Randi picked one up and held it under her nose. “This smells heavenly. I just love your pralines. You know I have always loved them. I’m so happy we came at the right time.”
Nadia looked at Miss Inez and smiled.
“Yeah, dawlin. I’ll wrap some up in tinfoil for ya’ll to take home. Take some for the family.”
“Thank you, Miss Inez. They’ll love it.”
Inez put the foil wrapped pralines into a plastic grocery bag and handed them to Randi. They made their way home and placed them on the kitchen table. There were enough mortals in the house to keep them from going to waste.
The next night, Randi, Quinn, and Nadia arrived at the funeral home early to make sure Lilly was ready to be viewed. Randi appeared elegant in a black jacket and skirt accompanied by Quinn in a black suit with a white shirt and dark tie with his long blond curls tied back.
The doors to the parlor where Lilly had been laid out were open. Floral arrangements displayed on easels and blooming potted plants framed the rustic oak hardwood casket. The upper portion of the coffin remained open. A casket spray featuring pink and white roses, lilies, chrysanthemums, and snapdragons covered the entire bottom portion.
Randi stepped closer focusing her eyes on her mother resting peacefully. She was pleased with her appearance.
Lilly would have turned forty-nine in November. She had been a beautiful woman in her younger days, but excess alcohol consumption and an unhealthy diet contributed to her aging prematurely. With her hair styled and minimal makeup, she appeared years younger. The morticians did an excellent job. Everything met with her approval.
Randi, Quinn, and Nadia remained by the casket to greet the guests. They each wore an amulet so their body temperature would appear normal to the mortals when they hugged them and expressed their condolences.
People began to drift in a little before seven. Miss Inez was one of the first to arrive. Randi spoke to her and introduced her to Quinn. Several other people Randi knew ventured into the parlor. Many of Lilly’s church members showed up to say goodbye.
The funeral parlor was swarming with relatives and friends coming to pay their last respects. Chatter about how Lilly was never the same after the loss of her brother and talk of how poor Lilly drank herself to death filled the room.
Unfortunately, the only time many family members and friends see one another is at funerals, so it began to get loud with everyone laughing and talking at the same time. But that’s normal for a New Orleans funeral; a reunion and the opportunity to catch up on the latest gossip.
At the end of the evening, Randi and Nadia made their way around speaking to the guests thanking them for coming. As they were walking back toward the casket, Randi stopped in her tracks. She grabbed Nadia by her arm; her eyes widened, and her jaw dropped. “It can’t be, but it is.”
“What can’t be?” asked Nadia.
Randi pointed to a blond man dressed in a black suit with a white shirt and dark tie standing over the coffin looking down at Lilly. Randi’s first instinct was to charge up to the casket at vampire speed, but after taking a look around, she realized she couldn’t do that with all the mortals in the room, so she walked as quickly as she could. As she got nearer to the gentleman, he turned and noticed her approaching him. His eyebrows slanted upward at the sight of her, and he quickly walked toward the door. Randi followed him.
A few steps ahead of her, he quickly opened the door and stepped outside. She followed and was even more shocked when she got a good look at him close up.
The streetlight illuminated his face. His blond hair fell in the same style as she remembered it; over the ears, touching the collar falling over his face. Her father hadn’t aged a day. He still looked the same as the last time she saw him twenty-two years ago.
She gasped covering her face with her hands; stunned at the possibility that her father could be a vampire. She watched in awe as her suspicions were confirmed when he lifted himself up disappearing into the night sky.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a presence next to her. She turned her head to find her husband standing beside her. She sighed and threw her arms around him. “Did you see that man?”
“That man was a vampire,” said Quinn, pulling her close. “He was undoubtedly avoiding you.”
She looked at him and said, “There’s a reason for that. Now I understand why he’s been avoiding me all these years. The same reason you avoided Nadia. It all makes sense now. Quinn, that man is my father, and he’s a vampire.” Her hands tightly gripped his jacket. “I wanted to follow him, but he took me by surprise. I lost him right away. Now I’ll never find him. I have no idea where to look.”
