by Devyn Dawson
“Breakfast will be here soon,” Patrick said, hopefully he didn’t notice me jump. He probably did. “We’ll eat and then we’ll plan our attack.”
Chapter 32. Dinner
“The goldsmith was sitting in his workshop making a golden chain, when he heard the bird which was sitting singing on his roof, and very beautiful the song seemed to him.” The Almond Tree ~ Grimm’s Household Tales
We paired up; Shaynie, Chad, Parker and Patrick were assigned to my mom and Abel. Kenneth, Bryon and some dude that made Duane Johnson look petite were assigned to Abel’s parents. Chrissy and Rain would be in a Nissan GTR outside of the Le Gaigne restaurant where Pascale was scheduled to have dinner and a business meeting.
Aine had come through with the time and place that the vampires would be meeting, her price was high. As promised I wouldn’t reveal who she was to anyone outside of the pack, and true to my word, I’ve kept it. In return, she wanted to return to the United States with us and wanted to bring her immediate family. The fae wanted us to organize a meeting with the supernaturals and they wanted to take a seat on the council. After about an hour of debate, Abel agreed to honor her request. She agreed that her family would not torture nor bite anyone on the flight. Oh lawdy, lawdy, what were we getting into with the fae? My dad would crap himself if he knew how I’ve whored out the pack.
The Jackson’s and O’Connell’s checked out the restaurant, taking video and still pictures of the area. Interestingly, Paris had cameras on every street corner and most businesses had them surrounding their buildings. We called I.T. and they were able to hijack the cameras and aim them for our convenience. Gus and I were able to secure a reservation and would pose as a couple having a romantic dinner. Oakley was posing as our driver and would sit inside at the bar for a sandwich. Everything was falling into place. Mom and Abel would enter through the kitchen door, followed by their guards. Parker would stake Pascale and hand Allie over to Abel. Abel had a sedative made up by Rain in a syringe that would make her sleep for a couple of hours. Long enough for us all to get out of there and get her to safety. I couldn’t shake Mylandra’s words, they filled me with dread.
Chapter 33. Rain
“The princess was already expecting him, and accommodated herself to her destiny.” The Sea Hare ~ Grimm’s Household Tales
ABEL
“I tell you about dream walking and you tell me you’re leaving?” I’d just set my cup of coffee down on the bedside table. I pulled on my jeans right before Chrissy had come into the room. I didn’t want to have my mom call me out about a girl sleeping in my room in front of the other packs, so we slept apart.
“Yes Abel I’m leaving, it isn’t forever but it is for a while. I’m sorry, but the minute I met Rain, I knew deep inside that she was right. Think about how great it will be to help animals and to get trained by experts,” Chrissy said. She had on her favorite jeans, the ones with a big hole in the knee. When she was nervous, she’d find some strings where it was frayed and twirl them on her finger. I usually found it cute, but now it would always make me think about her saying good-bye.
“Look Abel, we all have a destiny to fill and yours is staring you in the face right now. Maybe this whole Paris thing was meant to be, and I was meant to meet Rain. I don’t know, but I know it is right. We’re staying through the big take down, or whatever you’re calling it, and then we leave. Please, and I mean really think about it and you’ll know it’s right too. Don’t make our final hours together a big fight. I love you, I’ll always love you, but I have to do this,” she said with tears in her eyes.
I searched her face for anything that showed me she was being tricked into going but I saw nothing. “Come ‘er,” I said holding my arms out to her. I pulled her in and wrapped my arms around her. “Chrissy, it’s okay baby, I understand. I am thinking with selfish feelings and I know what it’s like to be pulled opposite directions. Of course I support you, but damn, I’m going to miss the hell outta you.” I pulled back to look in her eyes. One eye sprung a leak and I wiped away the tear. I leaned in to kiss her and felt her tension slip away. “Don’t cry, we’ll be able to talk and text, we’ll be techie junkie buddies.”
