The Vampire's Fall

“Actually, he does have one with a skull and crossbones on the back. Got a problem with that?”

She approached the kitchen counter and slid onto a stool. “No. Sorry, I seem to offend at every turn. I should leave. You’ve been more than kind.”

“Not until you eat.” He placed a plate stacked with pancakes before her. Beside that sat a coffee cup steaming with dark brew. “You like maple syrup?”

“I...don’t know.”

“Right.” He tapped his temple. “But you do know about Sphynx cats. Interesting.”

She dug into the pancakes. Mercy, but it had been days since she’d eaten a decent meal and not a candy bar or bag of Doritos that she’d gotten out of a vending machine. Her aching stomach growled with glee.

“So your bedroom is all black,” she stated between bites. Ah, hot food. And it smelled so good. And tasted even better.

Blade stood across from her by the stove, arms crossed and one hand wielding a spatula. He was noticeably not eating. “That it is.”

“And you’re all into the dark look yourself. Is that called goth?”

He made show of looking down the front of his black T-shirt, stretched tightly across muscled biceps, black jeans and, well, his feet were bare. “For a chick who’s lost her memory, you’re very judgmental.”

“And you are being sarcastic. I do know what sarcasm is.”

“Good for you. I’m not a goth. I’m just Blade. You find everything you needed in the bathroom?”

She touched her hair. “I borrowed your comb. I hope that was okay. You can’t imagine how good it feels to be showered and reasonably groomed. My hair must have looked horrible before.”

“It’s gorgeous,” he said quickly. And then he turned and made a show of checking that the griddle was turned off, mumbling as he did so, “I mean, it’s fine.”

Zenia brushed the wet locks over her shoulder, but couldn’t hide what felt like a blush. “So what do you do, Blade? You said you were running into town? To your job?”

“I do some fix-it work for the locals here and there. Got a quick job for a couple of retired nuns who are designing a water garden in their backyard. And I work with my brother, Stryke. He’s, er...leader of a...group.”

She sipped the hot coffee carefully, trying to figure out what he wasn’t willing to say. A group? Of what? People? For what reason? But she wouldn’t ask. Whatever he wanted to present to her, she’d take, and anything he didn’t want her to know was fine, too.

Should she be more curious? She had enough problems of her own to worry about. And she wanted to move over to his good side, maybe even befriend him. She could use a friend. Where were her friends? Were they worried about her? Had they called the police?

“Stryke is building a compound for...his work,” Blade offered. “I’m his second-in-command. It’s family stuff.”

“Sounds important. Do you think I have friends?”

The man shrugged. “Not sure. But you’re not wearing a ring.”

She studied her hands. The fingers were long and slender. “I must not wear jewelry.” That seemed sad. One should never forego a chance to sparkle. “I should have a couple of rings. I like sparkly things. Why did you notice the absence of a ring?”

“It’s nothing,” he said again, taking great interest in the griddle.

“These pancakes are delicious,” she said. “I’m trying not to devour them, but it’s not working.”

“Devour all you want. Griddle is still hot. I can make up more fast.”

“No, I think five is more than enough. Though, I will take a refill on the coffee. I figure it’s the last good meal I’ll have for a while. Aren’t you going to eat?”

“I did when you were in the shower. So you’re sleeping in your truck and I’m going to assume you don’t have a lot of cash.”

“Twenty bucks.” She shrugged. “I’ll figure something out.”

“There’s an inn at the edge of town where you could stay. Family owned. I don’t think it’s expensive. It’s got a big red cock out front.”

Zenia sputtered on a sip of coffee. “A what?”

His smile was slow but genuine and it warmed her all over to finally see some levity from him. His eyes were all kinds of sexy now.

“The inn is called The Red Rooster. There’s a giant iron rooster sculpture on the front lawn.”

“I see.” But looking for an actual red cock may have proved more interesting. “How much you think they charge a night?”

Blade opened a drawer beside him, took out a roll of bills and set it on the counter before Zenia. “That should help you out a bit.”

A bit? Her jaw dropped open. The tightly wound block of greens looked as though it could bankroll an entire building project.

“Oh, no, I can’t.” But she couldn’t stop from grabbing it and testing the weight of the roll. They were hundred dollar bills. And there had to be a couple dozen of them rolled up. “This is... No. I don’t know how I’d ever pay that back. I’m good with sleeping in the truck and eating Doritos. I like the cool-ranch ones.”

“It’s a gift. I can afford it.”

“You don’t even know me.”

“That’s the best kind of gift. It makes me feel good to give. Maybe it will even tilt me out of the guilt column I’ve been stuck in. Will you let me have that good feeling?”

“I uh...” She set the roll beside the plate. It would certainly come in handy and definitely pay for a month or more at a cheap inn or hotel. And she could really use a hot shower every day. And maybe even new clothes. And some sparkly rings for her fingers.

The guilt column? What had the man to feel guilty about?

It was none of her business. If he was trying to buy some redemption or whatever, far be it from her to get judgmental, as he’d suggested earlier.

“Okay,” she said. “But what will I owe you? Besides all this cash?”

“You think I expect something from you for that money?”

“You’re a man. If I know anything about men it is that they generally do not give things to others without expecting something in return. And you, being handsome and single, and me being, well—whatever and whoever I am—maybe you want something from me.”

“Something.” He leaned forward onto the counter on his elbows and his hair fell over one eye. He rapped the counter. Considering what his terms would be?

“I don’t want to give you sex,” she suddenly felt the need to say. “I mean, I don’t know you very well. So if that’s the condition, then I’ll leave without this.” She pushed the roll toward him.

“If I’d wanted to have sex with you, Zen, it would have happened last night.”

“Oh.”

So that meant he wasn’t interested in having sex with her? Because the guy was ten kinds of handsome. And—didn’t he find her attractive?