Tammy smiled, “Sorry Ice, I’ll remember, as soon as I get a night off.”
She made a face then and said, “Sorry, I don’t mean to be bitchy, but I haven’t had a day off since the… purging three weeks ago. Miku is already the best waitress we have, and she only worked two nights, so I think she can handle it.”
Eustice raised his hands in surrender, “I’m not arguing, just don’t call me that.”
Lisa teased, “Why not Eustice, it kind of fits you?”
I laughed when Eustice muttered under his breath, something about estrogen, and nothing but beautiful and crazy women at the table with him.
He beamed at Daniel and waved him over when Daniel looked our way.
I asked, “Pulse?”
She nodded, “Echo is pretty well covered. So is B&B for that matter.”
Eustice nodded in cautious agreement and added, “Though that may change when Legends is back up and running, we lost two that night.”
I said to Tammy, “I can cover for you next weekend, but with the construction…” I trailed off.
Tammy shrugged, “That’s fine, at least there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. I haven’t had a weekend off in a long while.”
Lisa asked in a mock confused voice, “Time off? What is this time off you speak of?”
We all chuckled.
Tammy said, “Hey, you got six more on your team, we need to recruit for ours.”
Lisa shrugged, “You can always hire more humans for that though, we can’t. You’re old enough though, aren’t you? Our coven is still what… nine short?”
Tammy sighed, “Good point, and yes I am old enough, but I don’t want to raise a baby vamp. Could you get on that Eustice? I mean Mr. Ice? The human staff I mean.” she asked sweetly.
Daniel volunteered, “I can put an ad in for you.”
Eustice sighed, “Fine, for waitresses. If Miku is going to be the backup bartender now we’ll need at least two more, if not three. We were still short even before the change.”
We talked for a bit more. After dinner I went up to the condo and changed again. A pair of black painted on jeans, and red boots. I changed into my Pulse shirt, and I slipped the knives into my boots. I was taking my sword, but it would have to go below the bar, or the humans would have trouble focusing on me to ask for a drink. I shook my head, at least I’d have it with me if anything crazy happened…
Chapter 7
Tammy and I showed up twenty minutes before opening to make sure the bar was stocked correctly, get a crap ton of ice from the back, and count out the till. She rode with me, but since I was leaving early she’d drive back with matt. I was sure that wasn’t a problem. After all that work we still had about fifteen minutes to wait for the doors to open.
Along with Matt and Jerry, Steven was working his first security shift tonight under their supervision. We didn’t get along really, but we didn’t clash either, which was more than good enough for me.
It was Sunday night, and I knew it was theoretically slow compared to say a Friday night, but there were still a lot of people there. I was happy that the first time I was doing this wasn’t on a Friday or Saturday night.
I think the hardest part was actually waiting for them to ask for their drinks. I’d pretty much perfected the skim technique, and could easily pull names, drinks, and if they were ready for another or not with my spirit magic. The two waitresses were human, and I had to wait on their orders too, so I didn’t freak anyone out. I suppose it wasn’t all that hard, it just seemed really inefficient.
The other thing that was different was the men seemed more aggressive at the bar, with both flirting and trying to pick me up, and I was asked out enough times and handed enough numbers to really give my ego a boost. I’d thought the tight jeans and tied work shirt looked good on me, but I hadn’t counted on quite that many. I’d even gotten a few bald propositions for sex that night right after work, but wasn’t all that flattered by those.
Still, I made some pretty decent tips that night.
I’d made a few mistakes in the beginning, but by ten or so I had a system going that seemed to work well. It was also about that time that I felt three male vampires that weren’t in our coven entered the building. Of course, that didn’t mean they were necessarily rogue, vampires moved around a lot.
They were all about fifty years’ old, give or take. Everything seemed fine at first. They ordered a few drinks, danced, and had fun. I figured they would choose a quick meal and then move on. Instead, the three of them cut a cute young woman from her group with a little judicious mesmerizing, and pulled her into a dark corner.
