Tempting The Gorgon: A Gorgon / Vampire Romance

Chapter 6

It was karaoke night at The Witch’s Brew and all the cool kids were present.

And by cool kids, I obviously meant the entire alpha group and most of the females we were connected with. I was at a table with Patrick, Cliona, Guillermo, Lennox, Rory, Kady, and, surprisingly, Tonya and my Vinni.

I had kept my face neutral as Patrick and Rory worked their magick to somehow make it so Vinni’s seat was next to mine, and I tried not to get too excited when she sat down with no harsh words for me. I smelled whiskey mixed with her usual raspberry-vanilla scent. Had my mate been drinking?

She had even offered me a small smile that seemed looser than her usual tight-lipped ones. I had memorized each of her smiles as I watched her like a fucking pervert the last couple months.

And when I saw how Lennox was acting, I knew they must have broken into a bottle together before karaoke. My temptress had let loose before coming out for the night’s entertainment, so I had no choice but to deliver and ensure she had a good time.

It wasn’t like Vinni to drink, so whatever had happened, good or bad, she deserved to relax, and I was proud to take on that burden for her. I would make sure she enjoyed her night if it was the last thing I did.

“Tonya, you’re up! Arch, you’re on deck!” Merrick announced as this week’s karaoke DJ.

I ignored the pointed looks from my friends at the announcement and took a gulp of cider. Although Lennox and Vinni had broken into something stronger, cider was the only alcoholic beverage Lennox served at karaoke nights. She didn’t like beer and rarely drank hard alcohol herself. She didn’t seem to care if she was losing on profits by only offering the fresh cider made from fresh Yakima apples one of the resident’s family sent them. It was good for their business, and I didn’t like traditional ale unless there was nothing else available, so I was happy.

I stole a glance at my female and saw her carefully constructed mask back in place.

“Are you going to get up there, Vinni?”

She looked startled before peering at me. I hadn’t gone out of my way to speak to her since the disaster at my place, and I swore her cheeks blushed. This was one of the first glances she’d given me since that night in my cabin.

“Yeah, what do you say, Lavinia?” Patrick asked. This was part of the plan. I was supposed to engage when the others were around to defuse the tension, slowly letting her get used to me in the same spaces as her again.

And to try to not be an ass.

She looked around the group of us, and I noticed Kady and Drew nod their heads, waiting for an answer. Guillermo even gave a nod of encouragement at the thought of my curved goddess of a mate getting behind the mic. My soul ached that she didn’t look to me for that hype, but I was so glad she had people around her who wanted her to have fun.

“I might be persuaded if there is some queen in the book.”

“Yes!” Kady cheered in a cute squeal before running up to Merrick to tell him. I didn’t know the new fae in town too well, but she’d grown closer with Vinni over the last few months, so I assumed that meant I’d have to win her approval and the blessing of my courting Vinni when the time came.

“Freddie Mercury fan?” I’d met him during his prime and figured I could use this as a good way to worm my way in with Vinni. She turned her bright-green-rimmed eyes to me and tilted her lips in a half-grin.

“Not a fan; a friend. He was a beautiful soul.”

“Wait, did you just say you were friends with Freddie fucking Mercury?” Cliona asked from across the table. She was tricked out in her usual Gothic finery tonight, and I saw the way Patrick kept eyeing the way her legs looked in the fishnets she wore. I also, thanks to my lovely vampire hearing, knew firsthand exactly what he was planning to do in those fishnets when the moment allowed.

“He may have been a regular at a few of our clubs when he was alive. Celebrities were coveted by…” Vinni trailed off and pointedly looked away from everyone to gather her thoughts. “All to say, yes, I knew him.” Vinni shrugged like it was no big deal, even though the way she accentuated the “knew” led me to believe there was more she was implying.

“Wait, are you saying…?” Lennox leaned over and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

I ground my teeth together. Jealousy was a new emotion for me, and apparently I was not even immune to the thought of my mate fucking Freddie Godsdamn Mercury, who had been deceased for literal decades.

Vinni let the implication settle as everyone around the table awaited her answer, then broke into the most beautiful laughter I’d ever heard. The whiskey on her breath was truly loosening her up, and I only wish she was freer like this more often without alcohol to assist.

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Of course I didn’t hook up with him. He was a family friend of my…” She paused again and took a deep breath. “He was an old family friend. We weren’t involved that way. But he was a dear when we got to see each other.”

“So Freddie Mercury knew about monsters, huh?” Kady asked.

“He sure did,” I answered. Vinni shot me a side-eye, but I had to tell her how much I loved the bloke. “I only met him a few times, but he was entertaining to say the least.” Applause broke out, and Tonya bowed on stage before heading back to our table.

My pulse racketed up as I knew what was coming next.

“And now we have a special treat, folks, the one and only Fire Council chair is performing a special tribute tonight. It’s his first time gracing the stage here at The Witch’s Brew for karaoke night, and I know we’re all interested to see what he has to show us.” Merrick winked at me as he lined up my song choice.

“That’s my cue!” I hopped up from my chair. “Watch and see how it’s done, brothers.” I smirked at my friends at the table. And I turned to Vinni and gave her a deliberate wink that suggested something more. She blushed.

One point for Arch.

“Give a round of applause for Archer!”

A few claps echoed, but not near enough to calm my anxiety as I approached the stage.

“I know y’all can do better than that!” I said to the room as I stepped up, begging for more applause.

It didn’t work.

I was about to do something so fucking stupid that it either had to work and get Vinni to see me as more than the conceited asshole she thought I was, or it would make me look like a fool in front of… well, most of the town regulars.

I saw Bert and Anya sitting in the corner. He whispered something into her ear, and she cackled before turning to me and shook her head. The Hemlock pack was all here to support Merrick on the mic. Other faces I recognized as I had dealings with most folks not only in town but across the island.

I was willing to do something stupid if it brought my female a smile. There was no way this performance wouldn’t make her laugh in some capacity.

I approached the mic and took a deep breath, acting as if I were truly nervous. It couldn’t be further from the truth. I thrived with attention on me. I also thrived when I was making people laugh.

The opening bars of “No Scrubs” by TLC started, and I turned it all the way on.