"It seems it's officially a blizzard out there," he announced apologetically. "That was my pilot saying they've shut down the airport and are advising people to stay off the highways. He thinks they'll be closing those soon too, but whatever the case, it isn't safe to take the helicopter back to Port Henry tonight."
Drina stared at him blankly for a minute, and then reached for her own phone.
"We can try driving back tonight, but we'd have to leave right away if you want to give it a go," Harper said, as she began to punch in the number for Casey Cottage. "Otherwise, we aren't leaving until tomorrow sometime, and then only if the storm lets up."
Drina bit her lip and nodded to acknowledge his words, then stilled as the phone picked up on the other end.
"Drina?" Mirabeau said by way of greeting.
"Yes, I-"
"Listen, a big storm hit here an hour or so after you guys left. They just shut down the 401 from London to Woodstock, and I suspect the rest of the highway will soon follow. I'm thinking it probably isn't safe for you guys to fly. You two better not try to come back tonight."
"What about Stephanie?" Drina asked with a frown. "I'm supposed to sleep-"
"She's sound asleep on the sofa with the TV on. We'll leave her there for now. If she wakes up and wants to go to bed, I'll go up with her. It's not a problem. Although, that probably isn't even necessary tonight. Leonius isn't in the area, and she isn't likely to try running away in a blizzard, especially with them shutting down the highways. Even if she managed to slip away, there aren't any buses running to take her anywhere."
"Right," Drina murmured. "I guess it's best we not try coming back then."
"Definitely," Mirabeau assured her. "Don't worry. Everything is good. You and Harper just get a hotel room or something and stay in the city until this clears."
"I have an apartment here in the city. We can stay there," Harper announced, apparently having caught the gist of the conversation. He punched a stream of numbers into his phone and turned it toward her so she could read from the small screen. "This is the number, give it to her and tell her to call if there are any problems."
Drina read off the numbers to Mirabeau, passed along the message, and then echoed her good night and hung up.
"Well," she murmured.
"Yes," Harper said.
They stared at each other for a moment, and then Drina caught movement behind his head, and glanced past Harper to see the waitress slowly making her way along the row of booths, taking orders as she moved in their general direction.
"Well," she said again, turning her gaze to the menu, "let's see what we have here."
She ran her eyes slowly down the list of available blood blends, murmuring each aloud as she went, and then paused as she reached-"Sweet Ecstasy."
"It's a dose of blood from someone who's taken the drug ecstasy," Harper murmured. "The impact on immortals is supposed to be pretty powerful. They say it's like immortal Spanish fly."
Drina smiled. "I know. Beth swears by it. She says it's reawakened her flagging interest in sex and that she has the best sex ever on it."
Harper's eyebrows rose. "Does she?"
"Yeah." Drina chuckled, her gaze dropping back to the menu as she admitted, "She's always pestering me to try it, and I've always kind of wanted to, but I've never been with anyone I liked and trusted enough to try it with." She glanced up and met his gaze, and added, "Until now."
Harper stared back silently, their gazes locked until a shift in air drew their attention to the fact that someone was standing at the end of the table. He didn't even glance over to ensure it was the waitress, but simply growled, "Two Sweet Ecstasies."
"Okie dokie," the waitress said cheerfully, and slipped away.
The silence drew out for a minute, and then Drina said abruptly, "Let's dance."
She didn't wait for a response, but promptly slid out of the booth and started back toward the door to the dance section of the club. She didn't have to glance around to see if Harper was following. Drina could feel the heat coming off his body and pouring along her back. The man was practically on her heels and stayed there all the way into the next room and onto the crowded dance floor.
The music was a dance mix, fast and pulsing, the rapid heartbeat of a lover. Drina let it flow through her, allowing her body to move as it would to the sound. She knew Harper was right there with her but didn't even look at him. Instead, she closed her eyes and moved. When the music slowed three songs later, and he caught her hand to pull her into his arms, she went willingly. The instant electricity between them told her they wouldn't need any Sweet Ecstasy, but she hadn't expected they would. Still, when she spotted their waitress moving through the room toward them with a tray holding two drinks, she waved at the woman and smiled as she approached.
"They were going warm," the waitress explained, pausing beside them.
"You're a gem. I was getting thirsty," Drina said with a grin. She then grabbed her drink and downed it in one go as Harper reached for his own drink.
"Another?" their waitress asked with a wicked grin as Drina lowered the now-empty glass.