Far past the elderly lady's bedtime, she was sure. Ricci,' she said with surprise, and then glanced at her wristwatch. These men say I can eat, but I want to try something small first to.' Her voice trailed away as her gaze slid past the girl to the older woman approaching. 'To try?' Dawn asked with confusion, then her eyes widened with amazement. Dawn Geoffreys, the granddaughter of a friend. She glanced to the side and smiled as she recognized the fresh-faced young blonde in the grocery store uniform. How many meals had it been exactly? Elvi wondered and started to do the math and then pushed it aside as unimportant. Actually, more than that since it would be six years this winter. That was five thousand, four hundred and seventy-five meals. That was one thousand, eight hundred and twenty-five days. She was a woman who hadn't eaten in five years.

'What do you need?' he asked, and she couldn't help but notice Victor sounded rather cautious, as if he were approaching a possibly rabid animal. 'Elvi?' Victor sounded concerned as he moved to her side. She needed to try something and see what it tasted like, but what? She wasn't going to drag home food she couldn't even enjoy, but would be left to stare at in mournful depression. What if foods that had seemed so yummy when she was alive, now seemed flat and tasteless in death?Ī test was necessary, she decided. What if food did? While she'd lived, blood had been a tinny, nasty thing, but now it was yummy. like a real person.Įlvi had arrived at the counter well ahead of the men, but now as they reached her, she still stood hemming and hawing over her choices. Elvi had managed a smile for each in passing, knowing that what was startling them was that she was shopping. They'd glanced her way, and then done a double take when they saw who it was.

It was late enough that the store was nearly empty, which meant lots of carts were all lined up at the front waiting for her.Įlvi had tugged one free and pushed it to the back of the store at a near run, drawing the eye of the few people stacking shelves. Gasping a 'thank you' she'd charged for the store, rushing ahead and leaving the men to trail her or not as they liked. Only a steadying hand from Victor had kept her upright. Didn't he know she needed food?Įlvi had nearly fallen flat on her face in her rush to get out of the car. She had no idea what a sire was and couldn't be bothered to sort it out at this point. She had no idea what Alessandro was nattering on about with such outrage. To leave you in such ignorance.'Įlvi ignored him. 'Who is your sire, bella? I would talk to him about this. 'She didn't know she could,' he answered absently. 'She hasn't eaten in five years,' Victor muttered distractedly as he stood at her side, eyeing the cakes with interest. The emergency is cheesecake?'Įdward sounded incredulous as he watched Elvi hover indecisively over the cake counter.

The accidental vampire novel