Page 20 of Her Vampire Hero

As they waited for the tea to steep, Rook leaned against the counter, his eyes never leaving Jenny's face. "So," he said, his tone casual but his gaze intense, "how are you finding Beastly Falls? Still eager to leave?"

Jenny bit her lip, considering her answer. The truth was, she'd barely thought about leaving since their encounter in the parking lot. "It's growing on me," she admitted. “I wasn’t expecting to react to someone like this. I’m having a hard time that not only is an entire town a sentient being, but it picked me out of a million to see if you and I could be together forever.”

Rook nodded, his expression thoughtful. "It can be a lot to take in. I remember when I first learned about it..."

"How long ago was that?" Jenny asked, genuinely curious.

Rook's eyes took on a faraway look. "Longer ago than I care to admit. I was turned in 1647, during the English Civil War."

Jenny's eyes widened. "Holy shit. You're really old."

"I prefer the term 'well-seasoned', thank you very much."

"So, what was it like?" Jenny asked, leaning in closer. "Back then, I mean."

Rook's expression sobered. "Brutal," he said simply. "It was a time of great upheaval and violence. I was a soldier, barely more than a boy really. I thought I was fighting for a noble cause, but in the end..." He trailed off, shaking his head.

Jenny reached out instinctively, placing her hand on his arm. "I'm sorry. That must have been terrible."

Rook covered her hand with his own, offering a small smile. "It was a long time ago. But it shaped who I am, for better or worse."

The timer for the tea chimed, breaking the moment. Rook cleared his throat, turning to pour the tea into two delicate cups. "And what about you?" he asked, handing Jenny a cup. "What shaped the woman standing before me?"

Jenny took a sip of the tea, savoring the complex flavors. "Nothing so dramatic as civil war," she said with a wry smile. "Just a small-town girl with big dreams and a knack for fixing things."

"And yet here you are, in a town full of supernatural creatures, having tea with a vampire," Rook pointed out. "Surely there's more to the story than that."

Jenny sighed, setting down her cup. "I guess I've always felt like I was meant for something more, you know? Like there was this big adventure waiting for me, if I could just find it." She laughed self-deprecatingly. "Sounds silly when I say it aloud."

"Not at all. I think that's a very human desire to find purpose, to belong somewhere."

"And you?" Jenny asked. "Have you found where you belong?"

The air between them suddenly felt charged, heavy with unspoken possibilities. Rook took a step closer, close enough that Jenny could feel the tension radiating from his body.

"I have now," he said.

Jenny's heart raced as Rook's hand came up to cup her cheek. She leaned into his touch, her eyes fluttering closed. When his lips met hers, it felt like coming home.

The kiss started soft, tentative, but quickly grew more passionate. Jenny's hands fisted in Rook's shirt, pulling him closer as his tongue swept into her mouth. He tasted of tea and something darker.

They broke apart, both breathing heavily. Jenny's head spun, her body thrumming with desire. "Rook," she gasped, "I’ve never felt like this before."

"I know," he said, resting his forehead against hers. "I feel it too."

And then they were kissing again. Rook lifted Jenny onto the counter, stepping between her legs as his hands roamed her body. She wrapped her legs around his waist, grinding against him and eliciting a low groan.

"Jenny," Rook panted, pulling back slightly. "Are you sure about this? Once we... there's no going back."

Jenny looked into his eyes, seeing the vulnerability there. And in that moment, she knew. This was it. This was the adventure she'd been waiting for her whole life.

"I'm sure," she said, pulling him back in for another searing kiss.

He waved his hand, and the door to the tea shop slammed closed and locked. The Open sign flipped to closed.

“Can you bite me again?”

“I told you it was addictive.” Rook’s fangs elongated.

---