© 2026 Vampires Love Garlic, Ashley Chapman. All rights reserved.

Notes: Was listening to “The Rose” by Bette Midler for parts of this scene. Such a gorgeous song. Anyways, enjoy!

24

Afraid of Breaking

Heather

The evening is progressing just as I hoped it would.

Everyone adores the games, the music, and the food. The costumes are wonderful, colorful, and perfect for the theme. Mayor Richardson is pleasant and seems to have taken a liking to me. The gift table is full of gorgeous packages and ribbons, a lovely sight. The fog machines are working magnificently, making the room feel as though it’s become misty with cigarette smoke when there isn’t actually any tobacco around. A few of the guests are getting tipsy, and I can’t believe McKenzie hasn’t keeled over yet. I’ve lost count of how many shots he’s tossed back.

We’ve been downstairs for a little over an hour when the dance instructor arrives. Everyone makes their way to the ballroom, and despite my sadness, I can’t wait to see the reactions to what I’ve done to the room.

The floors are shining. The candelabras are glittering. I’ve put up striking paintings and mosaics that fit the twenties theme. I’ve incorporated geometric and circular patterns and designs everywhere, including across the floor. The lights are dim, giving the room a welcoming, warm feeling, especially for those guests who will be suffering from hangovers in the morning.

The jazz band from downstairs gets situated around the grand piano, and the instructors begin.

I have two left feet, and I don’t feel like dancing. Tonight is about celebrating McKenzie and Narcissa, and I do my best to push away all my worries of the past twenty-four hours. I don’t want to think about putting in my notice at the Broughton Café. I don’t want to think about how next Saturday is my last day at the Pirates’ House. I’ve already found an apartment in Alabama, in Opelika. It’s a small town, but I have a job at another coffee house waiting. I’ll be far from Savannah, from Derrick, from McKenzie.

“And now for the Charleston! Ladies, grab your gents! Let’s get these feet moving!”

“Miss Heather,” Mayor Richardson says, smiling as he walks toward me. “You’re not sitting this out!”

“I’m afraid I would make you look terrible, Mayor Richardson.” I manage a playful curtsy. “Two left feet, and no heels.” I gesture to my sneakers. “Angelina Laris is an amazing instructor. I’m sure she’d love to dance with you, and she’d make you look like a pro.”

“Come, come now,” the mayor tsks. He holds out his hand to me. “Come on, my girl. Mrs. Richardson had to stay home with the baby. I need another Savannah girl.”

I laugh and take his offered hand. He pulls me onto the dance floor, making every movement exaggerated. I can’t help but enjoy his attempts at putting me at ease. He flings me far away from him, then twirls me back in with such gusto I nearly trip over my own feet. He places my hands in their proper positions, and off we go.

For a few precious minutes, I forget about Derrick and my aching heart. My feet are moving too fast, my legs are trembling with effort, and I am genuinely enjoying the mayor. We move from the Charleston to the Fox Trot to the Shimmy. I’m awful. I admit that freely. But I’m having a grand time being terrible, and Mayor Richardson doesn’t mind.

Thirty minutes pass before the music slows.

“The waltz was still popular in the twenties,” the band director announces. “Ladies and gentlemen, find your partners.”

I’m ready to get a glass of lemonade and take a seat, but before I can, Narcissa comes up to me.

“I think we should have the lady of the evening dance with McKenzie,” she states, taking my arm.

“You’re the lady of the evening,” I protest. “This is your party, Narcissa.”

“My feet are killing me.”

She points to her high heels, and I immediately feel sympathy. I wouldn’t have been able to wear those for ten minutes, never mind hours.

“First thing I’m going to do after this is drown my feet in Epsom salts. Someone needs to dance with McKenzie. You put all this together. I think you should have the honor. He’s an amazing dancer.” She lowers her voice and smiles. “He’s always coming up with these vampire rules, so I’ll tell you one of them. Vampire rule number 100, I guess. I have no idea how many there are. Vampires know how to dance. Really, really well. Please, do this for me. It’ll be the perfect way to close out the dancing.”

