License to Bite

by Carrie Pulkinen

  He didn’t have the energy to argue with her. Besides, it had been years since he’d had a bite of human food, and Jane still seemed healthy enough. Her body would finish processing her own human blood soon, and then she’d require a real vampire meal.

  “Okay. But after you see Sophie, you need to start your lessons. I’ll do the biting in the beginning, and you simply drink. There will be two puncture wounds from my fangs, directly in a vein, so you’ll create suction with your lips around the wound. Hopefully your fangs will come in soon, and you can learn to do the biting yourself.”

  She pressed her lips into a hard line, giving her head a tiny shake. “There’s got to be a way to sustain ourselves on human food.”

  “There isn’t.”

  “How do you know? Have you tried?”

  “We are undead. Our own blood has thickened to the point of sludge. Our hearts beat once every ten seconds, barely moving that sludge through our systems. We require the nutrients of fresh blood daily, or we will shrivel up and waste away.”

  Her eye twitched every time he said the word “blood.” “Jeez Louise, Edward. Do you have to be so morbid?” She gestured across the street. “I heard that place is good. Let’s grab a bite and talk about something less nauseating.”

  He followed her across the street and into Royal House Oyster Bar. A massive mirror hung behind a long, wood bar, and three men stood between, shucking fresh oysters and arranging them on platters for the patrons. Tables lined the walkway between the bar and the front windows before the restaurant opened up into an expansive dining area.

  The hostess led them to a table near the kitchen, but Jane paused, batted her lashes, and touched the hostess on the elbow. “Would it be at all possible to get the table by the front window?” She slipped a folded bill into the woman’s hand, and the hostess nodded, weaving her way toward the table Jane asked for.

  Impressive. “I may not have to teach you any glamour at all. You seem to do fine without it.” Ethan opened the menu and peered at her over the top.

  She shrugged. “When I promise to be a good girl, Daddy lets me be seen in public with him. I’ve bumped elbows with plenty of people in power. I know how things are done.”

  “A good girl?”

  She folded the menu on the table. “Two of my brothers are lawyers; one’s a CPA, and the other is a doctor. You could say I’m a disappointment. In fact, you probably have said that in your mind at least once since you turned me.”

  Initially, yes, he did think that. But if he were honest, he’d have to admit he hadn’t been this entertained in years. And for the first time in forever, he felt like his life had purpose. Even if it was simply to teach the woman to feed herself, he had something meaningful to do.

  “My dad wanted me to go to law school too,” she continued, “but I couldn’t bring myself to work those hours. I got a degree in communications, and I blog about my adventures. Of course, now that I’m a vampire, I’ll have to figure out what I’m going to do. Can we travel easily? Do we need to have coffins shipped like we’re dead bodies, or can we fly like regular people?”

  She droned on and on, only stopping her laundry list of questions to order her meal: a Taste of New Orleans with etouffée, gumbo, and jambalaya all on one plate.

  “I’ll have the roast beef po-boy.” Ethan handed his menu to the waiter.

  “Oh, that sounds good. I’ll have one of those too. I’m starving.” She looked at him. “What’s the best drink to ease the burning in my throat?”

  He arched a brow. “I believe you know.”

  She nodded. “Beer. I’ll take a tall Abita Amber too, please.”

  He shook his head. When Gaston first turned him, he’d been somewhat averse to drinking blood, but the thirst quickly overpowered his hesitation. She’d give in eventually.

  Their food arrived, and Jane devoured everything on her plate, sucking down her beer like it could save her life. Ethan ate half of his po-boy and a few fries. The savory beef with gravy and bits of debris, little pieces of meat that simmered for hours in the bottom of the pan, were as delicious as he remembered. He’d have to take a moment to enjoy a human meal every now and then in the future.

  Jane leaned back in her chair and patted her stomach. “That was the best food I’ve ever had in my life. It’s weird because I’m full, but I’m still hungry.” She rubbed her throat. “I guess thirsty is a better word for it. Parched.”

  “You’ll remain that way until you feed.”