Then they all fed on her.
Concerned by that development, I read one of their souls, and made a disgusted face. The three of them feeding from her would make her very dizzy, and pass out. They’d done it before, and when they took her out of there, by the time they got to the hotel she’d be awake and aware enough to be responsive because of the air magic restoring her blood faster, but still too weak to do more than protest as they shared her between them, carnally I mean.
Rape was clearly against the rules, and I looked around and none of the security guys were in evidence. I felt with my spirit power and found them in the alley out back, with a fourth vampire, who was a part of the trio in here, and served as their distraction until the others could slip away with a prize. It was all well planned, and they’d done it before.
What was stupid was they would get away with it easily at a human club that vampires didn’t go to, but they got a thrill out of fooling the local covens in whatever town they passed through.
I growled, “Idiots.”
Tammy raised an eyebrow, “Who?”
“Our security is being faked out, the… never mind, I’ll explain later.”
I sent mind speech to Jerry, “Hey, three of that guy’s buddies are in here picking out a rape victim, and draining her of way too much blood. While I’m sure his distraction is interesting, you should knock his ass out already and get the hell back in here.”
Truthfully, I’d liked to deal with it myself. I knew I wasn’t supposed to judge, they were souls on a journey, and this was just one life. It was part of the tenets of Inari. Yet, men that rape women disgust me, how could I not judge? Yet, I hesitated, I could share the information with the guards, that’s what they were there for. I didn’t need to kick their asses myself.
Though, I really wanted to, I wouldn’t become like my uncle, and become a rogue spirit sorceress.
Still, I could have just talked to them, and probably provoked them into attacking me, but I wasn’t sure if that path was sophistry or not, because I knew I could manipulate them. Better to just leave it to the guys, at least that way I was sure I was good, with just sharing information.
The fourth guy was catching a nap, while Steven, Jerry, and Matt came in for the other three. The struggle was short and unnoticeable among the loud music and dim lighting of the club for all but the vampires present. The boys escorted them out back. I wasn’t sure if they’d run them off, or let Ceara judge them, but either way they wouldn’t be raping that girl tonight.
Of course, now we had a human woman passed out from blood loss in the corner of the club. I might have been able to speed up her healing, but again I couldn’t do more than watch without her asking for my help. At least she’d be fine, eventually. I imagined she’d never come back to this club again though.
Jerry came back in and waved to me, and then went to take care of the young woman. The four piece of crap vamps were unconscious out back, and I was pretty sure someone would be coming to pick them up.
Tammy asked, “What happened?”
I kept making the drinks and dealing with the customers, while I told her using mind speech. It was actually quite a challenge to juggle it all and keep everything straight, while being connected through spirit magic to every soul in a half mile radius. Who’d have thought being a bartender would stretch my abilities so well?
Th
ere was no other excitement that night, and I left at one, Tammy could handle the last hour. I went home and took a shower to get all the club smells off of me, and put on soft silk pajamas and then slipped into bed.
I’d managed not to think of him for several hours, but my last thought as I closed my eyes was of Jared, and what a mess I was about everything that happened. I even felt jealousy and not a little envy at Carly’s memories. There had to be a better way to handle it, I either needed to face it head on and make a move myself, tell him the truth, or the third option was a full retreat.
The status quo couldn’t stand. I’d lose my mind, or what was left of it.
We could make one of the new security guards babysit the pack. I didn’t like that idea at all though, I just wasn’t sure which of the first two options to pick, or if I was brave enough to do either. Right now the rejection was likely but just a theory, I didn’t think I could handle the full reality. But I also didn’t think my heart could take being in this limbo for much longer.
Chapter 8
The sun shone brightly on me in the middle of a glade in the forest. It felt so good against my skin and on my face as a cool breeze lightly blew my hair and ruffled my clothes. I knew right away it wasn’t real, because I didn’t have sunglasses on, and the light didn’t hurt my eyes at all. I looked down, and I wore a simple white dress, the material was loose, but it was also thin and clingy, and I was barefoot.
