Coffin Girls (Elegantly Undead: Book 1 of the Coffin Girls Witch Vampire Series) (13 page)

“Yes,” Anais responded, “we needed to update the house for
the wedding business.”

“Very clever of you,
ma chérie
. I’m happy you could
find something to do with your skills. A wedding business seems to be a smooth
transition from your previous role here to entrepreneurship.” He said it as
though there weren’t many skills for her to choose from.

“I’m proud of you and my grandchildren.” Yves bestowed a
patronizing stare on them. This was unusual as he’d barely spoken a word to the
vampires that Anais had turned but they hid the surprise from him – he wouldn’t
appreciate it and the consequences of his disfavor was frightening.

“In fact,” he continued, “that’s what I’ve come to speak to
you about.” He paused dramatically to let that sink in and went on to make the
inevitable request, “Akeldonna’s opened a vampire club, or rather, she’ll be
opening one. Naturally, she’ll require an opening night and I thought that it
would be a good opportunity for you to illustrate your loyalty to the Vampire
Council by offering to coordinate this event for one of its members.”

“But we already have a vampire club in New Orleans,” the
words were out of Marie’s mouth quicker than V could jab her in the side to
shut up.

“I see that you still let your children run wild, Anais,” Yves
voice dripped with disdain and disapproval, he flicked a hand to Marie, who
writhed on the floor in silent agony.

“I apologize, Yves,” Anais responded, faking humiliation at
Marie’s perceived show of disrespect while resisting the urge to rip at his throat.
She’d experienced that side of the ancient vamp’s power and her instinct was to
protect her ‘child’. Doing that now she commented, “I’ll see to Marie later,
after the party. After all, I need her to cook the food.”

“Of course,” Yves flicked his wrist again, pulling Marie out
of the silent hell he’d put her in. “And I trust that you’ll control your
children to see to the party – I know I raised you well.”

You sure tried, you bastard, Anais thought as she inclined
her head, a smile pasted on.

Yves smiled in approval, “
Merci
,
ma chérie
.
Your actions are noted and appreciated. I will let Akeldonna know that you’ll
be in touch.”

At Anais’ nod he continued, “Talking about your actions, how
are things progressing with our guests? And where are they?”

“All’s well in that regard. We’ve been showing them the
attractions and introducing them to the local vampire community. But, they’re
not as fond of the night as we are,” Anais gave threw him a smile, “they
retired to bed a few hours ago.”

“Then we must not disturb them,” Yves stated, accepting a
glass of warm blood from Miss Suzette as she came, served and retreated as
speedily as she could. Yves took a sip and smiled, contemplating the glass,
“the blood of an interesting sinner – a cannibal. A rare find.” Taking another
sip, he rolled the liquid around in his mouth, like a wine taster would a good
red, “I can detect faint traces of other humans.
Merci
, my child, your
hospitality always surpasses itself.”

Anais inclined her head and sipped her non-cannibal blood to
hide her grimace. They’d relished killing that monster and draining him but
they could never bring themselves to drink his blood, using it instead for
vampire cocktails. She’d known that Yves would appreciate it though and from
his reaction, she was sending him home with what was left of it.

“Now,” Yves leaned forward speculatively, “as this is the
first opportunity I’ve seen you without our guests, do tell me how they are
enjoying their introduction into our world.” 

 Anais took another sip, fortifying herself for what
would be a long, uncomfortable night with her maker.

Anais took Conall’s offered arm and directed them towards
the club. They’d left the car at the house in the Garden District, where they’d
just finish consulting with Akeldonna for the party and Conall had met with
Yves. They were on their way to the Quarter to see what they had to work with
and Conall and his guards were tagging along.

“So, how did the meeting with Yves go?” Anais ventured.

Conall regarded her, he detected a hint of distrust for him,
distaste for her maker.

Anais picked up the look, responding with a shrug, “Just
asking, I was after all, involved in this by both of you.”

“Fair enough,” nodded Conall, “but I’ll answer that question
if you answer one of mine.”

Now it was Anais’s turn to regard him warily. She
contemplated – he seemed hesitant to answer so she was fine if his question
made her squirm a bit (and it was bound too) if he squirmed too. “Okay but you
first.”

“It was unexpectedly boring.”

Huh? Anais raised a questioning brow, motioning for him to
go on.

“I’ll be straight with you. My gut and my magick tells me
that you’re not that fond of Yves, so this is my way of extending a first hand
of trust towards you.”

“Fair enough,” Anais’s echo of his earlier response was all
she said.

“I don’t know what Yves’ agenda is,” Conall continued. “He
invited me over here to discuss vampire-witch relations but I seem to be on a
type of cultural exchange program.”

“Maybe that’s his strategy,” offered Anais. “Get you au fait
with the vampire culture and debunk some myths you might have bought into.”

Conall nodded, “I thought so initially too. But I’ve been
here for nearly two weeks and there has been no talk of cementing vampire-witch
relations or how we will make it happen.”

“So, you feel like a pawn in Yves’ game.”

“Yes, and I can see that you know what I speak of. In fact,
I’d go so far as to say that you’ve been a pawn in one of his games before.”

“Is that your question, Conall? Because if it is, you
haven’t fully answered mine yet.”

