Immortal Chocolate (a vampire novel)

Part 2

The door dinged and a family walked in. The smell was overwhelmingly strong, and I flickered a look toward Herbert, whose fangs had slid down ever so slightly. This was always a fear of mine when vampires visited my shop. If they eat my customers, I can’t play my human game any longer. I liked playing human, it was entertaining.

“Good morning!” I called with way too much enthusiasm. They were attracted to my voice and smiled at me. A couple and their two kids. The perfect family unit.

“Go away,” I whispered for Herbert’s ears only. He scampered out the door like a dog I’d kicked. If Claud sent him here again, I was going to go all ancient vampire on him and stab him with a toothpick.

“We’d love some donuts. What kind do you want, kids?”

A smell wafted toward me. What was this? Why did this family smell so sweet? I have immense self-control when it comes to eating people, I’ve been living in this town for over ten years, my bakery is always busy, and people know that I age well. They don’t question me here, and I don’t eat the locals. Covens have come and gone over the years, finding my sleepy little town boring and low on the buffet side of things. Why did this family smell like the finest meal in town? Is this a test? Or am I simply slipping back in time to when I first turned?

“Chocolate sprinkles!” a little brown-haired boy said in a squeal. A little girl hopped up and down. “I want one of those!” She pointed at a powder sugared one. The dad smiled at me, and I grabbed the two donuts out of the case and slipped them into a bag.

“Anything else?” I asked. I felt the itch. It was something I couldn’t control, being a vampire and all. It would start at the bottom of my feet, this itchy feeling that began to flow through my blood, once it reached my fangs it was done, I’d eat anything. I quietly swore under my breath. I better get this family out the door and fast. I’d only stopped the itch once, and that’s because I’d made Kitty bite me. Kitty wasn’t here right now. I felt my body beginning to dance, the feeling moving up my legs, readying me for action.

“Yeah, we’d both love a cup of coffee.”

“Is this to go?” I asked. Please, let it be to go! Please! The itch moved up to my thighs. This was getting bad, I needed to get them out of here!

“No, we’ll eat it here.” He flashed a smile at his wife and ruffled his son’s hair.

“Um…” I needed to make something up, unless I wanted a blood bath in this place. I squirmed. I hated lying, even though I know it was necessary for this situation.

“I’m sorry, sir, I’m going to have to ask you to take it to go. I have to shut down the shop for an hour.” A wave of heat filled my torso, it was almost time to feed. I felt the venom in my mouth dripping on my tongue.

“Oh, that’s no problem. Come on, guys, let’s go eat this at the park.”

I began to make the two coffees, hoping that I’d get them made in time before I attacked this perfect little family. I needed to distract myself, I needed pain, I needed something. Anything! I whipped the coffees together fast and put their order on the counter. The man paid, his arm around his wife, his kids hovering around them.

“Thanks, Iva,” he said. When he said my name, my blood began to pump harder, the itch spread through my chest, arms, and up my neck. Oh, no, no. A fiery tension made my muscles taut. They began to head toward the door, the kids giggling as their dad tickled them. Just a little bit more, Iva, hold it together! I squirmed, the itch spreading into my mouth, my venom was hot on my tongue.