This was freaking weird.
I heard a growl behind me, and turned. I gasped as I recognized the wolf, dark gray fur, way too large to be a natural wolf. And those blue eyes looked so familiar. I could feel him too, his soul, I felt… immersed in it. As if it wasn’t just right in front of me, but all around me.
The wolf circled me slowly, sniffing and watching me.
I wasn’t afraid. I felt calm, and centered. Confident that he would not hurt me, could not.
He shifted then, his body formed back into the handsome man I knew, a naked man. I’d like to be modest and say I looked him straight into the eyes, but I didn’t. It took me a few seconds to look up that high, and I liked what I saw.
He asked, “Miku? What are you doing here, and dressed like…” he trailed off and looked around, before his eyes returned to me, and then roved up and down my body slowly before locking onto my eyes.
He took a step toward me uncertainly, and then shook his head.
He muttered, “This must be a dream.”
I smiled mysteriously, not nervous at all, in fact I’ve never felt this in control or self-assured around him before. I was uncertain how this was possible, but I knew the truth and spoke it to him, “It’s your dream.”
He stepped closer, closing the distance. A look of hunger in his eyes that shortened my breath and made my heart beat speed up. The way he looked at me made me feel more desirable, confident, and sexy than I’d ever felt before, yet I’d also never felt more vulnerable all at the same time.
Then he lifted his hands and touched me, caressed my face and arms. I just looked up at him with equal desire in my eyes as I reached out and touched his chest.
He gripped my hair, but gently, and pulled me into a kiss. I melted, my body conformed to his as I moaned into his mouth. I felt hot, and his hands seemed to be everywhere at once. His hands were firm, but gentle as our kiss grew deeper. I felt a heat deep inside of me, a tingle of pleasure and I knew I wanted more, needed more.
He kissed across my jaw and onto my neck, and whispered demandingly, “You are my dream, I need you to be mine.”
I sighed in pleasure at his demand and touch, and I said simply, “Then take me.”
He did, right in the sunshine of the glade on the soft grass…
“Holy crap,” I said breathlessly as I woke up.
I looked at the clock, it was just after five in the morning. Almost four hours would have to do, because there was no way I was getting back to sleep. I also didn’t understand how that was possible. Dream walking, spirit shifting, and spirit illusions shouldn’t be possible until I had seven tails, and at least a fifty-mile reach with my elemental spirit magic.
So how did I end up in his dream? I was sure I had, it was too real, and I could remember every moment, and touch, too perfectly for it to have been anything else.
Maybe because he was my soul mate? Probably, but I had no one to ask to be sure. I had been thinking about him pretty hard when I fell asleep. And what we’d just done…
I blushed. Oh crap. I hadn’t even considered the consequences, I’d been cradled in his soul, and the focus of his dream. I’d never felt so safe and wanted in my life.
He’d remember it too, but would he know it was more than a dream? Damn, at least I knew he wanted me, and was attracted to me. But it had been simple in our dream, just the two of us. I doubted he would have been so forward if he’d known it was really me there in that dream. I felt a stab of guilt, it hadn’t even occurred to me to tell him.
The idea that he wanted me as his was more than I could have hoped for, or wanted, but out here in the real world it wasn’t so simple.
Real life was a lot more complicated than a dream. And although it was very real to a certain extent, and felt like it would in real life, I was still a virgin. Physically at least. It had been amazing though, and I’ve never felt like that before.
I shook my head to get the thoughts out of my mind before I drove myself crazy. I jumped up, and took a long shower. Dream or not, I’d woken with a sheen of sweat all over my body. It felt good too, the hot water I mean.
