Texas Hold 'Em (18 page)

Megan and I threaded our way through the people to the tables situated farthest away from the dance floor, making it slightly less impossible to communicate over the music.

Megan walked up to one of the booths, where a bored-looking guy wearing black jeans and a “Sisters of Mercy” shirt nursed a vibrant green drink. The table held half a dozen glasses in various states of fullness, and I guessed that this man was the designated table watcher.

Megan leaned over and, making sure she had his full attention—which, when you looked as good as Megan did, wasn’t difficult—began speaking to him. I couldn’t hear what was said, but he got up and wandered off toward the pinball machines. It was the first time I had witnessed her Push someone: using the innate ability vampires had to convince the weaker- willed to do their bidding.

I slid into the booth feeling more than a little guilty at sending the poor guy off. He was going to catch hell from his friends when they found out he had lost their table.

I forgot all about stealing the table, however, when Megan scooted in next to me. I instinctively put my arm around her as she pressed against me and rested a hand on my thigh.

Amazingly, a waitress found us not long after we sat down. The vampire cleared the table, expertly balancing the glasses on a black plastic tray while she took our order without the assistance of pen and paper. We went ahead and ordered for Lacey, assuming she’d return sooner or later.

Once the waitress left, I leaned back and did my best to look casual while scanning the club for the vampire master of Central Texas. Everyone was dressed the same, and in the mass of black clothing, pale skin, and long dyed hair, it was impossible.

Every once in a while I sensed a vampire coming close, but it was so crowded I couldn’t pinpoint who it was. And nobody seemed particularly interested in us, other than one irate girl who came off the dance floor and was surprised to find us sitting at what presumably had been her table. She stormed off into the crowd to find the poor guy who gave it up.

“Give it some time; he’ll turn up. At least he better. If he insists on receiving us in public, with no other instructions than a time and the name of a club, then he
should
come to us.” I wasn’t sure if Megan was thinking out loud or had assumed I was impatient. Either way, her displeasure was evident. It was obvious that some sort of vampire etiquette was not being followed to her satisfaction. She had removed her hand from my leg so she could cross her arms, and her brows were getting more furrowed by the minute.

“The waitress is a vampire—should we ask her?”

“If no one shows up soon, we might have to.”

I was on edge enough without Megan’s usually calm demeanor crumbling. She was nervous bringing me here, and it was rubbing off on me.

I sucked in a breath and tried to pull things back into perspective so her displeasure wouldn’t send me over the edge: The music wasn’t my taste, but it wasn’t bad. The beer the waitress had just delivered was cold, and the girl sitting next to me was smoking hot.

I let out the breath, pulled Megan closer, and took a swig of beer. Closing my eyes, I pushed everything else but the present out of my mind. Megan kept her arms crossed, but nestled into me a little further. Her cool skin felt nice in the heat of the club.

We ordered a second round of drinks, including one for Lacey in case she decided to show back up. I was going to ask Megan if she wanted to dance when the bench seat cushion bounced up a couple of inches. Megan’s quick reflexes prevented her from spilling her drink. I wasn’t quite as lucky; a splash burped out of the bottle and ran down my hand.

Lacey had launched herself into the other side of the booth. She dropped a huge basket of fries hidden by a mound of chili and melted cheese, along with a couple of juicy burgers, between us.

“Check out these fries!”

I was met with an intoxicating aroma of grease, meat, and spices. I decided dancing could wait a bit, and if the master vampire continued to be a no-show I might finally get to eat a decent meal. The trick would be to eat quickly, before Lacey could consume hers and start in on mine.

Lacey said something around a mouthful of burger that sounded like “Do you have an umpire?” but which I interpreted to be “So, where is this vampire?”

“Not sure. Megan thinks he’ll show himself soon.”

Lacey shrugged, indicating that with food on the table, finding him was currently low on her priority list. She snatched a second fry and scooped up a smear of melted cheese with it.

“Okay, Megan, so ‘fess up. What do you know about the man in charge?”

“Nothing,” Megan said. “Are you really going to eat that?” She was staring at our food with a mixture of wonder and revulsion.

