“What are your plans for the weekend? Do you plan on taking in any of the sights while you are here?” He asked her.
“I might go to the Louvre but aside from that, I will probably just hang out with Cherry at a few clubs. I don’t plan on staying all that long. Maybe just a week? Week and a half? I figured I wing it with this vacation since it’s been so long since I’ve been back.”
“I don’t ever remember you being this spontaneous before.”
“I never was. It’s just now that my parents are gone, I’ve decided to live more like each day is my last. Not to sound morbid or anything, but I do find that making decisions these days is harder than it used to be for me. I guess because before I always had someone to talk out my feelings with. And now I don’t have that luxury. I guess I just took that all for granted.”
“You didn’t take that all for granted. No one expects their parents to die before they’ve had the joy of watching their grandkids grow.”
“Yeah, you are probably right, but it doesn’t make it any easier.” She said with a half-smile.
They were already pulling up to the entrance of the hotel. When she finished her sentence.
“Well, I guess I will see you later, then,” Dixie said as she hopped out of the car.
“Yes, later,” Lorring said as he reached for her shoulder to draw her in for a hug.
“Lorring? Lorring Lorrant?” Said a voice interrupting his now brief hug with Dixie. “I’m Annabel Thomas, we have a meeting today. I will meet you over at the bar.” She said as she extended her hand that practically wedged in between him and Dixie. Her eyes darkened from a pleasing cognac color to almost an ebony as she smiled.
“Hi, Ms. Thomas. I will be in shortly so we can meet.” Lorring said as he pulled Dixie slightly away from Annabel’s hand.
She looked over at Dixie and looked her up and down.
“Call me Annabel, Lorring. I always think someone is addressing my mother when one calls me by my last name.” She said as she waved a hand between the two of them.
“Where are your manners, Lorring!” She put out her hand out towards the direction of Dixie after Lorring shook it. “I’m Annabel Thomas, I’m one of Lorring’s clients. I won’t take you away from him for too long. We just need to go over a few things. I promise to only tie him up for an hour or two at the most.”
“Oh, we aren’t,” Dixie’s voice trailed. “I mean we are just—”
“Friends. We are good friends, and we were catching up. The hotel is hosting our high school reunion this weekend, and we wanted to catch up a bit before the event starts.”
“That sounds lovely! Is the event tomorrow?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Ah! That is why I couldn’t book the Rose Garden Room then for our charity event we are hosting for The Louvre Museum.” Annabel said with a half-smile.
“The annual auction?” Dixie asked with widened eyes.
“Yes, that’s the one. We have it in the Rose Garden Room every year, but I couldn’t get it this year. It was booked during the times we had available. You are familiar with the auction?”
“Very much so. My parents and I used to go every year—well when they were alive anyway.”
Annabel’s eyes widened.
“I’m so sorry. My condolences.”
“It was a while ago, but thanks.”
4
Dixie studied the woman in front of her. It appeared the woman was sizing Dixie up in her own mind. The idea was strange to bear witness to a woman showing any interest in Lorring. Dixie never had to experience that during her days of dating him in high school. Not only was she faithful to him, but no other girl bothered looking his way since he only had eyes for Dixie at the time. A pang welled over her. She recognized it, understood it to be a need to protect what was hers.
Mine?
Dixie sucked in a breath as she walked through the entrance of the hotel. The realization of the green-eyed monster was something she never felt towards a woman before, but this Annabel was making all too easy for Dixie to hate her. Still, she had no right to think this way.
Since when is he mine? He hasn’t been mine for a long time.
She shook her head as she pressed the up button in the lobby to call for the elevator.
Am I falling for him all over again?
She pressed the number 7 button once she hopped inside the elevator and shook her head up and down as if to agree with herself. She didn’t want to admit it to herself because his ghosting her when her parents passed still stung. It wasn’t his fault. She always understood that ever since she talked with his mother and found out he was sick, but still, she wished there was at least one familiar face at the memorial service she held after waking up from the comma. Everyone with the exception of Cherry that came knew her parents—not her. She grew so alone in this world since they had been gone. She lacked vision and drive for anything that used to make her happy. It was a life of merely existing rather than living and for the first time since they had been gone, she had taken her first deep breath in her life at the coffee shop with Lorring.
She hated to admit that to herself, but Lorring gave her direction. Lorring gave her purpose. And Lorring made her happy. Being with him in the coffee shop was comfortable, homey even. It was also the first time she had laughed in a long time, and that made her smile.
The doors to the elevator opened and as she crossed the threshold of the cart, a thought hit her—what if she wants him?
What if he wants her?
She shook her head again to try to wipe the awful thoughts from her mind.
He’s single! He said it himself, although he could be lying.
She violently shook her head again. These weren’t ideas she wanted to concern herself with because at this point she wasn’t even convinced that she wanted Lorring herself. Every fiber of her being did not want to run into him when she was visiting for this reunion. Every fiber from the top of her head down to her toenails. She had been love-sick about him since the day he vanished from her life and it grew worse each day he ghosted her after her own parents’ funeral.
