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“Club special,” Rune says, his tone shutting down both me and Tess in one efficient sweep.
“I’ll have the same, thanks.”
Hopefully, whatever is in it is stronger than beer. Maybe I should have asked to make it a double.
“No,” Rune says quickly to the bartender. “She won’t.” He slides me a plastic menu. “Pick something else.”
Excuse me?
“You are not dictating what I can and can’t drink.”
Rune raises a brow at me, but holds up his hands in surrender. “You heard the lady,” he says, “two club specials.”
Tess has our drinks in front of us in under a minute, moving around behind the bar with vampire speed and accuracy.
I take the glass she places on the bar top and peer into the cup. It’s thick and syrupy as I swirl the liquid around the edge.
“Skål.” Rune lifts his glass towards me, hazel eyes gleaming.
Why do I feel like he’s testing me?
I meet his glass and give a hearty Viking salute before bringing the drink to my lips and taking a careful sip from the lip of the cup.
A sickly sweetness hits my tongue, followed by a slightly metallic aftertaste.
Rune watches me intently. “How is it?”
“It’s… strange, but not horrible.” I take another sip, trying to make out the flavor. “What’s in it?”
“The club special is a concoction that some witches cooked up for vampires that allows us to get drunk.”
Right. What’s the point of eternal life if you can’t get absolutely sloshed every once in a while?
To each their own, I guess.
“Maybe you’re meant to be here with us vampires, after all.”
“Why do you say that?” I ask.
“You’re drinking what is essentially blood ale.”
Blood? “You let me drink blood?!” My stomach turns over. I need something to wash the taste out. Now. But the only thing I have to drink is the blood cocktail in my hand.
When I realize I’m still holding it, the glass tips from my hand. With a flash of movement, Rune catches the drink before it spills on the ground. Without wasting a drop too.
I have to admit, the move is impressive.
In the next moment, the bartender has a glass of water in front of me.
“Why didn’t you tell me it was blood?” I sputter after thoroughly washing out my mouth.
“You didn’t ask.” Rune hands my now-empty glass off to the bartender after pouring the blood ale into his own. “You didn’t seem to mind all that much before I told you what you were drinking.”
“Here.”
A bubbling pink drink passes into my vision.
“Don’t worry,” Tess says with a wink, “I added it to his tab. And no blood this time, promise.”