She shook her head back and forth. “No Abe, we can’t. While I’m in training I won’t be able to talk to anyone. Look, it’s done, so let’s go find out what the game plan is. I smell food and I’m starving.”
She tugged on my hand pulling me up. I’d learned early on, when she was hungry, she needed to eat. I didn’t want the crazy, lunatic, hungry girlfriend to rear her head and freak out the other packs. I kept peanut butter crackers in my backpack for psycho girlfriend times.
Chapter 34. War
“He went up to her, embraced her, and gave her a kiss.” Bearskin ~ Grimm’s Household Tales
Gus looked the part in his dress pants and designer shirt. He wore RPM cologne, an incredibly sexy smell that made my insides smile. I’d debated wearing a long gown, but it would be harder to run in, if needed. I wore a short off-the-rack dress by a local designer that was just breaking into the business. Oakley always liked it when I wore royal blue; he said it goes well with my red hair. It was a simple one shouldered dress that came down mid-thigh. I chose my new red patent leather stilettos to finish off the look. It sucked to think that they would probably not make it through the night, if things got out of hand, as expected.
“You call that blending in?” Oakley asked.
I twirled around in it, giving him the full effect. “It is the only dress I have with me that isn’t skin tight. See this blousy sleeve? It will be hiding my stake, and the way the bottom of the dress isn’t clinging to my leg is great. It hides the fact that I have a gun strapped to my inner thigh. It’s a babydoll styled dress; very retro seventies.”
“You’re a doll in it for sure, but damn you look so good, and I have to share it with Gus. He’s starting to grate on my nerves,” Oakley pouted.
I wrapped my arms around him, his hand held onto my waist. “Pru, you don’t have to be some kind of hero.” His mouth found mine and he kissed me with the passion of a man going off to war. My body responds to him as if every time he touches me is the first time. My soul screams for his and weeps when we’re apart. One day it will be just him and I, naked, in our own place, a sacred forest. A forest where we can romp free and be free of all the pack drama. His hands rubbed up and down my dress, hiking it up a little each time. I wasn’t sure if he didn’t think I couldn’t tell when my dress is getting higher and higher with each reach he did. He bent a little and his hands were on my bare thighs, it made me giggle into his mouth. I pulled back and slapped his hands away.
“Oakley, you’re going to wrinkle up my dress.”
“Will that make you put on pants and a long sleeved turtleneck? You know, your legs are going to freeze and you’ll catch a cold,” Oakley teased.
“You’ll just have to nurse me back to health then.”
A light knocking on the door made him pull back and look like a soldier on duty. Mom came in to give me some last minute advice. Shaynie actually wished me luck and Bryon practically broke my ribs, he hugged me so hard. “Come on guys, I’m going to be okay. Let’s get on with it; the sooner it’s over, the sooner we can eat pizza and cupcakes.”
Chapter 35. Vampire
“The old woman went trembling home, and on her knees thanked God for having dealt with her more kindly than she had been able to understand, and on the third day she lay down and died.” The Aged Mother ~ Grimm’s Household Tales
“Are you sure this is the place?” Gus said as we stood outside the lime green restaurant. The Le Gaigne was extraordinarily small. I’d guess there was possibly room for about twenty patrons. If we made it to the food part, I was guessing we’d leave hungry like prom night.
Gus pulled out my chair, playing his in-love part very well. The mauve and gray colored décor was probably popular fifteen years ago, now it just seemed drab. The ambience screamed a cozy, romantic date night. Hopefully it m
eant that the customers would be more focused on each other and not on us. Rain was ready with a concoction to erase memories of the night, if needed. I breathed in, memorizing every scent in the room, in case they were able to escape. We didn’t need the police involved and especially the media. Although, running into Mario Lopez again wouldn’t be so bad. They served us water in large wine goblets. I didn’t see any vampires and wondered if we got the place wrong. Sitting in the back of the restaurant gave us a better view of everyone that entered. Gus and I tried the faerie trick and doused ourselves in vanilla; maybe it’d hide our scent too. The door opened and in walked Allie and Pascale. Her eyes instinctively looked around the room. Her head snapped up and she locked eyes on me. Guilt flooded my head; if she really did love him and we killed him, she would be lethal. A vampire vigilante was not something we wanted to create by killing her mate, or creator, whatever he was to her.
