Chapter 8
“General, please allow us to escort you out tonight,” Alexander said.
Dru had received tours of all of the training facilities which she was impressed by. They had all of the latest technology which she’d expect.
“It is not necessary,” she said.
They entered through the back doors of the main building. Talbot and Orenda trailed behind them. She was anxious to leave so they could find out if Niles had discovered anything yet.
The post itself was a solid facility, but for some strange reason something was off with the town.
Why would lycans attack a town that was known to have a strong vampire military post?
That would be suicide, but then again, Azura hadn’t been a sound alpha.
The woman had been deranged, and she’d sent more than one group of lycans to their deaths on purpose.
Had that attack been a test for the vampire military?
Or was there some other reason the lycans had chosen Butterbush?
So many questions continued to come to Dru.
Another main one was why had the lycans stopped?
They were not known to be entirely too sensible.
Was there something here in this town they wanted besides the humans?
Or was it someone here who’d stopped them besides the vampires defending the town?
“But you must feed. Do you not require nourishment?” Alexander came to stand in front of her.
She came to complete stop, sighed, and met his gaze. She was sure her men would appreciate a good healthy feeding. Her last meal had to have been yesterday. The last few days before leaving for this mission were all a blur.
“We do, Postmaster. What do you have in mind?” Dru immediately regretted the question by the smile that appeared on his face.
“Why, Butterbush has the best club in all of North America. Madam Rice has spared no expense here in our quaint little town to ensure that all of our warriors are well taken care of,” Alexander boasted.
Dru didn’t have time to spend at a feeding club. This important mission required that she remained focused. Alexander must have read the hesitation in her expression.
“Please. Allow me to escort you there for at least one night. You and your men have traveled long and hard to get here. I’m sure you’re going to be inspecting more than just the base. Why not enjoy one night at Madam’s?” Alexander folded his arms and arched an eyebrow.
She sensed the eyes of her men on her. She expected a lot from them while here in North Carolina. She guessed she could give them one night to enjoy before they jumped feetfirst into work.
“Fine. We’ll go because you have been such a gracious host to us,” she murmured.
“Very well. We’ve also made accommodations for you and your warriors at the local inn. They’ll be expecting you as well.” The postmaster bowed his head.
“Postmaster Alexander!” someone called out.
Dru peered over his shoulder. A slender woman rushed down the hall in a frugal blouse, slacks, and with her hair up in a tight bun on top of her head. She carried a tablet in front of her as she made her way to them.
“Yes, Silvanna?” Alexander turned toward her.
She arrived at his side with the most flustered expression. “I was trying to catch you, sir.”
“Where are my manners? Allow me to do introductions first. General Moldark, this here is my assistant, Silvanna Webb. Silvanna, this is General Moldark.” Alexander motioned between the two of them.
“It’s nice to meet you, General,” Silvanna said. A blush spread across her cheeks. She reached out a hand to Dru.
“Likewise.” Dru shook the woman’s hand before stepping back.
“Well, what is the matter, Silvanna?” Alexander asked her.
“I have confirmed with the feeding club your and our esteemed guests’ attendance this evening,” Silvanna announced.
Alexander flicked his gaze to Dru who arched her eyebrow. Apparently, the postmaster had been sure he was going to convince her to attend tonight.
“I just wanted to ensure the club would be able to take a large crowd. You know we’re a small town, and sometimes with all the warriors, the club could be overextended,” Alexander explained. He tugged at the collar of his shirt.
“I see.” Dru released a sigh. One visit wouldn’t hurt. She wouldn’t want to insult the postmaster who was trying to lay down the red carpet for her and her warriors. “It’s fine. No worries. We shall attend Madam’s and enjoy ourselves.”
“Fantastic.” He straightened and turned back to Silvanna. “Ready the transportation for us.”
Silvanna continued with a few other issues with him.
Dru moved over to stand near Talbot to give them a moment to finish their conversation. Dru leaned toward Talbot and dropped the level of her voice so that the postmaster and his assistant wouldn’t overhear her.
“We’ll stay an appropriate amount of time so that our host will not be insulted,” Dru murmured.
“Yes, General.”
“And I want on-the-hour updates from Niles.” She should be out there with the vampire seeking out the traitor, but for now, she had to play the part of the general inspecting one of the military posts.
This secret mission had to be kept under wraps.
If this Solomon truly lived, she did not want him to know she was on his trail.
“He’s aware. He’s currently infiltrating a human bar, not too far from the center of town,” Talbot replied.
“General. Our transportation is ready,” the postmaster said.
Dru spun on her heel and smiled. “Lead the way, Postmaster.”
They stalked through the building and exited through the front doors. Awaiting them were a few dark military vehicles. A warrior opened the door to the one in the center for her. She entered and took her seat. Talbot and the postmaster joined her. Their door shut behind them, sealing them inside.
