“What if we go on an international tour?” Noah scratches his beard.
“Adam can come with us. Didn’t you tell me monsterland stretches all over the globe? He can report back to Glamour from anywhere.”
Noah doesn’t seem convinced, but we drop it as we drive to Rita’s apartment. She lives in an old brownstone converted into a duplex on the west side of Cosmo City.
Using the fake-gold lion knocker, I knock three times, but no answer. I push on the heavy wooden door and find it unlocked. Noah and I exchange a bewildered glance.
“She never leaves it open,” I say. “This isn’t exactly the neighborhood for it.”
We creep inside together, walking quietly and listening. As we move closer to the kitchen, I hear someone talking.
“Blood kicking in yet?” The male voice is familiar and sends a chill through my skin. I look at Noah to see if he’s heard him too, and the dark anger shadowing his face shows he has.
“I’m feeling better. Thanks,” Rita says.
We round the corner that opens onto the living room and I spot Andre first. He’s sitting with Rita on the couch. Their knees brush together as they speak.
“What’re you doing here?” The words are out before I can stop them.
Andre looks up and so does Rita. His mouth opens, closes, and his face pinches in obvious discomfort. Before he can say anything, Rita speaks, “It’s okay, guys. It’s part of his community service for Glamour. Train the newbie vampire.”
Andre nods and breaks eye contact with me. He looks at his hands. “I didn’t know you were coming or I’d have been out of here by now. Sorry.”
“Yeah, so am I,” I snap, crossing my arms over my chest. “Sorry I ever trusted you. How could you pull that shit on us?”
His eyes meet mine again. “Don’t get so self-righteous, Merry. Remember, your boyfriend there made a deal with monsters behind your back, too.” He points to Noah, who growls at him. I hold the werewolf off with a hand placed against his chest, and Andre continues, “I can’t take back my shitty behavior.” He shrugs. “But I am sorry I hurt you.” He looks at Rita and Noah. “All of you. A taste of power fucked me up. Now I’m trying to make things right.”
My anger at him ebbs a little. He’s right. He isn’t the only one who kept secrets, and with the adrenaline from the good news flowing through my veins, I decide to let it go for now.
Brigette emerges from the bathroom and greets us with a big smile. “Hey, you two.”
Noah repeats my earlier words. “What’re you doing here?”
As she joins us at the living room entryway, she points to Andre. “I’m his chaperone. Kind of like Adam watching over all of you.”
“How’s your dad?” Her face falls and I regret my question, feeling like an insensitive dumbass.
“He’s been permanently exiled to the lower levels of Glamour, but I’m allowed to visit him. I don’t know how much longer he’ll be around, but at least they’re keeping him comfortable there.”
I give her a hug. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s better this way.” She pulls away and a sad smile tugs at the corners of her mouth. “He can’t hurt anyone anymore. He’s forgiven me and I’ve forgiven him.”
“Did you take his place as a Glamour leader?” Noah asks, since we didn’t see all of the trial, and this is the first we’re hearing about Pierre and Andre’s sentences.
She nods. “And as alpha of the Dark Moon pack. It’s a lot to process, but I’m ready to take it on.”
Noah also gives her a hug. “I know you’ll do an incredible job.”
To clear the heavy, depressed air in the room, I spill our good news to Rita. “We’ve got a major surprise for you! Gemini Records wants to buy out our contract from Domino Inc.”
She jumps off the couch and her pale face fills with color from the excitement. “Oh my god! This is huge!” Her eyes widen.
But I don’t miss the sad expression that crosses over Andre’s face. “I’m really happy for you guys.” He offers Noah his hand for a shake, and then shakes mine too. Rita is so excited she hugs Andre, but I’m not ready to go there just yet. The sting of betrayal is too raw.
“This is great news,” Brigette says, giving the three of us a hug. “Congrats.”
“Regina wants us to head over to her place then go out to celebrate,” I tell Rita, then I turn to Brigette. “You want to join us?”