  She visibly shivered. “Just let me make a few notes about this place for my blog, and then we can go. Remind me to get my charger from Sophie too. My phone’s almost dead.” Her laugh turned into a snort. “Almost dead…like us!”

  “Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in.” Sophie crossed her arms, grinning, and leaned against the door jamb as Jane tugged Ethan up the front walk. “There are thousands, if not millions of people in the French Quarter right now, and you found him again.” She gave him a once-over with an approving nod. “What are the odds?”

  You have no idea. “Hey, girl.” Jane dropped Ethan’s hand and pulled Sophie into a tight hug. “I have so much to tell you.”

  “I want every delectable detail.”

  The only delectable thing so far was dinner tonight…oh, and the fact she’d never grow old. That was a tasty little morsel she couldn’t wait to share. “Ethan, you remember Sophie?”

  “She puked on my shoes. How could I forget?”

  Sophie cringed. “Sorry about that. Come on in.” She stepped to the side and motioned for them to enter. “And in case Jane hasn’t said it yet, thank you for not murdering us that night.”

  “Someone had to see you home safely.”

  “Yeah, but you could have just as easily been the thing we needed to stay safe from, so…” She shut the door and paused, cocking her head at Jane. “You look different. I mean, besides the no-makeup look, which you are totally rocking. Did you get a new moisturizer?”

  Jane grinned. “I look good, don’t I?”

  “Fabulous. What’s your secret?”

  “Ethan turned me into a vampire.”

  Sophie laughed. “Fine. Don’t tell me.”

  Ethan sank into a chair and crossed his arms. He wasn’t keen on Jane telling Sophie what happened, but she’d convinced him the only way to keep the secret was to tell her best friend. Besides, he still insisted Sophie was a witch, so what did it matter?

  “It’s true. Ethan, show her your fangs.”

  He shook his head, looking perturbed, as usual. “I don’t perform on command.”

  Jane rolled her eyes. “How else is she going to believe me?”

  “He doesn’t have fangs, and neither do you.” Sophie put her hands on her hips. “Are you making fun of me because my grandma was a witch?”

  “I told you she smells like a witch,” Ethan said.

  “I do?” Sophie lifted her arm and sniffed her pit.

  “Listen,” Jane said, “I don’t have fangs because they haven’t come in yet, but he does. Please, Ethan? Show her?”

  He pressed his lips into a hard line, and when he peeled them back, revealing his pearly white fangs, a little thrill shimmied through Jane’s body. Who knew she’d find teeth sexy?

  “No way. Are those real?” Sophie leaned in for a closer look, and Ethan clamped his mouth shut. She went through the same stages of denial that Jane did, only Sophie didn’t have to be nearly burned alive by sunlight to convince her. Instead, she perched on the arm of the sofa and smiled smugly. “I told you vampires were real.”

  “And you were right.”

  “Do you feel okay?” Her eyes widened. “Do you have to kill people now?”

  “No, there are laws and junk. Ethan’s supposed to teach me all of it: magic, glamour, and the boring rules. I’ll live forever, never age, and I have super strength and speed.”

  “But you have to drink blood to survive.” Sophie gave her a how the hell are you going to pull that off? look, and Jane gla
red back. That was all it took for her friend to get the message that her aversion to blood hadn’t been mentioned yet. Best friends were awesome like that.

  “I’m going to figure out a way to sustain myself on human food. Jambalaya, though incredibly delicious, doesn’t cut it, so I’m thinking maybe rare steak.”

  Ethan rubbed his forehead. “We’ve been through this, Jane. You require blood, and you only have three weeks to get your license.”

  “License?” Sophie laughed. “You need a license to drink blood?”

  Jane shrugged. “It’s a biting license. If I’m not biting anyone, I don’t see why I need one.”

  “Because it’s the law.” Ethan pleaded with his eyes. Why did he have to look so damn cute when he did that?

  “What happens if you don’t get your license?”

  “She’ll be staked,” he said.

  “They’ll kill you for not getting your license? That seems harsh.”

  “It’s a new law. The Supernatural World Order is cracking down on unlicensed biting, and we’ve got a British constable in town forcing us to comply. She needs to learn the proper biting techniques, or she won’t be around much longer.”

