Page 9 of Every Bite You Take
He stopped walking and turned to face me. “I’m Damien Rockwell.” He placed a hand on his heart.
I laughed since Piper had already introduced us. “Kylie Anderson,” I replied.
“Kylie,” he repeated, saying my name in a low, smooth way that made me aware of certain body parts. “Would you like to join me for dinner tomorrow night?”
My heart galloped. A vampire asked me on a date, and I was giddy about the prospect. This was definitely not something I’d entertain at home. Must be all the vacation vibes and vampire magic combined.
“I’d love to.”
He smiled so brightly that I almost forgot where we were. The dim light highlighted his jawline, and the reflection of light in his eyes reminded me that he wasn’t human.
Right, he was undead. Immortal. He drank blood—like that which ran through my veins. A flicker of hesitation rose. Was this foolish? Dangerous? Should I change my mind and run before I made a mistake?
My feet remained planted as my fascination with Damien rose. Heat tingled in my veins.
“Good night, Damien.”
I returned to my room, heady with anticipation about tomorrow night.
I had a date with a hot rockstar vampire.
CHAPTER 6
DAMIEN
“You look beautiful,” I greeted Kylie when she met me in front of the main restaurant, wearing a pin-up style black dress that clung to her curves and flared down around her calves. Her purple hair was curled into sleek curls that stood out against the black. Her scent filled my nostrils, igniting that familiar craving for her. Since I knew to expect it now, it was easier to control my reaction, rather than turn into some rabid, ravenous beast.
“Thanks. You look very nice yourself.” Her captivating blue-gray eyes twinkled. She glanced at my outfit—one of the usual types I performed in, which was black jeans and boots —but I added a blazer over my shirt to better fit with the vibe. The cruise had a more casual atmosphere than some of the elegant ones I’d heard about, but many opted to dress up more in the evenings.
I turned to the host. “Rula, we’re all set whenever you are.”
I’d stopped by the restaurant earlier to make sure it was cool that I come in with Kylie tonight, and she told me to come later, after the rush. It wasn’t as if I ever ate much in crew dining so coming here once in a while shouldn’t be a big deal. Fortunately, this ship wasn’t as strict as others I’d heard of, where it would be forbidden to date a passenger.
After we were seated at a table for two near the window, the server Henri offered us napkins and menus. Mine was more a formality as I ordered red wine with blood, which I hoped wouldn’t put Kylie off, considering the incident the first night.
While Kylie ordered prosecco, soup, and seafood, I scanned our surroundings. Most of the tables were full, covered with white cloths and elegant place settings. The scents of varied food surrounded us.
“Wow, now this is not what I expected when I booked this cruise.” Her lips curled into a knowing smile. “A fancy date with a vampire rock star.”
“Vampire, yes. Musician, yes. Rock star? That might be pushing it.” I chuckled. “In my teenage dreams, maybe. Now I’m just happy to be able to make a living while creating music.”
Our wine arrived and we each took a sip. Mine was a cabernet with the perfect amount of blood, slightly warmer than room temperature.
“That’s great. How do you like working on the ship?” she asked.
“I’ve only been doing so for a few months, but so far, so good. We work hard but get to visit new places and meet new people.”
Her gaze drifted off. “That could be a bonus. I work evenings myself, but it’s usually the same people. Same place.” She laughed.
“Do you like it there?”
“I do. It’s home. And home is comfortable.”
Or it could be reminders of things you wanted to forget. That wasn’t something I’d bring up, so I changed the subject. “What did you do on your first day onshore?”
“Oh, it was great.” Kylie’s eyes lit up as she told me about walking around Sitka. “So many cool things to see. The totem poles. Learning about the Tlingit culture. Seeing whales as I walked along the shore.”
Her food arrived, and although she noticed I wasn’t eating, she didn’t point it out. She must have been familiar with vampires back home.
