hung overhead. Flames leaped in a stone fireplace engraved with the Rossi rose several times over, but the flames were fake and added no real warmth to the room.
"Corrie."
I clutched my hand to my heart. He really needed to stop sneaking up on me like that.
Hiding my startlement, I nodded at him coolly. "Ross."
Ross arched a brow at my less-than-friendly tone, but chose not to comment. Smart man. "Shall we?" he asked, offering me his arm as escort.
"Planning on giving me a tour?" I quipped.
"Something like that."
I glanced nervously at his arm. The prospect of being so near to him made me feel slightly queasy.
Ross rolled his eyes, "Come now, Corrie. I promise I won't bite." He paused for a moment. "Well, not tonight."
"Couldn't help that last bit, could you," I muttered, taking his arm.
Ross steered me through the dining room and into a surprisingly well-stocked kitchen. I twisted my head, peering at the modern electric stove and enormous stainless-steel refrigerator.
"That's where we keep the bodies."
I gaped at him.
Ross dragged me to the fridge, and released my arm to open the french-door freezer. "Here's where we store the hearts," he said, tossing a box of frozen peas at me.
"I wasn't trying to insinuate...I'm just surprised you have regular food, is all."
"Some of the house staff are humans. Most of them board here, so we let them make use of the kitchen."
"Well, that's, uh, awfully magnanimous of you. I know how offensive our food is to you."
Ross looked at me sideways. "That depends," he said thoughtfully. "It's mostly an issue of jealousy, you know."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, take me for example. I was born a vampire, and I've never craved anything other than human blood. I was curious once, as a child, and bribed one of the maids to slip me some chocolate. Nastiest thing I've ever tasted. I've never known it to taste anything but awful...But for those among us who've been Turned, they remember when human food used to taste good.
"Corrie."
I clutched my hand to my heart. He really needed to stop sneaking up on me like that.
Hiding my startlement, I nodded at him coolly. "Ross."
Ross arched a brow at my less-than-friendly tone, but chose not to comment. Smart man. "Shall we?" he asked, offering me his arm as escort.
"Planning on giving me a tour?" I quipped.
"Something like that."
I glanced nervously at his arm. The prospect of being so near to him made me feel slightly queasy.
Ross rolled his eyes, "Come now, Corrie. I promise I won't bite." He paused for a moment. "Well, not tonight."
"Couldn't help that last bit, could you," I muttered, taking his arm.
Ross steered me through the dining room and into a surprisingly well-stocked kitchen. I twisted my head, peering at the modern electric stove and enormous stainless-steel refrigerator.
"That's where we keep the bodies."
I gaped at him.
Ross dragged me to the fridge, and released my arm to open the french-door freezer. "Here's where we store the hearts," he said, tossing a box of frozen peas at me.
"I wasn't trying to insinuate...I'm just surprised you have regular food, is all."
"Some of the house staff are humans. Most of them board here, so we let them make use of the kitchen."
"Well, that's, uh, awfully magnanimous of you. I know how offensive our food is to you."
Ross looked at me sideways. "That depends," he said thoughtfully. "It's mostly an issue of jealousy, you know."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, take me for example. I was born a vampire, and I've never craved anything other than human blood. I was curious once, as a child, and bribed one of the maids to slip me some chocolate. Nastiest thing I've ever tasted. I've never known it to taste anything but awful...But for those among us who've been Turned, they remember when human food used to taste good.