  Sophie’s eyes softened. “Is that true, Jane?”

  Jane scoffed. “My dad is the Governor of Texas. They wouldn’t dare lay a fang on me.”

  “That’s true. I can’t imagine they’d want that kind of publicity for the state. If the Texas Governor’s daughter goes missing in Louisiana, that could cause all kinds of trouble.” Sophie stood next to Jane. “The government knows about the vampires, right? I’m sure there’s some kind of conspiracy going on to keep magic a secret from normal people. Like in The Originals. Remember that show?”

  Jane nodded. “I do, and it’s just like that, except the vampire Council would fit better in a B movie.”

  Sophie snickered. “I bet that’s a hoot. I’d love to meet them.”

  Ethan leaned his head back on the chair and let out a long, slow, dramatically loud breath.

  Sophie leaned closer and whispered, “Is he always so…”

  “Grumpy? Serious? Boring? Ornery?”

  “Well…is he?”

  “All of the above. He thinks I talk too much.” He opened one eye, and she blew him a kiss. If she didn’t know any better, she’d have said the corner of his mouth twitched like he was fighting a smile. She might just yank that stake out of his ass yet. “I’m going to pack my bag, darlin’. I’ll only be a minute.”

  “Sure thing, princess.”

  She pursed her lips, fighting her own smile, and grabbed Sophie’s arm, leading her down the hallway to her bedroom. “I hate to leave you like this, but I have to stay with him. It’s the law, and I’ll fry in the sunlight, so…” She tugged her suitcase from beneath the bed and began tossing her things inside it.

  “I can’t believe my BFF is a vampire. I’m going to have to check out the local witch stores and see if I can get inside their circle.” She ducked into the bathroom and returned with Jane’s toiletry bag. “Have you met any werewolves? That’s what I really need. A big, burly man with lots of chest hair that I can run my fingers through, and we can howl at the moon together.”

  Jane laughed. “If I meet anyone who fits that description, I’ll be sure to let you know.”

  “So…” Sophie crossed her arms and drummed her hot pink nails on her biceps. “You’ve given me details, but not the juicy ones. What’s Mr. Uptight like in the sack? Is he an angel on the streets, a demon in the sheets, or what?”

  She closed her suitcase and zipped it shut. “I wish I could answer that for you, but I have no idea.”

  Sophie’s mouth dropped open. “You spent the night with the hottest man in New Orleans, and you didn’t sleep with him?”

  “I was nearly killed by a car, and then he turned me into a vampire. It wasn’t exactly the most romantic of nights. Besides…” She lowered her gaze as her stomach soured. “For one thing, he doesn’t like me very much, and for another… He thought I was his dead fiancée. That’s why he turned me.”

  “Like reincarnated? Are you?”

  “No, definitely not, but… Personality-wise, he’s not my type at all. There’s something about him though.”

  “He is hot. I’d do him.”

  “Girl, me too. He could just lie there dead to the world, as long his dick is hard and proportionate to the rest of him. With that body, I could have a blast on my own.”

  “You know I can hear you, right? Did I not mention vampires’ above average hearing?”

  Jane clutched her head. “Crap. He’s listening. Come outside with me for a sec. I need a favor, and it’s none of Edward Cullen’s business.” She yelled the last part just to grate on his nerves.

  Sophie followed her out the back door and whispered, “That man swept you out of your Nikes before you realized they were untied. You really like him, don’t you?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe. He did turn me into this fabulous creature.” She gestured at herself. “The problem is, he’s got us sleeping in his dusty old attic. I think he’s poor and can’t afford the light-blocking gadgets, which I know exist because I’ve seen them. So, I need you to go to the bank for me and take out some cash. I’m going to talk to his friend Gaston and see about having his place fixed up. It’s the least I can do to show my appreciation.”

  “Janey’s got a boyfriend,” Sophie sang.

  Jane shook her head. “I’d be dead now if it weren’t for him.”

  “Actually, you kinda are.”

