Scarlet Vamporium: Vamporium #2 by Poppet[vampire] Page B

the next time I see her. “Are you warm enough?”
    Her hand doesn't feel cold, which is unusual for a tourist. Autumn is here and tonight is fairly chilly, but she seems tae be coping okay.
    “I'm fine,” she smiles, and for the thousandth time since meeting her I am captured in her eyes, mesmerized by their bewitching clarity.
    Breaking our gaze I stare into the flickering flames of the fire, relieved no one else is gathered out here. “Have ye ever had a Scottish tattie?”
    I can see them sitting between the wood coals, already crusted with black carbon.
    “I doubt it,” she murmurs, leaning her head onto my shoulder and snuggling in.
    Our legs are stretched out together, side by side, our ankles locked, with our feet stacked on top of each other like old friends.
    That's just it, she disnae feel like a stranger tae me. She feels like someone I've known ma whole life. Mebbe that's why we have this connection? Why I want tae protect her and failed miserably at it when I had the chance.
    “What's a tattie?” she asks, sounding relaxed.
    It's probably the Skull Splitter, it's 8.5 percent proof and she disnae seem like the kind of lass tae indulge in alcoholic libations frequently.
    “A potato.” Looking at Stuart, I ask, “Stu, dae ye have a plate and stuff close by?”
    He nods, nudging his head tae indicate behind the log he's sitting on, and I spy the kitchen supplies.
    “Any tatties ready?” I smile.
    “Aye,” he grins, seeming to enjoy getting in on watching Ellindt sample her first tattie done the old fashioned way. He stakes one in the heart of the fire, withdrawing it and shaking it off onto a plate. To an outsider it looks like he's just served her a black coal tae eat.
    Leaning over he hands it tae me with a kitchen knife and the carving fork. With an evil grin he passes the salt and butter.
    Unhooking my legs from hers, I bend my knees up tae balance the crockery, gesturing tae the smoking black rock on the plate. “This is a tattie.”
    Slicing it in half, I show her the steaming smoked flesh, “Ye hav'nae had a tattie until ye've had one of these.”
    It's striated with brown smoke smears from the fire. Cutting into it crisscross, I carefully drop a knob of butter ontae each open half, sprinkle it with salt, then hand the utensils and condiments back to Stu. “De ye ha'e a spoon or sumthin?”
    He's anticipated that already, and it's in his left hand when he leans over for the exchange.
    I offer the spoon to Ellie, “Go on, have a wee taste.”
    Looking doubtfully up at me through long black eyelashes, it dawns on me that she's no' wearing a shred of makeup. What an unusual lass. I'm glad she isnae. I dinnae like the stuff. I don't care fer it at all, and my thoughts dive straight onto her plump lips the color of rowan buds. No distasteful lipstick stains them.
    She's a queen among commoners this lass is. And she can fight like a pro. I think I may have just fallen knee deep into the love swamp.
    Scraping out a morsel, she blows on it carefully, pursing her lips intae such a cute pucker I find myself leaning closer, the warmth from the fire blushing her cheeks, making the starlight in her hair dance, warming her perfume so it wraps itself intae my jacket, intae my hair where she leans on it.
    Popping the spoon intae her mouth, I'm aware I'm holding my breath while my stomach dances a wee jig of attraction. I wish Stuart wasnae here right now.
    “Uhm, oh wow! That's delicious. I thought it'd taste horrid but it's like hot wood smoked potato, all creamy from the butter, the inside so flaky it just melts across my tongue.”
    My heart is compressing at the thought of her hot tongue and I lean a little lower, a little closer, so close her breath washes across my lips.
    “Oi!” smashes the intimate moment, and I snap defensively upright, looking right at the cold brews Roddie is offering to us, the necks of the bottles snug between his fingers. At the same time he passes one tae Stuart from the