The Accidental Vampire(34)

woman who hadn't eaten in five years. Five. That was one thousand, eight hundred

and twenty‐five days. That was five thousand, four hundred and seventy‐five meals.

Actually, more than that since it would be six years this winter. In just a couple months

really. How many meals had it been exactly? Elvi wondered and started to do the math

and then pushed it aside as unimportant. She hadn't eaten. She wanted food. She was

a woman with a mission.

"Can I help you with something Elvi?"

She glanced to the side and smiled as she recognized the fresh‐faced young blonde in

the grocery store uniform. Dawn Geoffreys, the granddaughter of a friend.

"Yes, dear," Elvi said brightening. "I need something small to try."

"To try?" Dawn asked with confusion, then her eyes widened with amazement. "You

mean like to eat?"

"Yes. These men say I can eat, but I want to try something small first to…" Her voice

trailed away as her gaze slid past the girl to the older woman approaching.

"Mrs. Ricci," she said with surprise, and then glanced at her wristwatch. It was the

middle of the night. Far past the elderly lady's bedtime, she was sure. Leonora Ricci

was in her eighties. "What are you doing here so late?"

"I don't sleep very well anymore, dear," Mrs. Ricci answered serenely. "I'm in bed by

nine and up by two and looking for something to do. I've found this is the best time to

shop. No one shops at this hour… Usually," she added with a smile and then glanced at

the men surrounding Elvi and asked, "I'm guessing these are your beaus?"

"Oh, yes." Elvi blushed, and quickly introduced them.

Mrs. Ricci greeted each pleasantly and then commented, "Little Teddy was telling me

about you boys. I hope you treat our Elvi right. None of that love‐them‐and‐leave‐them

nonsense kids get into nowadays."

When the men quickly murmured assurances of their good intentions, Mrs. Ricci

nodded and turned to Elvi. "I heard you say you wanted something small as I came up.

Why not a cookie, dear?"

She gestured to the table behind her stacked with clear boxes of freshly baked cookies

and Elvi smiled. A cookie. So simple and perfect! Stepping up to the table, she slid her

gaze over the selection: Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip, Double Chocolate Fudge, Hermit

Cookies, Shortbread, S'Mores, Butterscotch Chocolate Chip—

"White Chocolate Strawberry cookies?" Elvi read the last selection with interest.

"These are new. I don't remember those from when I used to eat."

"Oh, yes." Dawn hurried to her side. "They're new. They're really yummy too."

"Perfect." Elvi slit the seal, opened the container and snatched out a cookie, then

hesitated almost afraid to try it. Finally, she raised it cautiously to her nose and sniffed

delicately. God, it smelled good! She inhaled more deeply.

"Try it," Mrs. Ricci said. "We are all curious now."

Elvi peered back at the cookie and bit her lip, then said, "But what if food doesn't taste

the same anymore? What if it's like dust in my mouth? How disappointing would that

be?"

"Oh." Dawn's smile faded, and then she turned to the men. "Will it?"

"No, of course not," Victor snapped impatiently. "It will taste just as good as before.

Better even. Your taste buds are more sensitive just like everything else. Didn't your

sire teach you anything?"

Elvi had lost interest in his words after the bit about taste buds being more sensitive

just like everything else. Her hearing was ten times better, as was her physical strength

and speed, but her taste buds too?

"Try it, Elvi," Mrs. Ricci urged again.

Elvi took a breath, then lifted the cookie to her lips, closed her eyes, and took a bite.

Her eyes immediately shot open with amazed delight. She was just holding the cookie

in her mouth, almost afraid to chew, but it was enough for her taste buds. They went

wild. The only way to describe it would be an oral orgasm. After five years of a blood‐

only diet, this sweet, savory explosion in her mouth made every taste bud stand up,

then do somersaults across her tongue.

"Good?" Dawn asked hopefully.

"Mmmmmmmm," Elvi answered on a long moan. "Mmm, mmm, mmmmmmmm."

A chuckle drew her eyes to Alessandro. He was grinning at her with delight. Actually,

she saw, all the men were smiling at her indulgently… except for Edward.

"If it wouldn't be too much excitement for your senses," Edward said dryly, "perhaps

you should try chewing and swallow—"

Elvi shoved the rest of the cookie in his open mouth. She watched him closely as she