“Cissa, last dance, and then I’m tapping out,” McKenzie says, walking to us. He hasn’t even broken a sweat.

“Oh, I’m already out,” Narcissa says, collapsing into a chair. “But you kind of have to dance this to end the night. It’ll be a good sign to everyone that they need to start going home. I asked Heather if she wouldn’t mind dancing with you.”

I look at McKenzie’s face, trying to avoid gazing into his eyes.

I can’t help it, and I meet his gaze.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen his eyes so dark. I fight the shiver trying to force its way through my body. I can’t think about what he did in the kitchen right now, how his teeth tugged at my earring, how his lips felt against my skin, even if only for a second…

“Heather,” he says, holding out his hand. “One last dance to end the evening?”

I shouldn’t. I really shouldn’t. This is a very bad idea. He’s excellent at pulling out embarrassing information, at making me spill stupid words without even having to try. This night is supposed to be for him and Narcissa, and I don’t want him to worry about Derrick or anything else right now. I know, from the way his fingers close around mine, that this dance isn’t just about finishing the evening. Narcissa told him something, and he’s going to use those gorgeous eyes and that amazing body to drag the truth out of me.

The band starts playing, something slow and gorgeous. McKenzie places my hands, one on his right bicep, the other grasping his left hand. He keeps some space between us, something I am far too grateful for. And then he moves me, spinning me through the other dancers.

I could be wearing five-inch heels and a gorgeous ballgown with the way he makes me feel. I’m floating on air, light and graceful in his arms. It doesn’t matter that I keep having to stand on tiptoe to stay balanced or that the fringe on my skirt is swishing offbeat with the music. I keep my eyes fixed on the hollow of his throat, on the fine golden hair there. I can’t look in his eyes. If I do, I’ll ruin the whole evening for him.

“Narcissa told me you’re trying to distance yourself from us.”

Here we go. I was trying so hard to avoid this.

“Yes,” I say, dipping slightly to the right when he positions me to do so. It’s such a graceful, surrendering moment. I’m a princess, and this man is a master seducer. Never mind what he tried in the kitchen earlier. If he’s trying to get information from me, he’s going to get it.

“Any particular reason why?”

He draws me back up, twirls me, and spins me back in.

“Personal reasons!” I gasp, my back meeting his chest for one lingering moment.

“Heather, you know I’m going to get information from you.”

“No. No you won’t. Not tonight.”

“Why?”

He turns me back to face him and catches me just right, making my face jerk up, my eyes meeting his for a heartbeat.

“Because this is about you and Narcissa!”

I’m almost begging. I can hear it in my voice. Begging for him not to dig, not to hunt.

“Very well,” he says, and I breathe a sigh of relief. And then he speaks again, and all relief is gone. “I guess I’ll have to play dirty.”

“You really won’t, Kenzie. Really. I don’t want to tell you what’s going on right now, okay? This evening is supposed to be beautiful and exciting for you and Narcissa. I don’t want to ruin it with anything I have to say.” I’m rambling. Darn it. This man has heard me ramble far too much, and when I ramble, I slip. “You know my words come out wrong. This isn’t the time for this.”

“Then when is?”

The music is lilting, soaring, and I’m trying so hard to keep up a brave face when McKenzie spins with me, dips me low, then tugs me back up effortlessly.

This time, though, there is no distance.

There is no space.

My center meets his, and the heat that blooms is fire in comparison to the longing in the music. I’m resting with his thigh between my legs, and I swear he put us in this position on purpose. He doesn’t move me, but his body slides against mine as he continues our dance. There isn’t a single breath I take that doesn’t involve my chest brushing against his. There isn’t a solitary heartbeat of mine that he can’t feel. His hand is firmly wrapped around mine. The hand at my lower back has slipped, resting against the base of my spine, keeping me close.

