Sophronia and the Vampire by Jacqueline Farrell

Author:Jacqueline Farrell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lyrical Press, Inc.
Published: 2012-06-18T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

I woke up the next morning at eleven o’clock, feeling positive for the first time all week. Just as I’d put the coffeemaker on, someone knocked on the door.

“Come in,” I shouted.

Since it was late morning I knew it couldn’t possibly be a vampire and, quite honestly, I was so bored of my own company I think I’d even have welcomed John Connelly’s murdering demons just then. Fortunately I didn’t have to.

“Hi. Here’s your toast,” Charlie said as she handed me a plate. “Hey, this is becoming like a ritual, isn’t it?”

“Unfortunately yes, but hopefully it won’t last long.” I took the plate from her and headed for my Marmite jar. “And what sort of a night did you have after you abandoned me to go and play in the mall?”

A dazzling smile lit her face. “Brilliant. That old bald guy gave me a check for fifty thousand dollars, can you believe it?” Suddenly she frowned. “Didn’t you say something last night about not taking money from him?”

“I did. But this is my debt.”

“Is it?” Her frown deepened. “How do you figure that?”

“I made a deal with him. Don’t worry about it. The important thing to remember is you never put yourself in a vampire’s debt unless you’re absolutely certain you can pay your way out again.” I paused as I spread Marmite thickly onto the toast. “Or you’re certain you can escape and he’ll never find you.”

She curled herself into a chair. “Which one are you working on?”

I smiled. “Either. Both. It doesn’t matter. Just promise me you’ll never accept anything from him unless it’s clear it’s in payment for something you’ve already done.”

She shrugged. “Okay. Uh, thanks, by the way.”

“You’re welcome.” I bit into the toast.

“You won’t have any problems paying it back?”

“Don’t worry about me, darling. Just, for goodness’ sake, get some decorators in to spruce this place up.”

She grinned. “Yeah, it does look kinda beat up, doesn’t it? And with this money I can even pay off my taxes and lots of bills as well. It’s like a dream. And then Greg actually came over and talked to me and mentioned that the county was considering widening the coastal road and how it might mean more business for me. And Hagen had arranged for me to have five hundred dollars credit in the mall and I bought these boots. Aren’t they great?” She stuck a leg out to show off a black leather boot with vicious-looking spikes for heels.

“My God, you paid five hundred dollars for them?” I nearly started hyperventilating. I can’t help it. Desiner clothes’ prices bring out the puritan in me.

“They were on sale. Fifty percent off.”

“Please tell me you’re joking.”

“Don’t be such a tightwad, Phronsie. They’re Guiseppe Zanotti’s.”

“Then you should give them back to him straightaway and demand a refund.”

She shot me a sympathetic look. “Okay, I can tell you’re kinda bummed today. Hey, do you want me to get Macie down here? She can give you a manicure and pedicure. She’s real good.

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