The Lost Souls Dating Agency by Suneeti Rekhari Read Free Book Online Page A

head.
    I watched covertly as they walked down the stairs, Victor talking animatedly and Fiona listening quietly. Success! I spent the next hour on the cross trainer planning my, or rather Victor’s, next move.
    ***
    I slept soundly that night. I didn’t even wake to pee in the middle of the night as I usually did. The next morning I found an envelope slipped under my door. It was a note from Victor. Hadn’t he heard of email?
    Dear Shaleenee,
    This is a quick note to say that I had a very pleasant time with the lady you chose tonight. I hate to admit it, but you were right. I also thought you might like to know that she is safe at home, despite her exercise flush driving me to distraction.
    Best regards,
    Victor.
    Well now, that sounded promising.
    Five minutes later while I was in the shower, a disturbing thought hit me. Victor came to my home to deliver the note. How did he know where I lived? Despite everything, I did not trust the vampire entirely.
    The next day, I stayed in the office later than usual. I thought Victor might want to meet. It was nearly seven p.m. and I was getting hungry and impatient. I heard my mobile phone ring. It was him.
    â€˜Hello!’ I answered eagerly.
    â€˜Shaleenee, how art thee?’ Victor said hurriedly then corrected himself. ‘Sorry, how are you? Forgive me, I revert to my old ways once in a while.’
    â€˜That’s okay, it’s quite endearing.’ I smiled down the phone. I felt positively chirpy. ‘How was your date last night?’
    â€˜Last night was not a date.’ Victor was acerbic. ‘I merely chatted with the lady.’
    And there, ladies and gentlemen, was the arrogance that came so easily to him. I frowned.
    â€˜Anyway, tomorrow night I meet with her again,’ he said.
    â€˜Well that’s great!’ Two nights in quick succession, huge!
    â€˜So tomorrow will be our first date, as you say,’ he said.
    â€˜Where are you going?’ I asked out of curiosity.
    After a long pause, Victor said, ‘To Luna Park in St. Kilda.’
    â€˜What?’ I laughed, amazed. ‘That’s an unusual first date venue.’ Especially for a vampire.
    â€˜I’m…’ he hesitated, ‘I want to take her to a place surrounded by people.’
    Alarm bells rang softly in my head. ‘Victor, are you worried about something?’
    â€˜Shaleenee, you will not understand this. I do like her and I…I want to make sure she is safe.’
    â€˜Listen, Victor, you’re starting to scare me. I thought you had blood transfusions for this sort of thing…’
    â€˜You really don’t know much about my kind do you?’
    I do know about your kind thankyou very much and that’s why I’m concerned. But all I said was, ‘I’m starting to wish I did.’
    â€˜Don’t worry, that’s why I’m taking her to a theme park,’ Victor said with disgust. ‘The excited squeals of people on the rides and the bright lights will be just enough to keep me nauseated for the entire night,’ he said in a humourless tone. ‘Spending time with her there will help me, as the kids these days say, figure things out,’ he ended dryly.
    â€˜Listen, I don’t want to risk a human life for you to see if you can figure things out okay?’ I was blunt.
    â€˜Shaleenee, I am over eight hundred years old. I have learnt to control my urges,’ Victor replied haughtily.
    â€˜Fine,’ I said through clenched teeth. There was nothing I could do to stop him.
    â€˜Fine,’ Victor said. Then after a pause, ‘I am grateful for your services thus far, Shaleenee.’
    â€˜Just make sure she is safe and there won’t be any need to thank me.’ I was angry, mainly at myself, for not seeing this coming.
    â€˜I give you my word.’ And with that he hung up.
    I felt uneasy all the way home.
    I slept fitfully that night, thoughts racing through my