Chapter 8 Kayla #2
There was something eager to please in his tone, not a note I expected to hear from him.
“Yes, thank you.” I kept my gaze averted from his in case the same need to please existed in his eyes.
I could resist him better if I didn’t see such a human emotion in him. I needed to recreate him in my mind as the monster vampires had always been for me. We were natural enemies, after all. Vampires who experienced immortal life and witches who could command life.
Especially me. My affinity for the dark gave me more command than most.
It also seemed to give me an irresistible draw for vampires, or that had been the case with the House of Ricard. They’d kept me as their own. Used me. I shivered, cold at the thoughts of the past, and Sebastian shifted, his movement so quick I heard rather than saw it.
Then his hand covered mine on the table and warmth seeped into my skin. I relaxed immediately.
“Are you cold, Kayla?”
I almost shivered again at the way he made my name sound. It was the softest of caresses, the most intimate of touches.
“I’m fine,” I whispered, and I didn’t move my hand, soaking in all that he offered.
By the time our food arrived, I’d composed myself again, and I grinned. “Coq au vin,” I murmured. It looked beautiful, and the aroma teased me. My stomach rumbled softly, and Sebastian grinned too.
Damn vampire hearing.
The first mouthful of food almost melted in my mouth. “Perfect,” I said, the word verging on a moan.
Sebastian’s eyes flared, his irises tinging with red, but he simply averted his gaze and nodded. “I’m glad you like it.”
I looked around. “Who wouldn’t like it here?
” I tucked my hair behind my ear, suddenly self-conscious that I wasn’t dripping in diamonds and assorted multi-colored sparkly jewels like the other female diners.
And my dress was my favorite little black dress, but it didn’t exactly match up to the gowns some of the women were wearing.
I wasn’t even sure when Kyle had picked it up and slipped it into my guestroom, because surely it had been Kyle, if anyone had been to my apartment again. He’d be my own personal concierge soon.
“You take my breath away.” Sebastian spoke to me in a lowered voice, and it was like he’d read my mind and all the insecurity swarming inside it. “Tell me about New Orleans. Did you grow up here?” He took a delicate bite from his fork after he asked the unexpected question.
The change of direction gave me pause for a moment but then I hurried to fill the silence as Sebastian chewed.
“I grew up here.” But that was all I said. There were truly so many other stories, so many other words. But I didn’t know which ones to voice. My history in this city was gnarled and tangled, often quite ugly.
“With your parents?” His tone was mild interest as he gently nudged me toward providing more information.
“They’re not part of the deal.” My voice wasn’t mild. It was tight and tense.
Surprise registered in the quick quirk of his eyebrows. “Of course not, but human familial bonds fascinate me.”
It was probably the most supernatural thing he’d sad, an admission that he was other, whether he meant to make it or not.
I nodded. Maybe I could give him just a little on this.
“Yes. My life was very happy until my affinity for the darker side of magic showed itself. My parents tried to protect me, but gradually the covens closed their doors to us — all of us, even though my ability wasn’t their fault, and I was too young to properly control it.
A much older witch has helped me for most of my life.
Lettie. She’s always been there for me.” I paused and pushed sadness away at the thought I might never see her again.
I forced a tight smile. “She saved me really, but now she’s free, and I couldn’t be happier for her. ”
Sebastian was still for a beat longer than I expected before he spoke, like he was digesting the information I’d just told him.
He didn’t meet my eyes when he asked his next question, focusing instead on cutting another bite of his food.
“Are your parents still local?” Again, with the mild interest that was probably anything but.
I was starting to relax, though. These events could have become traumatic to recount, but these days I was simply telling a story. Like it had happened to someone else.
“They’re in Florida, actually.” I lifted the wine glass to my lips and took a small sip.
“Florida?”
“Yes. Quite a change but I’m glad they’re not here to see…to see…” I gestured uselessly between us, and his face fell. “This,” I finished.
My parents didn’t need to see my servitude. Lettie had picked up all of my pieces and helped put me back together when everything had fallen apart, and I’d managed to hide it all from Mom and Dad, leaving them in blissful ignorance over how bad things had gotten with the covens and the Ricards.
