Expecting Eternity (Vamp Life #2) (9 page)

The maître d’ seated us quickly.  In fact, everyone seemed a little nervous to have their boss dining
in the restaurant.  It reminded me of Gordon Ramsay visiting his own place, but with less cursing involved.  I couldn’t picture Christophe going on a tirade like Gordon, but then again, I hadn’t seen him a long time.

“We’ll have a bottle of the
Romanée Conti.”  Christophe closed the wine menu without even looking it over.

The waiter gave a small bow.  “Very fine choice, sir.”  His gaze drifted over to me. 
“What would you like, my lady?”

The night
and my mood were not improving.  A three thousand dollar bottle of wine and I couldn’t even have any. 

“
Badoit will be fine, thank you.”  I told the waiter, ordering a bottle of French mineral water.

“May I get anyone anything else?”  The waiter asked before being dismi
ssed with a wave from his boss.  So far the service was great and the interior of the restaurant was beautiful.  I had never been able to enjoy France when I’d been a prisoner there.

Christophe smiled warmly at me.  “Do not worry, dear
Evelina.  I’ll send you a bottle when you’re no longer with child.”

Hearing me referred to as
Evelina caught Marc’s interest.  Now that he was no longer distracted by the vehicle, he was paying attention.  “Christophe…”  Marcus said softly as he appeared to be thinking.  “You’re the guy that saved Evelyn in Ver…sails.”  That’s exactly how he mispronounced it, too.  I thought it was cute.  No one corrected the mistake.

“Probably not the best time or place to discuss history,
hun.”  Once again, reading my journal had left him knowledgeable of my past.   Marc opened his mouth to protest, but didn’t, returning to looking over the menu.  I didn’t think my history with Christophe would bother him quite as much as it did with Antonio.  I hadn’t been head over heels for Chris.

The waiter returned to serve the drinks.  I was glad for the conversation to be interrupted.
  We weren’t ready to order, so he was sent away once more.

Marc appeared
agitated as he looked over the menu.  Everything was in French and there were no pictures.  My own fluency in the language was rusty.  I never had cause to use it anymore.

“Perhaps you could order for everyone, Christophe.” 
I said. 

Immediately, Marcus was nodding in agreement.
  “I’m sure you know what’s best to eat here.”

“Yeah, Chris.
  That’s sounds like a good idea to me, too.”  Taya spoke up.

“As you wish.”
  When the waiter returned, Christophe ordered several delicacies, including chariot de fromage and bouillabaisse to follow.  Basically, a fancy cart of cheese and some fish soup.  It sounds so much more decadent in French.

Taya
grinned mischievously a short time into the meal.  “Well, we know a secret about Christophe and Evelyn.  Perhaps, Marky and I should tell one.”  I did not like the way she was eyeing my husband as she took a bite of cheese.  Or the way she called him Marky…. 

“I don’t have any secrets.”  Marcus picked up his glass and took a long drink of the wine.

“We all have secrets.”  She gave me a wink.  “I’ll go first.  Umm, well, I used to be a thief and I was good at it.”

So Antonio had been telling the truth about her. 
“Really?”  I asked.  “I thought you worked more along the lines of legitimate business.  Weren’t you into being a hair stylist?”

Christophe looked
shocked.  Marcus indifferent.

“Oh, I was helping
my mother out, but stealing just gave me such a thrill.  I really…got off on it.”  She quivered at the memories and then laughed softly, toying with her choppy hair. 

“Remind me not to leave you a
lone in my home.”  Christophe said with a small smile.

Marc spoke up, in joking tone.  “You could just tie her to the bed when you leave.”

I exchanged glances with Taya and I knew we were both remembering when Dante had tied me to the bed in his mansion.  He’d left me in Taya’s care and she’d turned traitor to help me execute my plans to kill him.  If Marcus had known about that, I’m sure he wouldn’t have made the joke.  Then again, he might have.  Who knows?

