A Date With The Vampire

Ginevra wasn't dressed in the usual suits that I often see him in. His outfit today was casual but still impossibly polished—just like him. His scent, an earthy floral mix, drifted toward me as he stepped closer, and I couldn't help but smile. He hadn't masked it this time, and I was oddly thankful for that. It felt… real.

"You look very nice," I said, meeting his gaze as I stepped in for a hug. My pulse sped up at the contact, but I kept my composure.

"Thank you. You look handsome as always." His smile was warm and disarming. I drifted my eyes to the flowers.

The flowers were stunning, vibrant as if freshly plucked from some enchanted meadow. "They're beautiful. Thank you," I said, holding them close. A fleeting thought crossed my mind—at this rate, I'd have enough flowers to fill a garden, maybe even cover the entire mountain. The thought made me smile. Maybe he had a thing for flowers, which would explain that intoxicating scent of his.

"I'm glad you like them," he replied, giving me a charming smile.

I found a vase, filled it with water, and carefully arranged the bouquet, Ginevra watching me the entire time. After placing it on the counter, I led him into the kitchen. My nerves were buzzing. I just hoped he couldn't see how anxious I was.

"You've unpacked," Ginevra said, glancing around with a thoughtful nod.

"Sort of," I ran a hand through my hair. "Just a few things. Still a work in progress."

"That's still something. It's neat," Ginevra said as he sat in one of the kitchen chairs, his sharp eyes following my every movement while I attended to the stove.

"Are you making chicken masala?" he tilted his head curiously.

I glanced at him over my shoulder. "Your sense of smell extends to ingredients too?"

"Not really. It's just a familiar smell from the old days." His smile was soft, almost wistful, as if he were recalling a memory he didn't share often.

Memories were treasures to vampires, or so I'd heard, though others argued they should be left to fade.

"It'll be ready soon. Shall I get you something to drink in the meantime?"

"Are you on the menu?"

I froze, jerking my head toward him. "What, like my blood?"

A tingling sensation rushed through me. Ginevra's expression didn't give anything away at first, but then his hand moved to cover his mouth, and I caught the faintest snort.

"Are you messing with me right now?" I glared at him.

He finally turned his face away, his shoulders visibly shaking as he fought to keep his laughter contained.

"Ginevra!" I snapped, though the corners of my mouth twitched in an almost smile.

When he faced me again, his restraint crumbled, and carefree laughter burst free from him.

"You should've seen your face," he managed between fits of laughter.

I rolled my eyes, trying to will away the heat creeping up my neck. "So you were just fucking with me?"

Ginevra smirked, his fangs glinting faintly under the light. "We're not fucking yet," he winked, "and I was just being a flirt. But the way you reacted… it turned into a joke."

I shook my head. "You're an idiot."

"And you're adorable when flustered." His voice dropped to a warm tone, and I found myself turning back to the stove just to escape his gaze.

I threw a dish towel at him, and he caught it effortlessly, the smirk on his face growing wider. "You're an idiot. That wasn't funny."

Turning back to my cooking, I tried to ignore the lingering warmth of embarrassment, though curiosity soon got the better of me. "Do you really need to feed?" I asked, keeping my eyes on the pan in front of me.

Before I could brace myself, I felt Ginevra's arms slip around my waist from behind. He rested his head against the back of my neck, his breath warm against my skin. A pleasant shiver wrecked through me, making it harder to focus on the task at hand.

"Sorry," he murmured. "It just seemed like you were nervous. I thought I'd lighten the mood." He paused, and I felt his head shift slightly as if nuzzling into the curve of my neck. "I do need to feed sometime later, but right now, it's about us and this beautiful date."

I released a soft chuckle. "At least one of us has a sense of humour."

Ginevra's arms didn't loosen their hold on me, instead following me around the kitchen like a shadow as I moved between countertops.

"Is this your first time dating outside your race?" he asked curiously.

I froze momentarily, grabbing plates and utensils to distract myself. Where would I even begin? How could I explain that my first kiss had been stolen by chaos and tragedy before I'd ever had the chance to experience a normal life?

Sensing my hesitation, Ginevra finally let go of me, stepping back to help set the table. "It's okay if you don't want to talk about your past lovers,"

Together, we brought the food to the table, setting it out carefully before taking our seats across from each other.

"This is my first time with anyone at all," I braced myself for Ginevra's reaction—laughter, teasing, maybe even shock. Instead, he simply nodded in understanding.

"You've never been in love before?" he asked.

I shrugged, poking at the rice on my plate. "I don't think I even know what that is. I've been a hermit since…" I trailed off, sighing heavily, unable to finish the sentence.

