Black Magic Rose (30 page)

“Two what?” Dragomir poured more vodka into their glasses.
 

“Men. Two men. That’s it.” She looked everywhere but at him. “Not a whole heck of a lot going on from that angle.” He might as well know. She wasn’t the most experienced lover. She was fairly certain she could find her way around his body. She just wasn’t a hundred percent sure he’d enjoy it that much.

He nodded. His eyebrows dropped, one eye squinted. As he watched her she felt like a specimen under a microscope.
 

She cleared her throat and rolled her glass between her fingers.
 

He took another swallow of vodka.

“What about you?” She finally looked up at him.
 

Dragomir choked. He spit the mouthful of vodka into the drain and stood gasping over the sink.
 

“Are you all right?” Sofia went to his side, firmly patting him on the back.
 

He wheezed and coughed and gripped the counter as though he were holding on for dear life.
 

“It’s best if you put your hands above your head.” She grabbed his right arm, shoved him away from the sink and stood in front of him, thrusting both his arms up over his head. “Don’t look at me. Look up. It will help.”
 

Dragomir stared at Sofia. Her fingers squeezed his triceps as she forced his arms over his head. She nodded as she ordered him to look up.
 

“I’m—” Dragomir coughed again.
 

“Head up!” She let go of an arm and tilted his chin up toward the ceiling. “I’m telling you, it will help.” She rested her hand on his chest. His heart pounded like a drum.
 

He gasped then took a deep breath and swallowed. His heart slowed.
 

She grinned up at him. “Better?”

“Yes. Surprisingly.” He dipped his head toward hers and inhaled. His eyes closed for a second. When he opened them, they were the bluest she’d ever seen them. Still dark, but clearly blue. And they focused on her as though he was looking into her.
 

Heat rose up her neck and she ducked out from under his arm. “Told you.” She walked back to her seat. “So I take it that means it’s a high number.”
 

Dragomir rubbed the muscles at the back of his neck.
 

Sofia held her glass close to her mouth and waited. He’d been around for a while so she could only imagine what he was going to say.
 

“I am nearly eight hundred years a vampire and a man for twenty-five years before that.”
 

“I’m older than you?” Her glass clinked the counter. “I never intended to marry anyone younger than me.” She was a cradle robber. She’d robbed a vampire cradle.
Great. An eternity married to someone younger than me
.
 

“I’d hardly call you older, darling.”
 

She inhaled and her mouth opened to say something, but she didn’t. He was right. He was older—sort of.
 

“Nonetheless, I have been with more than two women.”
 

She nodded. “I thought so.” She looked away, cheek pinched between her teeth. Her fingers combed through her hair, working to smooth the disheveled tresses. Several more blades of grass dropped to the floor.
 

“A lot more?” She was sure she didn’t want to know but curiosity made her ask.

He nodded. “Let’s not discuss this. I can’t even think of a number to tell you. Eight hundred years is a long time.”
 

“Like one a night?” She knew it was foolish to persist. The answer wouldn’t please her but she couldn’t stop herself. “More than that?” She looked down, hoping he wouldn’t notice her worrying. With that much experience he would have certain expectations. He’d notice when she didn’t know what in the hell she was doing.
 

Two lovers. Neither particularly adept at loving. And nothing about either experience was worth remembering. Oh, they’d both tried and tried and she’d tried, too, but as the saying goes
close only counts in horseshoes
.

“None since arriving in the States.” He tilted her chin to him. “In eight hundred years I’ve never met a woman the likes of you, Sofia. Not one could compare.”
 

She couldn’t stop the silly smile from appearing or the warm flush that spread from her neck to her cheeks and chest.
 

“You should know. I was married before, when I was human.” Dragomir leaned his hip on the counter and rested on his elbow. “She was the only woman I ever loved.”
 

“What happened?” The giddy sensation tumbling inside her vanished. Now Sofia felt such sadness tears welled in her eyes. Dragomir seemed lost in a memory.
 

“She died. Our children died of illness, plague or something and she died of a broken heart.” His gaze dropped to the floor. “Her name was Elena.”
 

“I’m sorry.” Sofia swiped the tear trickling down her cheek. “Were you married long?” How could she possibly feel such grief for not being his first wife? Good Lord, had she already had too much to drink?

“Ten or so years, maybe a bit more.” He sighed. “I did not intend to make you cry tonight. You did enough of that last night.” He caught a tear rolling down her face. “I forgot this happens.”
 

“Tears? Vampires don’t cry?” Sofia sniffled.

He smiled. “No. I forgot about the emotions of mates. We feel each other’s emotions.” He brushed his fingers along her cheek. “For so long I’ve tried not to think about too many details from my life. It hurt too much. And now you’ve made me remember. Here you shed tears I’ve refused to acknowledge.”

“How many children?” Sofia’s voice was soft, interested but guarded. She didn’t want to make him feel worse, but she wanted to know about his life. Who he was, what he did, and how he became a vampire.

“Three. Two boys. One girl.” Dragomir smiled.
 

The zing of pride sizzled inside Sofia. Hot, happy pride.

“Energetic. Beautiful. So full of life. Inquisitive, every one of them.” He seemed lost in the memories. “Two like their mother. The boys.” He chuckled. “My girl, like me, only pretty.”
 

Sofia watched him, her head tilted to the side. She enjoyed the warm feeling of happiness. She doubted he’d felt it in quite a while. “They sound wonderful.”

“They were.” He drained his glass.
 

“When did
this
happen?” She waved her hand at him. “The vampire situation.”
 

