(A/N: Thank you all for reading. I know you're reading even if you're not reviewing. I hope you're enjoying reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it. WARNING! This chapter contains a scene that may not be suitable for readers under 18. This fiction is rated M for exactly this reason. If you do not like sex and/or nudity do not read.)

Chapter 7: Only If You Want Me To

Ignoring Henry became much harder than Margo expected. As owner, Mia wanted to know what was going on in her club, but as Queen it was her duty and prerogative to be elsewhere. This left Margo as acting manager. Most nights she just had to sit there. It was part of Fangtasia's appeal. Tourists got to come in and see vampires, then go home having 'walked on the wild side.' Occasionally there was a problem she had to handle. Both as manager and as Mia's emissary it was her job to make certain judgments. Vampire caught glamouring in the parking lot, warning or punishment? Were got a little handsy with a waitress, cut him off or kick him out? It was up to Margo to handle the minor things so that Mia wouldn't have to.

Whenever she was working, she tried to sit as far away from the bar as possible and never looked at Henry. Well, she tried not to. Jessica was a big help when she wasn't busy. She was the real brains of the operation. Jessica kept the blood flowing and the music playing. She could recite inventory off the top of her head and always knew what needed to be ordered or gotten rid of.

"Kind of slow tonight huh," Jessica said bringing Margo a drink.

"Yeah," she sighed. "I hate the nights when I'm just decoration. Dress sexy, show up, and look dangerous. You'd think it's the easiest job in the world."

"At least you have something good to look at," Jessica looked over Margo's shoulder to Henry at the bar.

"A bunch of drunk humans begging to be bitten."

"Maybe you should turn around."

"Nope," she said sternly. "I'd rather watch the bloodbags dance."

"Come on! He's cute!"

"If you say so."

"You're just scared," Jessica said. "You're scared you're gonna get involved and end up like me."

"Well."

"It makes sense. I'm not exactly begging to get into another relationship, but who says you can't have a little fun."

"And what about when it stops being fun?"

"Then you glamour him and move on with your life," said a cool voice behind her. Margo turned to see Pam dressed in a hot pink slip dress. "Evening kiddies."

"We weren't expecting you until tomorrow," Jessica said hoping everything was running as smoothly as it seemed tonight.

"Change of plans. Eric has," she raised an eyebrow, "plans. So we pushed our visit up a night. Though these last minute trips are getting taxing. I wonder if I could convince Eric to buy me a plane."

"I might buy a plane," Eric said joining them. "But it certainly won't be for you."

Pam put on a pout.

"Ladies," Eric said sitting down at the table. "How are we doing this fine evening?"

"We are well. No problems to report. Yourself?"

"I," he said with a pause, "am starving."

Margo quickly waved for a waitress. She panicked as she saw Lucy approaching.

"Hi y'all," she said sweetly. "How are we doing tonight." The girl almost bounced as she spoke. Pam," she gasped. "I love those shoes! You have got to tell me where you got them!"

"I have a girl for that." Pam said coyly. "But perhaps I'll send her your way."

"That would be fantastic! Mr. Northman I didn't know you'd be with us tonight. What can I get you?"

"O negative," he said distracted. "Have you been feeding? There's blood on your shirt."

"Oh," she scoffed. "No just clumsy. I must have spilled I don't know, three bloods already tonight."

"Three," Eric said with a serious tone Margo had never heard him use. "Three? Are you awear that the blood we sell is $45 a bottle. You are wearing over $130 worth of drinks right now."

Lucy cocked her head to the side as if counting. "I'll have to take your word for it," she giggled. "I'm horrible at math."

As Lucy totted off to retrieve Eric's drink, Margo and Jessica tried not to make eye contact.

"Three bloods," he said, "in one night. It's barely 9 o'clock. She's going to break us."

"Relax Eric," Pam teased. "She's cute."

"Cute doesn't make up for money coming out of my pocket. Who hired that girl?"

Jessica and Margo looked at each other.

"Well," said Margo.

"I just," continued Jessica.

"I did!" Eric looked at Pam. "I liked her. They were in on the decision, but the final choice was mine."

"Then you can fire her."

"Oh come on," Pam pushed. "There's no need to break the poor girl's heart. She's cute."

"She's annoying," Eric answered.

"I want to keep her."

"Fine," he said giving in. "But not as a waitress. Offer her a job as a dancer. If she accepts fine, if not I don't care."

Lucy hurried back with Eric's glass of O negative. Just as she reached the table she tripped. In a smooth invisible movement Eric caught the glass without spilling a drop.

"Lucy, is it?

"That's right."

"Good news Lucy. You've just been promoted. We'd like to make you a dancer. How would you like that?'

"Really!" She shrieked.

Eric put his hand to his temple and winced. "Really. Why don't you go to the office with Pam and discuss your new job." As Lucy followed Pam to the office Eric took a sip of his drink.

"Well," Margo said breaking the silence. "I guess if she's not wearing a shirt she can't spill drinks on it."

"My point exactly." Eric laughed. "Pam's little toy had better be worth all this trouble."

The girls giggled at the indication. The wondered if Lucy had realized just how much she owed Pam and how Pam would collect that debt.

"How is your Mistress?"

"She is well. Business kept her tonight, so I'm here on her rotation."

Eric dismissed this explanation with the wave of a hand. "No one actually expects her to keep her rotations. She is the Queen. I only keep mine because I am the owner and simply a sheriff. I have to set an example for others in my district. Her Majesty is immune to such requirements."

"She has done rotations," Margo said honestly. "She comes for an hour or so and has a drink, makes herself known then leaves."

