This night felt like one of them.
Frederick was only chatting with Hans for a few short minutes before Benjamin Hastings made his appearance in the doorway.
“Ahh! Ben!” Frederick exclaimed, then went on over to give agood eveningas Benjamin hung up his coat. I was left with his strange, beautiful friend at the bar.
“You like vampires, then?” Hans asked me out of the blue, and I gave him a stupid smile.
“Yes, you could say that. I’ve loved vampires since forever.”
I wasn’t lying. I’d been besotted with them for all time. Cartoon vampires as a toddler turned into gothic horror movies as a teenager. I’d even loved a cartoon duck calledCount Duckulawhen I was growing up.
Hans smirked at me. “Which is your favourite?”
“My favourite vampire?” I laughed. “That’s not an entirely fair question. Picking a favourite sure is hard…”
“Go on, at least give it a try,” he pushed. “If you had to pick one single vampire to drink the life out of you, which one would it be?”
I swear my heart skipped a beat, and I burnt up. Hot and bothered.
Hans tipped his head, seeming to notice.
“It is warm in here tonight, isn’t it, Katherine?”
I blinked, wiped my brow, cringed. Shouldn’t have done that. “Warm. Yes.”
“So, your favourite vampire?” he resumed.
“Dracula, of course.”
He laughed a low laugh.
“Which version of him? There must be at least two hundred versions or more. Novels, movies, TV. You must have your favourite.”
“Ok, yes. I have my favourite.” I paused. “Gary Oldman. Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The movie.”
Hans gave a nod of his head as he sipped his wine.
“Good choice. He plays Dracula so very well.”
“Yes, he really does,” I agreed. “Don’t get me wrong, I love Keanu, but seriously. It would be Gary for me, most definitely.”
“I am guessing you wouldn’t be slaying him at the end of the movie, then?”
I shook my head, grinning. “No. Definitely not.”
I thought Hans would be done with the vampire small talk at that point, but he shot a glance over to find Frederick still chattering with Benjamin. He leant his elbows on the bar, leaning in closer.
“How about the 90s Interview with the Vampire movie? Did you like that one?”
“Yes,” I said, then pre-empted his next question. “Armand for me. Number one choice.”
“Very nice. Louis or Lestat in second place?”
“Lestat.”
Hans’ smile was as beautifully dry as the red wine he was drinking.
“You’d still enjoy Louis, though?”