Page 40 of High Stakes

I released a tense breath and turned my attention to Enoch. He blinked rapidly, grasping the table edge with a tension that radiated through his muscular arms. The lovely woman to my right started to laugh. “My goodness, Enoch. She has you tied in knots, brother.”

“Mind your tongue,” he warned, flashing a fiery glance at her.

Terah. Titus and I were sitting at a table, dressed in fourteenth century formalwear, about to dine with our targets. One of whom had just stabbed a table to defend my honor because Titus had the audacity to refer to my chest—something he’d done a hundred times. This wasn’t just a different century. I think Kael sent us into a different world, entirely.

Titus glanced from the quivering knife handle to me, swallowing thickly. His eyes were wide and alarmed. He tilted his head toward Terah.

I gave a slight nod.

If they were here, where was Asa? And, by extension, Abram?

My heart thundered. I fought to control my heartbeat, but my tech, not surprisingly, was down. I pretended to bang my hand as I lifted it from beneath the table, wincing. Enoch snapped his attention to me and Titus shook his head, a smirk on his face.

We weren’t just playing with fire. We were surrounded by flame.

Enoch stared at me, ignoring everything else around him. Though there were two other people at the table, though we were surrounded by his people, men who laughed boisterously and gesticulated with their hands with every tall tale they regaled. Women who were far prettier than I was. Kids who threw their peas instead of eating them.

His attention was unsettling.

“Do you like what you see?” I teased.

He never broke his stare. “Like is too small a word.”

Titus grinned warily while Terah gave a throaty laugh.

Thankfully breaking the moment, a woman placed a large platter full of meat and vegetables in the center of the table. Moist, delectable steam wafted into the air, making my mouth water. Another came in with a wrapped loaf of bread, while someone else bustled in to fill our goblets with what smelled like blackberry wine.

The humans around us waited patiently until Enoch smiled and told them to eat and enjoy.

When Enoch motioned for us to dig in, I didn’t waste time on pleasantries. There were spoons but no forks, and glancing around at the humans at the tables around us, I noticed most of them used their hands to eat. I figured we should, too. I pulled a hot tangle of carrots and a slice of meat from the dish and dumped them onto my plate. Titus followed my lead and selected a medley of food, chewing despite the hot temperature. Terah and Enoch waited until we took a second helping to fill their plates.

Shocked, I stopped chewing and watched as they took bites of the meat and began to chew. They were eating meat and vegetables? Vampires only fed on blood!

“Is something the matter, Milady?” Enoch asked mildly, a small smile playing on his lips. “Perhaps you don’t know me as well as you thought?”

“You’re... eating,” I replied dumbly.

He drew his thumb into his mouth, licking juice from his skin. “Of course.” Just then, a serving woman passed by. He gently caught her forearm and she sat her pitcher on the table, attentive.

“Sire? Are you thirsty?” she asked solicitously.

He smiled disarmingly. “I’m afraid I am. Would you care to provide a drink for me?” Though his green eyes bored into hers, he wasn’t compelling her. He was simply asking.

“I’m always happy to help,” she chirped.

Without flinching, she raised her wrist to his mouth. Enoch’s eyes locked onto mine as he bared his fangs and sank them into her vein, drawing out a few gulps. Carefully easing his fangs from her skin, he gently held his hand over her wound for several heartbeats. When he released her, the bite marks had already scabbed over. “Thank you, Heather.”

Heather turned her attention to Terah. “Do you need a drink, my Lady?” she asked considerately.

“I will find another. You’ve already given much. Thank you,” Terah replied, bowing her head slightly in acknowledgement.

The woman curtseyed before taking her pitcher and moving to another table. Titus and I looked at one another. His lips were parted in question, and I realized mine gaped open, too.

“The humans choose to feed you?” Titus finally asked.

Enoch nodded his head. “Of course. We offer them protection and security, and in return, they provide the blood needed to sustain us.”

“What about the other vampires?” Titus fished. “I can’t imagine one drink would be enough to satisfy them.”

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