As I debated the wisdom of sitting next to the young girl, I saw a glimmer in her eyes and suddenly understood. I was her heroine, her savior. Vampire or not, she wanted to make a connection with me.
I glanced over at Nerissa, who was curled in the recliner. Definitely one of the Rainier Pumas, all right. She had the same feral topaz eyes and golden hair the rest of the clan did, but she was dressed in a skirt suit and pumps, and her hair was caught back in a neat chignon. She looked like she'd come directly from work.
"You must be Nerissa. I'm Menolly D'Artigo. Iris and I found Anna-Linda last night in an alley." I held out my hand and Nerissa stood and smoothly took it, giving no indication that she noticed my skin was far cooler than her own.
"You mean you rescued me," Anna-Linda broke in.
Nerissa gave her a smile. "Anna-Linda, maybe you should let Menolly and me have a little chat. I think Ms. Kuusi said she's going to be making some tea. She could probably use some help."
Nerissa had a nice voice. Smooth skin… she looked sweet and firm. And I wasn't just talking her demeanor. The appealing glow of her tanned neck entranced me for a moment and I felt my fangs begin to extend. Startled by the direction my thoughts were taking me, I nodded abruptly. "She's right, Iris could use some help. Why don't you go see how she's doing?"
Anna-Linda looked disappointed but she unfolded herself and headed toward the kitchen. As she disappeared into the hallway, I motioned for Nerissa to join me in the parlor. "We'll be back in a moment," I told Delilah. Glancing darkly at the two men, I added, "Meanwhile, you all keep your claws in. Promise?"
Delilah blushed and Zach ducked his head. Chase just rolled his eyes, but they all nodded. I led Nerissa into the parlor and closed the door, just in case Anna-Linda returned before we were done with our conversation.
"I gather Iris told you what we found out, and Chase filled in the blanks?" I asked.
She sat on the arm of the Morris chair, balancing herself lightly with one hand. It was all I could do to tear myself away from the sight of her legs as she crossed them, left over right. Unnerved by the intensity of my attention, I forced my gaze up to her face.
"Yes, they did. Poor girl's been through a lot, but I really, don't recommend you keep her here. Trust me, a lot of street kids come through my office. While they may idolize you if you rescue them, they're not always trustworthy. Anna-Linda's a victim, and she would have been far worse off if you hadn't gotten her away from those pimps, but she's still in survival mode. And people in survival mode…"
"Are capable of a lot of things they normally wouldn't do," I finished for her. "She's still running scared and who knows what she might think of."
Nerissa let out a long sigh. "Exactly. I hate to say it, but you can't let your sympathy blind you. She's been traumatized to the point of where she's acting on impulse. Right now she's enamored because you saved her from the pimps, but give her a day or two to calm down and she might start thinking about her brother and how he was killed by vampires. Staying with Ms. Morgan would be best for her at the moment."
Nerissa was right. Anna-Linda was a walking time bomb. We had too much riding on our shoulders to take care of an FBH child. And if her mother found out we had her, there could be hell to pay. But Nerissa passed in society and she worked within the system, so she knew how to play it for all it was worth. She'd be able to hide the fact that Siobhan was a Supe, because Siobhan kept it under wraps so well.
"Makes a lot of sense, but how are we going to convince her to stay with Siobhan? She's already threatened to run away, I gather." My nose twitched.
Nerissa smelled of rose soap and a wisp of talc. As I watched her, the glow in her cheeks brightened as her breasts rose and fell, lifting with each breath. I found myself wanting to reach out, to run my fingers over the smooth skin I imagined was hiding beneath her silk blouse. Quickly I beat a hasty retreat to the other side of the room where I ostensibly stared out the window.
The air in the room felt close, thickening as the silence between us grew. About to jump out of my skin, wondering why she hadn't answered, I turned too quickly, only to bump into her. Nerissa had silently crossed to stand at my back.
"Maybe you can help us," she said, her voice soft.
Startled, my fangs came out and I grabbed her wrist. I was so thirsty, all I could think about was kissing the delicate skin of her neck and sinking my teeth deep with luxurious abandon.
