We ordered, and I went with that. Such a simple thing, yet I’d never tried it in all my years, how could I out in the forest?
Daniel asked, “So you wanted to know why…” he trailed off.
I nodded, “I try not to let others’ opinions of me matter that much, but she seemed to have her mind made up before she met me. Some others too, though mostly they’ve just avoided me so far.”
Daniel took a sip of water and put it back down, “Jealousy.”
I was a little baffled by that, “In what way?”
“You are unique, and beautiful. Though I don’t think it’s the looks. You… upset the balance of power in the coven.”
I frowned, “I didn’t mean to, how?”
Daniel replied, “Just by being what you are. You already have the ear of Ceara. The rumors say she already asked you for advice, a three-day old vampire.”
“Four,” I said absently, as I thought through what he said.
He chuckled, “Okay, four days. Point is, Ethel has been busting her ass trying to help Ceara clean up James’ messes, she’s over two hundred years a vampire, and she doesn’t have Ceara’s ear. The others are just waiting for the shakeup of two weeks ago to clear, and you’re working with the guards.”
I nodded, I already knew that one.
“So why are you willing to talk to me?”
He blushed, “I’m content with my place in the coven. I don’t desire more power, and I don’t fear authority because of it.”
It felt like he was leaving something off, and when all the pieces finally fell together in my mind I felt stupid again. He’d been distracted talking to me this morning, the shy stares every time we shared the same room, saying I’m beautiful and unique, and taking me to lunch. Crap, was this a date?
I shrugged, “I’m not sure if I have more political power, I’m just a useful tool with a unique outlook and point of view. Maybe that gets my foot in the door, but I don’t want to run anything either, it’s not in my nature.”
He waved that away, “You don’t have to tell me, I’m not the jealous one. Ethel isn’t bad though, just give it time. She’ll get over it.”
I wasn’t so sure she would, but now that I knew what it was about, I didn’t really care all that much either. I didn’t need to be friends with everyone in the coven. Not that I wouldn’t be, just didn’t need to be. I was satisfied with what I had, I was finally in the city. Sure, I had problems, but Ethel didn’t register on that scale at all.
For the rest of our lunch we just talked about normal stuff, and outside of trying not to lead him on I didn’t worry about what he wanted from me. He was even kind of cute, if it hadn’t been for my damned heart and hopes stuck on my old dreams of meeting my soul mate, I might have even went for it.
After lunch we walked back, and I found myself at loose ends again. I had about six hours before I needed to show up at work, and again, all my friends were working. I thought about tracking down some of the other vampire waitresses or bartenders and saying hi, but decided to get to know them at work first. Randomly knocking on people’s doors was probably a little weird.
Another nap didn’t appeal to me either, so I wound up going back out, and doing the tourist thing and some people watching. I also practiced and stretched my spirit magic. I just walked around the city and took in the sights, and the stores. My packet from Ethel had my driver’s license, a social security card, a birth certificate, and a bank card, so I even had a little money to spend.
I went back and had plenty of time to share a dinner with Lisa, Eustice, Daniel, and Jerry. Turns out Jerry was going to be a third security guard for tonight, covering the back of the club. After dinner, it was off to the club with Eustice and Jerry, though Lisa said she might come by…
Chapter 23
The music was loud, the lights low, but of course it was like daylight for me. The crowd was pretty impressive, even more than last night with the weekend closing in. Eustice led me into the back stock room, and grabbed a cardboard box. He pulled out a shirt and handed it to me.
Eustice asked, “Are you sure you want to do this?”
I questioned, “I have to do something Ice.”
Eustice laughed, “You’re already dealing with the pack for construction, and assisting the guards with investigation. That’s more than what most do, and your adding a whole other job on top of that.”
I pursed my lips in thought.
“Yeah, but those other two jobs won’t always be happening will they?”
He smirked, “You’d be surprised how often our establishments get damaged. And with Ceara here rogue activity will only go up. It might settle if she creates a new council.”
“If?”
He nodded, “There aren’t that many old ones over a thousand. So far she’s had no luck getting them to join, if anything they want to take over and make themselves king. She might wind up having to do that at some point.”
I grinned, “Except queen.”
He rolled his eyes, but they also sparkled with humor, “You got it. Let’s hope not, if she does the rogue tide will never end. I won’t stop you though, if you want to do this too it works for me.”
I snorted a laugh, “Oh, thanks for your permission great one,” I noted with great sarcasm.
He mock growled, “No backtalk woman, I’m the boss,” and he left me to get my shirt changed.
I considered what he’d said, and decided to stick with it for a while. If nothing else, it would help me become more social. I was wise about a lot of things, but I’d be the first to admit I was kind of clueless about dealing with others. Though, I seemed to be doing okay with that so far.
I had on a comfy two-inch heeled pair of sandals, short jean shorts just shy of scandalous, and the uniform shirt. It seemed to hang on me a little loosely, so I tied one side of it to make it a bit more conforming to my shape. It still covered everything, but I was sure to get more tips. On the bad side, also more attention from drunk men, but I supposed I needed some experience with that as well.
I pulled on the waist apron, grabbed a tray, and got to work.
