Authors: Sara Humphreys
Below the Bayou Escape restaurant was a thriving vampire jazz club, complete with a staff of human familiars who were clearly there to serve the vamps as needed. The main club space looked to be about the same size as The Coven, but instead of a DJ, there was a jazz band along the far wall. The coolest part was that the walls were covered in video screens that depicted New Orleans on a bright sunny day.
The screens on the left depicted a massive steamboat drifting on the Mississippi River beneath a crystal clear, blue sky, while the screens on the right showed the hustle and bustle of the French Quarter. The crowning achievement was the ceiling. At least twelve feet high, it was painted to resemble a gorgeous blue sky dotted with a few drifting clouds. Even the sun was shown shining brightly, and the whole ceiling seamlessly connected with the screens on the walls.
If Maya didn't know better, she'd think she was standing outside on a beautiful summer day and not two stories underground.
At the center of the club was a series of tables that looked much like the outdoor café tables Maya saw at several eateries in the French Quarter. Instead of feasting on beignets and gumbo, the vamps were partaking of the humans, who were clearly enjoying it. It was the largest gathering of vampires she had ever seen in one place, and every one of them was out and proud.
“This is amazing,” Maya whispered as Shane's arm slipped around her. She looked around in awe but didn't miss the look of pride on Diego's face. “I-It's absolutely incredible. Everyone isâ¦wellâ¦they're not hiding.”
“No.” Diego clasped his hands behind his back and surveyed the bustling club as he spoke. “Sebastian and I opened this place because we wanted our kind to have somewhere they could relax and socialize without fear of discovery.”
“The humans that work here,” Maya said quietly. “They're familiars?”
“Of course.” Diego swept his arms wide as they walked toward the wrought-iron railing, stopping short of the three steps that led into the main dining area. “All of my human employees are here because they want to be. No humans are allowed to be forced or glamoured into feedings at Bayou Escape. Diego and I live in apartments down here that are directly linked to the club, so the last thing we want are any bad vibes.”
“There are so many of them.” Maya nodded her understanding as a pretty, young human girl slipped by them and down the steps. She was dressed in a tiny red dress, but Maya noticed that the other humans weren't all adorned in the same outfits. Some of the human men were scantily clad but others wore business suits. “I've never seen anything like this.”
“Thank you, Maya.” Diego smiled, and his fangs flashed briefly. “We recently opened two other clubs here in the United States, one in Miami and the other in San Francisco. Both cities are neutral zones, as you know, and if Sebastian has anything to say about it, we'll be opening one in Geneva as well.”
Maya tensed at the mention of Geneva because it brought the summit, the werewolves, and everything else back to the forefront of her mind. She grimaced and flicked her gaze to Shane who, based on the look of concern on his face, had noticed her sudden change in demeanor.
“How are things in New York?” Diego asked quietly. “Any word on the birth of this immortal child? The whole event isâ¦strange.”
“Oh really?” Maya tensed and her defenses went up at the way he spoke about Olivia and the baby. “What exactly are you trying to say?”
“Apologies.” Diego's expression went from curious to concerned in a split second as he clasped his hands in front of himself and bowed his head. “Sometimes I forget myself. Olivia is your maker, is she not?”
“Yes.” Maya wrestled with her urge to punch Diego in the mouth. “She is. Which means that her daughter will be a part of my family too.”
“I meant no disrespect.” Diego flicked his gaze to Shane briefly before looking at Maya again. “But you can't tell me that you're surprised by the community's reaction to this whole bloodmate revelation, can you? I mean, honestly, daywalking vampires and immortal children are not exactly a common occurrence. I'm sure that you can understand why some vampires might be nervous.”
“I don't see why it's anybody else's business,” Maya said all too sweetly. “Olivia and Doug having the ability to daywalk. That is about themânot us or anyone else.” She glanced briefly at Shane. “It's nobody's business but theirs.”
“Of course, youngling. Diego was merely expressing a natural curiosity,” Shane said evenly. His arm tightened around Maya's waist, and his fingers brushed her hip in gentle, reassuring strokes. “I'm sure that once Olivia and Doug introduce their child to our community, everyone's nerves will be calmed.”
