What the heckwasthat?
I massaged my chest absently, completely missing the solemnity return to Draven’s eyes.
He offered his arm, and we went out into the cool autumn evening.
The restaurant was eclectic, no doubt encompassing the three sisters’ tastes. It had a fun, vibrant energy that surrounded it. The parking lot was full, yet Draven still managed to find a spot close to the entrance. There was a huge park with a lake on the side of the restaurant that Draven told me they used as an entertainment venue for all kinds of things: weddings, concerts, Easter egg hunts for the kids. It was beautiful and very green. Trees lined the lake and river, and even though autumn had come to Moonhaven Cove, there were some flowers that still lined the walks.
We were seated by a beautiful woman who introduced herself as Rose. She had her sienna hair pulled up in a bun, and her emerald eyes looked timeless. “What can I get started for you?” she asked, as she pulled a pad and pen out of her apron.
I glanced down at the menu and saw that they did virgin drinks. “Virgin piña colada, please.”
Rose stepped aside as a server brought out two large bowls of homemade chips and salsa. The server left quickly and Rose finished taking our drinks. Draven surprised me and ordered a mocha.
“I didn’t know you drank coffee! Does it do anything for you?”
Draven scooped salsa onto a chip and munched on it before answering. “Sadly, it doesn’t. I just like the taste. Coffee is too bitter, and hot chocolate is too sweet. Mocha hits both notes perfectly for me.”
I smiled. Yep, that sounded about right. It amazed me how similar Draven and I were. He and I enjoyed a lot of the same things, and even though he was ancient, we shared similar thoughts on diverse subjects.
And what differences we had so far had only made things more interesting between us. I could definitely say that of the two of us, Draven was more intense. I was much more chill and relaxed than he was; than he would ever be, most likely. Draven didn’t relax well. Like, at all, really.
“Watch a movie with me tonight?” He smiled and nodded. I tapped my boot against his Converse and felt like all was right in the world as he snuggled my foot between his larger feet beneath the table.
I ordered the chicken fajitas, and he chose a beef enchilada plate, and we talked long into the night. He asked me about the different jobs I’d had, and I told him several funny stories about my bosses, some of whom had seemed literally crazy.
“Where were you born?”
Draven put his fork down and took a sip of his mocha. His beautiful brown curls glinted in the candlelight, and I wanted so badly to run my fingers through them again. Maybe tonight during the movie.
“I was born in the province of Ferrara in Italy to an Italian farming family. We made our living selling vegetables and wool at the nearby markets.”
Draven fiddled with his drink, lost in long ago memories. “One winter, a sickness swept through our small community. It killed by the hundreds. By the end of that winter, I’d lost my whole family.”
I gasped softly and reached for his hand. Our eyes met across the table, and I could read the pain in them. “I made my way to theAbbazia di Pomposa,or Abby of Pomposa, and asked for shelter. A few kind monks took me under their wings and broadened my education greatly. As a poor farmer, I hadn’t even learned how to read or write. The monks changed that. When I reached of age, I kept many of the records from the library, and assisted with a great many tasks around the abbazia.”
I scooted my chair closer to Draven, and leaned my head on his shoulder, wanting to be closer to him. His story was breaking my heart.
“One night, a man came, seeking shelter and a place to sleep for the night. The monks let him in. During the night, he let others in, and by morning, they had slaughtered everyone. I later found out that I had been turned because of my supposed beauty.”
He sounded bitter about that fact.
“You are beautiful, for a man, at least, but I’m sorry it’s caused you pain.”
He kissed the side of my head.
Our trip home was quiet as I thought about his childhood and his turning. Both had been such traumatic events. I was sure he’d long since dealt with them. When he’d been speaking of the experiences, I’d felt only distant pain from him. More like a memory of pain than anything else. Still, it made me sad that he’d been through so much. It made me want to fill his days with laughter and fun to make up for all the harshness of his former days.
We cuddled on the beanbag with Zian at our feet as we watched Big Hero 6. I ran my fingers through his curls and watched in amusement as they sprang back into place almost immediately. Right around the time Hiro was bot-fighting, Draven fell asleep, curled up around me as though he could andwouldprotect me from anything that might try to hurt me.
Our bodyguards were outside, and I felt confidant they would at least give us some warning if someone who wanted to kill us barged in.
Maybe.
Hopefully.
At least Mesmer would.
I tried not to take too many liberties with Draven’s person as he slept, and instead got a little misty eyed that he wascomfortable enough to sleep around me. I knew what that meant for a vampire: complete and utter trust. Some vampire couples who’d been together foryearshadnever slept in the same room as each other. Or so I’d been told.
