I nodded. “I’d adore Louis. I’d adore all of them. Even the evil smug guy who kills Claudia.”
“Ouch,” Hans said. “That’s quite a statement.”
Hmm, he had a point. I pictured Claudia scorching to death under the sunlight and changed my mind.
“Actually, no. He pushed it too far. I take that back…”
Hans took another sip of wine before he quizzed me some more.
“How far does your love of vampires go? How about Buffy the Vampire Slayer?”
I rolled my eyes with a smile as my polite barmaid mask began to slip down.
“Is that even a query? Doesn’t everyone love Angel? And don’t get me started on Spike.”
“I’m not interested in everyone,” Hans said. “I’m interested inyou.”
The whole room felt like it disappeared in that instant. Hans’ green eyes were fixed on mine, and his lips were perfect as he raised his glass to them, and I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t break myself from the spell in his words.
I’m interested inyou.
Did he mean more by that? Was there something pointed in his tone?
The flush blooming on my chest told me the answer.
I didn’t have time to think about it. The noise of the bar returned at full volume along with Frederick and Benjamin and put an end to our little exchange as they took their seats beside him. I got Ben a double whisky, and then I faded into the background, getting a fresh round of ice for the tray once Eliza joined me back from the lounge.
The guys talked, and we served drinks, and I did my best to be a good barmaid, but still, all through my shift I couldn’t stop thinking about Hans. My eyes shot him a glance every time he was in sight, even though I kept my attention on service as best I could. His words were an unending swirl in my head.
I’m interested inyou.
It made my skin prickle.
Later into the evening the regulars began to disperse. Max and Stephan’s gang were off back to Finley’s, and Kristoff Kelly was hitting the casino with Leroy Marsden and his crowd.
It was Frederick and Benjamin who rose from the bar together, and I expected Hans to be up and out of there with them, but he waved his goodbyes and remained in his seat, just the other side of the bar.
“See you soon, gentlemen,” he said.
“See you soon, gentlemen, thank you,” I offered as well, but my voice sounded timid somehow.
I looked around for Eliza, but she was out of sight. It was just me and the gorgeous man and his beautiful green eyes.
He finished up his glass of merlot and stared right at me.
“One final question for you on the vampire front, Katherine,” he said. “Would you really, truly want to get bitten by a vampire, if given the chance?”
I smiled. “One that looked like Dracula, or Louis, or Lestat, or just anyone?”
He didn’t laugh.
“An attractive one, but one in real life. Someone who would be genuinely desperate to sink his fangs into you and take your blood.”
The words came out before I’d had time to think.
“Yes, I would.”
“Really?” he asked. “You are sure about that?”