She assumed it was a long shot to have him come to the memorial. She had been in a coma for several months before she woke, and she figured he was probably at the very least dating. Since he up and left, it was the only logical explanation to her, but she had a need to reach out to him, anyway.
Sure, it would have been awkward to meet a girlfriend of his during such a sorrowful moment in her life, but she needed comfort—any kind of familiar comfort she could get her hands on, anything tangible at all would have done at the time.
And at that time, she would have been weak enough to let him back into her life. Now, she wasn’t as weak, at least that’s what she forced herself into believing. But that didn’t stop her from hating the fact that that woman Annabel understood more about Lorring now than she did.
Dixie let out a long breath. It was a reality that she clearly didn’t want to think about. And who would? She no longer had the strength to deny that her feelings for Lorring had resurfaced again. In fact, she wondered if she ever stopped loving him.
Another pang of jealousy hit her as she opened the door to her hotel room. She had to fight every fiber within her not to go back down to the hotel bar and eavesdrop on their conversation. She wanted nothing more than to sit between them and thwart any of the woman’s attempts to touch Lorring.
He’s MY man!
She let out another sigh because he truly wasn’t. Not anymore.
Cherry Richard’s face popped up on Dixie’s phone and she answered it on the first ring.
“Hey, girl! You ready for some fun this weekend? I can’t wait! I’m in the lobby right now.”
“Hey Cherry.”
“Oh, no. I remember all too familiar what that sound in your voice is. What’s wrong?”
“I had coffee this morning with Lorring.” Dixie let out a sigh.
“Well, girl, I must admit. I kind of lied when you
asked if he was coming. I was selfish. I said no because I really wanted you here. So let me make it up to you by us getting together for lunch. Only it sounds more like we should do a liquid one. Meet me at the bar downstairs?”
“Okay. I’ll be down in a few.”
Dixie hung up. She didn’t have the energy to argue with Cherry, one because she knows better. Once Cherry makes up her mind on something it’s very hard to convince her otherwise. And two, she secretly hoped Lorring and Annabel were still at the bar, so she had the chance to find out if there was anything between them besides a working relationship. Dixie quickly changed her shoes and headed down the elevator. Once in the lobby, she headed over to the tiny bar where, to her upset, only Cherry was there.
Cherry got up from her seat and opened her arms to Dixie. She air-kissed each of Dixie’s cheeks while Dixie tried to hide her frown from Cherry.
“It’s so good to see you! Do you want to sit here at the bar, or do you want to get a table at the restaurant? But before you say yes to the restaurant, I need to give you fair warning, Lorring is there, and he’s with a woman. Is that what this is all about?”
“Yeah, sort of. I guess. Do you mind if we sit in the restaurant? I kinda want to see what this lady is all about.”
“Dixie,” Cherry said as she patted Dixie’s hand before continuing, “this may not be my place to say, but dear, it might be best to let this go? You haven’t seen him in years and even though he is clearly now going to the reunion, you don’t have to talk to him. I mean, pining over this guy isn’t doing you any favors. It will give you worry wrinkles prematurely!”
“I’m not pining! Who said I was pining?”
“Dixie!”
“Okay, okay, so maybe I am just a little. But can you blame me? He’s still as hot as fuck! Actually, he looks better now than when we were in high school now that he’s lost the babyface. He’s a Greek god, for Christ’s sake.” Dixie took a sip of the white wine in front of her before continuing. “He told me he hasn’t been serious with anyone since me. And they are business partners, or so they both told me. But I’m not sure. She might like him, and I just want a heads up for what I’m in for at the reunion.”
“I get that, Dixie. I really do. And it’s kinda cute in a Second Chance Romance sort of way you are looking at this. But I really think it’s best if you just steer clear of him like you said that you were going to do if you bumped into him. Clearly, your coffee date didn’t do a whole hell of a lot good when it comes to a reconnection.”
“But that’s just it! I think it did! He apologized for ghosting me when my parents passed away.”
“Well, that’s something, I guess. But Dixie, I really don’t want you to get your hopes up. He could very well just be apologizing and that’s all.”
“That’s true. But why do I feel like it’s not too late? Why do I feel like we still have a chance to be together? I mean, I know this doesn’t make any sense at all. None. But something in me just wants to try and go for it.” Dixie said as she grabbed her wine and followed Cherry to the restaurant side of the lobby.
“If you want to try to see if there is still something there, then I say go for it. Because from what it looks like from here, he can’t take his eyes off of you.” Cherry said as they sat down at an open table in the restaurant portion of the hotel.
Dixie tried to glance in that direction as inconspicuous as she could.
“Don’t look! He’ll see you, Dixie!”
“But isn’t that the point? I want that girl to know he’s mine.”
“You are already laying claim to him before the reunion?” Cherry said with a giggle. “I give it two hours at the reunion before you two wind up in your hotel bed!”
“Cherry!”
“Okay! Okay! Maybe two hours and 15 minutes. But only if you have to go to his hotel room!”
Cherry let out a cackle.
“You know, none of this would be happening if you’d have just come clean with me in the first place!”
“Dixie, if I didn’t lie there was a good chance I’d never see you again. And as your best friend, I couldn’t handle that any longer. Besides, playing matchmaker was a lot more fun than I care to admit.”
