[ WP ] You take a break from vampire hunting and go on an awesome date ... who just may be a vampire .

It wasn ’ t until I got a chance to sit down in the restaurant that I began to relax. The last two weeks had left me exhausted and paranoid. I spent almost the entire day sleeping, desperately trying to re-align my sleep schedule after the long days and nights spent patrolling and tracking down leads. It was a respite well earned, we had been fighting non-stop to push down the recent influx of undead brought about what appeared to be a bid for power by one of the younger clans. 
 
 My chest felt light without the constant weight of a bullet-proof vest and even after my rest the dim lighting in the restaurant threatened to lull me to sleep. I took a second to take in my surroundings before checking my phone, I was still a good ten minutes early. I put the cellphone, back into my purse and resisted the urge to reach in and to turn on and check my burner cell. Tonight was for me, and besides the unit would do fine without me, it was a weeknight and the capes had been pulling a full retreat since our last raid against one of their stronghold. 
 
 I closed my eyes trying to relaxe. It was the first time in a while that I had been outside my apartment and not on the hunt. I was dressed like a human being, and thanks to a handful of showers and a healthy portioning of perfume I had finally managed to hide the scent of gasoline, gravedirt and dried blood that marked my profession. I mean don ’ t get me wrong, I had picked a table where my back was to a wall, and there was a pistol resting in my purse, but at least this time the gun was registered and wasn ’ t loaded with silver. Hell, when the waiter had smiled me and asked if I wanted to drink I had resisted the urge to scrutinize his teeth for fangs. If that ’ s not progress I don ’ t know what is. 
 
 As I started to grow impatient I reached again to check the time, grabbing the wrong cell phone without thinking. Before I could help myself I was checking my texts from the others. So far everything was going smoothly, looked like the team was doing a sweep of a local nightclub and had managed to make it this far into the evening alive without me. Samuel was asking how the date was going and I started to type out my reply when I noticed Richard approaching. 
 
 I hurriedly stowed the cell phone, not sure why I felt so embarrassed by it. Richard looked the same way he had in his profile and spoke as kindly as he had over the phone. We spent the first couple minutes exchanging compliments and getting to know one another. It was refreshing what an utterly benign, moderately intelligent, and charming individual he was. It had been far too long since I had an in depth conversation with someone who didn ’ t have a criminal record and chip on their shoulder. 
 
 As the night went on we talked about books, movies we had seen, and a handful of mutual interests. It was sometime around when our food that I started to notice the signs. Pale skin, overzealous eye contact, a complete lack of interest in his food, and above all the unreasonable amount of cologne intended to cover up the smell of death… 
 As my heart rate started to raise and kill scenarios began to race through my mind I managed let my rational brain take back control. While everything I was seeing could be signs of the undead, they were all perfectly reasonable response to a pleasant date, and quite possibly an indicator that I ’ d have the option to get laid later down the road. I allowed myself three slow breaths, for fucks sake, after this last month I was so wired I ’ d probably have pinned my own mother for a vamp if she put on too much makeup. 
 
 It seemed that Richard was noticing my rising nerves and began to lighten the mood through a couple of jokes, so much for my stone-cold poker face. It took longer than I ’ d like to admit but slowly but surely I started to unwind. Helping myself to the wine he was nice enough to pay for and letting myself get taken up in his considerable charm. 
 
 By the time the was working it ’ s way back to us we had already started discussing future plans. Reassuring one another how pleasant the company had been, and discussing our plans for the weekend. When he mustered the courage to offer me a ride home I accepted. Thats when he made his mistake, he asked my last name and I asked him his, he answered Gravel. A second later he confirmed my suspicions, Richard Gravel as in the son of Damien Gravel, successful nightclub owner and prince of one of the most infamous vampire clans in Seattle. 
 
 He asked me how I had heard of his “ father ” and if I had ever been to any of his clubs. I smiled warmly when I told him I was a regular. I reached for my phone again, checking to make sure the stake and holy water were secured in their hidden pouch before asking him if we could go to his place for a bit instead. Damnit, this is what I get for thinking I can have one night for myself.
