The Caretaker of Showman's Hill (Vampire Romance) by Elizabeth Rose Page A
Authors: Elizabeth Rose
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bother trying again," he said, hoping to discourage her. If he got her mad enough, she may just leave on her own.
"I don't know about that, Basil," Jack broke in. “I thought it was pretty good." He handed his plate to Cassie for seconds. Basil threw him a menacing look, and Jack took the plate back, empty. "Come to think of it, I've got rounds to make. I'll be back later on." The sheriff got up and walked out of the room quickly.
"La Roux, I want to talk to you," Basil commanded in a domineering tone, getting up from his chair.
"She's not done with her dinner yet," interrupted Cassie.
"Now!"
La Roux jumped from her chair and followed Basil into the bar area. He took one step into the room and halted. The place looked different. Much different. It was too damned clean. The walls sparkled, the floors shined, even the bottles of booze looked cleaner.
There were checkered tablecloths on the tables with vases of fresh cut flowers. The front door was wide open and the windows uncovered - and squeaky clean. He could see the sun disappearing on the horizon, its last few rays streaming in the clean windows and reflecting off the bottles of amber liquor.
"What's she done to this place?" he asked in horror.
"It looks nice, doesn't it?" La Roux smiled at him, making matters worse.
"Why are the windows uncovered?" he asked in a pure panic.
"What does it matter, Basil? The only time you and the others are in here is at night."
"But what about you, La Roux?" He shook his head, not being able to believe this.
"It doesn't bother me any more." Her words hit him hard, and he wasn’t exactly sure what to think. He tried to read her mind, but his own mind was too confused and it didn’t work.
He went over to the bar and poured himself a glass of Grand Mariner, thinking he’d call her bluff. "You're lying, little lady." He watched her expression, but could tell nothing. He raised the glass to his lips, but stopped as he heard her next words.
"Cassie took me out in the sun today."
He eyes met hers, and this time she didn’t look away. He scanned her mind again, and this time it worked. He could see that what she said was true. He also knew she was waiting for him to yell at her, afraid she’d disappointed him. He was shocked by the announcement, but didn’t want to yell at her. She’d seemed very fragile lately. He cared for her deeply, and didn’t want to upset her. Instead, he maintained his temper – with words anyway. The glass shattered in his hand as well as several other glasses on the bar. Andre, the bartender, glanced to Basil quickly, then made excuses to the patrons as he cleaned up the mess.
"So,” said Basil slowly, not able to look at her when he spoke, “you went out in the sun today and . . . nothing happened?" He waited for her answer, not sure what he really wanted her to say.
"I'm still here, aren't I?" she replied with a cocky attitude that was a lot like Cassie’s.
"Let's keep it that way, La Roux.” He reached out and laid his hand atop hers. “There's no way I want to lose you." Being a vampire, he didn't know how to show emotion. Except anger, lately. That one came to him very easy, especially since Cassie arrived. Still, he wanted to show La Roux that he cared for her. He wanted to show her he was happy she was able to go out in the sun, even though the thought of it scared him. Would she be so lucky the next time she tried it? Damn, he’d never felt this way before.
La Roux wasn't quite like him or the others. She was of mixed blood. He knew how to treat Antonio and the boys and the others that inhabited the Bat House. They were easy. They were just like him. La Roux was different. She was like a delicate flower that had just begun to bloom. One bad storm and she could be nipped in the bud.
"Anyone for dessert?" Cassie popped her head through the swinging door holding two bowls of some steamy cold pink stuff.
"Sure," smiled La Roux. She looked over to Basil, waiting for his answer. He
"I don't know about that, Basil," Jack broke in. “I thought it was pretty good." He handed his plate to Cassie for seconds. Basil threw him a menacing look, and Jack took the plate back, empty. "Come to think of it, I've got rounds to make. I'll be back later on." The sheriff got up and walked out of the room quickly.
"La Roux, I want to talk to you," Basil commanded in a domineering tone, getting up from his chair.
"She's not done with her dinner yet," interrupted Cassie.
"Now!"
La Roux jumped from her chair and followed Basil into the bar area. He took one step into the room and halted. The place looked different. Much different. It was too damned clean. The walls sparkled, the floors shined, even the bottles of booze looked cleaner.
There were checkered tablecloths on the tables with vases of fresh cut flowers. The front door was wide open and the windows uncovered - and squeaky clean. He could see the sun disappearing on the horizon, its last few rays streaming in the clean windows and reflecting off the bottles of amber liquor.
"What's she done to this place?" he asked in horror.
"It looks nice, doesn't it?" La Roux smiled at him, making matters worse.
"Why are the windows uncovered?" he asked in a pure panic.
"What does it matter, Basil? The only time you and the others are in here is at night."
"But what about you, La Roux?" He shook his head, not being able to believe this.
"It doesn't bother me any more." Her words hit him hard, and he wasn’t exactly sure what to think. He tried to read her mind, but his own mind was too confused and it didn’t work.
He went over to the bar and poured himself a glass of Grand Mariner, thinking he’d call her bluff. "You're lying, little lady." He watched her expression, but could tell nothing. He raised the glass to his lips, but stopped as he heard her next words.
"Cassie took me out in the sun today."
He eyes met hers, and this time she didn’t look away. He scanned her mind again, and this time it worked. He could see that what she said was true. He also knew she was waiting for him to yell at her, afraid she’d disappointed him. He was shocked by the announcement, but didn’t want to yell at her. She’d seemed very fragile lately. He cared for her deeply, and didn’t want to upset her. Instead, he maintained his temper – with words anyway. The glass shattered in his hand as well as several other glasses on the bar. Andre, the bartender, glanced to Basil quickly, then made excuses to the patrons as he cleaned up the mess.
"So,” said Basil slowly, not able to look at her when he spoke, “you went out in the sun today and . . . nothing happened?" He waited for her answer, not sure what he really wanted her to say.
"I'm still here, aren't I?" she replied with a cocky attitude that was a lot like Cassie’s.
"Let's keep it that way, La Roux.” He reached out and laid his hand atop hers. “There's no way I want to lose you." Being a vampire, he didn't know how to show emotion. Except anger, lately. That one came to him very easy, especially since Cassie arrived. Still, he wanted to show La Roux that he cared for her. He wanted to show her he was happy she was able to go out in the sun, even though the thought of it scared him. Would she be so lucky the next time she tried it? Damn, he’d never felt this way before.
La Roux wasn't quite like him or the others. She was of mixed blood. He knew how to treat Antonio and the boys and the others that inhabited the Bat House. They were easy. They were just like him. La Roux was different. She was like a delicate flower that had just begun to bloom. One bad storm and she could be nipped in the bud.
"Anyone for dessert?" Cassie popped her head through the swinging door holding two bowls of some steamy cold pink stuff.
"Sure," smiled La Roux. She looked over to Basil, waiting for his answer. He
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