Nerissa's eyes widened but she stood her ground. "Menolly. You're hurting my wrist," she said, her voice firm. I could sense fear there, but it was well controlled.
Forcing myself to let go, I rose to the ceiling until I could gather my composure. As my fangs retracted, I tried to figure out what the hell had just happened. I usually kept better control of myself than that, although I'd warned Delilah over and over not to startle me. She walked so softly that I couldn't detect her, and Nerissa had done the same.
"Are you okay?" Nerissa asked.
Hornier than I'd been since before my death, I lowered myself to the ground but kept a careful distance between us.
"You damned Weres. One piece of advice you might want to pass on to the Pride: Never sneak up on vampires. Weres, especially werecats, have the ability to skulk. Trust me, you do not want to surprise a vamp who might not be willing to pull her fangs back in." Angry that I'd been caught unawares, I folded my arms and stared at her.
She blushed a delicate shade of rose and her hand fluttered to her neck. "I'm sorry. I guess I have a lot to learn about your kind. I apologize."
"Yeah, yeah… just remember next time. Now, how can I help convince Anna-Linda to go with you?"
I needed time to process my confusion. I'd always been attracted to both men and women, so that wasn't what scared me. No, what bothered me was that Nerissa hadn't backtracked when I'd put the moves on her. That had been a good thing, actually. If she'd broke and run, I might have attacked without thinking. But there was something else—a look in her eye that told me that she wasn't blushing just out of embarrassment.
"I was thinking you could charm her. It might be the easiest way. Or your sisters could. Don't you all have some sort of ability to enchant humans?"
The idea hadn't even occurred to me. "Well, yes. It's part of our father's bloodline—the Fae can charm with a kiss or a touch or sometimes just a look. And the fact that I'm a vampire doesn't hurt matters any. I suppose you might be right. If she thinks she's going along with the idea of her own accord, she won't feel we've abandoned her."
"Exactly," Nerissa said. "So will you do it?"
With a shrug, I nodded. "I don't see why not."
"Good, then it's settled." As she headed for the door, she stopped and turned. "By the way, just so you know, I felt it, too," she said, her lips curling into a suggestive smile. "The heat, that is. I'm not seeing anybody right now. Give me a call if you want. I'm not afraid of a good challenge, you know, and Venus the Moon Child trained me."
As she headed out the door, I followed more slowly, wondering what the hell to make of her invitation. Just what had Venus the Moon Child trained her for? He was a wild old shaman. Nerissa wasn't a vamp wannabe. But she had a kinky side hidden under that chignon and Ann Taylor suit, that much was clear. The question was, did I want to find out just how kinky?
CHAPTER 5
It was a simple matter, really. I sat down with Anna-Linda in the kitchen and took her hands in mine. As she looked at me, I let down my shields that kept both vampire and Fae glamours in check.
Anna-Linda blinked a couple of times, but it didn't take long before I felt her will capitulate. She was still young and easy to control. A flicker of guilt raced through me. I was about to mess with her mind, to fill her head with my own thoughts and make her believe they were her own.
I paused, trying to convince myself that I was doing the right thing. After all, if she did snap and decide to avenge her brother's death, I'd be a handy target. Unacceptable risk. Kids had a knack for ferreting out secrets. It wouldn't take her long to discover my hiding place. So I pushed aside my doubts and turned on the charm.
"Anna-Linda, listen to me."
My voice echoed slightly, and she blinked, then looked at me as if I were the only person who existed in her universe.
"You want to stay with Siobhan. She's going to take good care of you and you won't give her any trouble. You'll think this was all your idea, and you won't run away unless your life is in danger. If something bad happens, you'll come tell us about it. Do you understand?" My voice slid over her like warm honey, and a peaceful look spread across the girl's face.
She nodded, her face blank. "I want to stay with Siobhan."
"That's right. And you won't cause any trouble. You'll help her out and listen to her." As she repeated my instructions, I slowly withdrew my energy, like a wave rolling back out to sea, leaving behind only the aftermath of the storm surge. After that, it was a simple matter to send her off with Nerissa, who promised to call the next morning. As I shut the door behind them, Camille put her hand on my shoulder.