The bartender I was working with was Tammy. She accepted me right away in a professional way, which I was glad of. A waitress needed a good working relationship with the bartender or things wouldn’t go very smoothly. She looked about twenty-six, had curly golden blonde hair down to her waist, and light blue eyes. She was also the only other vampire working this section.
The other two waitresses by me were Sally and Cindy, a redhead and blonde respectively. They were both humans, and had been working here for almost two years now. They seemed friendly enough as well, but there wasn’t much time for talking.
I realized using spirit magic to help waitress a club was an inane use for it, but it was also great practice. I had perfect recall, much like other sorcerers or sorceresses, and practiced just pulling a person’s name, and if they wanted a drink, from their soul. Instead of reading their entire lives, which took focus and effort. Ironically, it was a lot easier to take it all than cherry pick information.
Of course, I still had to ask them what they wanted to drink, otherwise it would freak people out if I just showed up with what they wanted.
My power was also good for dodging drunken hands, it was easy to shift my body to dodge and avoid a pinch or pat on my ass. It also let me know when to cut people off, and that night I only needed the bouncers to handle one particularly belligerent man, since doing it myself would stand out.
I wasn’t totally aloof though, and did my best to smile and banter with the customers, although that was limited with the loud music. I’d also never been called so many endearments in a few short hours before.
There were a couple of strange vampires that came in, but I quickly determined they were just passing through, and weren’t related to the current rogue issues. Still, I kept an eye on them anyway, as did security, but they left a little after midnight after a subtle blood snack in the corner.
In all
, it was really hard work almost constantly, all night I was trying to keep ahead of the demand for alcohol, but it was kind of fun at the same time. Maybe that would get old, but not tonight. I still enjoyed myself and worked out some subtleties in my power until last call was served around one thirty.
The club closed at two, but by the time all the customers got out, we settled the tips, and got done chatting it was closer to three when we left. I’d actually made some good spending money. Eustice was always last to leave, so I waited with him and the guards, as we made sure everyone else got safely to their cars and on their way.
It was rather warm out, sticky, and there was a light drizzle coming down.
That’s when I felt them coming, out back in the alley with Eustice, Tammy, Jerry, and a couple of other guards I hadn’t really met yet. Thankfully, the human waitresses and the rest of the vampire staff was gone.
“Incoming,” I said grimly, “They must have waited until there were only a few of us left. I count ten moving fast on foot.”
Tammy looked confused, Eustice’s eyes hardened, and Jerry cursed under his breath. The other two guards pulled knives, and I wished I’d had my sword with me. Still, it was ten on six, perhaps bad numbers at a glance, but Eustice was much older than the rest of us, and none of the attackers were over a hundred and fifty. I just hoped none of these fought any better than the last one I’d faced.
Of course, this time I got to use lightning. Unfortunately, I couldn’t use anything until they attacked me specifically. Those rules chafed more than ever, these were my friends, some of them anyway. It made me wonder if this is how it started for my uncle, but I dismissed that. I’d either work around it, or live with the consequences.
“Tammy, I don’t want to insult you, but if you can’t fight, stand in the middle of us, the rest of us should form a circle of sorts. We have about three seconds.”
We all shifted, Tammy did step in the middle of us, and we all faced away from her. They paused as they reached either side of the alley. I reached out with my power to my full ability, a half mile radius, and grounded myself in the peaceful nature of the spiritual plane. I didn’t want to make any mistakes and attack someone who wasn’t after me, so I slipped threads through their magic to read them. It wasn’t even that hard. Oh, it wasn’t easy either, but much easier than five days ago.
I wasn’t any more powerful, I just had a greater ability to use what I’d already had because of all the practice. Splitting my focus came almost naturally.
Eustice said sternly, “What is it you want here?”
One of them laughed without humor, “Death.”
I said flippantly, “These morons bow at Mark’s feet, their plan is to kill a few of us, keep us off balance, until their idiot master can come up with a new plan.”
My insult worked, especially since it was true, and they charged. I read easily that two were coming straight for me, which meant I didn’t have to wait until they closed in to be sure. I raised my hand and blasted them both with spirit lightning. They collapsed to the ground, unconscious, not dead.
One more assessed me as the greatest threat, and switched targets, to me. I grinned and rushed him with an insane smile to make him believe I was taking him head on, only to gracefully dodge at the last second, and kick the side of his knee as he flew by. Mark really did need better trained fighters, but I wouldn’t complain. Faster didn’t count when they couldn’t fight worth a crap.
He went down hard and face planted, and I cringed as he slid a good ten feet and got road rash on his face. It would heal, but it would take days at his age. He moved to get up, but I kicked him hard behind the ear, knocking him out.
Yes, I could have used spirit lightning for the third as well, but that’d been so much more satisfying.
Then the hard part happened, I had to watch as the last two on our side attacked Jerry. I also watched the other five attack Eustice and the other two guards with my power if not my eyesight. It was an ugly, brutal, and short fight. Eustice and the other two guards took down their five fast, Eustice taking three by himself as the most powerful vampire here.
