“Better be careful talking about how good my cooking is. Roslyn might get jealous.”The vampire madam let out a soft laugh. “Oh, I’ll freely admit that your cooking is much better than mine, Gin. But I have certain skills you don’t, especially in the bedroom. I think that Xavier far prefers those, even over a plate of the Pork Pit’s best barbecue.”Roslyn gave Xavier a sly look, and the giant’s grin widened.“Well played, Roslyn,” I murmured. “Well played.”

“They want to hold a seance and go dressed as bunnies.”“What kind of bunnies?” he asked suspiciously.“Playboy, I think. Whatever that means.”“That sounds about right.” Xavier laughed. “But don’t let them talk you into anything you don’t feel comfortable with.”“They’re my friends.”“So what?” He shrugged. “If your friends walked off a cliff, would you do it too?”“Why would they walk off a cliff?” I asked in alarm. “Is someone having problems at home?”Xavier laughed. “It’s just an expression.”“It’s silly,” I told him. “Do you think I should go as an angel? Like in the film version of Romeo and Juliet?”“There would be a certain irony in that,” Xavier said, smirking. “An angel posing as a human posing as an angel.I like it.”

“How did you learn to cock so well?” I sputtered, “I mean cook!”She rolled her eyes and shook her head. I gave her a grin and a wink. “You do both so well, baby, my cock and the cooking part.-Ethan”

“please don't cook me, kind sirs! I am a good cook myself, and cook better than I cook, if you see what I mean.”

“We all know food is not just food. It’s thoughtfulness, generosity, and, yes, love. It’s a way of showing that you care for him that he will understand even better than words.But what about me? I hear you asking yourself. Why can’t he cook for me every once in a while?A comedian I heard recently suggested that the best way to get a man to cook for you is to get him to associate cooking with danger. Men who don’t like to fuss with sauces and muffin pans nevertheless can get pretty excited about grilling meats or chopping just about anything. If cooking involves fire or large knives or a whole fish – preferably all three – he’s there.”

“You can’t use sex to control me, James. You shouldn’t play with my heart like that.” He laughed. It was sinister. “Oh Love, it’s not your heart I’m playing with. And I’ll play with your body whenever I damn well please.”