Both were delicious.They both relaxed a bit after finishing the main course, before ordering dessert, and just leaned back. Betty ordered another half...litre of wine. She also asked to see a menu, wanting to know what other desserts were available. Their host brought them desserts-only menus. Everything had pictures, even the weekly special. Betty thought she'd gain five pounds just looking.After the two of them drooled for a while, pointing out some that looked especially nice, they ordered.. To her ghouls, she motioned for them to stand behind the booth; similar to guards. She would be indulging them later, but for now, it was time to spend a moment with her love.“When was the last you spoke with your sire?” she said.“Couple days.”“I wish to know more about this favor he owes Jacob.”“Me too. I want to know what Jacob is up to, and Black Blood. And ... anything else out there.”She looked at the boy, and he looked at her. Awareness. What did the boy know of the mysterious forces that. "Outside."I turned my back again and walked toward the door, listening attentively and watching the tavern girl's face for clues of what was going on behind me. Despite doing dumb and show-off things like that, I managed to survive almost intact.Outside, in a cold drizzle, I waited near the road. Rafe and three of his comrades soon appeared, the big man wiping blood from his face and looking very unhappy. He was probably forty or so, a wide man, well-muscled and obviously angry. He wore. ”“Well, I’m happy to have helped. I can’t promise some other thug won’t move in and start shaking you down again, but at least none of it should be coming back down on you.”The man nodded, looking back along the road, shifting from one foot to the other.“Is there—” Taylor started to ask.“Are you trying to get across the border?” The man blurted out, almost the same second that Taylor had spoken.Taylor’s grip tightened on the gun, his finger pressing a hair more on the trigger.“It’s OK,” the man.