Page 17 of Dragon in Boots

MF looked up, her big brown eyes wide. “Boss? What are you—”

“Hello, tailor.” Maxton popped out of the storage room behind her, zipping up his pants.

Damien felt his anger percolate. “Maxton.”

Maxton wore a stylish dark green suit with a black paisley tie and maroon silk scarf. It was a solid look. Maxton was also a vampire and, until recently, the very last. Now there were two vampires in the world. Him and his new mate, MF.

MF’s pale cheeks flushed. “Sorry, we were just looking for some fabric.”

No, they’d been fucking. Again. “I understand that you are both still in your bloodymoon phase, and MF, I know your new vampire libido is, well, strong as a randy ox, but how many times must I tell you to leave it at home.”

Something wet nudged the back of his neck. He turned his head, but there was nothing. Nothing that could be seen with the naked eye.

“And for fuck’s sake, leave your hellhound home, too!” Damien was at the end of his rope with this posse of horny, needy nitwits encroaching on his life.

“Sorry, boss. I swear it won’t happen again.” MF smiled shamefully and then glanced at Maxton with a giggle.

Gods help me. They are not going to stop.When he returned from Dallas, he would have to sit down with MF and insist she move to her own space.

“What’s that, Sky?” MF said, looking over Damien’s shoulder.

So Sky was here now.Great.

There was a moment of silence, followed by MF and Maxton gasping loudly. The undead could hear ghosts, apparently.

“What did she say?” Damien asked.

“Nothing,” MF said. “It’s just…errr…”

Sky was talking about him? How much more could he endure from this sexy ghost?Damien, you made me a ghost the first time,he mocked her voice in his head.Now you owe me forever. Damien, I love you. Damien, I’m leaving you. Damien, die for me.

Women!“I do not have time for this.” He had five days to track down Cimil. Otherwise, all hell would break loose. That, or Votan would break his neck. As an immortal, Damien could still die if his body was destroyed or severely damaged. Not that he would mind ending his long existence, but he was not a fan of pain. “I have to locate Cimil and will return in a few days. Please look after—”

“She escaped? Again?” MF asked, apparently responding to something Sky said.

“Yes,” Damien confirmed.

“What about Amelia and Miguel?” MF asked.

“I will deal with that situation upon my return.” Damien had to prioritize. “I must go now.”

“We would love to accompany you,” Maxton said to him. “After all, I am still indebted to you for bringing MF and me together.”

Yes, Damien was responsible for their coming together, but it wasn’t as if he’d had a choice. Cimil had forced him to hunt down the last “living” vampire, who at the time had been “hermitting” in a South American jungle. Now Damien knew why Cimil had made him do it. She’d hoped to persuade Maxton to create an army of vampires for her war. Luckily, that would never happen. Maxton and MF were too busy humping to start siring newbies.

Little-known fact: new vampires were a hungry handful and needed constant supervision—thus the reason Maxton was never far from MF’s side. Other little-known fact: vampirescouldgo out in the sun, though it severely weakened them, which made newbies an even bigger threat since they could literally hunt twenty-four seven if you let them.

“Uh, no, no,” MF interjected, speaking to Maxton. “We have to stay here. Remember? Look after the shop?” She gave a knowing look to Maxton.

“Oh. Yes. We must stay here.” Maxton nodded enthusiastically.

They were going to screw in the storeroom again while he was away.

Grrrr…“Just—clean up after yourselves.” Damien turned to leave, feeling something breathing down his neck as he got to the door. “And keep Parrot away from me!”

Parrot was the name of Maxton’s hellhound. Why any vampire would want one as a pet was anyone’s guess. They were violent, unpredictable creatures, born deep within the fiery pits of hell.Not very cuddly.

All Damien knew was that his solitary life of fine suits and fabrics had been overtaken by a supernatural zoo. And now Sky was coming on this trip to find Cimil. At least Pet hadn’t caught up to him.Probably got distracted by a telephone pole.

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