wink. “I was playing a part.”
“I just figured you were a narcissist.” Her lips twitched. She was doing a terrible job of trying to keep a straight face. “Please continue.”
I cleared my throat and collected my thoughts. “She was a patron of the theater, a wealthy baroness from England, so when she showed an interest in me, I didn’t feel as if I could say no. Plus, I was immensely flattered by her attention, and we became lovers. However, her interest in me quickly turned into an unhealthy obsession. She’d show up when I was out with friends. Wanted to know what I was doing when we weren’t together. Threatened to pull her financial backing of the show. Finally, it became too much, and I broke things off with her. At the time, I hadn’t realized what she was, but I was soon enlightened. She came for me and held me captive in her lavish hotel suite, biting me on three consecutive nights and transforming me into a vampire.”
Penelope reached over and took my hand. “I’m sorry, Luka.”
“That’s okay,” I said, trying to brush off her concern. “It happened a long time ago.”
“Yes, but you should’ve had a choice over such a life-changing decision. Not having one can make you feel helpless when someone abuses the power they have over you.” She spoke with conviction, as if she had first-hand experience herself. “Isn’t that sort of thing against the rules anyway?”
“Technically, yes. But like I said, she was a powerful woman.” Swirling the remaining wine in my glass, I downed the rest of it in one large swig. I hadn’t thought about Catherine in a long time and didn’t care to linger on the topic. “I actually quite enjoy the life I have now. The blood drinking aspect wasn’t too hard to get used to, and I come from a line of vampires who can transform into a bat.”
Her eyes widened. “How exciting. I’ve always wanted to fly. That must be such a rush.”
“It is,” I said, “but I don’t do it often. Also, like you, I get to work with family.”
“Your family?”
“My sister and her husband work for me. I turned them rook many years ago.”
The waiter came over and refilled our glasses, emptying the bottle. “Would you like another, Sir?”
I looked to Penelope and raised a brow in a silent question.
“It’s up to you,” she said.
“Do you want dessert? We could eat here or go for a stroll and pick up something along the way. Julian’s sister-in-law, Delaney, owns a sweet shop not too far away.”
“It sounds wonderful, but I’m really full. I’m at risk of bursting at the seams.”
I said no to another bottle of wine, paid the check, and soon we were making our way down the sidewalk. Penelope had her arms crossed tightly over her chest, clutching the edges of her shawl. I took off my suit coat and draped it over her shoulders.
She looked up at me and flashed a radiant smile. “Thanks.”
It was late enough in the evening that the costumed children who’d been running around with trick-or-treat bags earlier were back in their hotel rooms with their parents. It was more of a party-goer crowd now with the costumes a little more risqué. Little ghosts and goblins had been replaced by lusty witches and sexy vampires.
We watched the show at the fountain for a few minutes. I gave a nod to Sam, the vampire on duty. I’d played poker with him a few times over at Julian’s penthouse.
As we turned to go, a broad-shouldered man, wearing boots and a tool belt, stepped out in front of us. “Penny? Is that you?”
“Hey, Grant,” she said awkwardly.
“Someone said they saw you around.” He looked her up and down like he was checking out his next meal. “You look terrific.”
The guy smelled like a dog, which didn’t surprise me. Werewolf, most likely. He was too big to be a different canine shifter. Although I didn’t have a beef with werewolves in general, I decided that I did have one with this loser.
“Uh…thanks.” She turned to me. “Luka, this is Grant. His family owns Gibson and Sons, a construction company. He was friends with my cousin Hans.”
I gave his outstretched hand a curt shake, resisting the urge to jerk him forward and rip his throat out.
“I had a huge crush on Penny,” Grant explained, resting his meaty hands on his tool belt like a macho asshole. “Every summer when—”
“She prefers Penelope,” I said coolly, remembering her reaction to her aunt’s painting friend who’d called her Penny.
Grant looked momentarily aghast. “Sorry, Pen…Penelope. Melissa’s the same way. Growing up, everyone called her Melly and it drove her crazy. If I called her that now, oh boy, she’d knock me upside the head. And then some.”
“No problem,” Penelope said with a smile. “How are Melissa and the kids?”
“Doing great,” he said, beaming. “Grant Junior is starting at Harmswood next year.”
&n
bsp; “Whoa, really? I can’t believe you guys have a kid that old.”
