Zen and the Art of Vampires

I clutched my books and took a deep breath, then without any further dillydallying, marched myself toward the two men, determined to… I didn't know exactly what I was determined to do. Maybe smile at them as I passed, and hope one of them smiled back? If I did that, at least I could face Denise with a clear conscience over the breakfast table.

"Well, hell," I said out loud, stopping abruptly as the two men split up, heading in two different directions, neither of which encouraged them to so much as glance my way.

Denise's crow of laughter rolled over the square. She had come from the side nearest the park, arriving at the perfect moment to see the two men walk away from me.

"Worst timing ever," I ground out through my teeth as I forced a smile, waving a hand at Denise to show that I heard her and admitted defeat. "I don't have to take anything more than that, though," I added softly to myself, hoisting my bag, camera, and books higher.

With one last look at the nearest of the two gorgeous men as he melted into the shadows of a connecting street, I lifted my chin and took myself off to the park.

I was going to have a good time, dammit, even if it killed me.

Chapter 2

"Is she gone?"

"One sec." Audrey, our tour leader and co-owner of Sgt. Patty's Lonely Hearts Club Tours, peeked out from behind the statue of a Viking explorer to scan the immediate crowd. Most people were sitting on the grass, watching with appreciative oohs and aahs as fireworks etched brilliant paths into the equally colorful night sky. Children ran around with the usual array of sparklers, the fireworks spitting glitter as they trailed brief-lived images into the air. The acid smell of the smoke hung heavy around us, slowly dissipated by the breeze blowing in from the water.

"I think that's her over on the other side. She's been prowling around all night looking for me, no doubt to complain about one thing or another."

"She didn't seem too happy about missing the trip out to the ruins," I admitted.

"Happy?" Audrey snorted. "She bitched so much about missing the fireworks, I decided it just wasn't worth it, and canceled the trip just to suit her. She certainly ought to be happy. Oh, lord, she's spotted Magda and Ray. They haven't seen her, poor things, and she's making a beeline straight for them. I wish I could just refund her money and boot her from the tour, but Patty would have a hissy if I did anything to piss off a client."

I patted Audrey on the arm. "You have my sympathies, and I wish I could help you with the truculent one, but I'm pretty much Denised out. I think I'll toddle back to the hotel."

She turned a distraught face to me. "Oh, Pia, don't go! The fireworks aren't over yet, and after that there's more music. You don't want to miss your chance at having a romantic encounter with a handsome Viking, now, do you?"

I thought of the two men whom I couldn't quite steel myself up to approach, and gave her a grim little smile. "I think I'll pass for tonight. You have fun, though."

"I'm sorry if Denise has made you feel uncomfortable," she said, clearly upset.

"Don't be. It's not your problem. I'm a big girl and can handle myself, even with Denise. I'm just a bit tired from seeing Reykjavik this morning, and then all the wandering around the town I did this afternoon. Happy Iceland Independence Day!"

"You, too," she said, watching me with a rueful look as I made a dash for the exit.

The town we were staying in wasn't large, but its city center was filled with narrow little streets that twisted and turned upon themselves. I got lost twice, trying to find my way to the top of the town, and had to backtrack to the still-brightly-lit main square to get my bearings before setting out again on a street I hoped led to the small hotel we called home.

I'd just left the lights of the square and was making my way down a narrow, dark street that I had a horrible suspicion I'd just been down, when a dark form loomed up out of a doorway, causing me to simultaneously jump and shriek. My jump was to the side, however, not straight up, causing me to crash into the stone wall of the building.

The man said something in an unfamiliar language while I clutched the heart that seemed to be leaping from my chest. "Oh dear god, you scared me. You shouldn't do that to people; you could give them a heart attack."

The shadowy figure was still for a moment, then moved out into the light. "My apologies, madam," he said in a voice heavy with an Icelandic accent. "I did not see you, either. Here are your things."

"No harm done," I said, scrabbling at my feet for the contents that had spilled out of my purse.

"You are a tourist, yes?" the man asked.

"Yes." He seemed nice enough, with a freckled face and the same open, cheerful countenance that I was becoming convinced was standard in Iceland. "Just here for a few days, unfortunately. Oh, thanks." I tucked my bag under my arm, taking the books from him.