Vampire Mine - Kerrelyn Sparks [46]
The woman she’d almost killed had children? Marielle sent up a prayer that Shanna would pull through. Silence. Her shoulders slumped.
“So I gather Connor caught you up to speed?” Gregori asked Vanda.
“Yes. He seemed really . . . concerned.” She eyed Marielle curiously. “It’s an honor to meet you.”
“Connor thought you might be hungry,” Marta said as she removed the plate from the microwave. “We brought some food from the cafeteria.”
“And we brought other stuff, too,” Vanda added. “Shampoo and lotion and all sorts of girly things. Connor said you’d never had a body before, so you might need a little female . . . advice.”
“Sounds like time for me to leave,” Gregori muttered. He walked over to the couch and gathered the priest up in his arms.
“Thank you for coming, Gregori.” Marielle inclined her head.
Gregori grinned. “See you later, angel.” He disappeared, taking Father Andrew with him.
“Well, come and eat while it’s still hot.” Marta set a bowl and plate at the end of the table.
“She needs silverware.” Vanda hurried into the kitchen.
Marielle walked slowly to the table, then sat in the chair that Marta indicated. A real human meal. The smell drifted up to her nose, spicy and enticing. Hunger grew in her belly, but a small fear accompanied it. What if she enjoyed being human too much? She’d certainly enjoyed feeling Connor’s arms around her and his lips against hers.
“This is salad.” Marta motioned to the bowl, then to the plate. “And that’s lasagna and a breadstick.”
It all looked so foreign. And colorful. Marielle didn’t know where to begin.
“And here’s your knife and fork.” Vanda set some utensils on the table along with a smaller plate. “And that’s your dessert. Chocolate cake.”
Marielle sat up. Chocolate? She took the fork and poked at the cake.
“Oh no,” Marta whispered. “You’re supposed to eat the cake last.”
“Why?” Marielle put a bite of cake in her mouth.
Brynley laughed as she took a seat at the opposite end of the table. “I’ve always wondered that myself.”
Vanda set a glass of water and a napkin on the table. “After all you’ve been through tonight, I’d say to hell with the rules.”
Marielle nodded as the chocolate melted in her mouth. So delicious. “I’m not good at following orders.”
Brynley sighed. “I’m going through a rebellious period myself right now.”
“You don’t want to get married?” Marta brought two bottles of synthetic blood to the table and handed one to her sister. She and Vanda sat in the side chairs.
“I could live for hundreds of years.” Brynley slouched in her chair. “Why would I want to chain myself to one person?”
“Your brother did.” Marta sipped from her bottle.
Brynley shrugged. “Phil’s in love.” She gave Vanda an annoyed look, then grumbled, “But he seems to be happy.”
Vanda smiled. “He is.” She took a drink from her bottle.
Marielle continued to eat the cake while she watched the women.
“You might change your mind about marriage when you meet the right man,” Marta suggested.
Brynley scoffed. “No such thing as the right man. They’re all alike. Mortals or shifters—they’re all interested in the same thing.” She drummed her fingers on the table. “Not that I have anything against sex. I really like sex. A lot.”
Marta winced and glanced at Marielle. “I don’t know if that’s an appropriate topic.”
“Please don’t feel that you have to censor yourself on my account.” Marielle took another bite of cake.
“Exactly. If we’re supposed to give her advice on being a woman, then she needs to know about men.” Brynley jumped up and headed into the kitchen. “Is there any more of that cake?”
Vanda looked at Marielle curiously. “What do you think? Are all men alike?”
“No. I believe each human is unique.” A vision of Connor drifted across her mind.
“I’ll admit that they can look and act a little differently,” Brynley called from the kitchen. “But they still have only one thing on their mind.”
Marta shook her head. “Not all the time.”
Brynley walked back to the table, a plate of cake