Page 26 of Your Coffin or Mine
“One of Frank’s shop attendants was rude to our guest today. That would be a bad look for your little business venture. Double check that he fires her immediately—I don’t want him getting soft-hearted in his old age.”
Doyle sits down across the table I’m standing at and arches a brow in question. “So now we’re telling Frank how to run his business empire and you want him to fire one of his staff because of Aubrey?”
“Exactly. I called him while there. Also, be sure you tell him that sunscreen of his smells vile,” I grumble.
“Why don’t you try it yourself on your new phone?” he urges.
I tap the phone screen and gesture at Aubrey’s little toy. “Are these things on the Etsy too? What the hell is an Etsy?”
“Here, I’ll download it for you. It’s a place where humans sell their wares online. I do find it strange that I’ve been attemptingto get you to keep up with the times, and all it takes is one woman.”
I sit, only to shift in my seat and hand the phone to him. He is right, though I would never admit it. I’m more curious than ever after seeing what this woman deems fit for a vacation and wonder if this pleasure device can make her toes curl the way I know I could. But more than that, I want to see the world from her eyes.
“Get me gram or whatever the hell it’s called too.”
Doyle pauses and lifts a concerned gaze to me, both brows rising. “I’m not sure what you’re playing at with Aubrey, but she can’t know what we are. None of the guests are ever supposed to know, Vlad, and the more you interact, the harder it’s going to be. The rest of us have been mingling with them for centuries while you’ve locked yourself away trying to forget humans exist. It’s been one day, and you’ve already managed to upset our only guest.”
I put my head in my hands. “She took pictureseverywhere.”
“She’s one of those social media influencers. I looked her up. It’s fine. I’ll take care of it.”
My forehead hits the table. “My coercion doesn’t work on her.”
“It doesn’t?” He hums as he strokes his short beard. “Maybe you haven’t been eating enough?”
Not a bad idea. “True, I’ll eat more,” I say, surprising him.
I sit up and eye her luggage. The thought of her wearing such clothing for another man has jealousy tearing through me.
“Right. All the apps are downloaded now, and I’ve set up accounts on Etsy and Instagram. Also added YouTube. If you have any questions, call Frank. I’m sure he would be glad to walk you through social media.”
I shake my head at his continued reminder that Frank exists. He would never approve of me chasing after a human like a lovesick fool.
“Bugger off.” I wave my hand at him dismissively before halting. “Oh, and dinner at seven.”
He rises to his feet and walks to the door. “I’ll get some new sunscreen and make sure Frank understands we can’t have a whiff of drama. Is Aubrey coming too?”
“I don’t know,” I say, frowning down at her luggage.
He glances at it and his eyes meet mine before he arches a brow. “Perhaps you should try a little harder to not be a dick?”
Once he leaves, I settle back into my chair, intent on learning more about her.Try to not be a dick, he says.
I notice the blood bags Hilda has left for me on a plate of ice, and sigh. I puncture a bag of O negative with my teeth and grimace.
“Why didn’t the coercion work on her?”
This has never occurred before, and pondering it leads to several more questions. Why, when I have never cared for humans, do I want to know everything about her? Why does she make my cock stand at attention with hardly a look, and how could she almost make me come in my pants like an untried lad?
I come to the conclusion that she is some sort of siren.
I must get her out of here.
Chapter 10
VLAD
“How hard canit be to withstand one human?” I grumble.
