She may not want forever, but tonight she was his. Teasing her sharp canine across his lower lip as she’d done so many times before, back then a statement of their difference, tonight… it was an invitation. And he had no doubt she knew he was hers. Always.
Once inside, she caught the bartender’s eye and ordered a pair of drinks. Accepting the oddly shaped clear glass, Bennett took a testing sip and scanned the room. She absolutely knew what she was doing. The place was at least ten percent vampire.
She slipped her hand back into his and led him to the guarded stairwell to the VIP section. The guard nodded as he saw her, then looked to Bennett expectantly. Uh… like a secret handshake?
Adair turned to him and ran her tongue over the tip of a canine, flashing him a wink. He made the same gesture at the guard, hoping he didn’t look as ridiculous as he felt. For a vegetarian, Adair knew the life.
He followed her up the staircase, suddenly feeling like prey. Out of place was a big fucking understatement. It had taken dozens to take him down as a hunter. Now? It would take a hell of a lot more… but he didn’t care to test that theory without backup and a foolproof escape plan.
A few private nooks were occupied by small groups. Some chatting it up like close friends. A business deal closing. And… holy shit, an orgy in the darkest corner. Swallowing his tongue, he averted his eyes from the explicit view of… naked body parts entwined and grinding and…
Passing them all with little more than an amused glance, Adair led him straight to a pair of facing leather sofas. Unable to relax, every hair on the back of his neck standing on alert, he moved to the rail overlooking the club while she lowered to the sofa like she was a regular. He calmed his pulse before he gave himself away, he turned as a rear door opened and a vampire in a long silk dress glided regally into the private sitting area.
Adair rose to her feet and extended a hand. The vampire took her hand and leaned in, resting her palm on Adair’s cheek and, rather than a friendly European peck on the cheek, pressed her lips to Adair’s and lingered. Kissing her back, Adair finally pulled away and flashed red cheeks at Bennett.
The woman was something out of a painting, her burgundy gown ethereally flowing with each movement, her clavicle framed by tendrils of her honey-blond hair.
Adair cleared her throat and said to her friend, “Gi, this is Bennett. A dear friend of mine.”
Her friend responded with a surprisingly honest, easy smile of a woman that didn’t give in to pretense. “More than a friend from the jealous pulse, I would wager.”
Jealousy. That was much better than the panicked-terrified-aroused that had kicked his heartbeat into erratic rhythm.
Adair laughed. “You know me too well, Gi. Bennett means a lot to me.”
“Then he means a lot to me.”
Adair pulled him to sit next to her. “Godgifu was a vocalcitoyenand particular friend during the revolution, but she’s been fighting authoritarianism since long before I was born and is the foremost historian in the paranormal world.” Smiling at her friend, Adair said, “To me, she is Gi.”
Eyebrows halfway to the ceiling, Bennett tried to calm his reaction. “It is an honor to meet you. Truly.” He extended his hand and didn’t hide his surprise at her firm handshake, the fire in her eye. He shouldn’t be so surprised that Adair kept such high standing friends, but, he supposed, after all her years, she had done and seen it all. For all her fear of the sun, he knew she’d never been one to hide in the shadows.
“Please.” She gestured for him to sit. “Adair is too kind. What she means is, I live in the past, while she flows forward with the times, always adapting as a modern woman.”
Adair rolled her eyes with a shy grin.
Taking pity on her, Gi smiled. “It has been too long, Adair. I’m glad you came to see me and that you brought your young man, whatever he may be. But I sense this is not a social call. What brings you to my door?”
“I am hoping you can help us. Have you heard of Calloway, a partner of mine from my reckless days?”
Gi spat, “Monster is what he is. I won’t judge others by their dietary preferences, of course, as those that choose peace are unique. But he has an excessive taste for destruction and glory. I had thought him dead for well over a century, until that hope was recently shattered.”
Bile rose in Bennett’s throat. “Have you heard anything about his latest scheme?”
“He fed from my territory about two months back. He spent no more than a fortnight, then he was gone.” Gi rose to her feet and opened a cupboard, pulling out a rustic bottle of wine and poured three glasses of the deep red brew. Easing back into the couch, she crossed her legs and took a testing sip.
As Adair drank from her glass, Bennett did the same. The heady spice was unlike anything he’d ever tasted. Fermented blood, not human, but not like anything he’d experienced. Gi smiled at his reaction but didn’t expound.
Finally, she spoke again. “I think I understand. Bennett. You are a hunter, but changed?”
He leaned forward in his seat and locked gazes with her. “What makes you think that?”
She took another sip and smiled. “I have been around the block a few times. You lack a scent and scan the room as if the enemy surrounds you, indicative of the hunter in a den of demons. Yet you move and seek like a vampire, and, of course, appreciate an excellent vintage.” She held her glass at her side and let out a heavy sigh. “The rumor is that Calloway was set on creating one capable of unleashing the original vampire. Tromos.”
Relaxed into the couch, one leg crossed over the other, Adair took a considering sip. “I thought Tromos was destroyed.”
“Tromos?” Bennett asked.
Gi set her drink down and gazed out over the lights of the club before responding. “Terror. The founder of all vampires. The demon that was so vile, he was banished from the demon realm. A creative one, he found opportunity in his punishment. After feeding from human after human to satisfy his appetite, he grew bored and wiped out entire cities for fun. He was quickly discovered by demon hunters and was nearly defeated. Naturally, he was unwilling to accept his end and took measures to ensure he could live on forever. Where other hybrids are born of a more loving union between human and demon, Tromos found that prospect revolting. A relief for women everywhere, that for once we were not the tragic victims in this sort of scenario. Instead, he found that by replacing a human’s blood with his own, he could create an immortal breed that could easily blend in with humans, and with appetites similar to his own.”