Taya
, without missing a beat, gave my husband a sultry gaze.  “I didn’t know you were into such adventures, Marky.  No wonder Eve married you.”

His eyes met hers for a moment.  “Okay.  I’ll tell you a secret.”

There was an awkward silence as we waited for my hubby’s big reveal.  Christophe seemed to hate our dates’ flirtatious behavior as much as I did.

“Come on. We’re waiting!” 
Taya called out excitedly.  I kept thinking that living in Dante’s bloodbath of a manor must have warped her mind on what constituted appropriate behavior.

“I’ve dated quite a few chicks.  No secret there.  My wife knows.”  He gave me his crooked smirk. 

I couldn’t imagine what type of secret he would have been keeping.  Horribly, I envisioned him kicking puppies and then imagined him beating his ex-girlfriends.  He had a temper.  Maybe he’d only recently wrestled it under control after a stay in a mental institution.  My thoughts were a bit pessimistic, but rightly so from past experience.

“Well, yeah, you’re a hunk.  Obviously you had girlfriends before Evelyn.” 

Christophe shook his head at his date after she spoke.  “Tay, that’s enough.”

She shrugged and we all turned our attention back to Marcus.

Marc gave Taya a pointed look.  “Evelyn is my first love.  I knew it the moment I met her and I’d never felt anything like it with anyone else.  And…I never will.”

A satisfied smile crept onto my face when
Taya slumped back into her chair, looking disappointed.  I loved Marcus even more for the remark.  It was a smart way to get her to chill without coming out and saying, “Fuck off.”

He’d caught her off guard, but only for a moment.  “That is so cute.  Though, I am disappointed.  I was expecting something more scandalous, like….”  She pretended to think hard for a moment
and rubbed her hands together like a villain. “Hmm, like someone else is the baby’s daddy.”

The waiter had delivered our soup and I was about to take a bite when she casually spoke about my child
belonging to someone other than my husband.  It shocked me severely. I immediately dropped my spoon into the bowl.  Soup splashed all over the place as the utensil hit the liquid.

“That is not funny,
Taya.” Christophe reprimanded her again, like she was an unruly child. 

“I’m sorry.  I watch too much reality television these days.  I swear I didn’t mean anything by it.”  She
frowned excessively and looked at me.  I didn’t detect any malice or hidden meaning.  Apparently, she was just that stupid. 

Marcus laughed.  His right hand rested on my thigh and he gave it a reassuring squeeze.  “
I guess we’ll know if he’s a hunk like me.”  He grinned at Taya. 

I joined him in the laughter, trying to cover my discomfort.

“Not too much longer until the child arrives, is it?”  Chris asked.  “Boy or girl?”

“Boy.”  Marcus grinned.  “We’re thinking about calling him Vincent Miguel Hart.
  Then, both of our grandparents would be namesakes.  Well…her papaw was named Vincenzo, but we settled on Vincent.”

“
Aww, he’s so cute when he says ‘papaw.’  Such a lovely southern term.”  Taya just wouldn’t let up.

Christophe
ignored his date when he responded to Marcus.  “It’s a strong, honorable name.”

“Thanks, man.” 
Marc said. 

“Very nice.”
  Taya agreed.  She seemed too pleased with herself.

Our dessert arrived a short time later and I was glad the date night was almost over.  The rest of the dinner went by with a few more flirty remarks from Taya.  I was glad when we were back in the car and on the road.  As Christophe drove us back to our home, I finally had to ask what was weighing on my mind.

“Alright, Christophe.
  How are you alive?” 

It was blunt
, but I didn’t know a more tactful way to ask why someone wasn’t dead.

He glanced at me in the rear view mirror and I could see that
he was smiling from the look in his eyes.  “Ah, you were never much of a vampire, dear.  Blissfully oblivious.”

I crossed my arms, but unfortunately, he was correct.  He continued when I didn’t respond.

