Exton

The new waitress comes over with a note. Eric reads it and stands abruptly. "Come on, Star, this is what we've been waiting for." Star mutters a goodbye and then they're gone, leaving us wondering what the fuck is going on.

Raina looks amused and sexy and seductive all at once. She moves so close she's practically sitting in my lap - not that I'm complaining. "Now - where were we?" she says, and nibbles at my neck.

"Damned if I remember. Does it matter?" I grin. "I'm fine with just starting from here."

"That's okay, I remember now." Her tongue laps at my throat. "Isn't here something you meant to tell me - about vampires?"

Okay, it's official. I'm confused.

"What's up with all the questions? What is it you think I haven't told you?"

"Oh, I don't know… something about… biting, maybe?"

It's not like Raina to be coy. "Biting? What about it?"

"Biting… as in marking?" She flutters her eyelashes like a Hollywood starlet. "And why didn't you tell me?"

Now I get it. "Someone has a big mouth," I growl, my voice low and dangerous.

"Yeah, well, he's pretty good with that mouth, so you'd better be nice to him."

"He shouldn't have told you."

"No, you should have. We've been together nearly a year, Nick. Did you really think I could love you if I didn't trust you?"

"You'd be trusting me with your life."

"I already have, several times. You've come through every time for me - and it's more than that." She shoves her face within an inch of mine. "I love you, you big doofus. Instead of pounding Gareth's ass, you might want to do something nice for him, because if he hadn't told me, I wouldn't be about to offer you my throat - and anything else you want."

My throat is dry. "You really mean that?"

She grabs me and kisses me hard. I can hear a smattering of laughs and applause behind us. "Get your ass back upstairs, fang-face. I'll get your blood and join you in a few." She releases me and walks to the bar, but turns back halfway. "And I want to see those fangs out when I open the door."