"I don't mean to pry," he said after a moment. "I'm just trying to get to know you."

Before I could respond, Ginevra picked up his plate and walked over to my side of the table. He slid into the chair next to me with a mischievous grin. "This is much better," he said, his smile infectious. I found myself smiling back at him.

I watched him out of the corner of my eye as he took his first bite. He chewed slowly, his eyes closed, as though he were savouring every sort of flavour.

"Do you usually eat with your eyes closed like that?"

He chuckled, waiting until he swallowed to respond. "I don't usually eat human food, but when I do, I want to savour every single burst of flavour."

I nodded. "That makes sense."

"This is very delicious."

"I'm glad you like it," I replied, warmth spreading through me at his praise.

We ate in near silence. For me, it was a little awkward—my first date, and I'd run out of things to say already. I invited him over to talk, to connect, and now my mind was blank, as empty as a sheet of untouched paper.

I stole a glance at Ginevra and caught him looking at me.

"So…" I cleared my throat, breaking the silence. "About what happened the other day. I know I was being… hot and cold. You didn't deserve that."

Ginevra's lips pressed into a thin line, but he didn't interrupt.

"I'm really sorry," I continued, feeling the need to get it all out. "It's just… all of this is new to me, and I got nervous."

"Blake," he said softly, trying to stop me from spiralling further.

"No, let me finish," I insisted, shaking my head. "I can't imagine how you must've felt. One minute I'm happy, the next I'm asking you to leave. That was shitty of me."

Ginevra reached across the table and took my hand in his. He didn't squeeze, just held it lightly, his touch grounding me. "I mean, you were an ass," he said, grinning as laughter danced in his eyes, "but I get it."

I couldn't help but laugh with him, a knot in my chest loosening. His thumb moved in slow, soothing circles against my palm, and for a moment, my earlier guilt eased.

"Do you want to take a walk?" I blurted out suddenly. Okay, maybe it wasn't sudden—it had everything to do with the heat simmering under my skin at his touch.

"In the dark?" He raised a brow. "What about the things that go bump in the night?"

"You're a vampire," I countered. "You are one of those things that go bump in the night. Are you seriously afraid of the dark?"

"It's not the dark," he said, glancing toward the woods beyond the house. "It's the woods. Anything could be out there."

I frowned, remembering how he'd disappeared into the woods that night. "You've been through them before," I pointed out.

He shrugged, clearly trying to play it off. "Fine, let's go. But if this isn't worth it, you owe me a kiss."

I stifled a laugh as I grabbed his hand and led him toward the woods. I was pretty confident that the place we were headed would he'd absolutely love.

Ginevra and I walked side by side along the faint trail. "Are you afraid of the dark?" I asked again, glancing at him.

"It's much easier when I'm moving at high speed," he replied with a slight shrug, his eyes darting around the shadows. "Where are we even going, anyway?"

I stopped in my tracks, tightening my grip on his hand, forcing him to halt as well. "You're with me now," I said, puffing out my chest dramatically. "If anything jumps out, I'll shred it to pieces." My playful growl earned a raised brow from him.

"No offense, Blake," he said with a wry smile, "but I'm still our best shot at survival if something does jump out."

I chuckled. "I know. That's exactly why I'm not scared." I grinned at him, wide and goofy, before pulling him flush against my chest. Our fingers tangled together as I leaned closer, revelling in the warmth of his body against mine.

Ginevra tilted his head, his lips brushing just shy of my own. "Are you up to something?" he whispered.

"And if I am?" I was unable to resist the cheeky tone in my reply. I placed my hand gently along the curve of his jaw, my thumb brushing over his cheekbone. Slowly, teasingly, I brushed my lips against his in a featherlight touch.

"Kiss me like you mean it, Blake." His voice was a mere breath, his lips parted slightly, waiting—inviting me to close the space between us.

Instead, I pulled back, a smirk curling at the corners of my mouth.

"What?! Blake?!" His eyes widened.

I couldn't help but laugh at his reaction. "Judging by that, I think I've got a little game in me after all."

"You sure are a tease for someone who's never dated before," Ginevra said with a sly grin. "I'll give you that."

"Stop whining and come on." I rolled my eyes, tugging him along. We continued our walk until the trees gave way to an open expanse, revealing the lake.

The moon hung high above, casting its silvery glow over the water. The lake shimmered, every ripple catching the faint luminescence. Shadows of the surrounding trees stretched long and dark, their forms blending into the stillness of the night.

Ginevra stopped in his tracks, his gaze fixed on the scene before us. "Wow."

I couldn't hide the victorious smile that tugged at my lips. Seeing him so impressed made it all worth it.