“Dante was my maker.  He was my master up until the moment he died.  I’ve been our liaison in Paris for many years.  With his death, I’m free to pursue my own interests.”

We were all enthralled as he spoke.

“That does little to answer your question, though.  When the master learned of the March on Versailles, he sped back to find you.  You were gone when he arrived.  I was severely burned and had a mortal wound.  His best chance at learning the truth of what had happened to his precious Evelina was to save me.”  He shook his head and looked reminiscent.  “He didn’t gain any knowledge, but I became a very loyal servant.”

Christophe had been a good companion
during a dark time in my life, but he’d suffered much because of me.  “I’m sorry.”  It wasn’t exactly my fault, but I felt like it was something I should say. 

“Don’t be,
mon amie.  I’ve led a blessed and rewarding existence.” 

I nodded
and let myself believe him.  Perhaps his experiences with our maker weren’t as traumatizing as mine.  He did seem to be happy and successful.

Marc and I walked hand and hand after we were dropped off. 

“That…sucked.”  He said as he unlocked the door.

“Yes, it did.  At least the food was good.” 

He shot me a sideways look. 
“If you say so.  It was all so….”

“Pretentious?”  I asked.

“I was going to say stuck-up.”  He was tugging off his jacket already.  “It reminded me of spending time at this one guy’s house.  He was my buddy in high school and his mom was always all, ‘No elbows on the table, no food in front of the television, no making out with my daughter!’  He mimicked the woman. 

His impersonation of the mother had me cracking up.  “Wow.  You’re ridiculous.” 
I kicked off my shoes.  My feet were swollen and aching even though I’d worn flats. 

“
Hey, the chick kissed me first.  She was older.”  Marcus rubbed his eyes and yawned.  He’d worked all day and had to go in the next morning.  “Tell Fate we’re home so she isn’t scared.”

“Good idea.”  I wish I’d thought about what I was doing before I opened the door to her bedroom.  “Fate, we’re home….”  Immediately, my han
ds went over my eyes.   “Oh god!  Oh my god!  I’m so sorry.”  She was in bed with Antonio…and they were....  Well, to say the least, it was traumatizing.  Antonio had been out of town on business recently.  I was correct in assuming he’d taken a taxi from the airport to see Fate.  No one came after me to explain or make excuses.  I was glad. 

“What’s wrong, baby?”  Marc said when I walked into our bedroom.  “Your face is red.”

I worked my way out of the ill-fitting dress and into my pajamas.  “Antonio and Fate were having sex and I barged in.” 

He was trying
extremely hard not to laugh.  “That’s…messed up.  I’m sure she’ll move in with him eventually.”

“Yeah.
  We are back somewhat early, I guess.” I played it off as nonchalantly as I could, but I wanted to stab my eyes out.

Marcus was already in bed.  I climbed in next
to him and he nuzzled my neck.  “Don’t worry, I’ll sex you up tomorrow.” 

Suddenly, it seemed like we were already an old married couple.
  Could the night get any worse?

“Tomorrow?”
  I pouted, not catching that he was teasing me. 

“Tonight.”
  He corrected himself, smirking, before pressing his lips against mine.  “I don’t want that image of Antonio in your mind when you fall asleep.”

Marc made sure
he was the only man on my mind.

Breakfast the next morning was awkward.  Antonio was gone and Marcus left in a rush to go to work.  Fate had prepared food for me.  She could make a mean omelet.

“So, about last night….” I started.  She was grown.  I couldn’
t tell her what to do, but I owed it to her mother to try to keep her daughter on the right path.  Though, I was probably the last person who should be giving anyone advice about relationships.

“Really, Eve.
  I don’t think we need to talk about it.”  Fate was mortified that I would bring the topic up.

It was something I wanted to forget, but a night’s rest had cleared my h
ead a bit.  “I know.  You can make your own decisions.  Antonio can be….” What was the word to use?  A man-whore?  No.  I took a bite as I thought about it.  “He can be romantic and I don’t want you to get hurt or anything.”