"Shopping!"
Jennie laughed at Lisa's disgusted mutter as they entered the 24-hour grocery store. She'd been repeating it every few minutes since leaving the house. At first she'd said the word as if she couldn't believe she'd agreed to go. Then, as they'd driven here in her BMW, that dismay had turned to disgust. You'd think the woman had never gone food shopping before now! Of course, judging by how empty her cupboards were, Jennie supposed she hadn't. And when she'd commented on the lack of food in her home on the way out of the house, she'd muttered something about not having replaced her housekeeper yet. Jennie presumed that meant she ate out a lot in the meantime.
She hadn't bothered to inquire as to what had become of her previous housekeeper. Her personality was answer enough. No doubt the poor woman had quit. Jennie herself would have, she knew.
Jennie led her to the rows of empty shopping carts. As she started to pull one out, Lisa grunted something that might have been "Allow me," but could just as easily have been "Get the hell out of the way." She then took over the chore.
She began to make a mental list of what she should get as she led the way toward the dairy section. She would have to be sure she got lots of fruits and vegetables for Lisa. The woman was far too pale. It seemed obvious to her that she was in dire need of some green leafy vegetables.
Maybe vegetables would improve her mood, too.
Lisa needed blood. That was the one thought pulsing through her mind as she followed Jennie Kim through the dairy section, the frozen-food section, and now down the coffee aisle. The cart was filling up quickly. Jennie had already tossed various yogurts, cheeses, eggs and a ton of frozen gourmet dinners in it. Now she paused in the coffee aisle and considered the various packages before turning to ask, "What brand do you prefer?"
She stared at her blankly. "Brand?"
"Of coffee? What do you normally drink?"
Lisa shrugged. "I do not drink coffee."
"Oh. Tea, then?"
"I do not drink tea."
"But you," She narrowed her eyes. "Hot chocolate? Espresso? Capuccino?" When she shook her head at all her suggestions, she asked with exasperation: "Well, what do you drink then? Kool-Aid?"
A titter of amusement drew Lisa's attention to a plump young woman pushing a cart up the aisle toward them. She was the first shopper they'd come across since entering the store. Between the debacles with the blood bags, the tea in the living room, and the bit of time Jennie had taken to settle in and change, it was now nearly midnight. The grocery store wasn't very busy at this hour.
Now that her giggle had caught her attention, the shopper batted her eyelashes at Lisa and she found herself smiling back, her gaze fixed on the pulse at the base of her throat. She imagined sinking her teeth there and drawing the warm, sweet blood out of her. She was her favorite sort to drink. Plump, pink women always had the best, richest blood. Thick and heady and
"Ms. Manoban? Earth calling Lisa!"
Lisa's pleasant imaginings shattered. She turned reluctantly back to her editor. "Yes?"
"What do you like to drink?" she repeated.
She glanced back at the shopper. "Er coffee's fine."
"You said you don't drink coffee. Never mind. What brand?"
Lisa surveyed the choices. Her eyes settled on a dark red can with the name Tim Hortons. She'd always thought that was a donut shop or something. Still, it was the only name she recognized, so she pointed at it.