“Ah, the vampire situation.” He chuckled. “Interesting reference.”
 

Sofia’s stomach growled.
 

They both looked down and Sofia’s hands pressed to her abdomen.
 

“I might have something somewhere.” Dragomir opened cupboards. Each door he opened revealed it was truly empty except the cupboards to the right of the sink. Those held glasses, plates, and bowls.
 

“I’m fine. Really. The vodka is plenty.” Her stomach growled even louder, and she squirmed in her seat.
 

“You’re hungry.”
 

“Honestly, Dragomir, I’m fine.” She poured more vodka into her glass then filled his. “You’re avoiding the question.”

He bent to look under the sink. “No. I’m trying to keep you comfortable. You’re my mate, remember?” He walked past her to the pantry. “My job is to care for you.” He unlocked the door and stepped inside.
 

“I can take care of myself,” Sofia called after him. “The cafeteria is open.”

“Here. These are for you.” He placed a box of Thin Mints on the counter in front of her.
 

She stared at the box for a moment and then giggled. “For me? You bought these with me in mind?”
 

“Not exactly,” he mumbled. “Do cookies last long? I bought these in March.” He picked them up and turned them around. “Shouldn’t there be a date on here somewhere?”

“I thought you’d only been in the States a few days?”
 

“I was here for a board meeting to discuss hiring an Employee Relations Manager.” One eyebrow rose. “For the record I was against it. Crazy to put a human in danger.” He pushed her hair off her shoulder. “But look what I’d have missed if I’d won my argument.”
 

Sofia didn’t know whether to scream ah-ha or to let the flicker of excitement grow. She’d known he thought her job was foolish but now they were married. He didn’t expect her to quit working, did he?

“I don’t intend to sit around unemployed,” she said.

“I have no doubt you plan to continue your crusade of doing away with violence in our world. I just hope you’ll be much more realistic in your expectations.” He handed her the box of cookies and stood behind her picking grass from her hair. “Eat your dinner.”

“Why do you have a box of Girl Scout Cookies?” She leaned into his touch and Dragomir’s stomach grumbled.

He reached around and tore open the box.
 

Sofia squirmed. “You’re mushy!” She giggled. “Tell me. Why did you buy them?”
 

“Who are you calling mushy?” He dumped the box on the counter and two sleeves of cookies tumbled out.
 

“You. Tough guy.”

“I like to support the local youth.”
 

She laughed. “Liar.”

He smiled. “I am not.” He ripped open the bag and held it for Sofia to take a cookie. “I do like to support the local youth, especially blue-eyed, toothless-grinning little girls in brown uniforms.”

“Ah, a weakness for women in uniform.” She bit into the chocolate-covered biscuit. “Try one. You might like it.”

He held up a little round disc covered in chocolate, turned it around, and studied it from all angles. Then he sniffed it.
 

“It’s a chocolate mint cookie, not a poisonous flower. Just put it in your mouth.” She nudged his hand.
 

He licked the rim, rubbing his tongue back and forth over one spot. Then he sucked his tongue.
 

Sofia suddenly felt hotter. She knew full and well his actions had been tactical in nature—understand the cookie, not make Sofia hot and bothered. But his tongue slowly rubbing back and forth over the cookie had just that effect.
 

She adjusted the straps and neckline of her cami, opened another bottle of water and chugged it.
 

“When did you run into a Girl Scout? I didn’t know they sold cookies in the woods.” She tossed the empty bottle into the trash. “No wait, wait.” She waved her hands in front of her. “I know. They were selling door-to-door in the Lower Level, right? I wonder what badge they’d earn for that. Definitely survival.” She tossed her head back and laughed. “I can just see them knocking on a door and coming face to face with The Board.” She was near hysterics, holding on to the counter. “A little troop of Girl Scouts pulling wagons of cookies. Ha!” She dabbed the corners of her eyes with her fingers. “Can you imagine the shock on everyone’s faces?”
 

Dragomir smirked. “Why do you think I lied?” He bit the edge of the cookie. “It’s not bad.” He broke off another small piece.

“I could feel it.” Sofia sniffed and sighed.

Dragomir handed her a paper towel.

She blew her nose. “You were all warm and gooey and then you got all hard and cold.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Sounds weird but that’s the best I can explain.”

He nodded and licked the chocolate off his lips. “I’ll have to remember that.”

She popped a whole cookie into her mouth and crunched for a bit. “Right. No lying. Your wife will find out.”

“I can tell when you aren’t being truthful as well.” He watched her.

She licked her lips. “When?” She inhaled then held the breath deep in her lungs before glancing up at him. She’d been lying quite a bit around him. From the first moment she laid eyes on him. He couldn’t have possibly known all this time. She picked up the box and pretended to read the ingredients.
 

“You were afraid of Rick. Even though you said you weren’t.”
 

“Yeah. I lied.” Well, if that was all he offered, she wasn’t digging for more on this topic.
 

Her stomach growled.
 

“I knew you were hungry even when you said you weren’t.”
 

She smiled. “You still haven’t answered my questions. I know what you’re doing.”
 

If he thought he’d managed to evade her, he was in for a surprise. She didn’t give up anything that easily.
 

“We’ll start slow. Tell me how you ended up with Girl Scout cookies.”
 

His smile made her knees weak. She looked right at him, straight into his eyes. For once she wasn’t afraid he’d somehow turn the tables. She knew she had him running.
 

“I needed juice and a few other necessities so I went to the grocery store on a Saturday early one evening. The little buggers had a table. They asked me if I wanted to buy some. I couldn’t say no.”