Page 12 of Grave Throbbing
"Rough night?"
Key took another large gulp of blood before he answered. "The haunted hay rack ride down the street was canceled due to lightning." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and his chin on his hands. "Teenagers, Harley. I had to deal with teenagers."
"At a vampire club?"
"The haunted house is an extra cover. They opened the second ticket counter for the night, up the stairs in the back. My manager had me on inside door duty, checking wrist bands. Three youngsters tried to enter the bar through my door. I had to show my fangs."
Key flashed his fangs at Harley. He looked bored and menacing at the same time. He was adorable.
"Did you think over what I said last night?" Key asked.
Right to it, then. Harley had hoped for more pleasantries. "You said many things."
"Spending time together." The light danced in Key's hazel eyes as he took another sip from his cup. "Getting to know each other, since I bailed on you last time."
"I'm here, aren't I?"
Key frowned at him, looking even more adorable.
Harley grinned and took another sip. His was human blood, no additives, and it was going straight to his groin the longer Key stared at him. "Are we going to spend every night of our lives in this place?"
"If that's what it takes." Key shrugged, and his curls bounced with the motion of his shoulders. "I'll spend every night here if that means I get to be with you." He glanced around. "I applied for a job here, before Fanglory was hiring. I don't have the best references, though."
"I know." Harley's first email of the day had been from Rome with an attached PDF dossier on Ciarán and Greed. "You didn't have to forward me your file."
"I wanted you to know as much about me as I already know about you." Key stared at his cup. "It's the least I could do after … I'm sorry about last night."
"Why? I'm not. First time I got laid in ages." Harley laughed to hide the true weight of his words.
"I wanted to be more than that to you." Key glanced at him, and then down at the table. His cheeks darkened with a hint of blush, thanks to the blood he'd already drunk. "I wanted to be special."
"You are special," Harley insisted. "You're so special, I followed you to your place of employment on a wish."
Harley had questions about Key's bite, but he wanted more privacy before he asked. Thankfully, the lightning had moved off to the south. A few stars sparkled above the line of waiting cars to the east. "Care to go for a walk?"
"Aren't you supposed to be working?" Key asked.
Harley glanced down at his laptop. No new messages. Nothing in the work queue from the council. He was on call, but so far, nothing. "It'll be fine for the next thirty minutes."
He turned his phone ringer on just in case, put everything else into his backpack, and grabbed his still-warm cup.
As before, Key finished his blood before leaving. He dropped the cup in the recycled paper bin on their way out.
Harley held the door for him, a habit since he'd worked for Empress Marcella for a year in Rome. The outside air was still damp, but they walked east toward a little playground area with benches, a sand pit, and a swing set.
Harley gestured to a bench. Instead of sitting, Key removed his rain jacket again and laid it inside out over the wet surface.
Harley sat at the edge of the jacket, expecting Key to take the other side, but he draped his arm over Harley's shoulder and sat beside him, so close their thighs touched.
Key leaned in and sniffed his hair above his ear. "No ambergris tonight?"
"I don't use it anymore."
"You did last night."
Harley's face heated at being called out. Vampire sense of smell would catch him every time. "Ithande said rock stars had greasy hair, so I improvised."
"Ithande?"