Jerry took one down fast and hard, but the second managed to score a few wounds before he too was taken down. It hurt to just stand there and watch it. It’s why I really didn’t want to be a guard, what kind of guard could I be if I had to just watch? Yes, I got to take out three, but I could have taken them all, before they’d even reached us if I so desired.
Any vampire over fifty was faster than me, but as a spirit sorceress, anyone less than five hundred just wouldn’t get to me, without surprise and a dose of luck anyway. But I suppose that was the point of the tenets. It would be too easy to become corrupted with that much power.
I also didn’t need to get cocky, there were plenty of things out there that could kill me, and they all could, even the youngest vampire, if I let my guard down at the wrong time.
I asked, “Load up the trunks with the survivors?”
My three were alive, as were a couple of others. The rest of them were dead.
Eustice laughed, “Good plan.”
“You okay Jerry?”
He nodded, “Fine,” and picked up two of the bastards and walked toward the cars.
“What do we do with the bodies.”
Eustice clapped one of the guards on the shoulder, “He’ll stay and call a cleanup team.”
I sighed, picked one up and followed Jerry. I’d thought about asking what a cleanup team does to get rid of corpses, but then decided I really didn’t want to know…
Ceara asked deadpan, “You attract trouble, don’t you?”
I hoped she was kidding, though it was hard to tell. After we’d dropped off the garbage in the cells, we’d come straight up here. I had a strange thought, I wondered if Ceara ever slept. She was always in this room except that brief time she’d gone after Mark.
I took a chance and said in faux shock, “Me? A rogue magnet? Never.”
She smirked, “What happened?”
I explained the sequence of events from my point of view, and then added, “They had similar orders. Kill and disappear, and wait for a phone call to come in. This time he was at a Holiday Inn in Mount Vernon. Though, I doubt he’s still there, the guys that attacked us thought he’d be gone again like last time.”
Ceara sighed in annoyance, “Tina is still working on modifying one of her finding spells. So far she hasn’t hit the right combination to track a maker bond. Go ahead and get some sleep, I’ll let you know if I have more questions tomorrow.”
I nodded, and she turned to Eustice to get his account as I walked away. I groaned when I looked at my phone, it was almost four in the morning, and I had to be at B and B by eight in the morning. I set my alarm for seven thirty when I got to my condo, stripped down to my underwear, and then passed out in bed.
Chapter 24
Just a few days, and I already wondered how I’d gotten by without coffee, as I took a large sip on my way out the door at almost quarter of eight. I wore a pair of black jeans, sandals, and a red halter top, with a white blouse over it only half buttoned, and let’s not forget the ever present sunglasses.
I wondered if I’d gone too casual. Originally I was tempted to put on a sundress and makeup, and may have overcompensated when I realized how desperate that would be in my attempt to catch a wolf despite the odds. I was willing to be shameless, but not desperate.
The sundress had looked good too, but it just didn’t match hanging around to watch the construction work going on. Apparently someone from the coven needed to be there to let them in, and then stay, I guess to make sure they didn’t run off with the building. Of course, I was happy to volunteer and make that sacrifice on behalf of my coven. I smirked at my own thought, I was running on three hours of sleep, coffee, sugar, and desire for someone I couldn’t have.
It was also my third day since I’d drank any blood, and no matter how often I sipped my coffee that thirst wouldn’t go away.
I’d
take care of it later.
I walked quickly, almost a jog. I didn’t look too out of place, there were other speed walkers, and even joggers at this time of morning on the city streets. As long as I didn’t blur past people, I was good. I walked into the alley behind the pool hall about two minutes to eight, which I was particularly proud of. I felt him immediately in the truck, along with his beta Ted and his enforcer Bob.
They sat in the cab eating what looked like breakfast burritos and they all held a coffee. I smiled and saluted them with my coffee as I opened the door, and used the bar to keep it open before I moved inside. I felt them follow.
Bob said, “You’re a strange little vampire.”
He said it in good humor though, not like an insult.
“Why’s that?”
“Vampires are arrogant, and never smile,” he said in a faux wise voice.
I shook my head sadly, patted his arm, and my lips twitched as I suppressed a smile, “It’s just you Bob, we smile all the time. Maybe you have bad dog breath, and my nose is just broken?”
He barked a laugh.
Ted walked in and glared at me, but Jared actually winked from behind him.
Is it pathetic that my heart skipped?
Jared said in a very loud mock whisper, “He does have bad breath.”
Ted grabbed some spackle and some other crap and went over to the hole in the wall, clearly not interested in bantering with a bloodsucker. Bob and Jared started to work on the bar, taking out the broken section. I gravitated over toward the bar, but left enough space so I wouldn’t get in the way.
“Just you three?”
I looked away, when I realized I’d been staring at his well-defined arms, and his huge hands made me blush as my imagination... Never mind. It even troubled me a bit, I hardly knew him, and right now I must be more in love with the idea of being in love with my soulmate, than any actual real feelings. Well, real feelings besides lust I mean. I needed to get a grip.
Yeah, that, and I was insanely attracted to him on a purely physical level.
Spirit Sorceress: Spirit Sorceress: Book 1 Page 13
