Dead Vampires Don't Date (22 page)

30.
I May Need To Re-Consider My OFF MEN Plan.

There is nothing quite like the successful and totally secret burial of a couple of bodies to bring a witch, a vampire and a demon together. Morgan and I had planned our celebration. Ash had crashed it and fulfilled his promise to see me.

I was good with that.

Ash shifted his chair slightly closer to mine. He'd done it twice since he sat down. Now his thigh pressed along mine from hip to knee. He nudged my boot with his.

"Did you have any bad dreams last night?" He picked up my hand and played with my fingers.

"No. I didn't." Ivan's death hadn't bothered me in the least. It might be a horrible thing to say, but it's the truth. "Did you?" I don't know if demons actually dream.

Ash gave me an appalled look. "No."

Probably not something a Demon Lord would admit to anyway.

"What can I get you two?" Teri set an empty wine glass in front of Morgan. She already had her thermos open. From the way she snatched up the glass and poured it full, I figured she hadn't eaten yet this evening.

I'd gotten the idea each time she glared at my pulse, which had been racing ever since Ash arrived.

Morgan gulped the blood down in one swift move. She poured another glass right away. Something was bugging her.

"Two beers." Ash handed Teri some money. "Thank you."

Teri had already walked away before the implication set in. Ash had ordered for both of us and paid. Like a couple. On a date.

Wow.

"I talked to Tommy." Morgan poured herself another glass. She didn't gulp this one and the lines around her eyes had eased. Maybe she'd just been really hungry.

I have to say that in the heat of the battle and my first murder, I'd sort of forgotten all about Tommy. "You did? Where was he?"

"He went out of town to visit his cousin for a few days."

Nothing mysterious about that. "Why did he lie about where he was the night the prince . . .?" It occurred to me that openly discussing a murder – even one that I had nothing to do with – was not a good idea.

"He was on a date." She smirked.

"A date?" I didn't get it. "So why did he feel like he had to lie about it?"

"It was a normal date." Morgan laughed. "He didn't want word to get out at
The Whipping Post
and ruin his reputation."

Huh.

"Here you go." Teri set two icy bottles on the table. She handed Ash his change.

"Teri, do you happen to know what the cost of an ordinary yellow broom is?" I didn't have to specify a witch's broom with another witch.

She named a price a hundred dollars less than what I paid. I knew it. That little witch had over-charged me. I'm fairly positive I knew what coven she belonged to as well. I opened my mouth to see what plans Morgan had for later.

"Would you like to dance?" The deep voice took me by surprise. Morgan and Ash probably heard him well before he arrived at our table.

Near Ash's height with silky black hair and piercing green eyes that rivaled Morgan's, the stranger stood just to the side of our table. He stared at Morgan.

She took a casual sip of her blood, lowered the glass and slowly looked up. I waited for her usual flip-off.

Pink tinted her upper cheeks. I gaped.

The stranger held out his hand. Morgan took it and stood. Just as they were lost in the midst of bodies on the dance floor I saw her flip her hair.

Sweet Glinda. Morgan was flirting.

Ash stood up, pulled my chair back and murmured right into my ear, "let's dance, too."

I'm not one to pass up a chance to be in his arms.

He kept his big hand on the small of my back as we approached the dance floor. A human male stared wide-eyed at Ash's horns. He whispered something to his date and they left. We took their spot.

Ash pulled me into his embrace. I wrapped my arms around his neck. We swayed slowly back and forth, barely moving.

"Would you like to go to dinner tomorrow night?" He tugged on my curls, tipping my head to meet his gaze. Hot desire burned down at me.

"I didn't know you ate human food." There is a lot I don't know about demons. Specifically this one.

"I do." He wrapped one curl around his finger, ran both his finger and my curl down the side of my neck to my shoulder. "You didn't answer my question."

I knew that. I was too busy savoring it. Ash just asked me out on a date. I felt giddy.

I smiled up at him, enjoying the moment. His eyes narrowed. Flames popped out over the back of his hand. He quickly yanked his hand back, blew out the fire and snuffed out the tiny flickers of heat on my shoulder. I glanced at it out of the corner of my eye. A large hole now gaped in the red cotton of my t-shirt. The edges of the hole were charred and my scarlet bra strap peeked through.

"Sorry." I looked up at him. Ruby tipped blue flames lined his horns. The scars around his eye, down his cheek and neck appeared more prominent than usual. His muscles were tense under my touch.

"It's all right." I laid my hand over his ridged cheek. "I'll go to dinner with you tomorrow night."

The tension and flames left his body. He pressed my head into his chest and we rocked back and forth.

I may have to seriously re-consider my "OFF MEN" idea. This demon might just be worth fighting a curse for.

31.
Postcard From Vegas.

Three weeks later I was checking my mail and noticed a postcard from a wedding chapel on the Vegas strip on the front. I don't know anyone in Vegas. I flipped the card over and read:

Thank you for everything. You are the best! We couldn't be happier! Jake and Sandra Harrison.

Awww. Isn't love grand?

THE END

A
bout the Author

Meredith Allen Conner fell in love with romance the first time she read Jane Austin’s “Pride and Prejudice.” She now loves to create her own happily-ever-afters. In between writing – she also finds time to read, cross-country ski and do a little bit of crafting. She makes her home in Southeastern Idaho along with her husband, two daughters, three dogs and two cats – yes she has one of those households.

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