“Yes. And you are such a liar—you do too know something,” said Lacey.

I had reclaimed my arm from around Megan so I could use both hands to eat. I was determined to finish my meal before something interrupted it. The waitress showed up with our drinks: a rum and Coke for Lacey, a martini for Megan, and a Newcastle for myself. I lost precious seconds having to get out my wallet and pay her.

Megan gave a last uncertain look at our meals and then answered Lacey. “I don’t know much. I know the master’s name is Mirari, and they have a certain reputation…Seriously, guys, that looks disgusting. Even if I was still human, I don’t think I could do it. It’s like pure grease.”

The chili-cheese fries were actually good. I tried telling her as much, but through the mouthful of food I’m not sure she understood me.

Lacey was slightly better versed at talking with her mouth full, and got across, “Reputation, huh? Is this clown a brutal killer or what?”

“Not exactly.” Distinctly uncomfortable—at either the question or watching us consume our food, I couldn’t be sure—Megan turned away from me slightly and resumed searching for the vampire amongst the crowd.

Lacey took a rare pause to prod Megan. “Well? Spill it, girl. If they don’t have a reputation for draining humans dry and leaving their empty husks buried out in the woods somewhere, then what’s the problem?”

“They have a reputation for indulging in carnal pleasures,” said Megan without turning around.

“What’s wrong with that? So they throw wild parties. It could be a lot worse,” Lacey said.

I had to agree. “Horny vampires are better than murderous ones.”

“Well, Chance, you
would
be the expert.”

This time Megan turned. She tried to take a swipe at Lacey, but I was in her way.

“
Anyway
. Some vampires see themselves as above humanity. They think people are for fun, entertainment, and of course food.”

“I’m still not seeing a problem here,” said Lacey. “I feel the same way about most guys.”

Megan sighed. “Fine, but some of these vampires trade their…humans back and forth. You know, they share.”

“Oh. Oh! I get it!” Lacey scooted around the booth, probably to get closer to my burger, and gave me a little elbow in the side. “This guy is a vampire swinger! Megan wasn’t worried about us getting killed; she was worried about having to share her boy-toy with the other kids on the playground!”

“Of course I was worried about you getting killed!” said Megan.

“And getting lucky, apparently,” Lacey said, pulling her almost-empty basket to her new location. I believe she considered whether she could switch baskets quickly without my noticing.

“Hey. Luck has nothing to do with it. I got mad skillz with the ladies. Women want me,” I said, placing a hand on my basket.

“What if it’s not a lady?” asked Lacey, frowning at my move.

“Dude, lady; it doesn’t make a difference. My hotness defies gender boundaries. Seriously, though—whoever it is, they’re sure taking their sweet time. Are you positive you got the right day?” I asked Megan.

“Maybe he stood us up?” Lacey ventured.

“I talked to Donovan less than two hours ago. This is the right date, right time, right place,” Megan huffed.

“Well, there are definitely vampires here; I mean, besides the one sitting next to me. You would think one of them would bother to stop by and greet the newcomer.”

“So which ones are the vamps?” asked Lacey.

“No idea. Without invading their personal space, I can’t tell them apart from anyone else.”

“So go stalk some vamps until you find the most powerful one and then tell him to get his ass over here. Or are you worried the vampires might think you’re creepy?”

“Funny. And nice try, Lacey, but I’m not leaving my food unattended.”

I ate as fast as I could, but Lacey had polished off her basket while I was only halfway through my burger. She was helping me eat my fries when Bryan walked up, surrounded by the pleasant-looking group that had been sequestered outside the club. This close up, I knew that at least a couple of them were vampires and, by the vibe I was getting, powerful ones.

Bryan had somehow managed to find a girl, despite this scene being the polar opposite of what he thrived in, which was something like a bastardization of redneck and Guido. The way he treated women, it never stopped amazing me that he constantly attracted them.

This one was pretty—a cross between a Latina Morticia Addams and a Suicide Girl. When they stopped, she scooted under his arm, wrapping her own around his chest.

