Page 42 of Santa's Wish
"If I hear that name again," Boz grumbled.
Key frowned. "You're not one of those protesters, are you?"
"Boz works for Imperial Accounting," I said.
"Ah, good. You'll be one of us soon enough."
The color drained from Boz's face.
"Only if you want," I whispered.
"Does everyone know my future but me?" Boz asked.
"The empress is worried about your safety," Harley shared once Key made introductions. "Sorry, couldn't help but overhear. Humans are liabilities."
Boz nodded. "Santa's told me about the sire bond, and the bloodlust."
"Empress Marcella would handle your bloodlust training," Harley said. "I'm surprised they haven't turned you already."
"What would I say to my family?" he asked.
"Are they the religious type who believe in damnation of vampire souls?" Key rolled his eyes.
"No, but they think vampirism is something that happens to people who are afraid of losing their good looks or their competitive edge. I'm," he motioned to his body encased in the gorgeous blue suit I bought him, from his toes to his shoulders and back again. "Nothing."
"You're so much more than that," I said before our hosts could speak. "You're smart. Talented. Loyal, but you don't take people at face value."
"Unlikeable," he said.
"I happen to like you quite a lot." I wanted to rip him away from my friends and whisk him home right then, but Greed interrupted and dragged me away to order a twenty-ounce celebratory cup from Blood Drive. By the time I returned to Boz's side, theconversation had moved on without me, and Dr. Bredlow had joined the gathering crowd.
"Boz was just explaining …" the next words out of the good doctor's mouth made no sense to me. For the next half-hour, I listened with rapt attention while my boyfriend prattled on about graphs, charts, and numbers. I understood a few basics from when I'd measured boards for house walls, but the rest was too advanced for me.
I didn't care. I wanted to spend the rest of my life listening to Boz talk about math, if I could be by his side, stroking his thigh and listening to his warm baritone.
The same question bubbled to the surface, and my emotions turned my stomach sour. Did Boz feel the same way about me, or would we part ways once he'd gained enough confidence?
Nauseated, I rushed to the bathroom, but nothing came up. I could have blamed the synthetic blood, but I hadn't drunk enough of it.
I was empty inside, physically, mentally, and morally, if my ancestors' religious beliefs were true. I had no business dating someone as wonderful as Boz. Eventually, he'd figure that out, too.
CHAPTER 13
BOZ
Santa had turned deathly pale,asked Key for directions to the bathroom, and rushed off. I'd never seen anyone get sick that fast, not even at the one frat party I'd attended freshman year.
"How much synthetic blood did he drink tonight?" Key's sister Greed asked me. She was wearing a sleeveless dress that reminded me of Marilyn Monroe, except it was dark green like a Christmas tree.
"A few sips?" He didn't drink much at Irena's before we'd danced. "Does it make him sick?"
"Not sure what's wrong." She bit at her already short thumb nail. "I'll go talk to him."
"I remember you from the club." The beautiful woman wearing a little black dress looked vaguely familiar to me, too. When she mentioned the club, I could place her. She'd told me her name was Ithandeand asked for a recommendation for an accounting firm.
"I hope Lila was kind to you," I said. "She can be abrupt on the phone."
"She's been great!" Ithande led me to a table set with enough snack foods to make a meal. They even had little smokies and fully loaded nachos. "Thanks for recommending her. She's so organized and informative when I have questions, but she doesn't overdo it."