He stroked her hair and murmured, “How did I not figure that one out? I should have suspected when you told me he supported you financially, but he wasn’t a part of your life. Honey, I’m sorry he got away from you. Since he ran from you, he probably didn’t notice you’re a vampire too in his haste to get away.”
“I guess not. But Quinn, how will I ever find him now? He can be anywhere in the world.” She clenched her fists and said, “Quinn, I need to find him.”
He planted a kiss on her forehead and said, “I know, honey, and I’m going to do everything I can. Trust me. We’ll find him.”
Recalling Randi’s reaction to the mysterious man, the way she chased him outside, and Quinn following her, Nadia wondered what was going on. She stepped outside to find out. “Is everything all right?”
Randi turned her head and said, “Did you happen to get a good look at that man?”
“I did. I have to assume he was your father?”
“Yes, Nadia; you and I have more in common than we thought. It appears my long lost father is a vampire.” She began to sob as blood tears streamed down her cheeks. “This was my chance, but I blew it. I’ll never find him now.”
“It’s okay,” said Quinn pulling her closer. “We’ll find him.”
“How?” she cried, clinging to him.
“For starters, we know he’s a vampire. Do you have a picture of him?”
“Yes, my mother has a photo album. Nadia and I were looking at it when we went through her things. There are some pictures of my father.”
“Great, that’s a start. I’ll circulate it starting with the council. If nobody on the board knows him, they’ll investigate.”
Randi frowned and said, “It sounds like that could be a long process if they have to investigate. How long is that going to take?”
He held her close stroking her hair. “I’ll be honest. Considering he could be anywhere in the world, it may take a while, but we’ll find him. I promise you we’ll find him.”
2
BIG DREAMS LITTLE VAMPIRE
Nadia leaned against Vampyr’s doorway watching the rain splash down on Bourbon Street emitting steam as it hit the scorching pavement. Instead of providing some relief from the sweltering August heat, it only made conditions resemble a sauna.
While most of the passersby had ducked into one of the bars to avoid getting wet, it didn’t stop Sebastien’s Vampire Walking Tour from sticking to business as usual. A charismatic tour guide followed by a handful of energetic tourists plodded by with umbrellas on their way to their first landmark of the evening anxiously awaiting a dose of the vampire legends of New Orleans. This group was not going to let a let a little evening shower stop them from experiencing a taste of the macabre. Nadia laughed and shook her head. “They have no idea they’re passing the real deal.”
As Vampyr’s happy hour regulars cleared out, the evening customers began to trickle into the dimly lit bar. The music club is open twenty-four/seven, and the three French doors facing Bourbon Street remain open at all times. Live music begins at 10:00 p.m. seven nights a week.
The building dates back to the early nineteenth century. Just like all of the old renovated French Quarter buildings, stepping inside is like stepping back in time with its dark brick and stucco walls. Stained glass fixtures hang from the ceiling.
The pinewood bar extends the length of the side wall. A large antique mirror hangs over it with shelves on both sides to hold the liquor bottles. Small vampire dolls, miniature coffins, Voodoo dolls, and Mardi Gras beads dangle from the ceiling over the bar.
Novelty items available for purchase include vampire fangs that adhere to the teeth. Tee shirts, tank tops, wine glasses, beer glasses, cocktail glasses, and mugs; all with the Vampyr logo, are displayed and can be purchased as souvenirs.
The stage is in the back corner on the opposite side of the bar with dark wooden tables and chairs surrounding it. Offices, a storeroom, and restrooms are in the corridor at the rear, and there is a game room in the loft upstairs.
To most people venturing into Vampyr, it appears to be a regular bar with a vampire theme. Only vampires know the secret. Vampyr, just like any other vampire bar, sells blood to vampires. Customers can purchase the finest top shelf quality pure human blood, call quality human mixed with animal blood, or well quality animal blood. Blood, served in stained wine glasses, appears to be wine to mortals.