Standing next to my brother and his latest girlfriend was an older guy, maybe in his forties, fully decked out in burgundy and black Renaissance- gothic attire, including a large tri-cornered hat with an enormous plume sticking out of it. His dyed-black hair hung in long glossy ringlets, framing a face caked with makeup that would have done Alice Cooper proud.

“Dude! Check it out! My brother with the two hottest girls in the joint!” Bryan said, ignoring the hurt pout from the raven-haired waif hanging off of him. The rest of the entourage had backed off a little, giving the costumed guy space.

“I see, Bryan! And I thought we were going to be talking to Donovan’s emissary from California, but it’s clear who’s in charge here.” The fop gave me a smile he thought was clever, but it ended up just smarmy.

I realized then that between Megan pressed against one side of me, and Lacey leaning over the other to get at my food, I must have looked like a sports star or pimp.

The vampire bowed, going so far as to roll his hat off his head with one hand. He winked at me before standing, replanting his hat, and giving the girl attached to my brother a questioning smile.

“Oh, by all means continue,” she said, and the fop directed his next words to Megan.

“We apologize for keeping you waiting, my dear. We met your companion’s brother outside, and were so enraptured by all his witty discourse, I’m afraid we lost track of time.”

I had no idea what Bryan had told them, but I assumed that any amusement that came from it was directed more at him than at the contents of his speech. And it would most definitely come back to haunt us.

“He’s a treat!” said the girl draped all over my brother.

“I understand completely,” Megan said, but by the horrified look on her face, it was clear she couldn’t possibly understand how someone would call the stuff that came out of Bryan’s mouth either a treat or witty discourse.

“I’m Marie,” said the girl, giving us a little wave with her fingers. “Do you like cats?” she asked the table in general. “I do. That’s why I like Bryan here. He’s like my big tom cat.”

“Marie?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“When were you born?” I had a hunch.

“It’s rude to ask a lady that question, but I don’t mind. In fifty- two.”

“So, I hear there were a lot of drugs back in the sixties.” Lacey had picked up my reasoning and took over the line of questioning.

“In the sixties? Oh! Yeah. Sure, I guess. Well, that I can remember. Most of
those
years are hazy, you know?”

“I kind of figured,” I said.

The head guy held out his hand palm down, leaning over so Megan could reach it.

“Nocturne,” he uttered with a completely straight face.

“Megan Grant,” she said, quickly bending forward to gently kiss the back of his hand and hide the grimace she couldn’t contain at hearing his name.

The lightning-quick sideways glance she shot me before straightening back up let me know she was having the same doubts I was about the master vampire of Central Texas. He certainly didn’t look much like a Casanova, though a gothic vampire would definitely attract a lot of a certain type.

“Nocturne? You’re not serious?” Lacey outright laughed, and I wondered if she was going to be any better than Bryan in this encounter.

Megan’s look told me she was thinking the same thing. She tried to kick Lacey under the table, and I winced when most of it landed on my shin. Lacey got the idea, though, and did her best to compose herself. She succeeded for the most part after a final snicker escaped her.

Nocturne made a show of ignoring Lacey’s question and continued to address Megan. “Now then, if you would excuse yourself from your companions, we can retire to somewhere more private. I understand you had a favor you wanted to ask of us.”

“I’m coming with you,” I said, before Megan could get a word out. She squeezed my thigh in annoyance with a strength that made me go cross- eyed.

“Me, too, Lord Nocturne, sir,” said Lacey, using the side of her finger to scrape the last of the chili from my basket before sticking it in her mouth.

He ignored us, looking at Megan expectantly.

“Would you mind terribly if they came along?” Megan asked in a defeated tone.

He sighed. “I suppose not. Very well, then. If you have all finished eating, you may follow me.” A small smile cracked his lips as he held out his hand to Megan.

I have to note here that it’s impossible to look cool while climbing out of a restaurant booth. I tried to look as imposing as possible in front of this group of vampires, but something about the sideways scoot- and-lunge seriously detracted from any posturing I might have tried.

We had no sooner risen than a short round guy and his tall thin counterpart immediately occupied our former table.

Megan took Nocturne’s proffered hand, and the rest of us followed behind them. The waitress passed us before we had taken five steps, somehow sensing that a new set of thirsty patrons had taken the table.