Al laughed, “Sounds like an organization, do they pay dues?”
“You silly woman,” Nat smiled over the seat at her. “I just meant that you’re safer if you know how to take care of yourself. If you don’t depend on someone they can’t leave you high and dry.”
“I know you’re right, it just never seems important. Do they even have classes for stuff like that?”
“Yes, they do. You need to make the time for things like this Al. Besides, use Google. It’s your friend.” Nat grinned over the seat, “I learned a lot by watching YouTube videos. I can change my own tires and oil. I can tune up my Camaro all on my own. If I can figure out what is wrong I look it up online, buy the parts, and do the work myself. It’s a lot less expensive and I don’t have to deal with men who think women don’t know anything about cars."
A car door slammed, and the girls watched as Rogue talked to the cowboy through his rolled down window. The man rummaged in the seat beside him and after a few minutes he handed Rogue a small piece of something white. Probably paper. Rogue sauntered back.
“Look at her sway that ass of hers?” Al said to Nat.
“Yep, she’s got it going on.” They giggled as Rogue opened the car door to get back in the driver’s seat.
“Jeb says we’re almost to Jackson, so we have about 3 more hours.”
“His name is Jeb? Pft. Figures.” Nat said sarcastically with a grin thrown in Al’s direction.
“What? What’s wrong with his name?” Rogue said a bit of ire in her voice.
“Nothing. Sorry. I’m just having Deliverance flashbacks.” Al laughed at Nat’s movie reference. Her friend knew her love of them.
“Nice Nat. Have a little faith in the compassion of your fellow man. Southerners believe in hospitality. A man always stops if he sees a lady broken down on the side of the road.” Rogue responded petulantly. “I know New York is very different than the South, but you shouldn’t be so judgmental Nat.” Nat looked like someone had just stolen her signed copy of First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones. They hadn’t meant to upset their friend.
“I’m sorry Rogue. I think my adrenaline from the near death experience has me saying stuff I shouldn’t. Forgive me?”
“I guess.” Rogue responded with a grin. “As for Ms. Giggles back there, are you goin’ to need to make another stop?”
“Look, I for one am feeling like I need to get to my hotel room. Take a shower and relax. How about getting back on the road?” Al coaxed as she ignored Rogue’s ribbing.
“Definitely.” Rogue and Nat said with a laugh. Rogue pulled back on I-55 and the women began discussing their plans for their time in New Orleans. Al knew she wanted to visit a certain tattoo shop, Nat wanted to walk the quarter, and Rogue voted for a night tour or maybe a walk through a cemetery.
A little over five hours later, which included several rest stop breaks for Al and a long stop for breakfast, they pulled up to their hotel, the Melrose Mansion.
Chapter 4
As Al finished drying her hair after her shower, she gazed in amazement at the beautiful room she and Rogue were sharing at the Melrose. The dramatic contrast of black and white everywhere and the beiges and taupes as accents, were all so dynamic yet soothing to her. She would never have thought she would like this color scheme, but it worked in the mansion. Not to mention, the marbled bathroom with the Jacuzzi tub she hoped she got the chance to use, which was well worth all they were spending on the room. She was so glad that they had splurged to spend their first week here. Only a block from the Quarter, she could pretend that their suite was an apartment and that they lived here. If only. She had always wanted to travel and eventually move somewhere other than Ohio, but being excessively shy made it hard to go on a trip alone, let along moving away from all she knew. Al was a creature of habit, her fears of the unknown keeping her where she had always been… in Delmar, Ohio. In the past, her panic attacks had kept her from doing so many things, but she hadn’t had one in a few years. Her last one had been right before meeting the Book Worms. She saw meeting the Book Worms as a sign that she was meant to see more than Main Street in Delmar, her apartment, and her job. She often dreamed of the places in her books, of living somewhere more… well, more exotic or maybe just different from where she was from. With her gals behind her, she knew she was going to see the world.
