"I never ran a restaurant before, but I don't think vampires are usually part of the policy," she agreed. "But the previous owners never put n a security system, so my rates did go down a bit once I did that. Paid out the nose for the system, of course."

When he said he'd like a cup of coffee, she smiled and stepped away from the counter to grab a thick diner-style mug from a tray.

"Sit anywhere you like," she invited him, since the place was almost completely empty. There were just two teenagers in a corner, and they were more interested in each other than in what was going on around them.