Giving Blood at the Danton Bakery

9. Biscotti

The bakery buzzed with customers. Not as many as opening night, but a fair number of people crowded the counter as Theo attempted to help them while Bea packed orders in boxes and bags.

Theo kept glancing over to the corner table where Edith set up shop. Coffee cup and newspaper on the table before her, not once needing to get up to draw blood.

The frown on Theo's face deepened as the evening wore on, and even the after-dinner treat seekers were beginning to dwindle.

"Thank you!" Bea called, waving after a young couple as they walked out the door with a box of scones. "Come again!"

With a contented sigh, she wiped her hands on her apron and looked in the cabinet.

"Still a few good things left. I hope we get enough customers to take them home," she said.

Theo glanced at his watch. "It's getting late. If we get any more after this point we can give some things away. I hate to throw it out."

"If you're going to throw it out anyway, I'll take it," Edith called, not even looking up from her newspaper as she licked her thumb and turned the page. "The girls on the ER graveyard shift could use a little love this week. Cheryl's on leave and I know they're short staffed."

Theo shrugged. "Anything that's left at closing is yours to take."

"Thanks, boss," Edith said, deadpan as she took a sip of coffee.

Theo sighed, an Edith sized headache starting to form behind his temples before he remembered something. "Say, Edith, did you ask your friends about the blood drive?"

Edith took a sip of her coffee, then set it down and met Theo in the eyes for possibly the first time since she clocked in. "I did. Got a drive next weekend at the university in fact."

Theo nodded, turning to his baker who was arranging the pastry case again.

"Beatrice, is that okay with you?" Theo asked.

"Sure. I'll make the dough the night before, it should make for easy slicing and baking." She grinned, glancing back at the kitchen area. "I might need to order some more ingredients for them though."

"Give me a list and I'll have it all," Theo said. "Mason and I can package them. I just got an email back this evening from the printers, they'll have our new order in a couple of days anyway. Plenty of time."

The bell over the door jingled, startling Bea and drawing Theo's eye. Of course, he had heard the bumbling footsteps, but had hoped it wasn't a customer since it sounded like the person wasn't at all together just now.

And he wasn't.

A large man fumbled through the doorway. Eyes reddened and out of focus, posture sloppy and chin unshaven. He smelled distinctly of vodka and lemon. He wore a torn up black denim jacket with a few patches on the back and the sleeves missing. What wasn't covered in black clothing was covered in tattoos, the most notable being a topless mermaid on his forarm doing something rather suggestive with a lollypop.

"Welcome!" Bea greeted, her pleasant voice unfazed by the rough looking drunk. "Can we get you anything?"

The big man blinked, looking around the brightly lit bakery in mild confusion before bumbling up to the counter.

"Whisky sour," he grunted.

Bea, finally surprised by something the strange man did, exchanged a look with Theo. The vampire sighed, turning to the customer.

"I believe you are looking for a bar, this is a bakery," Theo supplied.

The man blinked. Then his eyes slowly drifted down and to the side where he could see the treats Bea had arranged in the glass case.