I left the condo and headed downstairs to the third floor, and started some coffee. I was still too wired, and up for the day. When I got my coffee, I headed downstairs to the security desk. Everyone I knew was already asleep except for Kelly and Paul, two of Mark’s turns that I was helping to train but didn’t know well otherwise.
I figured getting to know them better would be a nice distraction from my thoughts. All I knew so far was that they were shy, or at least not boisterous, and were very happy that they had been freed from that idiot Mark…
It was almost seven. We’d been talking about movies when the door opened and a boy walked in. He looked maybe fourteen years old. Of course, he was a vampire and about five or six hundred years old. It was hard to judge, but his aura of elemental air magic was a little more powerful than Eustice’s, but less powerful than James’ aura had been.
He smiled up at us politely, “Excuse me, my name is Emil. I do believe you have my vampires? I’d like them back now please.”
Damnit, I had no idea they’d had a master. I’d just skimmed the bastards’ souls, because I hadn’t wanted all those memories of raping women in my mind from their point of view.
Oops.
I started to try and thread soul magic through his air magic, but even if I did I couldn’t do anything but read him if he didn’t attack me, or intend to attack me.
Paul replied coldly, “The four rapists in our cells? I’m afraid they’re waiting for Ceara’s judgment. They went into our club, and attacked our humans against vampire law. You’ll have to take it up with her.”
Emil frowned, “That was quite rude,” and then moved faster than I could track with my eyes, if not my spirit power, and Paul went flying into the back wall.
I suggested diffidently, “Why don’t I contact Ceara, I’m sure she could straighten this out?”
At the same time, I sent Ceara mind speech giving her a heads up. I was pretty sure I could take him with lightning, but no one was asking me for help, and he hadn’t attacked me yet. Paul was alive but down for the count, and Kelly had about the same chances as Paul did in a confrontation.
Emil laughed, “Afraid not, I’m rather keen to avoid that conversation. Why don’t you unlock their cells, and we’ll be on our way?”
Ceara spoke from the stairwell, “Or, I can throw you in there with them?”
His polite façade fell and he cursed as he ran for the door. I thought he’d actually make it, but I blinked
and Ceara had her hand around his throat. I hadn’t even felt her move with spirit.
She asked me, “Can you read him?”
“Maybe,” I said softly, “Give me a minute.”
It was like threading a maze that kept changing on me. Ceara didn’t move a millimeter the whole time, just effortlessly holding him by the neck the whole time. It took at least fifteen minutes and an incredible amount of focus, but I finally made it through to his soul and read him.
“He orders them to do it, but they like it too. I’m sorry, I didn’t read those idiots fully, I didn’t want the memories. But yeah, Emil here is a sick bastard, and he can’t get women since he looks like a kid, so he uses his turns to pick them up, and then shares them.”
Ceara nodded, “Open an empty cell,” and then she disappeared.
Kelly reached over to the board, and hit one of the buttons.
“He was kind of scary, how did Ceara know?”
I shrugged and said nonchalantly, “I told her, with my voodoo mind powers.”
She giggled, “No really.”
I winked and took a sip of my coffee. I’d explain to her eventually, but I was having too much fun teasing her right now. A part of me wondered if she was too sweet for this job, but despite her demeanor she did kick some butt in training. I heard Paul groan in pain as he regained consciousness…
Chapter 9
After explaining to Kelly and Paul the minimal details of my spirit sorceress abilities, I went up to grab a quick breakfast and ran into Lisa.
I inhaled my food because I didn’t want to be late. The creepy vampire kid had kept me at the security desk a little later than I’d planned to be.
Lisa asked, “Are you doing anything tonight?”
I shook my head, “Nope, recovering from a hard day of sitting on my ass.”
She snickered, “Good, let’s do something then.”
I nodded, “I’m up for that,” I said as I finished off the eggs and bacon.
She reminded me, “Don’t forget to do another search today, maybe the bastard does work in the city. If he does, he’s going to have a really bad Monday.”
Lion's Claw: Spirit Sorceress: Book 2 Page 5