Page 50 of Lucas
“Hmm. I think it was a passion we both shared from the beginning. Maybe that was why it was so easy to have him around. We share many of the same interests.” His gaze was intense, but I’d lived with vamps long enough that it no longer bothered me—as long as they weren’t touching me while doing it. Unless it was Lucas or Devon’s Family. And even with them, it had taken time for the fear of being mesmerized to fade.
I sipped the coffee while returning his stare until he grinned. “Mmm. That is good. Did you do something different with the beans?”
He shrugged. “I might have had them ground finer, but I think it’s just the quality of the roast.”
“So, what other interests do the two of you share?” I could have let the topic drop since I’d steered the conversation away from it, but I was curious. And I wanted him to know that while I respected him, I wasn’t scared of him—much.
He leaned back and took a swallow of coffee, seeming to savor it like a wine connoisseur. “You already know his penchant for books. We spent hours in the library during the wee hours of the morning debating politics, Council law, and why some Houses lost battles while others won them. It’s the one thing I miss about not having him around.”
“And why the two of you spend hours on the phone.”
He chuckled. “So you know most of it.” He ran his fingers over the table as if playing a piano. Maybe he did. He’d had plenty of time to learn. “There is one thing.” He glanced at me under hooded eyes. “I don’t know if I should even mention it. It’s a highly guarded secret.”
I rolled my eyes. “If you’re trying to sell it, don’t bother.” I leaned in. “I’m all about gossip.”
“A human trait.”
“More than you know. And I’m pretty good at it. But the vamp world has its own gossip mill.”
“Oh?”
I nodded. “You call it the aristocracy.”
He threw his head back and laughed. It had a pleasant ring to it. If Cressa and Devon weren’t such a perfect couple, I’d consider playing matchmaker.
“You’re spot on. Lucas said you had insights like no one else he knew. I didn’t understand it at the time, but I’ve seen it several times now. You are an enigma.”
“That’s a first. I don’t think I’ve ever been called anything quite so…I don’t know, mysterious doesn’t quite cover it.”
“Don’t change that part of you. Sometimes, when humans are around vampires for too long, they tend to lose their own aura. The thing that makes them special. I don’t know why. Maybe because in most vampire households we don’t give the humans the challenges they need to hold on to their humanity. Perhaps that’s something we can learn from you.”
“You’re an insightful vampire yourself. I’d say there’s hope.”
“You are a tease, Ms. Morrison.”
“And you’re deflecting, House Leader Romero.”
He grinned. “So I am. And I’m also serious that only a handful know what I’m about to tell you. This stays between you and me. It wouldn’t seem dignified for a House Leader or a member of the cadre.”
“Please tell me you’re not overselling it.” I giggled. His tone became guarded, as if state secrets were about to be shared.
He glanced around the room, and I followed his gaze, prepared to find a small crowd of onlookers. I grinned so widely my cheeks hurt. The more stoic he became the harder it was to hold in the laughter.
He leaned in, beckoning me with a crooked finger. State secrets indeed. He had me so wrapped up in the mystery, I almost missed the minute crinkle at the edge of his lips. I’d only known him a day, but I’d say that was the start of a grin.
“We’re obsessed with bingo.”
I fell back, not sure I’d heard him right and feeling somewhat deflated. I stared into those honeyed eyes, the sincerity so real. But there was a light behind them, the touch of the beast, but not in hunger or anger. He was playing me.
“You do know what bingo is in the human world, right?”
He nodded in all seriousness. “Little cards with numbers in rows and columns. A free space in the middle. Depending on the bingo hall, some use those dot markers, but we prefer the places that still use the little wooden chips or multi-colored plastic ones. I prefer the dark blue or the red ones.”
I released something between a honk and a snort, which was unfortunate because I breathed in air while a laugh burst out. The two forces lodged in my throat, and I couldn’t catch a breath.
Next thing I knew, I was on my back, and Rom was pressing on my chest with the palms of his hands, trying to force the air out, but it wasn’t working. I wondered if I would actually turn blue before I met my maker. A vamp shoving a sword through my heart or slicing it across my neck would have been a more honorable way to die. Like a Klingon.
The giggles came on again like little bubbles of compressed air. I was turned onto my side, and Rom slapped my back. I’d be worried if I didn’t find this entire episode idiotic. Did the vamp ever get first aid or trauma training, or was he just guessing on the best way to help me?
