“It’s very nice to meet you both,” Maya said, leaning into Shane’s embrace and giving him a coquettish look. “But I can assure you that my experiences with Shane have been quite pleasurable.”
“I’m sure this evening will be no different.” Sebastian sent Shane a knowing look and then snapped his fingers at the hostess. “Maryanne, please make sure the wine-cellar staff is notified that our guests have arrived.”
“Yes, sir,” Maryanne responded.
“This way,” Sebastian said with a sweeping gesture. “As you can tell, the main floor of the building is a restaurant for our human clientele.”
“Yes.” Maya’s hand fluttered to the necklace hidden beneath her sweater, hunger swamping her along with the swarm of heartbeats. “It looks like you have a booming business.”
“True.” Sebastian winked at her over his shoulder. “But it’s nothing compared to our facility downstairs.”
Maya linked her hand with Shane’s as they walked down the hallway behind their hosts, and she snuck a glimpse at him. His strong, masculine profile contrasted starkly with Diego and Sebastian’s more metrosexual flair. Shane was all man and sexy from head to toe. Suddenly, the idea of feasting on a human seemed far less appealing to Maya, and all she could think about was feasting on Shane.
The wallpaper was black with a gold scrolled design, and the ornate crystal light fixtures hanging from the ceiling cast a glittering light over the hallway. The black carpet whispered beneath her sandals, and she ran one hand over the skirt of her sundress, wishing she’d worn something else. She looked past Sebastian and Diego and could easily see the lavish dining room ahead that was filled with human patrons and bustling with elegantly dressed waitstaff.
As they got closer, Maya’s necklace began to hum against her chest and that tugging sensation filled her gut, making it glaringly clear there were more than just humans enjoying the ambience of Bayou Escape. She tightened her grip on Shane’s hand and touched her mind to his. There’s a werewolf in there, Shane. My necklace is doing that buzzing thing.
I know. His voice was tight and edged with tension, but looking at him, no one would suspect how he was feeling. I picked up the scent, and it’s getting stronger as we get closer to the dining room.
“It seems your restaurant has become popular with all kinds of people, Sebastian.” Shane’s voice was light and his tone was casual, but Maya knew better. “But I suppose that’s to be expected in a neutral zone like New Orleans.”
“Yes.” Sebastian nodded. He waved to a bearded man seated toward the front of the dining room but kept his voice down. “We get all kinds in here, and my business wouldn’t have lasted this long without tolerance. I can assure you there will be no trouble in our establishment, Shane.”
“Of course,” Shane murmured. “I’d expect nothing less.”
Maya inched closer to the shelter of Shane’s body, and though she tried not to look, she couldn’t stop herself. She scanned the room and within seconds found herself locking gazes with the bearded man that Sebastian had gestured at. A slow smile cracked his face, and he raised his glass to Shane and Maya.
“Who is that?” Maya asked as they stopped by the dining-room entrance. Her necklace hummed beneath her sweater with more force as her hand drifted over it. “That man with the beard?”
“You have sharp instincts for a youngling,” Sebastian murmured. “No wonder they’re training you to be a sentry. That’s Otto. He’s one of our regulars, and before you ask, yes, he’s a werewolf. He’s a loner, and from what we hear, he doesn’t have a pack, which is one of the reasons I don’t mind having him as a guest.”
“Besides,” Diego added, “he’s loaded, and it’s fine by us if he wants to spend his money here on whatever human girl he’s bedding at the moment.”
“So, he’s not connected with the werewolf royalty?” Shane asked evenly.
“Not that I’m aware of.” Sebastian’s brow furrowed and he looked at them curiously. “Why do you ask?”
“I may not be on duty at the moment,” Shane said with a smile, “but I still represent the Presidium. You know that our relationship with the wolves is delicate, and I’m sure the czars would want me to pay my respects if a member of the royal family or their entourage was here.”
“Of course,” Diego murmured. “Fear not, old friend. Otto is of no importance, at least not as far as politics are concerned. He’s merely a wealthy wolf with an insatiable appetite.”
Maybe we should leave. Maya touched Shane’s mind as she squeezed his hand in hers. What if he knows who I am?
I don’t believe he’s of any concern. Sebastian and Diego would know if Otto was connected to the royal family, and believe me, they’d tell us.
Maya tried to relax and take Shane’s common-sense approach, but that memory of the wolf attack was still vivid. To Maya’s great relief, Sebastian turned to the right and opened a black lacquered door which, to her surprise, led into an elevator. Diego tugged open a brass gate and stepped into the tiny elevator ahead of them. When they slipped inside, Sebastian closed the gate and remained in the hall.
“I must bid you farewell at this point, but Diego will take you the rest of the way.” Sebastian grinned and quickly flashed his fangs. “Enjoy.”
A chill ran up Maya’s spine and relief flooded her when the door closed and Sebastian’s grinning face vanished, along with the scent of the werewolf. As the vibrating of her necklace subsided, Shane wrapped his arm around her waist, once again sensing exactly what she needed. The hum of the elevator filled the space, and she watched the cement wall whisk by through the gate before the car finally came to an abrupt halt.
“Apologies for the bumpy landing,” Diego said with a smile. “The elevator can be quite temperamental.”
“That’s okay.” Maya laughed. “So can I.”
“I like to think of you as spirited,” Shane said, kissing the top of her head. “It’s what will make you a great sentry.”
“Are you enjoying the sentry training?” Diego asked, tugging open the gate. “I’ve heard it’s quite strenuous.”
“It’s been…interesting.” Maya lifted one shoulder and struggled with exactly how much she should reveal. “Shane is a wonderful teacher.”
“A teacher is only as good as his student,” Shane interjected with a sly look.
“Yes.” Diego stepped out and held the door open for them. A moment later, sexy jazz music filled the air. “Well, Quesada may be a great sentry, but Sebastian and I have cornered the market on knowing how to service our customers. I do hope you’ll enjoy your time here.”
Maya was about to answer him but was rendered speechless when she saw what was waiting for them. With her hand linked firmly with Shane’s, she looked around in awe as the elevator door shut tightly behind them and a whole new world was revealed.
Chapter 13
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.