Page 55 of Three Bites

Over the next few days, Victoria presented me with more matching shirts. My favorite was the one that spelled ‘Nothing Sense We’re’ on mine and ‘Makes When Apart’ on Victoria's. The sentence only made sense when we stood side by side and you could read ‘Nothing makes sense when we’re apart’ across the two t-shirts. Though I had a soft spot for the pair that proclaimed ‘I come in peace’ on my t-shirt and ‘I’m peace’ on Victoria’s, because we made those words come true that day.

As I got used to the new tradition we made strides in different ways. First, Victoria left the shirt with me and scampered off but gradually I allowed her to be present when I changed. I still had a problem with allowing her to put it on me.

“Maybe this needs yet another approach,” Victoria hummed thoughtfully. “I think one of the problems is that the t-shirts remind you of the clothes you were made to wear. Despite the fun phrases they are just too normal. We need to put you in something crazy. Are you in?”

The light in Victoria’s eyes was positively unholy.

“I’m going to regret this...” I muttered under my breath even as I agreed.

Chapter Twenty-six

Tristan

“Victoria vouched for you, Esther, so I’m willing to offer you a job here,” I said to the mousy woman sitting in front of me.

After much thought, I had decided that approaching the case of getting her out of Sunset Manor in the most straightforward way had the biggest chance of success and, indeed, Jonas agreed to part with one of his servants when I mentioned Victoria liked her and I implied Vic would be better predisposed towards Jonas after this favor.

“With Victoria here we could use another set of hands around the Russet Manor. But working here requires utter discretion. If that’s not something you can offer we can help you find a position elsewhere.”

Esther had her hands folded in front of her demurely and she didn’t look straight at me.

“If you don’t become as bad as the Cornellos I won’t have a reason to spy on you and sell your secrets,” she said with quietcourage, not shying from the fact she had sold out her previous employer. I liked her attitude.

“Fair enough,” I nodded. “You would like to work here, then?”

“Yes,” she said simply.

“There’s one more thing you have to know before you make your decision.” There wasn’t really a right way to reveal this so I just said what I had to. “The men you saw around Victoria, Theo, and Matthias, as well as I... we are vampires.”

I expected to see shock, laughter, outrage, doubt... anything but relief.

“Bless the stars,” Esther said. “I thought you were supernatural but I wasn’t certain. I’m a mouse shifter myself.”

“Well, that certainly makes things easier,” I gave her a smile. “I will prepare a contract and we can look it over tomorrow but for now...” My eyes caught unexpected movement in the garden. “What in the blazes is that?!”

Esther squeaked and we both watched with astonishment as two T-Rexes chased each other through the garden, waving their tiny arms at each other in a catfight when they came together.

“Miss Esther... please, excuse me...” I said, still collecting my jaw from the floor because, as Matthias was out, those people in T-Rex costumes had to be Victoria and Theo.

“I will see you tomorrow, sir,” Esther said and slipped out of the room, a giggle escaping her only when she was a corridor away.

As Esther knew what I was I didn’t bother using the stairs and just jumped out of the third-story window, landing outside between two bushes. I couldn’t miss a second of this marvelous sight.

I found Victoria and Theo rolling in the grass, laughing madly.

“Need a hand up?” I asked.

“Probably!” Victoria said cheerfully.

“No! He needs to get down! Attaaack!” Theo screamed, lunging himself at my ankles. Victoria joined in with her own battle cry.

With my strength, I could stand there and be an immovable object but it was much funnier to let them overpower me. The suit could be cleaned but the experience of Victoria putting her T-Rex foot on me and posing like a proud hunter could not be replicated.

Victoria and Theo gloated for a few minutes but later decided to drag me to the garden table to talk. The two were exhausted after their dinosaur shenanigans. I tried to not burst out laughing at the two T-Rexes perched on the dainty garden chairs.

“Matthias is going to be so jealous he didn’t get to see that,” I commented instead.

“I wanted to take a photo but Theo refused,” Victoria pouted.

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