Al walked out of the bathroom to find Rogue standing in front of the tall windows. She was looking down at the courtyard from their second story room with a coffee in her hand. They had arrived this morning, grateful for having already scheduled an early check-in, and it was now late afternoon. With her and Rogue settled and showered, they were to meet Nat below so they could discuss and finalize their plans for the next few days. Nat wasn’t comfortable sharing a room, so she had her own, which worked, because Al didn’t think any of them wanted to be sleeping on the floor for a week – at which point they would be switching to the host hotel of the convention they were attending, a hotel much cheaper than the Melrose.
Al was stuffing her dirty clothes in a laundry bag when Rogue looked over her shoulder at her and smiled.
“So Al, are you excited to finally be here?”
“Absolutely! This place is amazing and I’m sure the city will be just as much so.” Al replied.
“I’ve been down here a few times, and have always wanted to stay in the Melrose.” Rogue sighed. “I have to thank you and Nat for allowing me to live a dream. I owe you one, especially since you’re having to share a bed with me so I can afford all of this.”
“Hey, it helps me out too.” Al said as she dropped the laundry bag and walked over to the window where Rogue now stood facing her. “You… well, I don’t think I would ever have gotten to travel here if it wasn’t for you and Nat. You know how hard it is for me to do things on my own. Being shy sucks. I can't do the simplest things without feeling like I’m going to have a panic attack most days. I’m just thankful that I haven’t had one in a while.”
Rogue gave Al a hug. “You are braver than you know Al. Besides, we,… all of us on Book Worms, help each other. I’m grateful each and every day for the fact that we found one another.”
“I’m not brave, but I agree about the Book Worms.” Al said as she stepped back nervously. “We should go find Nat or she’ll think something happened to us. You know how she worries.”
“You are brave.” Rogue waved away Al’s denials, “And, smart too, because we definitely don’t want to worry Nat.” Rogue laughed. “She’ll call out the Marines.”
*
Al and Rogue descended the staircase – the large black, square newel post at the bottom reminding Al of the one in her childhood home – to find Nat waiting for them in the sitting area with a bottle of water and her iPad. She was sitting on a couch under a large black iron sculpture that grabbed Al’s attention the moment they walked into the room.
“So, girls, you ready to plan our excursions?” Nat asked as they walked up.
“Absolutely, I have no idea what to do first though.” Al said enthusiastically.
Rogue grinned, “I have a few ideas, but first let’s discuss our tattoos. I think Al has a preference on which shop we should go to.” Rogue looked at Nat and winked.
Al felt her cheeks get hot as she looked up at the sculpture hanging on the wall, her eyes tracing the lines of the stark black against the white wall right above Nat’s head. What would she say to her friends to explain the strange feelings she had for Kai. Especially since she didn’t understand the intense connection she felt to a man that she had known only a few hours on a flight from Columbus to Memphis. She would tell her friends, because there was no one else that she would trust to give her advice, but she had to figure out a few things first.
Kai’s face was etched into her memory. His voice, his smoky sweet scent, his gorgeous blue eyes, and that body would be fuel for her fantasies as she lay in the dark. Alone. Again. However, as she thought of Kai and the two times she had seen him, she couldn’t h
elp but think she had seen him before that, but she couldn’t believe she had forgotten a man like him. Not with the impression he had made on her in only a few hours.
“Al…oh, Earth to Al. Did you have an idea on a tattoo shop?” Rogue joked as she tried to get Al’s attention.
“Um… well… yeah, I guess.” She delayed. "I guess I thought it made sense to at least go to this Great Spirit Tattoo that Kai works at.”
“And, why do you think that’s a good idea?” Nat asked. “We don't know this man.”
“I know Nat, but he was really nice and…” Al twined her hands and looked down at them. “well… I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel like I can trust him.” She whispered. Al glanced between her two friends. “I mean, it's a place of business. We could check it out and if we feel uncomfortable we can just leave. Nothing can happen if we’re in a public place, right?”
Rogue took hold of Al’s hands, “You really like this guy don’t you?”