It’s not fair.

None of this is fair.

His body… Oh my gosh, his body. The way he moves, the way he feels. It’s like I’ve been wanting this since I first saw him in the café, but now that it’s here, it isn’t right. I shouldn’t feel so safe here. I shouldn’t feel like I never want to leave.

I shouldn’t feel like I want to lace my fingers through his hair, drag him down, and kiss him.

“Don’t,” I whisper, though whether it’s for him or myself, I don’t know.

“Don’t what?”

His mouth is against my ear. His breath caresses my earlobe, and I close my eyes, trying desperately to push away the phantom feeling of his mouth on my neck.

“McKenzie, please,” I try, lost in the dance, in his arms. “Please. I need to stay away from you. I think… I think you may just want to be near me because of my blood. I was told vampires only like humans for blood. I don’t blame you for any of this, but I don’t want to be just a source of food.” Gosh. I just let too much slip. Now he knows I want more than a passing relationship.

“Who told you this?”

“Derrick.”

There. I’ve said it.

He draws back just enough, his nose nearly touching mine, his eyebrows narrowed.

“Derrick?” he demands, his hand tightening on my back.

“I ran into Derrick last night.” If I’m going to tell him everything, I may as well tell him now, when we’re intimately close and no one can overhear us. “He told me I’m worthless.” I pause, trying and failing to hold my emotions in. “You’re just interested in me for blood. You’re playing with your food.”

I can feel tears again, and I hate it.

I remember Derrick stealing my teardrops, sucking them off his finger, and the cold, disgusting feeling of violation that followed.

“Continue, Heather.”

His voice is a low growl.

“You’re hurting my back,” I whisper.

He relaxes his hold, spins me out, then pulls me back in again.

I thought we were close before. Now I can hardly breathe. My breath is warm against his chest, and I can feel his hips pressed far too closely against mine.

“What really has you troubled, Heather?” he asks, stubble rough against my ear.

“You just want my blood.”

“What else? You’re holding something back. Why are you so upset? You know, deep down, I’m not interested in just your blood. I would have taken it already.”

“McKenzie, please, this is your engagement party.”

“What else?” he orders. He nuzzles his lips against my earlobe, and a sudden wild surge of desire sparks through my body, making me shiver. He’s too good at this, far too good at getting information from me.

“I don’t want to be just a source of food.” My voice is barely audible, but I know he can hear me. “I don’t want to just be another human to you. I’m glad I could help with your dinner the other night. I’m so honored that you let me put together this party. But I don’t want to be just a human. I don’t want to be just… just me. I want so much more.” I try to swipe at my eyes, to hide my tears, but he keeps my hands firmly in place. “I’m falling in love with you.” I don’t know if I’ve said that out loud. From his steadiness, I think I’ve only said it in my head. It’s still painful.

He doesn’t say anything, but leads me through the waltz. The arousal I felt shifts with every motion. Now instead of this dance being hot, it feels… safe. His hand at my back is a guiding presence. His fingers laced through mine are powerful but still gentle. His heartbeat against my ear is heaven. His chin atop my head makes me think I might be able to stay.

“Heather, don’t you ever let anything that bastard says stop you from asking for help.”

His chest rumbles against my cheek as he talks.

“Thank you for telling me why you’re sad. We’ll discuss this more after the party.”

“I didn’t want to ruin tonight for you,” I whisper.

“You didn’t.”

The music slows. I feel him dip me back, my hair brushing the ballroom floor.

Trust. This entire dance has been about trust. Trust to guide me. Trust to listen to me. Trust to keep me from falling.

Except that I have fallen.

As he draws me back up, a little too fast, a little too close, my thigh resting against his leg, my chest pressed to his, his lips less than an inch away from mine, I know that I’m lost.

I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up.

And I don’t want to.

Ever.