“Thanks, but I’ve got to get Andre back.” She looks toward the sulking vampire. “And I’ve got a meeting with my new second-in-command in the pack. Maybe this weekend we can go out for drinks with Adam?”
“Sounds great,” Noah says, and while Rita gets ready, Brigette pulls us aside to talk for a moment.
“I know you’re going to be super busy with this new deal, but would you two consider joining the Dark Moon pack? I’d like you to be a part of us.”
Noah looks at me and I look at him. “Would that mean we’d have to live in Glamour?”
“No,” she tells us. “One week out of every month, you’d come live with the wolves. Since the members who worked with Dad have been suspended, our pack is even smaller. I don’t want it to die.” Tears shimmer in her eyes.
I glance at Noah again, and he back at me. “We’ll do it,” I say.
“You bet,” Noah adds.
“Thank you so much.” Brigette hugs us again after swiping at her eyes. “We’ll talk more later.” She moves toward where Andre waits, ready to leave.
“It was nice seeing you all,” he says before they walk out the door.
I feel a pang of sympathy for him. He was our friend and band mate for so many years, it’s hard not to. The tension and weirdness leaves the room with him, and I wish we could go back to simpler days for a moment.
“Call Adam and see if he wants to party with us,” Rita says as she walks out of her bedroom, looking hot and ready to rock in a black and red mini dress, hair piled in curls on top of her head, and crimson lipstick glossing her mouth.
I punch his number in my smartphone, but there’s no answer. So we head out to Regina’s, chattering excitedly as we drive.
***
Chapter 15
Before we head to a club to party, Regina shows us the new contract Gemini just sent over.
“They want to send us out on an international tour right after the album is released?” My stomach ties in knots. There is no guarantee we’ll sell enough to back such a venture.
“Just a small one. You’ll do three shows in England and one in Italy. We’ll see how that goes. And, of course, you’ll do North American dates first.” Regina grabs my hands, squeezes them, and beams. “Don’t look so worried, Merry! This is going to be a success. I know it.”
“Yeah, but albums don’t sell the way they used to,” I say, thinking how iTunes and buying music online has really changed the playing field.
“I know. But you’ve got magic on your side, remember?” Regina winks.
As we get up and leave for the club, I say to her, “We’ve got to find a new lead guitarist soon, too. Any ideas yet?”
She gives me that knowing smile. “I’ve got someone perfect lined up. Don’t worry.”
Her expression hints that she knows this potential replacement very well. “Someone special?” I smirk and raise an eyebrow.
“I’ve been hanging out with him a long time. Let’s just say he understands our world pretty well.”
We all pile into her car and I put my worries to rest for the night. It’s time to celebrate our new success.
***
Adam brings Brigette over to our place Friday night for drinks and so we can tell him about our new contract.
“You want to go out to celebrate our good news?” I ask the pair, before going to the fridge to grab us some beers.
“I’m good staying in,” Brigette says, and looks at Adam.
“Me too,” he says. “Might be better, since we have a lot to discuss.”
His cryptic words leave me wonder
ing. I know we have to tell him about our deal and the upcoming tour, but I get the feeling that’s not all we’ll be talking about.
After I bring back some brews and settle on the couch beside Noah, I spill the announcement.
“That’s great,” Adam says, a small smile touching his lips. True to his nature, he remains composed and shows little reaction.
“They want us to do a North American and international tour,” Noah says. “It’ll mean leaving Cosmos City for quite a while. Hope you like traveling.”
Adam takes a swig of beer before telling us, “I won’t be coming with you. Truth? Regina already told me about the deal.”
“That tricky fairy!” I exclaim.
Adam laughs. “She had to. Her and I have been making arrangements. She’ll chaperone you from now on, along with another monster. Since her schedule is so hectic, I didn’t want to dump the job in her lap without backup.”
Regina has a full client roster, and it’s been filling up even more since we returned from our adventure in Glamour. I was wondering how she’d even manage to come on tour with us all the time.
“We’ll miss you,” I tell him.