“I don’t know. You know how horrible my instincts are about men, but I’m really attracted to him. I mean, you saw him. He’s over a foot taller than me…” she sighed. “Those muscles. Those arms. That rear end. I’d be crazy not to be attracted to him. But, seriously, it's not like he would be interested in me anyway, but it’s nice to dream.”
“Now, Al, of course he could be interested in you. You are gorgeous and sweet and smart.” Nat said defensively.
“Definitely, listen to Nat. That man would be crazy to not want to be with you.” Rogue agreed.
“Aw, I love you two.” Al stood up from the chair she was perched on and went to the couch where the other two women sat. This is why she loved and trusted the Book Worms; they always had her back, even against her own self-doubts. No one had ever stood up for her like the Book Worms. She wedged herself between her friends and wrapped them both in her arms for a group hug. Nat almost dropped her iPad and Rogue laughed while hugging back.
“Be careful Al. This is my baby. Reyes isn’t used to such handling. He needs a gentle hand.” Nat scolded.
“Nat,” Al laughed. “I forgot you named your iPad after the Son of Satan.” One of Nat’s favorite series was the Charlie Davidson series by Darynda Jones and when the girls had talked previously about their eReaders and iPads, they all had admitted to naming them after a book boyfriend. Another thing they all had in common. Of course, Al was always a bit unique and her Kindle was named Thor for the Norse thunder god. She had been addicted to Norse mythology since high school, because of the thunder god and her love of thunderstorms. The Thor movies with Chris Hemsworth didn’t hurt either; that man as Thor in the new movies… H. O. T. Hot.
“What can I say? I love me some Reyes Alexander Farrow and it’s nice to think that I have my hands on him.” Nat said seriously and then all three of them laughed.
“So, we’ll go to Al’s man’s tattoo shop for our tattoos." Rogue clarified. “And, we’re still agreed to get the same design, something to represent New Orleans and to remind us of this trip together?”
“I’m still in.” Al replied.
“It still makes me nervous, the way Al met him and all, but at least this way we’ve met one of the shop’s employees. We go somewhere else and we won’t know anyone. So, yeah, I’m good with it.” Nat gave Al a smile. “I’m really excited to get another tattoo, especially since it will be for us. I just wish the other girls could be here with us.” Nat answered.
The other two women agreed. Nat handed them both a bottle of water from her bag she had on the floor. “Here.”
Al and Rogue laughed at Nat playing her mom role they knew oh so well. Al liked it, because it reassured her of how much Nat cared.
“What?” Nat gave them the mom look, “you need to keep hydrated.”
Her earnest attitude only made them both giggle more.
“Whatever.” She shook her head at the two of them. “We have planning to do you two, and now that we have the tattoo shop out of the way, we need to see what else we want to do. I mean we need to schedule our time so we can see what day we can go man stalking… oh, I mean go and get our tattoos.” Nat joked as she pulled out Reyes the iPad and began pulling up a few Web pages she had saved with some tour options.
She looked up and they all laughed.
“Well, ladies,” Rogue interrupted their joking and Nat’s Web search. “I sort of have us already booked on a tour which we have to leave right now to make it to."
“What? What kind of tour?” Nat asked.
“Well, it’s a New Orleans Cocktail Walkin’ Tour.” Rogue answered.
“A what?” Al asked confused.
“It’s a tour where you go to a bunch of different bars and restaurants and learn about alcoholic drinks that were made famous right here in New Orleans. I thought it would be fun for our first night, so I bought tickets for tonight. It’s sort of a thank you gift.”
Nat made a face showing that she wasn’t sure about the idea. But, Al thought it was great. “Thanks Rogue. I love it. What better to do in a city known for its party atmosphere? But, you don’t need to buy my ticket. What are you thanking us for anyway?”
“For being my friends and comin’ on this trip with me. It means a lot.” Rogue said quietly and smiled at her two friends. Rogue had planned to go with a friend from Memphis, but when things went south in the relationship, she had asked the Book Worms if anyone thought they could make the trip. Al and Nat had both jumped at the chance. Rogue wouldn’t have been able to go if they hadn’t.
