Page 11 of My Mr. Vampire

I couldn’t imagine it— being a vampire. I wasn’t Bella in Twilight. I didn’t want to be a vampire. I liked the person I was. No more catfish. I liked food and wine and most of the things that came with being human. I didn’t want to experience life as a vampire. Even though it held a certain allure, it just wasn’t something I aspired to.

I was a pediatric nurse because I loved caring for kids. I had the best mother, and I always assumed I would one day be a mother. One thing about the movies was true. Even Zand confirmed it. Vampires can’t make new life. They can’t makebabies and that was reason enough for me to remain human. Regardless of my bad track record with men, I hadn’t given up on being a wife and mother.

I didn’t even know how I felt about Zand taking this inner-city Black teen and making him into a vampire. He could’ve picked anyone in the whole Chicagoland area. Why Donté? What was he thinking? Did Zand own Donté or something? Or was he really just going to mentor this troubled young man like a father figure? What could it hurt? Donté only mentioned his mother and grandmother. Did he even have a dad?

This wasn’t my Black business. This was vampire business and had nothing to do with me. I wasn’t even sure Donté considered himself Black now that he was a part of this vampire coven. Did they call it a coven? There was so much I didn’t know.

“So straight up, you’re really okay with all of this?” I rolled my neck and hit him with a full Black girl attitude.

“Yeah.” He shook his head up and down. “I’m cool as fuck. I’m in my muthafuckin’ bag with this superhero shit. Sorry, Zand told me to cut back on the cussin’. I mean profanity.”

This young man had gang ties. He probably had already killed someone, even though he told me he hadn’t. I didn’t know why it bothered me so much that he was a vampire. For the umpteenth time, I had to remind myself that this was vampire business.

Zand came back to the table looking like something was bothering him. After a night of greeting his guests and being a good and dutiful club owner, he left with me earlier than expected. I was okay with him staying and handling business. I was the one that had to get up in the morning for work. I was going to be so tired tomorrow, but it was a small price to pay being included in this new world. I wanted to learn so much. I wanted to know everything. I had more questions, and I wasgoing to make sure I got all the answers. For now, I had to sleep and prepare for Morgan’s arrival.

CHAPTER FOUR

CHANEL

The drive home was quiet. Something was on Zand’s mind. He looked worried, and that worried me. I could sometimes feel his emotions. Maybe he was just as exhausted as me. I couldn’t wait to get home. When we pulled into the garage, I felt like I could relax. I walked into the bedroom and Zand followed me. Stepping out of my high heels, I turned to him.

“You didn’t have to come back with me.” I said. I could see his mind was back at the club.

“I had enough for one night. My staff has everything under control.”

“Are you sure?” I just knew there was more.

“What do you mean?”

“Natasha seemed a bit disturbed.” I noticed she was scowling more than usual.

“She likes to worry for no reason.” He changed the subject. “Did you like Donté? He’s quite a character.” He was grinning like a real proud father. It was weird because he couldn’t really know Donté well.

“He seemed fine.”

“You didn’t like him?” Worry appeared in his caramel-colored eyes.

“No, no, he was just so young.” Which was true.

“I know. I know.” He started unbuttoning his black oxford styled dress shirt.

“Why did you pick him?” I unzipped my dress and waited for his response.

“When I came to see you in the hospital after you were attacked, there was a commotion in the emergency waiting room. I overheard there was a nineteen-year-old GSW victim.”

“GSW?”

“Gunshot wound.”

“Oh!” I forgot that Donté had told me what the letters stood for earlier that night.

Zand continued. “He was pronounced dead. I went up to see you and I couldn’t stop thinking about his life and how it was cut short. When I left you, something compelled me to go and see him. A few hours later, he was no longer in a room. I snuck into the morgue. He was there, and it was the first time I ever felt compelled to make someone a vampire. It’s a hard feeling to describe, but I wanted, I needed, to turn him. It was a feeling that I never felt. I needed to do it.”

“You needed to.”

“Yes.”

“Without his permission?” I wasn’t trying to be a smart ass.

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