“I’m going to run downstairs and grab us some breakfast,” Noah says when he emerges from the bathroom. “It should be faster than room service.”
I nod, listening to elevator music because the receptionist put me on hold.
With the help of my vampire prince conservator, after several phone calls, my doctor’s office eventually gets the details of my prescription worked out.
Cassian is currently on his way to the pharmacy, and I wander into the bathroom to get ready for the day. I’m just rinsing the conditioner out of my hair when I hear the door open.
“I’m back,” Noah calls.
“I’ll hurry.”
I quickly finish up, get dressed, and then join Noah at the tiny table that overlooks the balcony.
He offers me a small cup of coffee. “I want to apologize in advance. Cuban coffee is usually half sugar, but this just has some steamed milk.”
I pry off the lid and take a sniff. “It smells strong.”
“It could kill a horse.”
Oddly, he says it like that’s a good thing. I take a tentative sip, prepared to dislike it.
The coffee is a strong, dark roast. But it’s also smooth, and I don’t miss the sugar as much as I expected.
“What do you think?” Noah offers me a food item wrapped in brown paper. It looks suspiciously like a breakfast sandwich.
“It’s pretty good,” I admit, unwrapping the paper. Itisa sandwich. Sort of. Instead of bread, the egg is nestled between two pieces of ham. There’s cheese, too. “What in the world is this?”
“Places that offer keto items are often our friends.” He takes a guy-sized bite of his sandwich.
“We can have cheese?”
Befuddled, he looks up as he chews. Then he takes a drink of his coffee to chase down the bite and says, “It’s dairy, like milk or cream. Dairy comes from animals.”
I stare at him, indignant. “This whole time, I’ve been able to eatcheese?”
“Yes.” He frowns. “I don’t like it all that much, so I never think about it.”
I’m tempted to throw the sandwich at his head. And maybe I would, butcheese.
I take a bite, closing my eyes as I savor it. I can almost pretend the meat isn’t there.
“So, I guess you like cheese,” Noah says dryly.
“I feel like I might be able to do this vampire diet after all.”
He swirls his coffee cup. “Vegetarians don’t eat cheese, do they?”
“You’re thinking vegan. Vegetarians eat things vegans don’t, like milk, eggs, honey, and cheese. I crossed the line between vegetarian and pescatarian as well, sometimes eating fish.” My eyes go wide when I realize what I just said. “What about honey? That’s an animal product.” I pause. “Sort of.”
“It’s like tea or coffee. Some vampires can handle small servings, but you wouldn’t want to overdo it. From what I understand, the enzymes in bees’ stomachs break down the flower nectar, turning it into simple sugars. But at its core, it’s still a plant-based food.”
“Huh.”
He polishes off his sandwich. “Maybe don’t try it while we’re on vacation.”
I glance out the window, not sure this is going to be much of a holiday. I’m glad the view has changed, but I’m still stuck inside.
Finished with my sandwich, I fold the paper and then take another sip of my coffee. It’s good, but it’s not a substitute for blood.
