As soon as the waiters brought in their orders and presented it on the table, Mr Rodriguez carried the already sleeping fernanda inside, allowing his guest the much needed privacy.
The cuisine was a four course meal, a bottle of 59 year old chianti classico red wine.
They were served appetizers that comprise of cheese, marinated vegetables and bruschetta.
For the first course meal lauren ordered a spaghetti carbonara while Damien was served a Risotto Alla Milanese.
For the main course they were served (bistecca alla fiorentina) a delicious grilled steak
And finally for dessert they were served layers of espresso -soaked ladyfingers and a creamy mascarpone cheese
In the enigmatic realm of vampires, Damien held a unique position as the sole creature with the extraordinary ability to partake in human meal while still requiring a blood meal. With refined table manners, he dined in silence, savoring his meal, the epitome of grace and elegance.
Their time together stretched on, their meal enduring for nearly an hour, as their connection deepened amidst the delicate dance of nourishment.
Completing their repast, Lauren broke the lingering silence. "Thank you for the delightful meal," she offered, her appreciation ringing clear in her words. Damien, engrossed in his phone, merely murmured in response, his attention momentarily diverted.
"Shall we leave then? I will escort you to your residence," he suggested, reclining slightly in his chair, awaiting her reaction to his proposal. However, rather than acquiescence, Lauren asserted her independence, adamantly rejecting his offer, her voice resolute.
"No, you've already done more than enough. I can easily hail a cab and make my way home. Besides, I desire a leisurely stroll before retiring for the evening," she declared, determination underscored in her every word, as she rose from her seat.
A flicker of contemplation danced in Damien's eyes, his gaze fixed upon her.
"What kind of man would I be if I failed to accompany you home after such a sumptuous dinner date? Come, if you wish to indulge in a walk, I shall gladly join you," he offered, his voice infused with a touch of charm and unwavering resolve. With a sense of purpose, he too rose from his chair.
Caught off guard by the mention of a "date," Lauren's lips paused mid-sentence, her eyebrows arching inquisitively as she focused her gaze on Damien. Disbelief mingled with curiosity in her expression, manifesting in a raised eyebrow that conveyed a mix of skepticism and amusement.
With theatrical gestures, she pointed exasperatingly at the plates of food before them, attempting to clarify any assumptions.
"This," she began, her voice emphasizing each word, "is definitely not a date. It was just... just a meal at my favorite restaurant," she concluded, a subtle huff escaping her lips as her hands found their way to her hips, underscoring her determination to make her point.
Damien couldn't help but burst into a boisterous laugh, finding her reaction utterly entertaining. He had anticipated this very response and his previous statement had been purposefully designed to elicit it.
Amused, he reached out and gently took her hand, a mischievous glimmer twinkling in his eyes, inviting her to embark on an unexpected journey.
"You humans are delightfully predictable," he teased, his voice laced with playful affection, leading her away from their previous location. Despite her initial resistance, they found themselves stepping into the vibrant interior of the restaurant, an array of curious onlookers already stealing glances in their direction, some even discreetly capturing photographs as they made their departure.
"You could have taken the back door exit but you choose this one, why?" She asked calmly this time as they walked down the sidewalks of the road, she had already forgotten that their hands were intertwined as they walked.
"I have my reasons"he said simply.. he like the warmth her hands brought to his own cold ones and summer breeze whizzing past them made them gave him nostalgia feelings of his dear Brennedon. Tightening his hands around hers as they walked leisurely down the street.
Walking past a dimly lit alley, Lauren abruptly stopped upon hearing the muffled sound of someone being attacked. Intrigued, she peered closer and witnessed four burly men assaulting a young man.
"Hey, leave him alone!" Lauren commanded, her voice filled with authority. The four men glanced up and, upon realizing it was just the two of them, exchanged smug grins.
"And what if we don't?" one of them challenged.
"You'll beat us up," another taunted, causing all four of them to erupt into boisterous laughter.
Unbeknownst to them, Damien silently instructed his men to stand down. He wanted to see Lauren in action, not that he wouldn't step in if she couldn't handle them. He trusted her to teach them a lesson they wouldn't forget.
"Damien, stay back," she ordered, positioning herself to confront the four hefty men. Having dealt with worse, she approached them with unwavering confidence.
"I despise bullies," she declared, her voice dripping with disdain. With a swift swing of her hand, she landed a powerful punch on the leader's nose, breaking it and eliciting a piercing scream that brought a sly smile to her face.
She deftly dodged a fist aimed at her face, simultaneously delivering a forceful kick to the side of another man, shattering a couple of his ribs. "Ahh, you bitch! I'm going to kill you!" the injured man clutched his side in agony.
The third assailant, wielding a knife, lunged at her. However, his hand holding the weapon was abruptly halted. He turned his head to the side and was met with a pair of piercing golden yellow eyes staring back at him.
Adding a little force on his wrist, the knife fell on the floor while he wailed pitifully.
"My hand, my hand... " he was still screaming when he heard the crack of his broken wrist.
Turning around lauren saw Damien headbutt one of those guys who immediately fell and fainted.
"You cant be the only one to get your hands dirty now, are you" he said smiling at her.
His pale handsome face glowed under the moonlight making her heart skip a beat.
"What, is there something on my face"he asked while keeping firmly the sole of his shoe on the head of one of the men lying on the floor.
"You keep surprising me" she mused, unknowingly smiling at him.
Few minutes later, the police and medics arrived to the scene of the crime after Lauren made a call to them.
The officers handcuffed and bundled the burly men into the police car and took them to the station, the medics carried the wounded man into the medical emergency van and drove off to Chastain hospital while one of the police officers stayed behind to collect Lauren and Damiens statement.
"Ah what a night, I had so much fun..." Damien said as soon as he hung the phone of one of his business calls. Turning towards his right he found Lauren sleeping soundly and peacefully beside him, watching her sleep like a baby brought a warm feeling to his cold heart.
Couldn't resist so he stretched his hand and moved some strands of hair out of her face.
"Lauren, what should I do" he muttered ever so sweetly.
"Boss we are here" His driver notified immediately he packed infront of her resident.
Coming down he came around towards her car door and opened it, carried her out gently, and marched towards her mansion, following behind were his entourage.
_______________________________
"So what are we going to do, seems she is close to the vampire prince" one of the elderly witches asked.
"I fear history might repeat itself yet again" another opined.
"Not if I can help it" Veronica Benneth replied.
"What do you intend to do?" Another asked.
"Well, Lauren is my sisters daughter, a lovely girl who doesn't even know what she carries, I will remind her of her lineage" Veronica replied.
"And what if it doesn't change how she feels about the vampires?" Alanna, Veronica's first daughter asked her mum.
"Then I will tell her the uncomfortable truth" Veronica Benneth said smiling slyly, while the other witches at the meeting wondered what this truth is.