"I would have expected less from a monarch, but I am glad to see she puts in the time."

Eric took another drink.

"He's been staring at you since I joined you," he remarked.

"Who?"

"The human bartender. Henry, I think."

Jessica giggled.

"Oh," Eric said interest peeked. "Have I stumbled upon something?"

"No," Margo insisted. "No, he's got a crush. That's all."

"He has a crush." Eric said. "So why has all of the blood rushed to your cheeks."

"Has it?"

Eric laughed. "And your fangs have surfaced."

Margo clamped her mouth shut.

"I'm sorry," Eric said with only the slightest chuckle. "I've embarrassed you."

"No," she said, "its just."

"No reason to explain. I'll drop it."

Margo stared at her glass. Next to her Jessica was laughing so hard she was shaking.

A little while later Pam returned. "I sent her shopping. She'll start dancing tomorrow night."

The four talked for a while until Pam and Eric said they had a plane to catch. As 3 am neared Bernard announced last call and the waitresses started collecting the last of the empty glasses. Jessica excused herself to the office to finish up some paper work.

"Finally alone," a voice said behind Margo. She jumped.

"You have to stop that," she said turning to see Henry. "Sneaking up on a vampire is extremely dangerous."

"I don't see how you could be dangerous."

"You have no idea what you're saying."

"I know that you're beautiful."

Margo blushed. "Thank you."

"Come out with me tonight?"

"I can't."

"Yes you can."

"No, I really can't," she said. "I'm Jessica's ride. We're in my car."

"Then let her take it. I'll take you home."

Margo opened her mouth to speak.

"I promise to have you home before you turn into a pumpkin.

She laughed. "Me turning into a pumpkin is the least of your worries. If my Mistress goes to ground and I'm still out, I'm in trouble."

"I promise," he said taking her hand. "I'll have you home in time."

Margo bit her lip. It was so tempting.

"Hold that thought," she said before she could stop herself.

She ran to the office vamp speed.

"Jess, you know you to drive?"

"Yeah."

Margo tossed her the keys. "Drive my car home?"

"Okay," Jessica said curiously.

"And try to sneak in without Mia hearing. Best if she thinks we came in and went to ground."

"Alright," she smiled. "I'll try."

In a flash he was back at Henry's side. "Home by no later than 4:30…promise?"

"Cross my heart, hope to die."

"Not tonight," she laughed.

They drove a little while, until they reached the Monte Sano State Park. Margo had never been here as the gates close at sundown.

"What are we doing here?"

"Going for a walk."

"The park is closed."

"You can climb a fence can't you?"

"Probably better than you can but won't we get in trouble?"

"Only if we get caught."

Before Margo could stop him, Henry had already scaled the gate. She followed with relative ease.

They walked in the moonlight, saying very little. Margo was nervous. She'd been on dates before she was turned, but never since. Was this even a date? Henry hadn't been clear of his intentions. Was he interested in her or was he simply looking to be bitten again?

"So," he said, "about the other night."

Her stomach dropped. He wanted her to bite him again.

"You looked gorgeous," he said. "I didn't get a chance to tell you."

"Oh," she said surprised. "Thank you."

"You're a good dancer."

"You too," she said shyly.

"Nah, I just had a good partner."

Silence fell again.

"Do you," he said hesitantly. "Do you wanna dance?"

"There's no music."

He pulled his iPhone out of his pocket and scrolled through. Suddenly a slow song started to play.

Margo laughed to think that Henry had Norah Jones on his phone and wondered if he kept it on there for moments like this.

He stepped into her, wrapping his arms around her waist. They moved slowly together, her head eventually resting on his chest. Without her heels she was much shorter now. His pulse raced in her ears. She could feel the urge returning. It started low and rose until her whole body seemed warm and tingling.

Before she knew what was happening she was looking in his eyes. A moment later his lips covered hers. His lips moved down to her shoulder and began kissing along her neck. She returned the gesture, letting her fangs brush the tender skin at his collarbone.

He shivered.

It was then that Margo realized they were outside on a cold November night.

"You're cold," she said weakly.

"No," he whispered. "It's not that."

With that assurance Margo let her hands move to his jacket and remove it. By the time she'd started to lift his shirt over his head his hands were working the zipper of her dress. Soon their naked skin glowed in the moonlight. Henry laid her down on the cool grass and kissed a trail from her neck downward. She restrained the urge to bite for as long as she could. Minutes passed as her body trembled with delight. Finally Henry met her eyes.

"You want to," he asked.

She nodded. "Only if you want me to."

He turned his head exposing his neck to her.

As her fangs sank in his body rocked against her. They moved in unison as she drank. Then with a kiss, they collapsed in each other's arms.

They dressed in silence and walked back to the car, Margo carrying her shoes in her hand. The drive to Mia's mansion was quiet, but not awkward as Margo had feared it would be. Henry stopped at the gate.

"I'll walk from here. It'll draw less attention."

Henry knew better than to disagree.

She studied the bite mark on his neck and caressed it with her finger tips.

"You should probably cover that until it heals. We want the vamp girls to think you're attainable."

"What if I don't want to be attainable," he said smiling.

"I'll just have to find a new place to bite."

She kissed him then got out. Before he could put the car in drive she was inside the house.

In the parlor, Jessica sat watching tv.

"Have fun," she teased.

"Maybe."

"Mia isn't home, by the way." She said turning off the tv. "She left a note that she was called away. She'll be back in a couple days."

Margo smiled as the pair climbed the stairs. She'd have time to feed again and still have the effects wear off before Mia got home.