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Chapter 21 - The hidden cost of being a gigolo(aahhh~step on me)

ALICE POV

I did it. I hugged him.

That was all I could think about as I walked toward my family getting into the cars.

My non-existent heartbeat was going at heart-attack speed. My stomach felt like I'd jumped out of a plane with no parachute.

And… he was coming over tomorrow. To eat.

Problem was—could I cook?

…No. No, I could not.

Panic started clawing its way up my throat. I'd promised him a home-cooked meal. What was I thinking? "Mystical clairvoyant vampire" and "culinary genius" were two very different skill sets.

In my daze, I reached the car. Emmett was wearing his trademark "I-know-something" grin while Rosalie and Emely looked genuinely concerned.

"Are you seriously gonna cook?" Emmett asked, voice dripping with amusement.

I stared at him deadpan. I wanted to strangle him. Unfortunately, vampires don't need air.

Emely leaned over as I slid into the backseat. "Why did you promise him you'd cook?"

I turned to her, panic visibly creeping into my golden eyes. "I don't know. He was ignoring me, and I wanted him to be impressed, so I… blurted it out!"

Emmett laughed. "Well, you definitely got his attention. What about tomorrow though?"

Rosalie shot him a glare sharp enough to cut glass, and he shut up instantly.

Rosalie turned from the front seat. "You can ask Esme for help. She loves cooking—she'll teach you something simple."

Emely nodded. "That's a great idea!"

My eyes lit up like headlights. "You're right. That's perfect!"

I clapped my hands together. "Hurry home—we need to start practicing immediately!"

SEBASTIAN POV

Drizzle slicked the streets as Sebastian walked home, vectors lazily bending the rain around him like a personal umbrella.

He couldn't stop replaying the hug. It was the first real close contact they'd had.

Even if it was brief, he could still feel the warmth, the softness… and that sweet, floral scent that was somehow both calming and intoxicating.

As he daydreamed about absolutely not sinful thoughts, he noticed a familiar gaze on him.

Not hostile. Curious.

He turned toward the treeline—red eyes glowed faintly through the mist.

He sighed. "If it isn't the therapist. Don't remember booking a session today."

The vampire from before—the one he'd "spun" into emotional introspection—stepped out sheepishly.

"Are you that desperate for clients you're doing home visits now?"

"I'm not here to cause trouble," the vampire said quickly, hands raised.

Sebastian crossed his arms. "Then what? You miss our bonding time?"

The vampire grimaced. "No! I just… wanted to join you."

Sebastian blinked. "Join me? Like… join me join me?"

"Yes. Carlisle said you aren't part of his coven, so I thought maybe you were starting your own."

Sebastian stared at him. Then chuckled. "You want to join my coven? Bold. Last time I saw you, I turned you into a fidget spinner."

The vampire stood a little straighter. "I'm actually quite strong, despite that. And I've got connections—real pull among vampires. Ask Carlisle!"

Sebastian tilted his head. Do I want a coven?

He imagined a throne, subordinates kneeling, him lazily giving orders while others did all the dirty work.

Yeah… that sounded nice.

Also—money. Covens probably had income, right?

If things kept going as expected, he'd soon have a fashion-loving wife with expensive taste and zero concept of budgeting. And he? He was so broke he didn't even own a phone.

He frowned. Wait… Alice is rich. Why am I broke again?

Still, he didn't want to be a total deadbeat. Gigolo was a fun word until you realized it came with bills.

He looked back at the vampire—his potential first "employee."

"You're that confident, huh? Then you don't mind if I ask Carlisle about you tomorrow, right?"

The vampire's eyes lit up. "Of course not!"

"What's your name?"

"Baldwin, sir."

"Right. I'm Sebastian. Meet me at the motel tomorrow at nine. Don't be late."

Baldwin nodded so fast he looked like a malfunctioning bobblehead.

Sebastian waved him off and kept walking, already planning his "coven leader" era. But first—sleep. He had a dinner date with destiny.

BALDWIN POV

He couldn't believe it.

Hah! Forget the Volturi. He'd found something better. Stronger. Cooler.

He had just convinced a literal monster to start a coven—and he was the first member!

If that wasn't winning the vampire lottery, what was?

Now all he needed was for Carlisle to say nice things about him.

…Carlisle would say nice things, right?

…Right?

ALICE POV

"Ahhh~ Why is it so long and hard???"

"That's just how it is. Don't squeeze too hard, and move slower—otherwise it won't be enjoyable later."

"But my hands don't even fit around it. Do I need both?"

"No, just twist while you pull. Like this."

"Like this?"

"Perfect! Sebastian will love it."

Rosalie watched Esme teach Alice how to wash a cucumber and fought the urge to laugh herself into the afterlife. Out of context, it sounded incredibly wrong.

"Alice," she said, pinching the bridge of her nose, "it's just washing vegetables. Not rocket science."

"Hey! It's not as easy as it looks." Alice's face was scrunched in fierce concentration as she moved on to the tomatoes. "Besides, I want it to be perfect."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. They'd been at this for over an hour. And they were still on the salad.

"I admit I might've bitten off more than I can chew," Alice muttered, "but I'm going to make something edible if it kills me."

Carlisle entered the kitchen, immediately taking in the chaos: flour on the counter, cucumber casualties, and a vampire child looking ready to cry over lettuce.

"Will Sebastian be coming over tomorrow?" he asked.

"Yes! And I'll be cooking for him," Alice said proudly.

Carlisle smiled, trying not to laugh. "That might be good for him. Motel food, instant noodles, trail mix… that's not a diet, that's a cry for help."

He looked around at the disaster area that used to be his kitchen. "You've only made salad, right?"

Rosalie nodded. "Right."

Carlisle's lips twitched. "And you're… starting with lasagna next?"

Esme clapped her hands. "Exactly. Lasagna!"

Carlisle nodded sagely and backed away before he started laughing out loud.

He paused at the doorway. "By the way, is Sebastian driving here? Or…?"

Alice froze mid-wash.

Carlisle continued, "It's a long walk, Alice."

"I'll pick him up. I'll take the BMW."

Rosalie smirked. "You'll drive? Do you think he appreciates your—what do we call them—speeding habits?"

Alice waved her off. "He likes excitement."

Rosalie folded her arms. "And you know this how?"

"I saw it in a vision," Alice said simply.

Esme sighed. "Let's just get to the lasagna before you have another vision of burning the kitchen down."

Alice grinned nervously. If vampires could sweat, she'd be drenched.

SEBASTIAN POV

This motel was a special kind of hell.

No food worth stealing, no heat, and his pillow had the emotional support of a rock.

He sighed and reached for his half-empty trail mix. A peanut rolled onto his palm like a symbol of poverty.

"I hope Alice can cook," he muttered. "At least better than this."

He chewed a raisin and made a face.

"Yep. Definitely can't be worse."

He leaned back on the creaky bed, staring at the stained ceiling.

"I really need to make some money. Maybe Baldwin's coven idea isn't so bad."

He popped another peanut into his mouth.

"Until then… guess I'll just let my sugar mommy handle the catering."

He smiled lazily.

"Oh, Alice… feed me."

END OF CHAPTER 21.

AUTHOR HERE.

I guess you want more... so I will give you more. 

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