In his office at the back of the bar, Quinn took a long drag on his cigarette while listening to the sounds of the rain pounding against his window. He brushed his long blond curls out of his blue eyes with his fingers while going over spreadsheets of his monthly profits from all three of his bars in the Vieux Carre. As he studied the numbers with his fingers pressed against the bridge of his straight nose, his eyes focused on the pages in front of him forcing his sensuous lips into a smile.
Relaxed and comfortable in his large leather office chair in his favorite ensemble; a black button down shirt over black snug jeans with his favorite black boots, Quinn may seem somewhat casual for a vampire. Or, at least, from the mortal perspective of vampires.
The sound of the door opening disrupted his thoughts. He looked up and smiled at the sight of Randi in a black mini tee dress that complimented her slim figure. Her pale blond hair cascaded over her shoulders and down her back. She held two wine glasses filled with what appeared to be wine in her hands. He smiled giving her the eye and said, “Hello beautiful.”
She smiled back at him and said, “Hello my handsome husband. I thought you might be thirsty. We just received our supply of blood for the evening, and it’s still fresh.” She handed him the glass.
He took it from her and brought it to his lips gazing into her eyes. He swallowed placing the glass on his desk. He took her hand pulling her down into his lap wrapping his arms around her. His lips gently brushed across her cheek, and he whispered in her ear, “Delicious. Almost as delicious as you, my love. You know how to keep a vampire happy.”
She smiled running her fingers through his long locks. “I’m glad to hear you say that, honey. I know you like to hunt in the alley for your first drink of the night. I just thought it would be fun for us to have dinner together tonight alone.”
“I think that’s a fantastic idea,” he said with a gleam in his eyes.
With a look of mischief, she asked, “Are you sure? You always say the cup satisfies the thirst, but it gives no pleasure.”
“Maybe,” he said, slowly planting a kiss on her forehead. “But you give me all the pleasure I could ever want or need. You’re a good wife to let me hunt mortals knowing I get pleasure from it. You could hunt with me if you want. You know that.”
“I know. I just don’t care for feeding off mortals even though we don’t kill them. Besides, I’m not the jealous type. As long as you leave it in the alley, it’s fine.”
He smiled playfully and said, “I like the hunt better when you’re with me. You don’t have to drink from the mortal if you don’t want to. It’s just fun sometimes to spice things up a bit.”
“Are you talking about the alley, or you talking about spicing things up in the bedroom, you naughty vampire?”
He looked into her eyes and said, “That’s up to you, my love.”
Randi gave him a come hither look and said, “Maybe later tonight, my hot vampire will get his wish.”
Their lips drew closer meeting in a kiss so passionate; they didn’t hear the door open.
Nadia peeked in. The sight of her father and his wife engaged in a kiss made her think it may be a good idea for her to announce her presence.
Her hand tapped on the door. They looked up and saw her standing in the doorway in her tight distressed jeans with a black tank top and her long dark hair hanging loose.
“Ahem. Is this a bad time?” asked Nadia.
“Not at all,” said Quinn, surprised. “It’s just that I wasn’t expecting you until later tonight.”
“I know,” said Nadia nervously clenching her fingers together. “I got your message that the new CDs were in, and I couldn’t wait to see the jacket in person. It’s so exciting.”
Randi tilted her head with a furrowed brow and said, “I’m confused. I thought for sure you told me you were driving later tonight with Chad and your mom.”
“I am. I’m not staying. Vampires can fly, remember. I’ll be back in Florida in plenty of time to travel with the family.”
“Thanks for reminding me about the perks of being a vampire,” said Randi, chuckling. “I’ll leave you two alone. I have work to do. I’ll be outside in the bar.” She leaned in and kissed Quinn lightly on his lips before rising from his lap. She hugged Nadia and said, “I’ll see you later tonight. Safe travels.” She left the office closing the door behind her.