Grant laughed. “I know, right?”
My anger fizzled like an ember doused with water. As they chatted, I rubbed my chin thoughtfully, surprised by my jealous reaction. We weren’t actually a couple. She wasn’t my girlfriend. However, I couldn’t deny that I found her engaging and intriguing, not to mention stunningly beautiful.
And I wanted more of the above.
Penelope
* * *
On the ride home, I sank back in the luxurious leather seat of Luka's Italian roadster. I hadn't had an evening like this…ever. We’d danced under the fairy lights and thrown coins into the fountain. And when he found out my feet ached from all the walking in these heels, he’d swept me into his arms and carried me the rest of the way. I’d felt like Cinderella, but with both shoes.
“How long are you planning to stay in Nocturne Falls?” Luka asked as he turned the corner onto my aunt's street.
“Six weeks at least.”
“Why? What's happening then?”
I told him about the knitting shop hop. I expected to just give him a few cursory details, but he showed such an interest that I ran a few ideas past him that I’d been trying to sort out myself. “Do you think I should do a tour bus or make it a self-guided tour? Saturday only, or Saturday and Sunday?”
He looked thoughtful for a moment. “While a bus tour sounds like a good idea, with just six weeks until the event weekend, is that enough time to arrange for the bus and everything else? Have you checked the availability of rooms in town? What if word gets out too slowly and the bus and/or room blocks don’t get filled?”
“Good points,” I said. “I hadn't thought about those. Yeah, maybe for this first one, a self-guided tour on a Saturday would be best.”
He nodded. “If it turns out to be really popular, then the next one you do can be the whole weekend via a bus. Or several buses.”
I laughed, loving his ability to think big. “I don't think Charming Yarns could hold that many people.”
“Do you have to do anything to the store to prepare?” he asked.
“I don’t plan to change much inside other than rearranging the furniture and cleaning out the store room, but I do want a new sign for the outside. Do you know anyone in town who could make us a new sign? Someone good at lettering?” It was a long shot, so I was shocked when he said he did.
“I can ask my sister.”
“Your…your sister? Are you serious? I thought she worked for you.”
“She does, but she also does a lot of the chalkboard signs you see around town. Did you notice the specials listed on the chalkboard at Guillermo’s?”
I did remember the bold script. I remembered it being really pretty. “That was hers?”
He nodded. “And the price list behind the counter at the Hallowed Bean, if you’ve been there lately. And the sign for the dress shop that just opened up next to Illusions, the jewelry store.”
“I’d love to talk to her to see what she can do. A snappy new sign should do wonders.” The man was both a big thinker and a problem solver. And he seemed to know the right people.
“I’ll have her call you tomorrow.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, and I heard the rasp of his beard. “I meant to mention this earlier, but it slipped my mind until now. When I came to pick you up for dinner and drove past the shop again, I finally saw the sign.”
I pursed my lips, confused. “So you don’t think we need a new one?”
“The thing is, before I stepped foot in the shop, I had to ask the receptionist at the veterinarian’s office where it was. She must have thought I needed glasses, because she kept saying it was two doors away, but I literally couldn’t see it. She actually had to walk me to the door.”
“Okay,” I said slowly, trying to understand the point he was making. “So you do think we need a new sign.”
“Have you considered the possibility that someone may have put a curse on the shop?”
I jerked my head back and stared at him. “A curse? You mean, to make it invisible?”
“Yes.”
“But we have customers. Just not a lot.”
“Maybe if someone has been to the shop before or already knows it’s there, they see it plain as day. But if they haven’t, it’s not visible.”
I blew out a slow breath and considered his theory. That would certainly explain why business had been so slow lately. Tourists simply couldn’t see the shop. And if they couldn’t see the shop, how could they come in and buy?
“But who would do such a thing? And why?”
“Those are good questions to ask your aunt.”
Impulsively, I leaned over the center console and kissed his cheek. “Are you always this smart?”
Luka looked momentarily shocked, but he quickly recovered. His hand reached out and cupped the back of my head to keep me from sliding back into my seat. “Only when I want something.” His mouth quirked up in a half smile, then he bent close and pressed his lips to mine.
Other than the quick kiss at dinner, I’d never kissed a vampire before. I wasn’t sure what to expect. He didn’t smell or taste like blood though. He smelled of soap, fresh-cut pine, and a faint masculine scent I couldn’t identify. My whole body, every limb, tingled with satisfaction.