“Oh, you’ll still see me.” He turns to Brigette for a moment, takes her hand in his. “Just not as often. Besides, I have new duties to take care of, too.”
“Adam is my new second-in-command,” Brigette tells us. “He’s going to help me run the pack.”
“And you’re invited to our engagement party at Night Glamour, if you can squeeze it into your busy schedule,” Adam says, then he lifts his new finance’s hand and swipes a kiss over it.
“Congratulations!” I exchange a shocked look with Noah, but a part of me isn’t surprised. Though I wasn’t sure if Adam had hooked up with Brigette or Regina. Now I have my answer. “How long have you two been together?”
Brigette cast Noah and I a guilty glance. “Since before Noah was kidnapped, but we’ve been keeping our relationship a secret so my dad and those loyal to him in the pack wouldn’t find out.” She gives Adam a loving gaze. “Dad wouldn’t have approved, since Adam and he were at odds long before Malcolm was killed. I was afraid he’d murder Adam too.”
“So when’s the big day?” Noah asks.
Brigette’s eyes widen and she holds up her hand. “Whoa! We aren’t rushing it. We’ve both got a lot of other stuff on our plate to deal with first.”
“I’m glad you two decided to join the pack,” Adam says. “We can use all the allies we can get.”
“We don’t know what will happen when the wolves who were loyal to Dad are let out. They could still reject my alpha status and challenge the pack’s decision.”
“Which is why it’s also a good idea for you two to have extra protection on the outside,” Adam says. “There’s a chance these wolves could come after you eventually. We’re going to need to be cautious.”
“How long are they in for?” Noah frowns in obvious concern.
“Three years before they can apply for parole,” Brigette says. “But monsters have broken out of the lower levels before, or paid magic wielders to open doorways into your world from the lower levels. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.”
“Another reason why it’s so important for you to be a part of the pack and visit Glamour often,” Adam says. “To stay informed.”
A tight fist of worry knots in my gut. While life is great, I have to wonder how long it will be before we get tied up in another monster drama like the one we just escaped. I’m hoping it doesn’t arrive anytime soon.
Now there’s only one mystery left to solve. Who our potential new lead guitarist might be.
***
Chapter 16
We meet Regina at the studio where we’ve recorded our demos and online tunes. She’s her usually bubbly self, and when I remember her more mystical side I find the contrast so strange, in a good way. Inside Glamour, she was more reserved, always calm and in control. While she’s always in control in her human form too, she’s definitely more animated. And to think I never even knew about her secret life, the secret life of all my friends, until recently. I’ve gotten over being angry at them. After all, I’ve got a secret life now too, as a werewolf, so how can I judge what I’m a part of?
“Did you hear the news?” Her eyes widen and she beams.
I take a seat near the guitar stand that holds a black, V shaped Fender. “About Brigette and Adam? Yeah! That’s awesome!”
“Wait until you see their engagement party,” she chirps. “Werewolves really know how to throw a shebang you’ll never forget.”
Noah grins and raises and eyebrow. “So you know about us joining the pack then, I guess?”
She gives a slightly guilty look. “Yeah, Brigette phoned me about it last night. I’m so happy you decided to join! It’s better if us monsters stick together. If Pierre’s wolves have allies we don’t know about who aren’t in the lower levels, we might still have a fight on our hands.”
I nod, but I look away, afraid to think about another battle with supernatural creatures.
Regina mistakes this for anger directed at her. “I’m sorry I kept secrets from you for so long, Merry.” She walks close and puts a hand on my shoulder. “If I could’ve told you, I would’ve.”
“Like I said before, no worries.” I pat her hand.
While monsters are allowed to walk among humans, even interact with them, they can’t reveal their true nature, as I learned when I first encountered the world of Glamour. All my monster friends keep ramming this fact into my brain until I could recite it in my sleep. If they do reveal themselves to a human, said person must swear secrecy. And breaking that oath can result in death.
She gives me a big hug. “Cool. Thank you.” Then she glances between me and Noah, claps her hands, and gives a little jump. “Ready to meet your new lead guitarist?”