  Chapter Eight

  “Oh. My. Goat cheese pizza. An ice cream shop!” Jane grabbed Ethan’s sleeve and tugged him across the street. “I could use some mint chocolate chip therapy right now.”

  What she could have used was a pint of O positive, but his attempts to get her to feed over the past two weeks had been fruitless. She was becoming pale and weaker, sleeping fitfully during the days and sluggish to awaken at night. He’d heard of starvation being used as punishment for unruly vampires—before the Supernatural World Order decided the stake would be the cure for everything—but he’d never witnessed anyone starve themselves on purpose.

  “Come on, slowpoke.” She held the door open and motioned for him to enter.

  Reaching above her head, he grasped the edge of the door. “After you, princess.”

  Her smile warmed his cold heart, which was why he’d given in to some of her whims, opening doors for her and following along as she experienced the city for the first time. He’d forgotten what an adventure New Orleans could be, taken his home for granted for far too long. Simply seeing the awe in her eyes sent a tiny thrill of life humming through his veins.

  “What kind do you want?”

  He stood against the wall, inhaling the scents of sweet cream and warm waffle cones, unable to remember the last time he’d had ice cream. “None for me, thank you.”

  She cocked one hip to the side, resting her hand on it. “If it’s about money, I’ve got loads of it, so don’t worry.”

  “It’s not about money, though I do need to work again sometime soon if I’m going to pay the bills.”

  “What would I do while you worked?”

  “I suppose I’d have to take you with me until you get your license.” Not that he would get much done with her hanging around the office, talking constantly.

  “What kind of work do you do?”

  “I’m an accountant. I do temp work here and there.” Just enough to get by. The rest of the time he spent alone in his home. In fact, he’d been out more in the two weeks he’d known Jane than he had in the past ten years.

  She lifted her hands. “Oh, no. I’m not sitting in a stuffy office all night while you crunch numbers. Your job right now is to take care of me—which is a stupid law, and I’m only letting you because you’d probably be staked if I didn’t—so I’ll pay the bills.”

  He crossed his arms. “I don’t need you to pay my bills.” Nor did he want her to.

  She tapp
ed a finger against her lips, looking thoughtful and too damn cute again. “I know. My brother has been managing my accounts, but I can transfer them to you. I’ll bring in the money. You manage it. We’ll be a perfect team.” She stepped up to the counter and ordered a cone of mint chocolate chip.

  He couldn’t imagine Jane Anderson wanting to be a part of anyone’s team, though he had to admit the idea sounded appealing. He was starting to enjoy spending time with her. But it was enjoyment he didn’t deserve. No, he and Jane could never be a team.

  “What kind do you want, Ethan? Don’t make me eat alone.”

  He sighed. “It has no nutritional value.”

  “It never has.” She grinned and licked the blob of ice cream sitting atop her cone.

  Heat pooled in his groin, and his dick hardened as the image of her tongue sliding across his skin flashed behind his eyes. How could he say no to her when she affected him this way? “Surprise me.”

  She placed the order and handed him a cone. “You look like a dark chocolate kind of guy. Deep and smooth, with just a little bit of a bite.”

  He took a lick, and creamy, sweet chocolate danced on his taste buds, making him shiver. Closing his eyes, he took another bite and savored the decadent sensation. He always drank warm blood. It had been ages since something cool had slid down his throat.

  He opened his eyes to find Jane biting her lip, watching him with a fire in her eyes. Damn, he wanted her. He couldn’t deny her allure, but he refused to give in. A happy life was not in the cards for him. Not after what he’d done to Vanessa.

  He stiffened, stomping out of the ice cream shop and onto Decatur before he could drown in the depths of her gaze.

  She hurried to catch up. “Did I say something wrong?”

  “No.” He stalked forward, tossing his half-eaten cone in a trash can.

  “Why do you do that?”

  He clenched his fists, continuing his march. “What do I do?”

  “We’ve been together twenty-four-seven for two straight weeks. Every now and then, you start opening up…being nice to me, letting me know Ethan, and then, bam. The gates slam down, and Edward Cullen is back. What gives?” She jogged. “And slow down. I’m not as fast as you.”