He was gentle at first, his mouth moving softly against mine, but when I removed my glasses and wrapped my arms around his neck, wanting more of him, he deepened the kiss and pressed my lips open. His tongue, sweet from the peppermints from the hostess’ station, caressed rhythmically against mine. He’d grabbed several candies on our way out, and had offered them up to me when we walked to the car. I was really glad I’d taken one.
His fingers tangled in my hair as his lightly callused thumb rubbed tiny circles along my jaw. I gave a little moan of pleasure, but when his lips slid along the tender skin of my neck, I stiffened just a fraction. He noticed.
“Shhh,” he whispered against my throat, his voice soft and seductive. “I promised I wouldn’t bite, and I’m a man of my word.”
I had to trust he was telling the truth, because I sure didn’t want him to stop.
6
Penelope
* * *
The next week passed quickly. Luka had to fly out of town on business, which was just as well, because I was up to my ears in planning the knitting store hop.
So far, I’d received commitments from three yarn shops in the tri-county area that loved the idea and were totally on board, and I had maybes from five more. My goal was to have ten to twelve shops participate in what we were now officially calling the Spookalicious Yarnapalooza. Due to participants’ scheduling conflicts and other Nocturne Falls events, the only weekend we could hold it was four weekends away. Four!
Everyone I talked to was excited about it. The Knotty Knitters were over the moon, of course, as were our other customers. The Tombstone, the local newspaper, was going to write an article and give us some discounted ad space. Two of the area motels had also agreed to provide coupon codes for registrants if they wanted to stay overnight. Many of Nocturne Falls’ other stores were going to hand out our fliers…when I finalized them and had them printed. A computer whiz-kid from Harmswood Academy was making the website in exchange for store credit. Even Delaney over at Delaney’s Delectables was going to create a special cupcake for the event.
I was so busy, in fact, that I didn’t have time to worry much about the onyx scarab. After all, I’d reasoned, Reverend Wainwright had had the thing for years without any problems, why couldn’t I? The Others would come for it at some point, but until then, I didn’t need to put my life on hold. No one knew I was here. No one except Aunt Sylvia knew about the scarab. I needed to be smart about it, sure, but I didn’t have to go into hiding.
Luka’s absence during the week didn’t mean we didn’t talk. Turned out, he was a decent texter—an unusual trait for a guy. Well, at least in my experience. The last guy I went out with was so bad a
t texting that I’d often thought I’d been ghosted. Not Luka. I rarely waited more than thirty minutes for a reply.
* * *
Luka: Hey.
Me: Hey yourself. Having a good trip?
Luka: Eh. It’s marginal.
Me: Oh?
Luka: Owner won’t sell a painting that my buyer wants. I’m afraid I’ll be coming home empty-handed.
Me: =( I’m sorry, that really sucks.
Luka: Wish I was there. How about you?
I wished he were here, too.
Me: Been pretty busy, actually, with all the Yarnapalooza planning.
Luka: How’s that going?
Me: Great! I’m really excited about how everything’s coming along.
Luka: That’s fantastic! But are you too busy to miss me?
Me: How can I miss u? I barely know u ;)
Luka: *pulls dagger from chest and falls to the ground*
Me: LOL
Luka: Sweet dreams.
Me: You 2
Luka: Bet you can't wait for our next date.
Me: Why? What do u have planned?
Luka: Aha! So you will go out with me again.
Me: You had doubts?
Luka: No, but there’s a fine line between a confident man and an asshole.
Me: I suppose you’re right.
Luka: Always.
Me: *rolls eyes*
Luka: Sweet dreams.
Me: You 2
Me: You awake?
Luka: I am now.
Me: Sorry. Your daytime sleeping schedule is quite inconvenient for me.
Luka: *reaches for violin and plays sad song*
Me: Your sister stopped by the shop and just left. She’s amaaaaazing!
Luka: She is related to me, you know.
Me: [gif of a Secret Shadows actress rolling her eyes]
Luka: I should’ve known you watched that show.
Me: Says the man who moonlights as a nude model.
Luka: Speaking of nudes…
Me: No! I will not send u one.
Luka: Never say never.
How Knot to Marry a Vampire Page 5
