“You, too?” Sakura asked Tsukiko.
Tsukiko closed her menu and nodded. “Please, Mother.”
Sakura lifted her chin and as if summoned by the movement, a waiter appeared at her side.
The waiter was tall, thin, pale, and definitely a vampire.
She whispered into his ear, and he nodded several times before walking away.
“A surprise?” Tsukiko asked, smirking.
Sakura smiled. “I know how much you enjoy surprises.”
We smiled and then all scowled at the same time as the surprise of the day came to mind.
That was a surprise I hoped we never dealt with again.
“You are safe, pups. No creature, especially no human, will ever lay a filthy hand on you,” Sakura said. She growled softly and the hair on the back of my neck rose.
She may have married Tanjiro for love, but she was one scary alpha female werewolf.
“Do you—” Tsukiko started to ask, but Sakura put her finger to her lips.
“It is not public knowledge,” Sakura whispered.
We nodded our understanding.
“Again, do not be scared. You will be protected,” Sakura said.
“But what about the other students? They’re still at the school, right?” Loralie asked.
“Yes, but we have sent an entire pack to patrol the perimeter and a dozen chupacabras as well. No human will get near them,” she said.
“Then why can’t we be there?” Tsukiko asked.
“Because your fathers are too protective,” Sakura said. “I would have left you there, just with additional guards, if it had been up to me.”
“Will we be allowed to go back soon?” I asked.
“No,” Sakura said. “Not until we talk to your grandparents and Frances’s parents.”
“When will that be?” I asked softly. My parents were incredibly hard to get ahold of.
“We already sent word to them all. So, hopefully, in a couple of days,” Sakura answered.
The waiter returned with several drinks and a few appetizers.
Loralie and Tsukiko tore into the appetizers like starved dogs, pun totally intended.
“You two just ate a few hours ago,” I reminded them with a shake of my head.
“They are growing,” Sakura said. “It is natural.”
“They’re going to get fat,” I muttered. I knew I was just jealous, but my friends also knew I wasn’t seriously degrading them for eating so much.
“I could do with some weight gain,” Loralie said around a full mouth of breadsticks.
“Loralie,” Sakura hissed. “Do not speak with a full mouth.”
Loralie swallowed. “Sorry, Mother.”
“Do we have another errand after this one?” Tsukiko asked, her eyes darting towards the table where Sakura had taken the unknown packages from the witches.
“Yes,” Sakura replied and took a sip of her wine.
I took a drink of my water and looked around the restaurant. There were several different creatures eating, but we were definitely drawing most of the attention.
“Do you come here often?” I asked Sakura.
She shrugged one shoulder. “On occasion.”
“How do you keep the humans from finding it?” I asked, looking towards the front door nervously.
“It is heavily glamoured. There is a witch on staff who reinforces it when necessary, but if she were gone, it would still be fine. Humans could walk in and they would see a full restaurant of humans. The host would then advise them it was full for a private event,” Sakura explained.
“What if they come back a different night?” I asked.
“They don’t,” she said. “Once they’ve entered the building, it gives them the creeps and they won’t return.”
The waiter returned with our food and set each plate before us, before bowing and walking away.
Sakura had gotten me some type of pasta dish I had not seen before. It smelled good, though.
Tsukiko, Loralie, and I set our napkins on our laps and waited until Sakura took a bite of her food before we picked up our forks and started eating.
Loralie had a black dish that looked like it was moving, but her wide smile was not the reaction I expected.
Tsukiko had a huge rack of ribs that were smothered in sauce on her plate. She licked her lips and looked at her mother who sighed and nodded, giving her approval to eat with her hands despite it being a nice restaurant.
I picked up my fork and took a bite, barely suppressing my moan. It was full of cheesy and garlicky goodness!
For the next fifteen minutes, no one spoke as we ate our food, savoring each bite with happy smiles.
Sakura finished her food and sipped on her wine more, smiling as she watched us.
I wiped my mouth when I had finished and drank some water.
“Dessert?” Sakura asked once we were all finished.
Our heads bobbed in unison.
Sakura lifted a finger and the waiter appeared in a poof beside her. “Dessert menus please.”
He set them down in front of us and waited.
Another server came and took our empty plates away.
I skimmed over it and said, “Lava cake, please.”
“Sundae,” Tsukiko ordered.
“Flan,” Loralie ordered.
“Flan,” Sakura ordered.
He bowed, took the menus, and walked back to the kitchen.
“Were your meals acceptable?” Sakura asked with a smirk.
“It was amazing,” I said.
“Delicious,” Tsukiko said.
“Phenomenal,” Loralie said.
“I’m glad you three enjoyed the meals. How are the meals at the academy?” She asked.
“Pretty good,” Tsukiko responded. “But not as good as this.”
“Nothing is as good as this,” I said.
“I will try to take you girls out to more places like this,” Sakura said. “What would you like to do tomorrow?”
“Don’t you have work?” Tsukiko asked softly.
Most of the time Sakura and Tanjiro had to deal with the shapeshifters and, more often than not, they were away from home.
“Due to the circumstances, and that it is nearly impossible to get all of us old folks together at one time, I will be staying home until things are decided,” she said with a smile.
“Can we have a spa day?” I asked excitedly.
Tsukiko squealed softly while Loralie scowled.
“It has been several years since we last had one. I’m sure I can whip up some beauticians and such for tomorrow. Let me step outside and make some calls,” she said and stood.
“Really?” Loralie asked us.
“Oh, shut up. You like them, too. Just tell them to paint your nails black,” Tsukiko said.
“Who doesn’t love a good massage?” I asked and squirmed as I thought about it.
One of the werewolves went outside with Sakura while the other guards stayed in the room with us, leaned against the wall with their hands clasped in front of them.
I wasn’t sure I would ever get used to having guards nearby. I wasn’t used to it yet and it had been at least a decade.
“Your desserts,” the waiter said and set them on the table.
All other thoughts left my head as I picked up the new fork and eyed my beautiful chocolate cake.
Cake was life.