“Perhaps.” Diego let out a sigh. “The truth is, unless there is some kind of outbreak of bloodmates, the only daywalking most vampires will ever be able to do is in one of our clubs. Be honest, this is as close to a sunny day as any of us will see. Am I right?”
“Your club is second to none,” Shane said as he shot a glance in Maya's direction. “Isn't it, Maya?”
“It is the first all-vampire club I've been in, but I can't imagine one that would be any more perfect.” Maya smiled sweetly at Diego and kept her tone even. As nice a host as Diego might be, she didn't like the tone he took when he spoke about Olivia and Doug being bloodmates, but she knew it was best to keep her feelings to herself. “Perhaps you should speak with the czars about opening a club in New York.”
“Oh no.” Diego made a face and shook his head. “We will only operate our clubs in neutral zones because they're really the only places where the clubs are needed. Our clubs provide a safe haven for vampires in cities where no single government is in power. Besides, Sebastian and I quite like being the go-to club for the vamp set. There's a certain exclusivity that we enjoy.”
“Speaking of which, is our private dining room ready?” Shane asked.
“Of course.” Diego clapped his hands and gestured for them to follow him. “What am I doing talking politics anyway? We have much more fun matters to address, like your special evening. Right this way.”
They turned down a hallway to the left that was lined with a series of mahogany doors, each of them identified with brass numbers. They reached the door at the end of the hallway, marked number thirteen, and Diego promptly opened the door and ushered them into the room.
The space was about ten feet square and was entirely black, from the ceiling to the ebony tiled floor. Dim lighting emanated from glittering chandeliers in the ceiling, giving the space a seductive feel. Along the back wall of the room was an elegant table with a pristine white tablecloth and a lit candle flickering brightly at the center. Instead of chairs there was a curved, cushioned red bench encircling the table that could easily seat four or five people. “Are you alright, dear?” Diego asked Maya with a knowing glance at Shane. “You seem surprised.”
“Well⦔ Maya stepped out of Shane's embrace and walked toward the center of the room, looking around with curiosity. “It's not exactly what I expected. I guess I thought it would look like daytime the way the main dining room does.”
“Patience, my dear,” Diego said with mild amusement. “Don't have private spaces like this at The Coven, do you?”
“Private rooms?” Maya arched one eyebrow and waved one hand. “No. Nothing like this. The only other room in the club, aside from the main dance floor, is Olivia's office.”
“Well, this room is all yours for the evening.” Diego winked at Maya and punched a button next to the door. An instant later, the curved walls and ceiling flickered to life, making her squint at the sudden brightness of the space. Maya let out a gasp when she found herself bathed in sunlight and surrounded by the banks of the Mississippi River.
“Oh my gosh,” Maya whispered. Shane's fingers tightened over hers almost imperceptibly when she smiled at him. “This is beautiful. It looks like we're actually outside and sitting by the river.”
“Then my goal has been achieved.” Diego bowed gallantly. “Some of the familiars will arrive shortly so you can feed. I wasn't sure what your preferences are, so I'm sending in an assortment of choices. Other than that, you will be uninterrupted.” He gave Shane a knowing smile. “If you'd like to remain undisturbed, simply flip the lock above the handle and a Do Not Disturb light will go on outside, alerting my staff to yourâ¦
desires
.”
“Thank you, Diego.” Shane crossed the room and shook hands with their host. “Your service is second to none.”
The door clicked shut, leaving them alone in the beautiful space. Maya suddenly felt nervous because she was totally uncertain about what was going to happen. She'd never had a human brought to her willingly, and the idea made her oddly uncomfortable. She folded her arms over her chest and began to fiddle with her necklace through the sweater.
“So, the humans will just come in here and let me feed on them?” Maya asked in a far shakier voice than she expected. “That's kind of weird.”
“Come here.” A slow smile spread across Shane's face as he extended one hand and waved her closer. Maya's stomach fluttered as that sexy, smoldering gaze of his wandered over her body in such a way that she could swear she practically felt his hands on her. “I promise that tonight we will satisfy all of your appetites.”
