Vampire Boyfriend: Maksim (special preview)

“Oh, hi uhm-” I stop when I see the man behind the counter. Mariska is a pale goddess, but this man, oh wow, this man. My palms get sweaty instantly as he smiles at me. Like Mariska, he has cream like skin, his hair is pure white, and tied back into a fishtail braid. His eyes are ultraviolet, lined with the thickest eyelashes I have ever seen. His brows are bushy and wild, and he has a five o’clock shadow of white on his jaw.

“Let me guess,” he says with a smile. “I am very good with names.” He taps his finger to his cheek. “Your name is-” he strains as he thinks. “Brigitta.”

My eyes nearly bug out of my head. “Oh my god! How did you-”

He starts to laugh. “My sister called me.” He shakes his head. “She told me to expect a tall girl with hair too long for her own good.”

I glance at my ponytail for a moment then clear my throat. I feel breathless, anyone would looking at a marble statue come to life. “You must be Maksim, then.”

He shrugs. “I must.” He then moves behind the display counter. “Looking for anything in particular today?” 

“I was curious really,” I reply. “I saw the rose cupcakes your sister had and I was floored by how beautiful they look.”

“One of my specialties, but I don’t recommend them for human consumption.” Maksim tilts his head to his shoulder.

I furrow my brow at him. “How come?” 

“This is a vampire bakery,” he replies. “I make treats for both humans and vampires, and whatever is in between,” he chuckles. 

“Oh, so they’re made with blood?” I gasp in shock. 

Maksim clicks his tongue. “You got it. Old family secret.”

“Like your sister’s lipstick?”

Maksim shakes his head and leans towards me. “It’s just carmine. She uses a recipe that’s as old as Cleopatra.” 

“Really?” I gasp. “That’s it?”

“She thinks she’s clever,” Maksim chuckles. “I use carmine too in some of the vampire recipes. Makes for a killer icing colorant, and some vamps love the flavor. But for humans-” He reaches inside the case where he takes out a tray of petit fours. “Only the best hibiscus and beet mixture I can make.”