“These are a new sunproof armored vehicle,” Alexander said.
Dru took in the sleek appearance of the interior and nodded. The latest technology was rolling out on vehicles to allow the vampires to travel during the brightest of days.
“These are nice. I remember seeing the specs on the first few test vehicles,” Dru noted.
“Less than one percent of UV rays pass through this glass,” Alexander said.
The vehicle rocked as the driver began following the one in the front.
The ride to town didn’t take long. Dru tried to keep her features from displaying her boredom. Alexander had moved on to speak about the town of Butterbush. Dru’s patience was wearing thin, but she kept a small smile while he shared some history of the town.
“It would appear we’re here,” Alexander said.
With the multitude of businesses in the area, Dru assumed they were at the center of town.
The club stood like a dark jewel in the heart of the city’s business district.
Its sleek structure was crafted from black slate, the surface gleaming beneath the moon’s rays.
Tall panes of glass framed in gold reflected the world outside, while deep-onyx awnings hung over the windows, casting shadows that hinted at what awaited them within.
The entrance, two massive doors, lavishly painted in gold, gleamed bright against the stark darkness of the building.
Dru’s fangs pushed at her gums. She inhaled sharply, a little disturbed that she couldn’t control her body’s reactions. She eyed the tall muscular vampire guard who made his way to the vehicles.
“Greetings,” his deep baritone voice greeted them. His dark shades hid his eyes from her.
She took his extended hand and allowed him to assist her from the vehicle.
“Good evening,” she murmured.
Postmaster Alexander and Talbot exited. She took in the street and the few figures ambling around.
The businesses in the area were still open, alluding to the notation that they either catered to vampires or they were owned by vampires.
From listening to tales from Alima, Dru knew that most humans avoided walking around at night.
Dru frowned at the thought. Vampires should be able to control themselves, but she knew Alima spoke of the rogue vampires who’d been a thorn in her side for years.
Rogues did not align with the laws set for vampires.
They felt they were above the laws and could do what they wished.
Before the lycans began attacking, it had been the rogue vampires they had been dealing with.
Not that the rogues had gone away and become law-abiding citizens.
Dru and the others had to deal with both rogues and lycans.
Dru had come up with special teams of warriors to focus just policing the rogues while the lycans became top priority.
“Welcome to Madam Rice’s, General.” The security guard gave a bow.
He spun on his heel and walked over to the doorway.
He opened one of the massive doors and bowed his head again.
“My name is Dommick. If I can be of service, please don’t hesitate to call on me.
Enjoy everything Madam has to offer you tonight. ”
“Thank you, Dommick,” Dru murmured. A thrill zipped through her.
She pushed down the excitement. She wouldn’t drink from a live donor.
She knew where that would lead while being in Madam’s.
She needed a clear mind tonight, and the extracurricular activities that would be available with a live feeding would be distracting.
They entered the building. The moment the door closed behind them, the outside world ceased to exist. The faint thrum of music carried through the air which mingled with the sweet floral scent of roses and the delicious hint of copper—blood.
The low pulse of the beat caused Dru’s heart to skip a beat as anticipation filled her.
The dark marble walls were painted with gold veins which shimmered in the soft light of the crystal sconces.
White marble floors carried the echo of their footsteps as they strode deeper into the building.
Velvet crimson benches lined the space, creating a seating area near the entrance for patrons who either needed to wait their turn to enter the lower domain, or for those who needed to wait for their transportation.
At the center of the foyer, a winding staircase would carry them to the lower level, the heart of the club. The iron banister continued the decor of obsidian and gold. Something urged Dru to hurry and descend the alluring staircase. She inhaled again, and that sense of urgency grew.
When was the last time she’d fed?
Was that why she was feeling this way?
They went down the winding staircase and arrived at a welcoming area just before the club’s entrance where a small female with extremely long blonde hair and bright-blue eyes waited for them. Her tight leather dress stopped mid-calf, and heels added about six inches to her height.
“General. Postmaster. Welcome to Madam Rice’s,” she said. Her fangs peeked from underneath her ruby-red lips. She offered them a warm smile. “My name is Callidora. I am tonight’s hostess. Come. I already have your tables ready for you.”
“You shall enjoy tonight, General. Even if it’s just a drink from prepared blood. This establishment has the most unique of blood types.” The postmaster chuckled and followed Callidora.
Dru stayed behind and motioned to the club to Talbot and Orenda. “Enjoy yourselves. I do not plan to stay long.”
“When you leave, we leave,” Talbot said.
Orenda gave him a sharp look. Dru bit back a chuckle at her warriors. She respected Talbot’s loyalty to the mission, but tonight he could relax a little.
“I’m serious. Enjoy yourselves tonight. Tomorrow, we hunt the traitor.”