“Tons! It could be a real moneymaker.” She smiles. “I’m sure you’d sell a lot of wine, and some of our blends would be good to sell too.”
“That is an idea,” I say diplomatically, not wanting to squash her good spirits. Also, she smiled her sweet smile for me, and now my unbeating heart is all tingles and manly flutter. Quite unusual. The flutters, I mean. Being manly comes naturally.
She gestures overhead to the nearest candelabra, continuing with her creative ideas. “And with all these cool candles around, it’s a great vibe for a Halloween masquerade ball, which I think I mentioned before. Add some cobwebs in the corners, maybe some spooky ghost sounds.” She shivers and then chuckles. “Look at me, creeping myself out with ghosts. I know they’re not real, but sometimes my imagination runs away with me. Like the other night I could swear I heard strange noises in the house. I ended up sleeping with my head under the covers. Ridiculous, right? Honestly, I’m much too practical to believe in the otherworldly. My sisters like to watch all those paranormal shows—anything with ghosts, witches, vampires, werewolves—but I can never suspend disbelief long enough to enjoy them.”
I find her comments most intriguing, considering she’s sitting next to a vampire and seems to be exceptionally responsive to me. At least, on a subconscious level.
“Which creature is your favorite?” I ask, more than a little curious if she will say vampire.
Stella’s cheeks flush. “This is a little embarrassing, but the real reason I keep away from all things supernatural related is because when I was nine, my cousin Kevin snuck up on me the day before Halloween wearing fake vampire teeth and a cape, of course—his dark hair slicked back for the full effect—and popped out at me from the corner of the living room. I was legit terrified. I didn’t know he was visiting, and I’d just seen Dracula the night before. I had nightmares for years about a vampire coming out of nowhere to suck my blood. Strange how deep a memory can get into your psyche and really mess with you. Anyway, I stay away from any books, movies, or TV shows that might remind me of the otherworldly. The real world is scary enough.” She laughs a little, but I cannot join her mirth.
If she knew I was a vampire, I strongly sense she would run screaming from the room. Childhood fears are very powerful things in humans, and she just told me that vampires are essentially her equivalent of Muma Pădurii—basically an old heinous forest hag I feared as a child. My mother used to tell stories in order to prevent me from wandering off alone in the nearby forest: “Do not go beyond our farm, Bozhidar, or Muma Pădurii will nibble off your toes and make soup out of your kneecaps.” It took several centuries to overcome my fear of pine trees, and do not get me started on the smell of kneecap soup. I still cannot go near it. In any case, if Stella fears vampires even one tenth of how much I feared Muma, then it is safe to assume that Stella will never accept me. Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise—for Stella’s sake.
I decide a bit of small talk and sharing can do no harm. “I am also ‘creeped out’ by certain creatures—forest hags especially. Also, ghosts.” I suppress a shudder. It is unnatural to move about without a body. Then I wonder if the strange noise she heard at night was me during one of my nocturnal visits. Perhaps I was distracted by her beauty and did not cast an effective memory erasure on her. “By the way, that noise you mentioned; what did it sound like?”
She waves that away. “Oh, it’s just the creaking of the floorboards in our old house as it settles.”
I move with great stealth, so I know for a fact that was not me. Not a creak to be heard. Perhaps it is simply the old house settling, as she said.
“So, what do you think?” she asks. “Would it be okay for me to start planning some events here for the fall? I really want to do my part in repaying you for all the kindness.”
I absolutely cannot allow random people to roam the castle. Vampires must remain in the shadows of modern society. “You give back simply by being you.”
She blushes prettily, her lashes fluttering down. “Thank you, Boz. That’s so nice of you to say.”
I cannot tear my gaze from her, at a complete loss for words in the face of her sweetness. It is as if she has cast a whammy on me.
“I brought a snack,” Neli announces from behind me.
My head whips toward her. I was so distracted by Stella, I did not hear Neli approach. I must be more careful. Distraction is the quickest way for your enemies to take advantage. Not that Neli is an enemy. She is family, whom I currently wish to strangle for leaving me alone this long with Stella.
“Neli, so good to have you here,” I say with the sharp edge of authority to my voice. “Have a seat. Now we can finally begin the tastings.”
She sets down a platter with a bowl of glossy dark red cherries, small plates, and napkins. “Stella, I think you’ll find the cherries are a nice complement to the red blends I’ve made.”
“They look delicious,” Stella says.
Damn that Neli. Yes, they do look juicy, which means blood-red cherry juice on Stella’s sensual lips.
I tear my gaze away and turn to Neli. “Join us,” I command. I’m tempted to put her under my trance, but I don’t dare do anything suspicious in front of Stella. Now that I know about her fear of the supernatural world, she must remain unknowing of my powers. Not that I ever intended to tell her what I am.
Neli ignores me, instead smiling at Stella. “Boz and I have already tried these blends, but I think it’s best if it’s a blind taste test for you. Would you mind?” She takes a purple ball of cloth from the platter and shakes it out, holding it up to Stella.
Seriously, Neli? A scarf? Neli is diabolical.
Neli continues. “All right now. Just turn your head a little, Stella, so I can put this on you for a true blind taste test. I just want to be sure you’re happy with the perfect blend—no influence from us.”
“Oh. Sounds fun,” Stella says.
Fun? I think being staked in the gonads would be more enjoyable. I snarl silently at Neli as she goes behind Stella to tie it on and completely ignores my warning.
Once Stella’s eyes are covered, I start making a slicing motion with my finger across my throat. You are a dead dorko, Neli.
Neli smirks like the evil female she is and finishes tying the scarf securely, placing her finger over her lips in a shushing gesture to me.
Did she just shush me? A vampire? I never! But Neli is smart. She knows I cannot do a thing. Not now anyway. There is always later. Perhaps I will revoke her yacht privileges.
“Okay.” Neli leans down to Stella’s ear. “How’s that?”
Stella holds her fingers up in front of her eyes. “I can’t see a thing.”
“Great. Try this one first.” Neli puts a glass in her hand.
I whip my finger through the air and point angrily to the empty chair at the head of the table, ordering Neli to take a seat.
Like she did when we first met, Neli sticks her tongue out and runs away, racing up the stairs. Damn her speedy and crafty insolent ways! I should have made a meal of her when she was eighteen. But nooo…I had to make her my major-dingo.
“Mmm,” Stella says after sipping. “That was very good. Just a splash of merlot, right?”