Page 14 of Rescued By the Vexed Vampire

“Feeling generous today?” I asked as I wandered over to where he stood, leaning casually against the counter.

He shot me a sideways glance, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. “Maybe I just like to keep people on their toes.”

“Uh-huh,” I said, crossing my arms and giving him a knowing look. “Admit it—you’ve got a soft spot for the underdog.”

Drake shrugged, but the smirk remained. “I like to win. And sometimes, that means trusting the right people.”

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help the smile that tugged at my lips. “You know, I never would have guessed you’d be the type to get your hands dirty.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Trust me, this is not my usual scene.”

“No kidding,” I said, eyeing the paint splatters on his shirt and the dirt under his fingernails. “You look like you’re about to audition for a DIY reality show.”

He glanced down at himself, then back at me with a mock-serious expression. “Is that a compliment?”

“Take it however you want,” I replied with sass.

He stepped closer, his gaze locking onto mine with that intensity that always made my heart skip a beat. “You know,” he said quietly so that only I could hear, “for someone who’s new to this whole vampire thing, you’re doing pretty well.”

I swallowed, trying to ignore the heat that flared between us every time he got too close. “Yeah, well, I’ve always been a quick learner.”

“Good,” he said softly, his voice dropping even lower to that teasing tone that sent shivers down my spine. “Because we’ve got a lot of work to do, and I’m not about to let you slack off.”

Before I could respond, Noah called out from across the room, waving a tray of chocolates in the air. “Bethany! Drake! Come try these!”

Grateful for the distraction, I turned and made my way over to the candy counter, where Noah had arranged an assortment of chocolates shaped like miniature pumpkins, ghosts, and bats. They were intricately detailed, each one a tiny masterpiece.

“Wow, Noah,” I said, genuinely impressed. “These are incredible.”

Noah grinned, clearly pleased with himself. “I told you I had some ideas. I just couldn’t help myself.”

Drake picked up one of the chocolates, inspecting it closely before popping it into his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully, then nodded. “These are good. Really good.”

As Noah basked in the glow of Drake’s approval, I glanced over at the clock on the wall. It was getting late, and we still had a few more things to finish before the shop was ready for the blood drive. But despite the long hours, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was exactly where I was supposed to be.

Later that night as the group’s energy waned and we prepared to stop work for the day, Drake and I made plans to meet at my place. We still hadn’t cracked the puzzle of reversing the vampire curse, and with Halloween fast approaching, I was starting to feel the pressure. But if I was going to spend eternity as one of the undead, I figured I’d at least exhaust all my options first.

“I don’t cook,” I told him honestly, leaning against the counter as we cleaned up the shop for the night. “But I’ll supply the spells and ingredients if you bring dinner.”

Drake raised an eyebrow, a slow smile spreading across his face. “You drive a hard bargain, Snow.”

I couldn’t help but return his grin. “Consider it a fair exchange.”

“Deal,” he said, his eyes lingering on mine for just a moment longer than necessary before turning to leave. “See you at eight.”

By the time eight o’clock rolled around, I was a bundle of nerves. I wasn’t exactly sure why—this wasn’t a date, after all. But it felt like more than just a casual dinner. Maybe it was the fact that we’d already crossed some serious boundaries, ormaybe it was because there was this undeniable pull between us that I couldn’t shake. Either way, I was more flustered than I wanted to admit.

When Drake arrived, I wasn’t entirely prepared for the sight of him standing in my doorway, holding a large paper bag filled with what smelled like heaven. His sleeves were rolled up, his dark hair slightly mussed, and there was something almost casual about him that I hadn’t seen before. It was...disarming.

“Dinner is served,” he said, flashing that annoyingly sexy smile as he stepped inside.

I eyed the bag suspiciously as I shut the door behind him. “What did you bring? And please don’t tell me it’s blood. I’m not sure I could live with myself, even though I’m undead.”

He chuckled, setting the bag down on my kitchen counter and pulling out a couple of plates. “No blood tonight. I figured we’d stick to something a little more...traditional.” He pulled out several covered platters and a bottle of red wine. “I hope crab-stuffed, bacon-wrapped filet mignon with whiskey peppercorn sauce, roasted red potatoes, and grilled asparagus sounds good to you.”

I stared at him open-mouthed as I watched him unpack the meal. I wasn’t expecting this. I had figured he’d bring some takeout or, at best, something reheated from a restaurant. But this? A gourmet dinner? That was not what I had imagined.

“You...cooked all this?” I asked, trying to hide my surprise.

---