Page 39 of The Donor’s Dilemma

As advertised, everything was blue from the two semi-circle couches to the wood panelled walls, the abstract paintings and the spine of every book on a floor-to-ceiling bookcases.

The music from the main room played over speakers, but it was barely audible when the woman spotted Verity and ran over to hug her with a squeal.

“And you must be Verity! We were so excited when we heard Theo had a girlfriend! A human girlfriend! Let me get a look at you!” She pulled back, beaming at her. “She’s beautiful! Far too good for you! Come sit with me!”

Verity turned to Theo with a silent plea as the woman dragged her towards one of the couches where Verity smiled helplessly at two men, who had been watching in silent amusement.

“Maybe some introductions, darling?” the man from the door said, taking a seat opposite and rolling up his shirt sleeves to fetch a bottle of champagne from an ice bucket. He looked to be early thirties, but the fangs told her he was likely much older.

“This is Charlie and Ed,” she gestured to the couple. Charlie, a vampire in a suit minus the jacket, Ed, a human in jeans and a polo. Both blonde and both handsome.

“Marcy’ll calm down in a minute,” Charlie mock-whispered.

“I’m just excited to have a new friend,” Marcy said before pointing to the other man, who offered Verity a glass. “And that’s Elliot, he likes to think he’s in charge.”

Verity hummed, accepting the glass. “Something tells me that isn’t the case though.” She winked at Elliot who gave her a knowing nod.

“Damn straight!” Marcy laughed. She looked a little older than Elliot, forty at most, with dark hair and deep brown eyes. She clinked glasses with Verity. “Come on. Tell us how you met.”

She looked to Theo. Shit. What was she supposed to say? The truth? It was only then that she realised Marcy called her Theo’s girlfriend. She supposed that was the idea, but having his actual friends call her that felt a little distasteful.

“Verity,” Theo said with a grimace, “is my donor.”

“Oh dear,” Charlie laughed. “Don’t let the Exchange hear.”

“Bad boy,” agreed Elliot. “Taking advantage of poor innocent Verity.”

“Innocent?” Theo laughed, but Ed interrupted.

“Wait. Harper?”

“Yeeess…” Her eyes darted to Theo’s and he mirrored her concern. Fuck. The last few weeks had gone so well she had almost forgotten about being blacklisted. No doubt some vampires would take great exception to what she had written.

“From Stonehaven? I knew I’d seen your face,” Ed said.

“You two know each other?” Charlie asked.

“Verity wrote that article. The one about the factory’s in Stonehaven covering up human deaths,” Ed explained.

“Really?” Elliot asked, frowning. “I heard about that. That was you?” Verity chewed on her lip and nodded, waiting for the vampire to damn her. Instead, he spat, “fucking disgusting. Treating humans like that. Just because we aren’t human anymore doesn’t mean we lost our humanity.” He raised his glass. “Thank Phoenar someone had the balls to call them out!”

To her shock everyone murmured their agreement, Ed and Charlie both leaning forward to clink glasses.

Of course, they agreed with her. These vampires who chose to be with humans, who loved humans. Of course it mattered to them too.

Theo leaned back in his seat, chin high, beaming at her.

Elliot elbowed him. “Marcy’s right, she’s too good for you.”

“I know,” he replied. “Waiting for her to realise.”

A knock at the door, and Charlie jumped up with a clap. “You hungry, Verity?” he asked, opening the door to two men who carried in platters of cheese and meat, fruit and pastries. They set the trays down on a coffee table in the middle, asking if they needed anything else to which Elliot asked for more champagne.

“I’m starving,” cried Marcy, scooting from her seat to sit on the floor in front of the feast.

Charlie joined her, preparing a plate of artistic looking snacks. “Just like Valesons,” he said, passing the plate to Ed before starting on his own.

Valesons, a café on the high street, opened while Verity was working in Stonehaven. Cora cursed them regularly, blaming their fancy sandwiches and frothy coffees for the loss of many of her regulars.