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

32

The Morning After

Heather

I wake slowly, sunlight streaming through my skylight. I’m comfortable, warm… and alone.

I roll onto my side, realizing I’m still in my jeans and sweater. A slip of paper rests on the pillow beside me, and I read it, a ridiculous smile tugging at my lips.

“Didn’t want your Oma to catch us in bed together.

I’m fairly certain you would have spontaneously combusted.

Thank you for showing me the stars.

You drool a little when you’re asleep, but you’re still so goddamned beautiful.

See you at the café.

-M.”

I laugh and notice the small bunch of holly resting where McKenzie had been. I pick it up, studying the red berries and spiky leaves, and there’s no stopping the insane rush of desire that surges through me. It’s embarrassing, really, though I don’t know why, since no one can see me.

I fell asleep in McKenzie’s arms, and I’m pretty sure I’ve never slept better.

He respects me enough to leave before Oma can accuse me of anything.

He’s a gentleman, leaving me a letter and a gift.

And for the very first time in my life, I sincerely want to jump someone’s bones.

Jen and Claire must never know of this.

I get up, shower, dress in warm clothes, and greet Oma with a kiss on the cheek. I don’t actually have work today, but my heart is pounding merrily away, and I want to see McKenzie. I’ll be at that café just to see him and thank him. For what? What exactly am I thanking him for?

I drive into Savannah, park in the usual parking garage, and walk to Broughton Café. The air is extra crispy, and frost is scattered across the dormant gardenia bushes.

The café smells amazing, as it always does. I order biscuits and gravy and a hot chocolate and move to the register to pay. I’m rummaging in my purse when a strong hand finds my waist, startling me. Another hand rests atop mine, stopping me from paying while simultaneously slipping a credit card to Jen.

“Good morning, Beautiful.”

McKenzie’s voice is a low rumble against my ear, and it takes all my power not to close my eyes and drown in his arms.

“Good morning,” I manage.

“The usual for me, please, Jen,” McKenzie says. “And I’ll have a macchiato with almond biscotti as well.”

“Are you expecting company?” Jen asks, typing in the order.

“A friend,” McKenzie says, squeezing my waist gently.

He pays for our food and drinks and then takes my hand and leads me to his table. He sits in his usual seat, but before I can pull away, he tugs, making me land on his leg.

“Kenzie!” I gasp.

“You know you like having fun at Jen’s expense,” he says with a chuckle. “I thought I’d give her something to drool over.”

“Do I really drool?” I ask, shifting on his leg until I’m comfortable.

This is so strange, sitting on his leg as though I’ve always belonged here. I am a little nervous about what other people will think, but the way his hand feels on my thigh is too good to give up for a little embarrassment.

“Little bit.” He snuggles close to me, squeezing me tightly. “How’d you sleep?”

“Better than I ever have.” I rest my head on his shoulder. “Thank you for leaving before Oma could see anything. I’d never hear the end of it.”

“And here he is. McKenzie Bristol himself!” A new voice announces.

McKenzie laughs and lifts me carefully off his leg before standing and holding out his hand to the newcomer.

A tall, handsome man with skin the color of hot chocolate and eyes the color of hazelnuts grasps McKenzie’s offered hand and shakes it vigorously. A brilliant smile stretches across the man’s face. His hair is in braids down his scalp, knotted at the base of his neck in a simple bun, and he has neatly trimmed facial hair that makes him look like he stepped off the cover of some modeling magazine.

“Ken, baby, how you been?” he asks, dragging McKenzie into a hug before he claps a hand on his shoulder.

“Busy, as always.”

McKenzie turns to me and offers his open hand. I take it and let him draw me in.

“Marquis, this is Heather. She’s the event coordinator for this whole obnoxious party.”

“Heather,” Marquis says with a grin. He takes one of my hands, bows, and brushes a brisk kiss across my knuckles. “Enchanté. Cissa’s told me all about you.” He releases my hand and cocks his head to the side, gorgeous eyes studying my neck.

I have no idea what he’s looking for, and he doesn’t seem uncomfortable at all letting his eyes sear into my skin. I raise a hand and put it to the side of my throat, searching for any cuts or pimples he might be staring at.

“No bite, huh?” he asks, winking at McKenzie. “Not so much as a hickey. What’re you doing, man? A creature this divine, and you’re letting her put together a massive vampire gathering without any sort of protection. You know Harold’s coming, don’t you?”

“I’m sorry?” I ask, thoroughly confused. McKenzie told me that a neck bite is extremely sexual in the vampire community, and Marquis just asked if I’d been bitten yet. Is that the same as asking if Kenzie and I slept together? Is that a normal vampire question?