Step one, go say hello. Step two, go to restroom. Step three, pray.
Knowing we’d look suspicious if I didn’t acknowledge them, I stopped at their table. With the biggest fake smile on my face and a deep breath, I convinced myself I was ready. “Pascale, right?” Without as much as a screech of his chair on the hardwood floor, he stood in a perfect fluid motion.
“Prudence Phelan, the pretty little princess of the Phelan pack,” he said. “You are looking beautiful this evening, is the gentleman you’re with your new love? He looks more manly than that other guy, Oaklance or whatever his name is.” Pascale made an attempt at taking my hand but I jerked away. Instinct wasn’t going to fail me when I failed myself by talking to vampires.
I’d almost forgotten about Allie, until she giggled at the Oaklance comment.
“Oh Pascale, you’re so funny,” Allie said. “Oakley is the name of her pet. The guy with her was at the ball, he is a gorgeous piece of meat though.”
Be cool, act normal, and don’t screw this up, I thought to myself. “I wanted to say hello. Are you enjoying your dinner? Do you really eat, or is this just for show?”
“I enjoy a rare steak every once in awhile,” Pascale said, and then winked at me. I’m meeting with a few colleagues; but thank you for stopping by to say hello.” He sat down as elegantly as he stood up. He made a show of picking up his folded napkin and placing it on his lap. “Run along.” He held up his hand and shooed me away. I would have liked to take that napkin and shove it down his pie hole.
“Bye Pru,” Allie cooed.
Walking into the restroom, I was overwhelmed with the smell of flowers. I’d never seen anyone use fresh flowers in the bathroom, until now. I counted seven vases of at least a dozen red roses in them. Of the three stalls, I picked the one furthest from the door. Strangely they didn’t have any handicapped stalls. I guessed handicapped people weren’t allowed to pee. I was thankful they were American toilets and they were free. We’d dared Bryon to use one of the porta-potty things that were randomly located in the streets. It was hysterical to see his face when he came out. He said there was a female voice that told him how to use the bathroom, and everything automatically came on when it decided you’d had enough time to do your business. I’d told him several times he should look into transferring to a pack in California and try his hand at stand-up comedy.
The stall walls and door were floor to ceiling, giving the claustrophobic customers something to cry about. I heard the bathroom door open but didn’t hear or smell anyone enter. My new touch screen phone was driving me nuts; the auto-correct was constantly changing my words. My next phone would have a keyboard on it or I was giving up texting forever. I clicked send and was pleasantly surprised that not only did I have signal, it actually sent the message. Finally something was going to work correctly. I opened the door and practically passed out when I saw not one, but two men standing there waiting for me. “Damn, damn, damn, we’ve got trouble, in a big way!” I broadcasted.
“Are you trying to talk to your little doggie friends? Don’t bother, they can’t hear you. You’re delicious glass of water was enhanced with a little tonic to keep your inner voice quiet. You lapped it all up like a good little dog,” Vampire one said.
I assessed the situation, and figured they didn’t expect I’d have a few things up my sleeve. I feigned having to fix my shoe, saving the stakes in my sleeve, knowing my shoes were about to be dropped. I ripped off the heel, pressing the button and exposed the stake that we hid inside. Stepping back, giving myself a little room, I flung the stake at the scrawny one. His eyes went wide, his mouth opened as if he had something to say, and he disintegrated. One down, one pissed off. I was pissed too, so we were evenly matched.