“But you said you merely lied about him coming.”
“I may have been nudging him about coming as hard as I was nudging you. Looks like my gut was right because it appears you both still have feelings for one another. He’s looking this way again.”
Dixie let out a giggle and took a sip of her wine.
“Okay, okay! Maybe I don’t completely hate the fact that you lied.”
The statement Dixie just made wasn’t entirely true, she was elated that she ran in Lorring, and even more excited that he wanted her back in his life. She just hoped she wasn’t getting her hopes up.
5
“If you take a picture, it might last longer,” Annabel said with a giggle. “I mean, my phone’s handy and capable if you really want that.”
“Very funny!”
“Seriously, though. Stop staring. You’re beginning to even make me uncomfortable! Now back to business! What’s it looking like around New York and Canada? Because here in France the numbers are atrocious. I’m finding that at least a quarter of the Covid deaths they’ve been reporting on the news are humans now turned shifters. Is it around the same where you are?”
“That’s what Ciro has been saying. He is very worried about it.”
“I am too. Chance said he’s not seen these kinds of numbers since the 1918 flu. And most of that were vampires gaining strength in numbers because the wolves were talking about a revolt. Of course, that’s nothing new.”
“Yes, I know. The Were Rebellion was just as bad during the Black Plague, too. If it wasn’t for the gypsies and Zhang, most of the magical communities would have been slaughtered by the werewolves. Packs that can’t control their hunger for power make us look bad.” Said Lorring as he glanced over at the table where Dixie was seated once more.
“Yes, and thank the gods that Keme is now less clouded about right and wrong. He was a pain until he joined our side. He may be the oldest shifter in North America, but my Chance is no slouch. He’s been around for quite some time himself.” She said as she snapped her fingers in front of Lorring’s face. “I told you to stop staring. Focus! There’s work to do!”
“You are right. Sorry. Him being sired by Dracula makes him pretty powerful, huh?” Lorring said with a wink.
“Yes, this is true. But in all honestly, most vampires in Europe have been sired by him directly or indirectly. Just because Keme believed he was made, he figured he was pure and more powerful than any of us. That is, of course, not the case. The only two vampires of pure blood other than Dracula himself are Lilith and Alec. And neither of them would consider pulling something crazy like this. They’ve always been around to prevent such things from happening. Especially Lilith. They don’t call her The Queen of Darkness for nothing.” Annabel said with a chuckle. “But in all seriousness, who would want to gain strength in numbers? I’ve heard nothing in the underground about an uprise.”
“I’m more inclined to think this has to be alien shifters. There is just no other explanation.” Lorring said.
“But didn’t Ciro take care of all of that with Jaxson?”
“He did. The dude did his time, but Ciro isn’t ruling Jaxson out just yet.” Lorring said as he fumbled with his napkin before continuing. “I am more certain than ever that this has something to do with Dustin of the planet Lupine. According to Ciro, those wolf shifters are less evolved. They don’t possess anything better than analog technology on their planet, so I doubt they heard that Jaxson is no longer a threat to them or Equipoise.”
“Yeah, I remember the whole war thing when Jaxson wanted to steal Verena from Ciro. But how come Lupine didn’t know that Jaxson got pinched for violating a lot of the peace laws? Wouldn’t there be a Lupine presence at the sentencing at the Valet de Chambre? I figured that was really big news over
there in Equipoise.” Annabel said with wide eyes.
“They actually didn’t get the message. Planet Tatsu was supposed to contact them, but the connection got scrambled because of their old tech. And apparently, when they didn’t show for the hearings it caused some alarm.” Lorring said.
“Okay, well, looks like we have our possibles, but I’m leaning more towards hunting for Dustin. Is there anyone else besides you here? I want to do a sweep of the city tonight and I could use you and at least one other flank.”
“It’s just me. Honestly, I was just supposed to come here and find out the intel you had. Ciro for some reason assumed you’d have a lot more information than he did.”
“Well, clearly that is not the case,” Annabel said with a chuckle.
“Yeah, clearly,” Lorring said as he glanced over at the table that Dixie was at once more. “I’ll cancel my plans to be at the reunion and head out with you tonight instead.”
Annabel let out an exaggerated sigh as she pushed away from the table. She flicked her light auburn hair off of her shoulder and her cognac eyes glared at him, signifying disgust.
“Oh, no, you aren’t! I will have Chance and my parents help me tonight. Your assignment is to enjoy that reunion and make sure that none of the humans there wind up a shifter.”
“Are you sure, Annabel?”
“There is no way that I’m listening to your pining all evening! I’m positive I won’t need you to patrol. Besides, with this pandemic, there isn’t much of a chance for a pack to gain a shit ton of numbers unless they are working large events. And the largest event in the city is that reunion right now. Since Covid is restricting the number of people at events, they’d be the easiest targets. It’s best if you do attend to keep them all safe, especially the one you are infatuated with.” She said with a wink. “Honestly, try to fix what’s wrong there because your intense turmoil is even hard for this vampire to ignore and my empathic abilities aren’t as good as Lilith’s.”
Pandemic Passion Page 3