“This?” It was the most interested Sebastian had sounded, and he repeated my gesture indicating both of us.
“Well, the contract part.” Heat returned to my cheeks.
Mom would probably like Sebastian, and Dad would admire the changes he’d made to the club.
Sebastian nodded. “I see,” he murmured. Then he expertly changed the subject again. “So, speaking from your experience as a local, do you have any restaurants you recommend in the city?”
I laughed. Now there was a question I could answer, but I couldn’t imagine Sebastian in any of the places I liked to go to.
We chatted quietly back and forth about New Orleans as we ate, and I slowly began to relax.
This fancy restaurant wasn’t a natural fit for me, but Sebastian seemed to make being here okay.
Maybe it was the best environment for him because he drew relatively little attention, even with his status in the city.
I ate as much of my meal as I could before pushing the plate a small distance away.
I stopped short of dropping the linen napkin in the middle of it, but I couldn’t have eaten another mouthful without being uncomfortable.
Sebastian had picked a little and seemed to have artfully rearranged his plate to make it look as though he’d eaten far more than he really had.
This evening, I’d almost forgotten he was a vampire, whose existence relied on blood rather than food.
“Dessert?” He lifted an eyebrow and one corner of his mouth, and I laughed.
“I couldn’t possibly. That was divine.” All I really wanted was to stretch like a contented cat and curl up somewhere warm and safe to sleep.
Sebastian called for the check and paid with the blackest, shiniest credit card I’d ever seen before standing and reaching for me again. We left the restaurant, my arm tucked securely in his.
The air was still warm outside, and I wanted to shake off the sluggish feeling the dinner had left me with.
I turned to him. “Can we walk back? It’s really not too far, and the night’s beautiful. Look at all the stars.” I gestured upward. It was almost like I was still in Sebastian’s club.
Something felt like magic was in the air, and I didn’t want to miss out on that.
He paused for a moment, appearing to consider my request before pulling his phone from his pocket. “Just let me text my driver. I’ll let him know the route we’ll take and tell him I’ll call if we need a pickup.” He glanced at my heels, and I chuckled.
“I’ve walked farther in higher, I promise.”
He smiled in return, finished his text message, and slipped his phone away. We set off walking, merely strolling along the sidewalk. Sebastian’s behavior was protective. He walked closest to the road, and he was very aware of our surroundings, but he didn’t try to touch me or hold my hand.
His presence and walking beside him was enough, though.
He radiated strength and more of that safety I couldn’t explain.
I didn’t want to investigate it too closely or discover what it meant about me or my feelings.
But the instinct to trust him definitely existed, and tonight I could lean on that. I’d find my distance again tomorrow.
“When will the club open?” It was easier to start a conversation than stew in my own thoughts, and I was curious when I’d start work again. “Will I get the opportunity to practice? Is there a band?” I didn’t know enough about how he was going to run it.
I liked to plan where I’d stand or even where the microphone would be and how I’d interact with the space and the audience.
It wasn’t always just enough to get up on a stage and just open my mouth.
I liked to look polished, like I knew what I was doing up there.
My job and professionalism were important to me, and they made me so much more than just a witch for hire.
He opened his mouth to reply, but then he stopped walking suddenly and looked around, a low growl rumbling through his chest. He pulled me closer, and backed us both against the wall, his posture stiffening to something defensive as he kept one arm protectively in front of me.
I glanced around, but there were too many shadows for me to see a threat. Then three large men walked out of the closest alley. I pressed myself tighter against Sebastian, and he wrapped his arm more securely around my waist in response.
Vampires.
Shit, they were local vampires, ones I recognized from Francois’ club.
They’d been in The Neutral Zone all the time, causing trouble and generally being raucous, shouting over my singing, and spilling drinks. But they’d done anything Francois wanted without question, so he kept them around.
They’d formed part of his muscle, a persuasive group of men he sent out to solve any problems that cropped up, and they looked like they were still working on the dead king and imprisoned prince’s behalf. If they’d gotten that particular memo, they hadn’t been able to read it, apparently.
I shuddered to see them here tonight. My entire body screamed with the danger of the situation.