Maya closed the distance between them and placed her quivering fingers in the steady grip of his hand. His flesh encompassed hers, making any nervousness she felt drift away like smoke. Staring into his exquisitely handsome face, she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this man would never hurt her. He wouldn't strike her or force her into something she wasn't comfortable with.
Holding her stare, his lips whispered over her knuckles and everything fell into place.
She loved him. God help her. She was totally, completely, and irrevocably in love with Shane. The realization was both terrifying and exhilarating, but not as much as the idea that he might not feel the same way. Even though she wanted to tell him, to shout it to the world, she didn't. Instead she whispered, “IâI trust you.”
“I would hope so,” Shane murmured before standing to his full height and escorting her to the table. He kissed her hand, allowed her to sit on the bench and then slipped onto it next to her. Draping his arm behind her, he played with a long strand of her hair and pointed to the scene scrolling across the wall. “I chose the river scene because I thought it was the most lively. If I close my eyes, I can practically smell the water.”
“It's gorgeous, Shane.” Maya snuggled into his embrace and rested her head on his shoulder while they watched the steamboat drift lazily by on the river. “If I didn't know better, I'd say that I could actually feel the sun on my skin.”
“Heat lamps.” Shane pointed to the ceiling. “Clever, isn't it? Diego and Sebastian are making a fortune with these places because where else can a vampire feed openly? I brought you here, Maya, because I wanted to give you the opportunity to have a live feed. It's important to you, and you can do it here without breaking Olivia's no-hunting rule.”
Oddly enough, Maya's hunger had taken a backseat to her other feelings. A knock at the door interrupted them, and Maya's stomach tightened with anticipation. She scooted even closer to Shane and rested her hand on his thigh, the muscles flickering beneath her touch. He gave her a sideways glance and shouted, “Come in.”
A parade of ten humans, five men and five women, strolled into the room and lined up in front of Shane and Maya's table. Diego had told them he was sending in several choices, and he wasn't kidding. Not only were the humans of different races and varying ages, but they were also dressed in an assortment of styles. The man wearing the suit looked much like a human she would have selected in the past, yet choosing a man seemed wrong.
“Do any of them appeal to you?” Shane asked, his fingers trailing tiny circles over her shoulder. “See anything you
want
?”
“I usually fed on men,” she said quietly. Shane's body tensed against her, and though he didn't say it, she knew he didn't want her feeding on a man. Maya smiled and squeezed his thigh beneath the table. “Perhaps it's time for a change.”
“Perhaps,” Shane murmured. Without taking his eyes off Maya, he said in a firm tone, “The men can leave.”
Taking a deep breath, Maya turned her attention to the five women, all of whom were staring at Shane. The tall brunette dressed in a blue evening gown with a curvy, lush figure was licking her lower lip and practically screaming,
Fuck
me
. Maya looked at Shane who, to her great delight, was looking at Maya, not the busty brunette.
“What's your name?” Maya asked the petite redhead. The girl, who looked about Maya's age, was dressed in a pair of shorts and a T-shirt.
“Rita,” she replied quietly. She fiddled with the frayed edge of her cutoff jeans. “Rita Sue.”
“I'd like Rita to stay,” Maya said. She didn't miss the look of disappointment on the brunette's face. “The rest of you can go. Thank you.”
“What about you?” the brunette asked Shane. Hands on her hips, she watched the other three women leave and then turned her attention back to Shane. “A big fella like you must be hungry.”
A pang of jealously swamped Maya, and she wanted to fly over the table to rip the broad's long hair right off her head. She didn't want Shane feasting on another woman, human or vampire, any more than he wanted her near another man. Luckily, Shane spoke up before fangs started to fly.
“While I appreciate your offer, I will politely decline.” Shane looked at Maya lovingly. “I have all I desire right here. You are dismissed.”
The brunette flounced out of the room, giving Maya a withering look on the way out. Rita moved in silently and sat next to Maya. Giving her a shy smile, Rita shrugged and said, “Where would you prefer to feed?”