“How long are you going to keep up the grumpy frumpy fangy attitude?” I ask. “If we’re partners and going to work together, you have to at least be civil.”
“About fifty years.”
“Is that how long you’re keeping the attitude for or how long you’ve been in law enforcement?”
“Law enforcement. But it could work for the other issue as well.”
“Really? Nonstop?”
“No, I was one back in the twenties for a bit, but I had to take a break for a while. I recently came back and worked on the federal level for twenty years before deciding to find a state position. That’s how I ended up in VRC.”
“I bet it was hard being a detective in the twenties.”
“Yeah, you didn’t have as much technology, but people weren’t as worldly. They didn’t know the tricks to hiding and disappearing like they do now.”
“What made you quit?”
“The Blood Surge. There was so much death and fighting as the vampires tried getting equal rights with the humans and when they weren’t given them, they began turning human after human into vampires. And there were no restrictions and no control, so the new vampires were attacking humans. Every day was a bloodbath. If we weren’t dealing with dead humans, we were trying to stop feral vampires. Instead of working toward an agreement, we were getting further and further away from each other. It was a long few years struggling to get it to end. And when it did, I had to get away.”
I’m surprised he opened up to me and told me about then, when it’s clear that it bothers him, even after all these years. “That’s awful you had to go through that. Especially because I’m sure many of the vampires, if they’d have been shown some guidance when they were turned, would never have attacked a human.”
His expression is grave as he nods. “You’re right. They were confused, starving, and attacking the people closest to them, driving themselves into despair. Let’s talk about something else.”
“Alright,” I say, but before I can say anything more, the waitress returns and sets our food before us.
“First up, we have a grilled cheese with… white bread and… Kraft singles… grilled… to… perfection! And a tap water!”
“Thank you,” I say as she turns to Marcus and explains his extravagant meal much more confidently.
After she leaves he dips his spoon into the bowl and slurps it up while staring me in the eyes. The poor guy just needs to give up.
“Is it good?” I ask.
“Delicious. Want to try?”
“You do realize that even humans consume pig blood in some cultures? It’s like a… thing or something. I mean, yeah, usually it’s used in cooking and doesn’t look like… that, but it’s not that uncommon.”
“Do you realize how annoying you are?” he asks.
I grin at him. “Because all of your attempts to freak me out or scare me off have failed?”
He leans forward and gives me a smile. “I’ll figure it out. Tell me, Finnigan, what are you afraid of?”
“Hmm…” I slide off my right glove and take a bite of my grilled cheese that is surprisingly normal. “Let’s see… worms, I guess.”
“Like just earthworms?”
“Yeah, they’re just so slimy and wiggly.” I shudder.
“I see. What else? Snakes?”
“No, I like snakes.”
“They’re like big worms.”
“That’s like saying you’re a big mosquito.”
He glares at me.
“Just saying.” I grab my glass of water and find it strangely warm. “Why’s my water hot?”
“Maybe they’re only used to serving warm drinks?”
“Hmm… hot tap water. Delicious!”
He snorts, but I see a hint of a smile.
When we’re finished eating, he doesn’t waste any time in paying and getting me back in the car. He drives me home at breakneck speeds and every time I try to talk, he rolls the window down to drown me out.
“I’m not planning on stopping, so if you’d jump out of the moving vehicle, that would be fantastic,” he says.
“Aw, you want to take me home with you? I’m flattered, but I actually never sleep with anyone on the first date.”
“I don’t want to sleep with you. Get out of my vehicle.”
“You are currently going forty miles an hour.”
“At least I’m not going sixty.”
“Pull into my driveway!”
He grumbles but slows enough that my body only slightly slams into my door as he takes the turn into my driveaway on two wheels.
“Oh my god! You can’t just kill me to get rid of me!”
“It’s not my fault you’re so fragile. Now go on, shoo.”
“I can’t move that fast! I’m too fragile!” I cry as I try to unbuckle my seat belt, but it’s currently locked from the car thinking we were about to be in a tragic accident.
He gets out and I start laughing as he comes around to my side and yanks the door open.
“Help! Help! I can’t get the seat belt off! I’m so weak!” I cry.
He unsnaps the seat belt and literally lifts me out of the vehicle before setting me on the ground and shutting the door. “Shoo.”
“I’m shooing. Thank you for the not-date. It was fun.”
He grunts as a reply before grabbing his door handle and freezing. “Shit.”
“What?” I ask before realizing what it is. “Did… did you lock your keys in your car just to spend more time with me? How cute! You could’ve just asked!”
“I didn’t think this day could get worse.”
“Oh, buddy, it just got better.”
He stares through the window of his car with such a forlorn look on his face as the vehicle continues to run.
“Come on, come here,” I say as I pat my leg. “Come into my home, little boy. I have candy.”
“I don’t want your candy. I want to leave,” he grumbles.
“Shh, you just don’t know how much you want it yet.”
He just stands in silence like he’s gained some vampiric telepathic ability to morph his keys through the window.
“I can drive you home so you can get your spare keys.”
He sighs. “Fine.”
He gets into my car and I drive in the direction he tells me even though I can’t wipe the amusement off my face.
I pat his leg so he understands that he needs to pay close attention. “So… when we get there, I’m going to be doing about seventy miles an hour, and I’d like you to just jump out as I speed past. Since I also need to take you back home, I’m going to go around the block and as I speed past again, you’ll need to jump in.”
“Ha ha,” he says sarcastically.
I snicker. “I was just giving you the same treatment you gave me,” I say as he motions to a nice one-story house on the edge of town. I pull in and instantly get out before he even does.
“You can stay in the car. I actually insist on it.”
“I was going to, but I saw that huge head in the window, and I need to meet it,” I say while staring into the eyes of the dog. “It looks ginormous. Is it standing on something?”