I laughed again. “You my dear, are so English.” I ignored it as she stuck her tongue out at me. I snagged her a bag of candy to keep her going. “Why don’t you go explore while I pick up our costumes?”
“Costumes?”
“Well yeah, we are going out tonight and you ‘English’ are going to party. Scare away the bogeymen and generally get wasted. Sound good?”
“That sounds so good. Thank you so much for everything.” She hugged him.
“Go get some vampire makeup done on your way.”
The fancy dress shop was busy, but I had pre-ordered everything so all I had to do was collect the bag funs. I knew she would love it, the perfect pair of costumes. Although I must have been in line a full hour or more waiting to be served. By the time I got back outside, Lily was having her makeup finished off. Dark eyes, blood dripping down her throat. The perfect accessory to the heavy gown hung over my arm in a suit bag. “Come on, we need time to get all dressed up.”
Lily full on beamed back at me, which looked slightly strange given the grim makeup. “I got you candy.”
She shoved a sack of it at me, I noted she also had a sack for herself and, by her excited mood, I suspected she ate quite a few as well. “Thanks, English.”
A quick pizza order on the way home, yes, we seriously do seem to live off the stuff! Pulling on our costumes later, I didn’t bother with any make up. I let the full Dracula outfit speak for itself. Swirling my cane, as I preened the velvet longline jacket. Lily spun into the room in a deep purple and black velvet Victorian debutante gown, hanging low on her shoulders to show off the fresh ‘bite’ mark. She fixed the bustle one last time before looking towards me for approval. “Ye look stunning,” I reassured her, coming to help pin her curls into an updo more suited to the new look. “Youse will be cold; however, I should have thought to order you a cloak.”
“Are we going into Temple Bar?” she asked.
I nodded.
“A few minutes’ walk won’t kill me,” she promised.
“If ye get cold, you can have my coat,” I promised.
“Aww so sweet. Such a proper gentleman.”
“I’ll give youse proper gentleman!” I chased her around the room until I caught her for a kiss. “And anyway, English, we wouldn’t want you to catch your death and have ye walking the streets of Temple Bar for all eternity.”
“I would be insulted if you weren’t so damn cute!”
“Cute huh?” I warned. “Perhaps we should just stay home?”
“A bit overdressed for a movie night, don’t you think?”
I sighed. “It is true. Come on, English. Use that parasol of yours to keep the rain off us. In fact, give it here, you are too short. The rain will drip down my neck still.”
“I’m just the right height to slap you.”
“In what? The kneecaps?” I retorted. Earning a well-deserved slap in the rib cage, I continued, “Are you standing on a box? And still ye can only reach my nipples?”
She slapped me again, harder this time.
“Oh, sweet Mina Murray, you steal my heart and yet still you abuse my body. What am I to do with you?”
“Put up with it.”
“Oh, of course, you wait until I get you home tonight.”
“Home? We haven’t even left yet!”
“Be glad I am permitting you to leave and not just putting you over my knee and spanking ye for your unruly natures.”
“Promises, promises! Given that, according to you, I can only reach your nipples. Perhaps I should do something about that!”
Oh, that was it! We were about to be extremely late for this night out!
Chapter 10
Adrian’s POV
I had my arm around Miss Lily’s waist, the soft motions of the Dart train rocking me almost back to sleep as we rode from Dublin to Malahide. Last night was amazing, once we finally made it out of the bedroom. Lily was so enthralled at the busy streets, the diverse selection of costumed patrons filling each and every bar. The back-street bars would have been quieter, more laid back, however I wanted her to enjoy the full-on tourist version of tonight. Perhaps, next year I could show her a more intimate celebration? Next year? Was I really thinking about that already? What was this girl doing to me?
The other thing that had seemed to both surprise and thrill the girl was the back the bars still had live bands playing at two am. I wondered idly what English bars were like during the festival? They sounded rather dull, honestly. My head pounded after a few too many glasses of whisky last night, and certainly far too few hours’ sleep as we had continued our little Dracula tempting Miss Murray roleplay when we returned to the flat. How Lily looked so fresh, I had no idea, when I felt like death. I was used to some serious rock and roll binges, but even I met my limit of partying this week and she looked like she could still go a few more nights without stopping.
As we bumped into the station, my eyes flew open again. “I need caffeine,” I mumbled, heading to a church coffee shop near the station. Fetching them both hot drinks and muffins. When I came back out, I saw Lily exploring street signs with her usual curiosity.
“Harbour, there’s a harbour?”” she asked. “Is there a beach for sketching as well?”
I groaned. I should have realised where she would want to go first, and I was seriously too hungover for this shit. “Lil, we are meant to be going to sketch at the castle or at least ye are, while I get some sleep.