“I thought we were auditioning a couple people today?” Noah wears a curious frown as he walks up to the mike stand.
“You’ll like this one.” She winks. “Trust me.”
Then she flits out of the studio and through the control room before disappearing out of the door that leads to a main reception area.
“So who do you think it is?” I ask Noah, picking up my bass and plucking out a few chords while we wait. “Another werewolf? Maybe one of her fairy sisters?”
He laughs. “My money is on a harpy.”
“Wow, you have those, too? I really have no idea what I’ve gotten in to.”
He shakes his head and grins. “No, you don’t. But we’ll have fun figuring it out together.”
“I don’t know if anyone ever figures out Glamour.”
Our joking around stops as Regina enters the control room with a massive giant that wears a hoodie pulled low over his face. I’ve no doubt Regina talked him into this air of mystery presence. If there’s one thing I know about our manager, she’s all about putting on a performance. Taking his paw-like hand, she leads him toward the studio.
I look at my watch, wondering why Rita hasn’t shown up yet. She notoriously late, though. A few seconds later, just as Regina and the giant are walking in, she runs into the control room with her drumsticks. She smoothes a hand over her disheveled red hair and glances into the studio at me and Noah. Her eyes widen when her gaze sets on the giant.
Regina pauses in her introduction and crosses her arms under her breasts, looking mildly annoyed. Rita says nothing as she scurries behind the drum kit and sits on her stool.
I hold up a finger, indicating Regina should wait just a moment longer so I can talk to my best friend. Regina’s annoyance grows, and she taps her toe against the hardwood floor, but she waits.
“Is everything okay?” I whisper, bending close to Rita.
“Yeah, everything’s fine.” She gives a quick smile and avoids my eyes. “I just needed to feed and Andre and Brigette stayed a little longer than I thought they would.”
“You just fed,” I say, feeling a surge of suspicion. “You shouldn’t n
eed to again already, should you?”
She rolls her eyes at me, but smiles when she says, “What’re you, my mother?”
I stare at her until she meets my gaze. When she does, I see a sheepish expression that worries me. “Are you with Andre? You know what he did to us…”
She sighs, peeks around me at the others to see how closely they’re listening. “No, I’m not with him, okay. Not technically. How’re we supposed to get busy with a werewolf nanny watching us anyway?”
“But you’re interested,” I hiss low. “Having feelings for him? Sympathy? Something is up.”
“I don’t know what’s going on,” she whisper-shouts, gesturing wildly with her hands. “Yeah, I feel something for him. Brigette said it’s probably due to the bond he and I now have. Like how you have a bond with Pierre ’cause he’s your maker. Only mine with Andre is growing stronger because he’s helping me. Look…” She glances down at her fingers then back at me. “He really is sorry for what he did. I know it’s hard to forgive him, but I think the more he proves himself, the more he deserves at least that—our forgiveness.”
I’m not impressed, to say the least. The one monster I’m not ready to forgive is Andre, but, for now, I have to let this go and trust Brigette won’t let Rita do anything stupid during the feeding and training sessions. After all, she wouldn’t want to put Glamour in any danger. Maybe Andre really can rehabilitate. Time will tell.
“Can we get this started?” the giant says in a deep, rumbling voice. “This hoodie is getting hot.” He pulls it off and I recognize our potential new band mate.
“Ugh, you’ve completely ruined his entrance, Rita Calhoun.” Regina glares at our drummer.
Rita shrugs, looking like a shamed dog. “Sorry.”
The big guy standing near Regina is the troll bartender I met at the pub Adam took us to when we first entered Glamour. Sean, I think his name was.
Regina waves her hands in front of Sean like she’s one of those showcase girls on that old game show and he’s a brand new refrigerator. “Meet your new lead guitarist, Sean Drover.”
Shifters & Bad Boys Bundle (Shifters & Bad Boys. Man love, bdsm, and rockstar romance. Book 1) Page 37