“You know how Zeus, Greek god king, fathered hundreds of bastard children?” Marquis says as simply as if we’re talking about the weather. “Harold will schmooze and sleep with any woman. Any. You happen to be quite lovely to look at, and if anything Narcissa has said is true, you’ve got a beautiful soul. You know he’s going to go for her, Ken.”

“This is a conversation I’d prefer to have with Heather in private, later, when you aren’t there,” McKenzie says coolly. “For now, we have the gathering to discuss. I bought the property. I was going to see if you both want to take a drive out into the swamps with me.”

“Sure, but in my truck. Love your sports cars, Ken, but they’re cramped. Good for feeling up a girl in the front seat. Bad for my back.” Marquis flashes his brilliant smile. “I’ll drive.”

“Something to eat first, maybe?” McKenzie asks, gesturing to the table.

“Let’s take it for the road. I want to see this terrifying mansion you’ve bought. What was it, a cotton plantation?” I can hear the teasing in Marquis’s voice, and I know this man likes to have fun. If he’s going in the direction I think he’s going to, then he’s the perfect foil for McKenzie’s calm, professional demeanor. “You planning on having me out in the fields sweating under the autumn sun, Ken?”

“Oh geez,” McKenzie says, rolling his eyes.

Oh my gosh. The man actually rolled his eyes.

“You must have known each other for a long time,” I say with a light giggle.

“Too long,” McKenzie grumbles.

“Oh sister, I could tell you stories.” Marquis picks up his macchiato. “I could tell you about Ken’s twenty-first birthday bash in Paris where he got blackout drunk on blood-infused vodka. There was that set of twins in Brazil about ten years back. And that one hot summer night in Argentina…”

“Here. Have your biscotti,” McKenzie interrupts, all but shoving the cookie into Marquis’ face.

“Truck’s in the parking garage down the street,” Marquis says, taking a bite of the cookie. “Shall we?”

McKenzie picks up our food, puts his hand to my back, and guides me out of the café. I love how his hand rests on me, the faint pressure, the feeling of possessiveness without him being possessive.

“Twins in Brazil?” I whisper, and he sighs.

“They wanted to teach me to samba,” he mutters.

“Is that what the kids are calling it these days?” Marquis asks, leading the way and taking another bite out of his cookie.

“I swear, Marquis, you keep this up and I’m sending you back to New Orleans.”

“Bet Heather thinks we all come from there, thanks to Anne Rice,” Marquis says, looking over his shoulder at me.

“Do you?” I ask.

“I do, but McKenzie doesn’t. You’ve got yourself a New England boy. Are you from Savannah, Heather?” He pulls out a pair of keys, and the headlights of a large black truck flicker in the garage just around the corner.

“New York, but I’ve been in Georgia a long time,” I say quietly. “How did you two meet?”

“A vampire gathering when we were both five,” McKenzie says as we walk through the garage. Marquis stops at the truck and opens the back door, bowing gallantly. “The theme was the 1940s, and my father hosted it. You would have liked it.”

“Up until that point, children were allowed at the annual gathering,” Marquis continues as I climb into the back of the truck. I settle comfortably, fully expecting McKenzie to sit in front with Marquis. He doesn’t. Instead, he climbs in next to me and buckles in.

“I’m proud to say there will no longer be children at the annual gatherings,” Marquis says, getting into the driver’s seat. “McKenzie and I permanently destroyed that privilege.”

“Oh no!” I gasp, my cheeks flushing as McKenzie puts an arm behind me, resting it across the top of the bench.

“Throwing grapes at the adults and making kissing sounds for some of the more amorous couples,” Marquis says fondly. “We weren’t caught until the end of the night when we almost knocked over an enormous ice sculpture, courtesy of a rowdy game of tag. Harold caught us and dragged us both out by our ears. Good times.” He sighs fondly. “A whole thirty minutes of time-out where we had to sit facing each other, our foreheads touching, not a word.”

“Thus began a memorable friendship,” McKenzie says with a smile. “Let me give you the address, Marquis. It’s about twenty minutes outside the city, along the river.”

“Do we need insect repellent for this?”

“We probably should have some, but the cold keeps most of the mosquitoes at bay, and once Heather gets her goats in there to take out the overgrowth, we should be all right.”

“You got a theme in mind, Heather?” Marquis asks, looking at me through his rearview mirror.

“I want to give the vampires Savannah,” I say.

“And what is Savannah?”

“The Hostess City of the South. I want to show hospitality, charm, and gentility. I’m already putting together a menu. I’m going to leave the alcoholic beverages to you and McKenzie, but you’ll have the best foods the South has to offer.”

“And for entertainment?” Marquis asks.

“I’m still working on that. I’d like to see the house first.”

“Sounds like a decent plan to me. Ken, let’s go over numbers and finances, so I can keep that in mind for this massive overhaul. Heather, chip in whenever you want, love. This sounds like it’s going to be the grandest gathering of vampires we’ve ever had.”