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Chapter One
I’dalwayslovedHalloween.There was something about the scary costumes, the eerie thrill in the air, and the nights drawing in through the autumn that drove me wild. I loved cauldrons and broomsticks and ghost stories, but more than that – more thananythingelse – I loved vampires.
Yes. I, Katherine Jane Blakely, at eighteen years old, was still absolutelycrazyabout vampires. Just as I had been from a little girl.
I was pouring a wine for Frederick Brust when a group of the younger members came in through the main entrance. They were out on a guys’ social after a polo game earlier, and usually I’d have given them little more than a politehelloas they got seated and ready to order some drinks, but tonight was different. They were dressed up in Halloween costumes, even though there was still a whole week to go, and Max Eggerton, the very hottest young guy of the bunch, was dressed up as Dracula.
Max’s fangs were shitty white plastic, and the fake blood dripping down his chin was almost as cringeworthy as the flimsy red satin cape around his shoulders, but that didn’t matter. The very sight of fangs gave me tingles right the way up my arms. He looked twenty times better to me as an immortal vampire than he did as the young, hot kid on the block. Even in a cruddy costume.
He stepped up to the bar along with Stephan as soon as I’d handed the merlot to Frederick.
“What can I get you?” I asked them.
Stephan leant forward, checking out the selection of spirits despite the fact he already knew them by heart. The people here at Regency Gentlemen’s Club were the same crew of posh guys every single weekend. I almost laughed out loud at Stephan when I got to check out his costume in greater detail. He was clearly supposed to be a mummified corpse, but in reality he was swirled up in shabby toilet roll.
I was dressed in white myself, but my outfit was the total opposite of shabby. I was in a barmaid’s uniform of the highest calibre, fitting me nice and neatly. My hair was up in a tight, dark bun to make the most of the neatness. Understated, but nicely natural.
I always needed to look prim and perfectly proper in this role. A little mascara would do ok, but that was about all. Even my lipstick was nothing more than a natural sheen.
“I’ll go with a gin and Coke, please, Katherine,” Stephan told me.
I got another tingle as I looked at Max standing beside him. His teeth appeared even worse up close, but that made no difference. Plastic fangs still made my heart race.
My eyes were on Max’s mouth as Stephan ordered drinks for the rest of their group, on autopilot as I presented the bottles and glasses on the counter. My fingers were jittery on the bar tab screen as I tapped in their totals, still eyeing up the crappy red cloak around Max’s shoulders as he disappeared with their tray of drinks.
I was so caught up in the approaching Halloween air that I hadn’t noticed Hans appear at the bar. He was a pale, tall figure with the most glorious dark hair I’d ever seen. Way, way more worthy of my attention than Max Eggerton ever could be, fake fangs or not.
Hans Jacob Weyerwas his full name.
When I noticed him there I knew I’d fucked up – ignoring a club member who was waiting to order drinks. Inadvertently or not, it made no odds. It was incompetent. If my manager Eliza caught me, I’d be getting a stern telling off when the night was through.
“Sorry, sir,” I said, but Hans shook his head with a smile.
“It’s understandable to be distracted by vampires. I’ll forgive you this once, Katherine.”
I felt even more of an idiot for my distraction when I saw the pure perfection of Hans’ teeth rather than fake plastic ones. His beauty didn’t just lie with his teeth, either. His brows were sculpted dark, and his cheeks were angular in the most stunning of ways, and his lips were nicely filled out. Not only that, but he had the lightest green eyes in creation, and it only added to his presence. Striking – that’s one word you could use to describe him. Stunningly striking. Not least because of the gorgeous suit he was wearing. Black tie, white shirt, black tailored jacket. He could have been on his way to a funeral, but it looked great on him.
I was staring mutely at Hans when Frederick arrived back at the bar holding his glass of blood-red wine, and slapped his friend on the back in a friendly greeting. They shook hands and I noticed how lean Hans’ fingers were. His hands were as gorgeous as his face. Strong, yet delicate somehow.
I realised I was staring at fingers not faces when theirhellosturned to distant silence, and there I was, being a crappy barmaid all over again.
Both men looked across as I stumbled back to my senses. I met Hans’ eyes, finally giving him the professional barmaid attention he deserved.
“Sorry again, Mr Weyer,” I said. “What would you like to drink?”
“The same for me, please,” he told me, gesturing to Frederick’s glass. “A large merlot.”
“Of course.”
I got straight to it, feeling his stare burning my back as I turned and uncorked a fresh bottle. Maybe it was the approach of Halloween, or Max’s plastic teeth, I didn’t know, but I felt prickles in weird places as I poured the wine.
Frederick was chatting about something with Hans, but his words sounded blurry behind me. All I could feel was the heat of Hans’ green eyes on my back. Turning to face him with his drink in my hand only confirmed he was watching me. I realised I was blushing, and I blushed even more as I handed him his drink.
“Katherine, thank you,” he said with a slight nod of his head.
I wondered again where his accent was from, just as I had done every night that I’d seen him. His voice was fitting of this posh London community, but not quite as British as the other aristocratic bloodlines that usually frequented this bar. His speech was impeccable, his tone low and confident, but different to the others. Hard to place.
It was Frederick doing most of the talking, not Hans, which wasn’t unusual. I busied myself slicing some lemons, trying not to focus on either of them as I pretended I was comfortable in my role, even though I was still trying to find my feet in this new city life I was living. It was hard. Some days harder than others. Some nights harder than ever.