"Anna-Linda will be better off at Siobhan's house," she said. "We aren't set up to take care of a child and you know it."
I stared at the silent door. "It's been a long time since that girl's been a child, Camille. She's seen things and done things no child ever should be forced to do." Images of Dredge flashed through my mind. I wasn't his only victim. No doubt, there had been plenty of Anna-Lindas to suit his twisted desires. I'd been lucky, I was older, more capable of coping with the aftermath than a child.
Camille swallowed. Her blood was running hot today, I could feel the warmth from where I stood. And her emotions flared in her aura. She was angry, wanting to run with the Hunt, to track down and destroy. But all she said was, "I know, Menolly. That's why we do what we do."
"I'm heading to the Wayfarer early unless Chase has any news on our missing vampires. Maybe I can catch a few faces who don't make it to the late shift when I'm working. I might be able to find out something." As I pulled on a leather jacket—not against the cold, but because it looked good on me and made me look tough at the bar—Camille stopped me.
"You did the right thing, Menolly. Don't feel guilty."
I let out a little huff and, once again, told her the lie that I kept repeating to myself and everyone else. "I don't feel guilt anymore. Not really."
As I headed out the door, she whispered just loud enough for me to hear, "Right. But just in case you do, remember—guilt is a luxury that we can no longer afford. We have to use whatever comes our way to battle the coming darkness."
I gave her a sharp nod, thinking that my oldest sister was turning into a clone of me, and that had me a little worried. Then, as silently as shadows dancing, I darted down the steps toward my Jag. Camille was right, of course. I'd saved Anna-Linda. So why did I feel like I'd let her down?
A blast of noise hit me as I strode through the doors of the Wayfarer, the conversation shoring up the music to create a cacophony of reverberation that thundered off the walls. Business had picked up over the past few weeks and now all shifts were swamped. A good thing, considering the OIA no longer paid us a salary, and whatever money we made, we had to earn through our cover jobs.
Every table and booth was jammed. The Wayfarer had gone from being a quiet respite for OW visitors to a down-and-dirty hangout joint for everybody from Fae to the Earthside Supe community to FBHs.
I slipped behind the counter and Luke—a werewolf I'd recently hired—shot me a grateful look.
"Am I ever glad to see you. Every night we're getting busier. Any chance we could hire another bartender?" He brushed back a lock of unruly hair from his forehead. In his midthirties, he was a cutie.
Short—barely five-eight—Luke's muscles glistened in all the right places. His wheat-colored ponytail trailed down to his waist. A long scar decorated his face, jagged and faded, obviously an old injury. I wasn't sure how he'd gotten it and I wasn't going to ask. Luke would tell me if he wanted to. All I cared about was the fact that he could whip out a round of drinks in record time and they were never returned with complaints.
I tied on my apron and started working on the next order. Two Long Island Iced Teas, a shot of Cryptozoid ale, and a Fire-Snorter, an OW drink that involved way too much alcohol and a match. As I picked up the Anadite brandy, I scanned the room, then abruptly put down the shot glass I'd been about to fill.
"Luke, has anything out of the ordinary happened tonight?" There was a sense of dread in the air, something out of kilter, and I didn't like the way it felt.
He shook his head. "Nope. Had to break up a brawl about an hour ago, though." With a nod, he directed my attention to one of the booths. "See that guy in the booth there?"
The man Luke pointed out looked like an OW Fae, but there was something odd about him. Something otherworldly that took him out of the Fae realm entirely.
"Yeah, what about him?" I kept my voice low. Odds were nobody could hear me over this din, but I wasn't taking chances. Almost all Supes had superior hearing and I never knew just who might be in the bar.
"I suddenly see this dude standing by the booth. Another guy shows up and they get into it. Loud and obnoxious. I'm not sure what the argument was over, but I tell you, this guy is scary. I pulled out the shotgun and was headed over to break it up, when all of a sudden, the other guy just vanishes. Poof."