A beep from Quinn’s phone indicated an incoming text message. He picked it up to see who was sending him a text. It was good news from his younger daughter, Amber. Amber and her husband and daughter arrived safely in London. Their plane landed almost an hour ago, and they are on their way to her mother-in-law’s house. She sent a picture of little Rose on her first flight across the ocean. He tapped on the picture to enlarge it. With a grin, he said, “Come see, Nadia.”
Nadia stood behind him looking over his shoulder and smiled. “Aw, my niece is such a little cutie. I hate that they have to miss the gallery opening party.”
“You know they wanted to be there, but they couldn’t miss the anniversary celebration for Dee’s parents. At least they’ll be back for the CD release party.”
“I know. I hope they have fun in England.”
He put his phone down and pulled one of the CDs out of the box under his desk and handed it to her. “Here’s something to cheer you up.”
Her face lit up as she quickly tore the plastic wrapper off and opened it inspecting the inside cover. She held it up and said, “It’s beautiful. This is so awesome.”
Seeing his daughter so happy made him smile. “I’m glad you like it.”
She ran her fingers over the jacket studying it. “I love it.” Suddenly, her eyes drooped down, and her smile turned into a frown.
Quinn wondered about the sudden change in her demeanor. “What’s the matter, honey?”
Nadia sighed and said, “Daddy, this is our second album, and it’s such an awesome accomplishment for me, but I can’t help but wonder how it is for you? I mean, you’ve been a successful rock star, you’ve been number one on the charts, you’ve been on the cover of the Rolling Stone, and you were one of the hottest hair metal singers out there in the eighties. You had women throwing their panties at you and groupies throwing themselves at you. I can’t believe now you’re content just to perform in your bar and sell our music to our customers in the bar and online. Don’t you ever miss those days when you were famous?”
Quinn laughed and said, “No. I can’t say that I do.”
She slipped the CD into her purse and stepped closer placing her hands on his desk leaning forward facing him. She looked him in the eye and said, “Oh because I thought maybe we could book some other gigs. Maybe some festivals and maybe do some touring as an opening act. You know, promote our music in the mainstream now that we both have amulets.”
He looked at her surprised. “Nadia, you know we can only wear those amulets for a limited period. Besides, I don’t have time for
that.”
She shrugged her shoulders and said, “You know what they say about vampires, Daddy. All we’re supposed to have is time.”
Quinn shook his head and laughed. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. If other vampires can’t find something constructive to do with their time, that’s their problem. That doesn’t apply to me. Most of the time, there aren’t enough hours in the night for me. I’m happy with everything exactly the way it is. Even if I did have the time, it wouldn’t work for us as vampires.”
“I don’t see why not,” she said starry-eyed. “I thought maybe we could make some money. I can see us now. New houses, new cars, a plane.”
Quinn looked at her and chuckled. “Your head is definitely in the friendly skies. How long has it been since you drove a fucking car or flew in an airplane?”
Nadia looked down and said in a low tone, “I haven’t driven a car or flown since I’ve been a vampire. Cars are too slow, and you know how annoying traffic can be.”
“Yes, I remember, and that’s my point, Nadia. We don’t need any of those things, and we don’t need money. If it’s a car or an airplane you want, you know I could write a check for it.”
Disappointed, she plopped into the chair across from his desk. “Okay, Daddy, so we don’t need the money, but, on some level, you must miss your old life as a rock star?”
He wondered if she was making these suggestions because it was what she wanted, or was it because she thought he missed his rock star days, and was she, in some way, trying to help him get it back? He certainly had no desire to go back to it. He had everything he could ever want or need right here. Besides, even if it was a remote possibility, the kind of schedule they would have to keep would never work for them as vampires. He focused his eyes on her and said, “It was hard for me to give it up, but there was no way I could stay in the business. We were getting ready to go out on a seven-month tour beginning in early January. How would I have pulled that off as a vampire? I didn’t have an amulet then. I couldn’t go out in the daytime at all.
Sex, Blood, Rock 'N' Roll, and Vampyr (The Bloodline Series Book 1) Page 2