“I’m grateful that you invited us along on this trip. A drinking tour sounds… like a horribly bad… and wonderful idea to me. I guess I’m in.” Nat said with a grin. “But, just so you know, the same applies here as in Vegas… What happens in New Orleans, Stays in New Orleans.”
***
Kai and Charlie waited across the street from Alvena’s hotel, two lanes separated by a lane of grass with trees hiding them from view. They hadn’t been able to determine precisely what had happened to the tire on Alvena’s friend’s car yet, but Charlie had someone who was going to get into the trunk of the car and check out the blown tire. They figured he could do it when the girls went out for the evening or when they went to bed. It was hard to say what they would do, since the women had spent a lot of time traveling the day before, what with the flights and then the driving in the early a.m. hours from Memphis. So it was possible that they would go straight to bed and start their site seeing the next day when they were well rested.
All Kai knew was that he needed to see Alvena. He didn’t know why, just that his skin felt too tight and his dragon hadn’t been happy since he had left her back in Memphis. He probably shouldn’t be the one following her; he should have called in someone that the women didn’t know. It would be bad if they caught Kai following them. Stalk much. So, he prayed to the Great Spirit that the women had plans to go out and that they wouldn’t see him behind them. They need to eat, right? He was sure they needed to go out to eat. Kai may not be able to touch his mate yet, but he sure as hell could watch her. At least then he would know she was alright. He glanced over at Charlie and his friend didn’t seem to be in much better shape. It had surprised Kai that one of Alvena’s friends appeared to be Charlie’s mate as well. But, it was awesome news to know that two of the Thirteen now had their mates in their sights. And, the two friends would be able to support each other as they learned about the Dásreach world. He figured it might make it easier for the lasses to accept him and Charlie if they were able to lean on each other. Kai felt a bit guilty as his other brothers invaded his thoughts. He prayed that they would find their mates soon as well. He was sure they would, why else would the Great Spirit have led him to Alvena. He would never have found her if it wasn’t for that dart, which he had asked the Great Spirit to lead to the right spot on the map. Now, maybe his brothers wouldn’t laugh at him about his idea. Yeah, right.
“Kai, do you think they’ll head out tonight?” Charlie broke their silence, as he shifted on hi
s feet.
Kai had noticed that his friend didn’t seem to be able to stand still, which was very unlike him. Charlie was usually reserved. He was a watcher and most times you wouldn’t even notice him in a room until he had something to say.
“I’m not sure. They were up extremely late last night… well, this morning.”
“I really need to see Natalie. I feel downright ready to jump out of my skin. Do you feel like this?” His friend turned to look at him with concern and agitation both showing on his face.
“I noticed that you seem wound up.”
“Yeah, and you’re bloody calm as Hell. What the fuck is up with that?” A growl carried along with the words.
“Charlie, calm. What is going on? Of course I’m anxious about Alvena and want to see her. But, you need to find some control.”
“Whatever. Fuck off.”
“Charles! You either gain some perspective or you will go back to the house. I won’t have you messing this up for me.” Kai’s dragon showed in his eyes and he flashed his extended claws at his friend.
Charlie’s attitude was starting to worry him. Not only because of his friend, but if Charlie couldn’t keep it together, he might draw unwanted attention to them. They seriously didn’t need the cops called on them or their mates to see them stalking. Because, that is what they were doing, stalking their mates. Whether it’s for a good reason or not, it was the same outcome, they were hiding in the shadows and watching for their mates.
Kai had to admit he could relate to his friend, he was going on four days of knowing who his mate was, and couldn’t do anything to get her where he wanted her – underneath him.
Charlie paced back and forth in the darkened driveway behind them. He prowled like the cat he carried inside of him as he walked, his breathing harsh, and his eyes glowing with his panther. Kai had never seen his friend this way. Charlie stopped on a dime and swung around to face him.
“I’m sorry. My panther wants me to throw my mate over my shoulder and carry her all the way back to Tiranam Dásig. It feels like he is shredding my insides.” Charlie’s apology came through clenched teeth. Even so, Kai knew it was sincere.
Finding the Dragon (Dásreach Council Book 1) Page 5