“Whatcha got vamp? Your little friend here apparently didn’t have any game, do you?” I asked.
In a single breath, all six foot plus of him was in front of me. “Listen up DOG; I’m on orders to bring you in alive. He didn’t express any orders about how alive you must be,” he said. “You can willingly come with me or we can order your mother’s death right now. Your friend Mylandra will spill the beans every time we hold a knife to her daughter’s pretty little throat. We might not be able to turn her, but we sure can kill her. That building across the street, with the empty apartment, the one that your mother and Great Wolfy-poo are watching from; You know the one? Well, I so happen to have the exits guarded and with a signal they will go in and kill them. Do you want to jeopardize their life?” He flashed a fang gleaming smile at me, making me vomit a little, in my mouth. “We can go for the two-fer, like a BOGO day. You know, buy one, get one. You think I’m funny don’t you? You love a funny guy, huh? Wanna check and see if I can make you howl?”
“No thanks bloodbreath,” I said as I jammed the stake straight up through the sternum into the heart. Two down, not too shabby, I thought to myself. I washed my hands and pulled open the door. What the bloody hell? Two chicks that looked very similar to the Kardashian sisters grabbed me on each side. Thing One reached over and smeared something on my throat, it had the texture of Vaseline. I opened my mouth to get Gus’ attention and realized I couldn’t speak.
Thing Two leaned over to whisper in my ear. “Cat got your tongue? Don’t worry; we only paralyzed your vocal chords. If you play right, before you know it you’ll be back to howling. Right now though? Not-so-much. Sorry, but the boss wants you alive and mostly unharmed. I heard that prick Jack say he wasn’t told how alive you have to be. He was wrong love, we can’t hurt you. Although, if you try to run? Well, that is a little complicated and I’m allowed to do whatever it takes to bring you in. If you want your mother to live to see another full moon, all you have to do is cooperate. See? We’re not total monsters.”
I thought up a few words to describe her, and monster made the list, but not the top of it. I nodded my head in agreement. Passing the chefs entrance to the kitchen; we stopped in front of a door that led to what looked like a broom closet to me. Thing Two opened the door and I was right, it was a broom closet, and a mop bucket room. Thing One nudged me forward to follow her sister. She pushed me until we were both smashed up against the far wall. Thing One picked up a can of paint and set it down, she stepped over to flank my other side. If this was another revolving door, I was going to scream. Well, being that I couldn’t scream, I would mentally scream. The scrawny bitches were pissing me off.
Without a sound…the wall started moving. Damn. We were in another room with nothing but a trap door in it. Of course we were going to go through a trap door; every vampire needed one. The door was pulled up and I looked down the hole, a black hole and I could slightly see a metal ladder on the wall of the hole. Thing One started down the ladder and Thing Two told me to follow her. A black hole to wherever, two vampire goddesses and an innate fear of tunnels, was beginning to worry me…slightly.
“What’s wrong doggie, afraid of the dark? Your heart is speeding up past your regular rate of one hundred and twenty beats per minute,” Thing One said.
I gave her my cattiest disgusted look I could, and flipped her the finger. T
he universal language.
The ladder was corroded with rust and years of dirt. I was trying to get to the bottom of it without her noticing my hidden weapons. I was second guessing myself at losing the shoes. I hadn’t expected a private tour of the Catacombs. We walked about a block and climbed up another ladder that led to yet another rotating wall. I recognized the floor immediately; we were at the Vampire Museum.
Chapter 36. Missing
“And he ate and ate and threw all the bones under the table, until he had finished the whole.” The Almond Tree ~ Grimm’s Household Tales
ABEL
“What in the hell do you mean Pru is missing?” I demanded to Oakley.
“Gus just texted me and said that she hasn’t come back from the bathroom and apparently he can’t talk wolf. He said he’s on his way to check it out, but you guys need to be prepared. Send Shaynie over, we’re going in together,” Oakley said and hung up the phone.