"I can imagine," Nathan replied, his voice soft with admiration. "You've been through so much, and here you are, using that to help others. It's really inspiring."
Harper felt a blush creeping up her cheeks at Nathan's praise. She was about to respond when Nick appeared with their drinks, momentarily interrupting their conversation.
She took a sip of her Margarita, the tart lime and salt dancing on her tongue. She set the glass down, her amber eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint as she glanced over at Nathan. A small smile played at the corners of her mouth, anticipating his reaction to what she had to share.
"The wolf shifters have come forward to provide security for the homes and businesses of those shifters who come out in public. You know, to keep everyone safe. But, there's more," she said, her voice low and conspiratorial.
Nathan leaned in, intrigued. "Oh? What's that?"
Harper paused for a beat, her eyes dancing with barely contained amusement. She glanced around the room, ensuring no one else was wandering close enough overhear their conversation, before leaning in closer to Nathan. "For night-time patrols, well... the vampires from Manhattan have volunteered."
Harper's eyes sparkled with mischief as she watched for Nathan's reaction, anticipating.
His jaw dropped in disbelief. His lips parted and sealed several times, as if he couldn't find the right words. "Hold on, what?" he managed to splutter. "Vampires? Come on, Harper. Are you just messing with me to see if I'll believe anything?"
She couldn't contain her giggles any longer. She laughed, the sound light and musical in the warm afternoon air. "I swear it's true!" she exclaimed, holding up her hands in mock surrender. "Cross my heart!"
Nathan shook his head, a bewildered look on his face, and he peered at her closely. "No way," he said, his voice a mix of amusement and incredulity. "You're pulling my leg. Vampires? Really?"
Her eyes danced with amusement as she bobbed her head up and down. "Really. Vampires exist, and they've volunteered to handle the night-time guard duty. Since they're awake all night anyway, it's totally logical.."
Nathan leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair as he tried to wrap his mind around this new information. "Vampires," he muttered, shaking his head in amazement. "Just when I thought jackalopes and shapeshifters were the craziest thing I'd ever encounter. What's next, unicorns?"
Harper's grin widened, and she raised an eyebrow suggestively, causing Nathan to groan and bury his face in his hands.
"You're killing me here, Harper," he said, his voice muffled by his palms. "My whole world view is being turned upside down."
Harper reached across the table, gently pulling his hands away from his face. Her touch was soft, reassuring. "It may be a whole new world to you, Nathan," she said softly, her amber eyes meeting his brown ones. "But we've always been here, even if you didn't know about us."
Nathan shook his head, a mixture of disbelief and awe etched on his face. "Yes, I know," he said, his voice still tinged with incredulity. "It's just... vampires!" He ran a hand through his hair, disheveling it slightly. "I mean, shapeshifters and jackalopes were one thing, but vampires? That's a whole other level of supernatural."
Harper watched him with a mixture of amusement and sympathy. She could remember her own shock when she first learned that vampires were real, and she'd grown up in the shifter community, knowing about the many supernatural beings. She'd been a teenager, when her parents had dropped that bombshell on her. For Nathan, who had only recently been introduced to this hidden world, it must be overwhelming.
"I know it's a lot to take in," she said softly, reaching across the table to give his hand a reassuring squeeze. "But they're not like in the movies, you know. They're just... people, with their own unique challenges. Okay," she admitted. "Maybe they're a little more dangerous than normal people."
Nathan nodded slowly, his brown eyes meeting her amber ones. "I believe you," he said, his voice steadier now. "It's just going to take some time to wrap my head around it all."
As if on cue, Nick appeared at their table, balancing two steaming plates of food. The rich aroma of Mexican food wafted through the air, momentarily distracting them from their conversation.
"Here we go," Nick announced cheerfully, setting down their meals. "Fish tacos all around. Enjoy!"
As Nick turned to leave, Nathan suddenly straightened in his chair. "Wait, Nick," he called out, a determined look in his eye. Sensing what was coming, Harper's eyes began to dance with amusement.
Nick halted, turning back to them. "What is it?"
Nathan leaned forward, his eyes wide with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation. His voice dropped to a hushed whisper, barely audible above the clinking of silverware and murmur of conversation in the restaurant. "Is it true?" he asked, his words carrying an undercurrent of urgency. "Are vampires real?" The question hung in the air between them, charged with the weight of potential revelation. Nathan's heart raced as he awaited an answer, his fingers unconsciously gripping the edge of the table.
Harper had to bite her lip to keep from smiling, her eyes darting between Nathan and Nick. She could see the matching gleam of amusement in Nick's eyes, the quick glance he threw her way before answering.
Nick's face betrayed nothing, yet a trace of mirth colored his tone as he responded, "Yep, they're real, dude."
Nathan groaned, slumping back in his chair. "Unbelievable," he muttered, shaking his head.
Nick chuckled softly. "Welcome to our world, Nathan. Enjoy your meal." With that, he turned and headed back into the restaurant, leaving Nathan staring after him in stunned silence.
Harper couldn't hold back her laughter any longer. It bubbled up, light and melodious, filling the air between them. "Oh, Nathan," she said, her eyes twinkling with mirth. "Your face right now is priceless."
Nathan turned his gaze back to her, a rueful smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I'm glad I can provide you with entertainment," he said dryly, but there was no annoyance in his tone. "I suppose I should just accept that nothing is going to surprise me anymore."
