Toni finally stopped laughing and looked at Ian. "Gregori does a great impersonation. He's really funny."
"I bought you a drink." Now that was smooth, he chided himself.
"Thanks." Toni took a sip.
"What the hell are we waiting for?" Tempest yelled from the front of the line.
Ian groaned inwardly.
"The natives are getting restless," Toni observed. She glanced toward the bar and suddenly jumped to her feet when two women teleported in.
"Are ye all right?" Ian asked.
She sat back down. "I guess I'm a little…nervous about being here."
"Dance with me," Gregori suggested. "I'll tell the DJ to get back to work." He headed toward the dance floor.
Toni watched him go. "Is Gregori a Vamp?"
"Aye, a verra young one. He was changed after the invention of synthetic blood, so he's completely bottle-fed."
Toni grimaced as loud, pulsating music started. "Oh God, no. Disco?"
"Gregori loves it. Will ye stay with him till ye're ready to go home?"
"I can take care of myself."
"Toni." Ian leaned forward. "There are fifty Vamp women behind you, all glaring daggers at you. Please stay with Gregori."
She glanced over her shoulder. "Okay, I see your point. I'll go…boogie down." She stood and smoothed down her tiny skirt. "Good luck with your dates. Although I have to say you're wasting your time."
With her head held high, she strode past the glaring women, like an angel unafraid of the dark forces around her. But why did she think his dating was a waste of time? Did she think it was impossible for him to find love?
"Hey!" Tempest yelled. "Can we start already?"
"Aye, let's begin." Ian set the timer.
Tempest rushed forward, flung her arms around his neck, and kissed his cheek.
Ian unhooked her arms. "Will ye have a seat, please?"
"Sure." She climbed onto his lap.
"What are ye doing, lass?"
"Sitting." She raked her black-painted fingernails down his chest. "You know why they call me Tempest? I'm as wild as a hurricane."
"I thought we might talk a wee bit first. Ye know, the calm before a storm?"
She ripped the leather strip from his hair and raked her fingers across his scalp. "Why don't you send those other girls home?" She gripped his hair. "I want to get wet and wild with you."
"I doona know you yet." He pried her fingers loose.
"What's to know?" She nibbled on his neck.
"Well, uh, what do ye do for a living?"
She chuckled, low and throaty. "I'm not living, silly, I'm Undead."
"Aye, but we all have bills to pay."
"If I need something, I just take it." She nipped at his ear. "Right now, I need you."
"What do ye mean, ye take it?"
"I take stuff from mortals. Money, clothes, whatever."
"Ye steal from them?"
She sat back with an impatient huff. "It's not stealing when they never realize it happened. It's so easy to fuck with their minds. Like, I have a great condo for free 'cause the manager actually thinks I'm paying rent."
Why had he assumed all Vamps were like him? "I'm afraid we're no' well suited."
"What does that mean?"
He picked her up and set her on her feet as he stood. "It was nice meeting you."
"Are you ditching me?" she shrieked. "Nobody ditches me!" She flung the rest of Toni's Diet Coke in his face, then stalked away, cursing under her breath.
Ian wiped his face with a cocktail napkin. One down, forty-nine to go. Maybe Toni was right, and he was wasting his time. He glanced at the dance floor. Gregori was wiggling his hips and pointing a finger up and down. With a laugh, Toni mimicked his move.
Ian sighed and motioned to his second date.
A pretty blonde glided toward him. "Hi, remember me? I'm Moonbeam."
"How do ye do?" He sat and reset the timer.
Moonbeam settled across from him. "Well, I guess I should tell you about myself. I'm an Aquarius."
"That's nice."
"I was born in 1950. My name was Mary. Boring, I know. My parents were like so square. I ran away when I was sixteen, so I could protest the war. I really hate war."
This might be a bad time to mention he was a warrior. Ian noticed Gregori was spinning Toni in circles.
"I went to San Francisco, of course." Moonbeam fiddled with the beads around her neck. "That's where it was happening, you know."