“No. It is not. We’ll leave the discussion of your
relationship with your maker for another day.” Conall left that issue there,
letting the implications marinate for a moment. “But back to the meeting. It
was purely a courtesy meeting. Yves said that he wanted to be sure that I was
enjoying vampire hospitality.”

Anais muttered, “Bastard can’t even trust me to play tour
guide.”

“Right again, but then I don’t think he trusts anyone. Maybe
it is his age and he’s become a cynic but I think there’s more to it. He wants
me here for some reason and I have to figure out what.”

“Well,” shrugged Anais, “I can’t help you there. He’s never
confided in me but I do think there’s merit in your theories. You’re not
European royalty doing a courtesy visit to previous colonies. You’re a witch –
the witch – prince, here to form an alliance with another race, yet you’re
being given the said courtesy visit.”

“I guess it will be revealed in time,” Conall remarked.

Anais tilted her head to the side, studying him – letting
her gut get a feel for his motives. Satisfied that her head and gut were
aligned, she offered, “I can make a deal with you that if I get wind of what is
going on I’ll fill you in if you do the same?”

Conall’s lips curved, sending all thoughts of politics and
business away.

“I’ll honor that trust Anais. I’ll share mine if you share
yours and vice versa.”

The loaded statement made Anais blush. Self-conscious of the
act, she looked away at the revelry and tourists around her. “Now what’s your
question?”

“How’s things between you and I and between you and the
wolf? I haven’t seen him much lately.” Nor you, he thought. She’d avoided being
alone with him and this was as good as it was going to get to settle the dust
and move forward.

“Raulf’s been around but we agreed that he’d put some space
in between the two of you, which is slightly uncomfortable given that he’s
basically family and you’re a guest staying over. But at least there hasn’t
been sparks and fur flying since you both acted like jerks.”

Ouch! Conall flinched, “I deserved that and what you said
that night. And because I haven’t had the chance to say it and it needs saying,
I’m sorry.”

“Look, Conall, I know you had to defend yourself but you
took it over-board. And so did he.”

“You’re right and again, I’m sorry.”

The frank reply, lacking any argument and filled with
reasonable regret stunned her. She hadn’t expected that! It was refreshing.

“And,” Conall continued, “I promise to only defend myself –
nothing more – should your wolf and I engage claws again.”

“More like engage testosterone,” Anais muttered, making him
grin. God, what a mouth! “Okay, fine. Apology accepted.”

“And to make amends, I’ll speak to your wolf – come to a
truce of sorts.”

“You can start by calling him by name – Raulf.”

“Okay. Raulf – I’ll seek him out tomorrow when he comes
around to the plantation and work out a truce.”

“Thanks,” Anais’s voice was filled with relief. She hadn’t realized
just how uncomfortable it had been to live in limbo until now with the promise
to clear things up – at least to get things done amicably. She wasn’t naïve
enough to hope that they’d be life-long buddies.

“So, are you and he okay though? And are we okay?” Conall
went back to his original question.

Anais looked around, spotting the rest of her friends chat
with his – they’d obviously given her and Conall the time alone with the intent
to have this conversation. She narrowed her eyes at him, “You didn’t by any
chance arrange this time alone did you?”

Conall looked baffled, sincerely so. Now it was her turn to
feel guilty. “Sorry – guess I have some of my maker’s cynicism. Our friends are
all intelligent, caring and conniving enough to manipulate us both on their
own.”

“Apology accepted and yes they are. And you’re avoiding my
question Anais.”

Anais decided to get to the crux of it, “Raulf and I don’t
have a history in that way. We’ve never been together. We had a kissing episode
– similar to yours and mine but that’s it. I love him like a brother but I’m
also attracted to him.”

“And you don’t know me, had a kissing episode with me and
you’re attracted to me,” Conall offered.

“So, you have two suitors that both have a fair chance and
you have to make a choice because you feel for both of us.”

“Ummm…” jeesh, though Anais, and she thought she was getting
to the matter at heart. “Yes. I need to make a choice – it’s not only about
want. I need to take the risk with one of you but whom, is where the difficulty
lies.”

“There’s an easy enough solution to that,” stated Conall.
“You let us both attempt to woo you and whoever does so more successfully wins.
And we’ll agree to it, if you’re game and Raulf’s game and will not get into
another fight. It will be an honorable contest for the lady’s affections.”

“Jeesh – now why does this sound like a Regency romance
plot?” sarcasm dripped from her voice.

Conall shrugged, “Any other suggestions?”

Thinking on it, Anais shook her head, “No, but let me talk
to him first and we’ll take it from there.”

“I’ll agree if I get to start now – call it a practice run.”

“Okay,” Anais smiled up at him, shooting a blast of lust to
the area below his waist. What in the name of the Goddess did he get himself
into, he thought as he smiled back.

“I’m glad you two have finally made up,” Marie quipped as
she joined them.

“Aye, now we can quit acting like there’s no elephant in the
room,” concurred Niul.

The rest joined them and began asking about the upcoming
party and the club.

“What do you know of Akeldonna?” asked Sylvain from all the
vampire ladies as they made their way down Rue Bourbon.

“Not much,” offered V. “She’s been a member of the VC –
Vampire Council – since her marriage to Akhilleus. That’s just over a
millennium. She controls the reins on the business and the politics and
represents the Greek fraction of the race.”

“What’s she like?” Sylvain continued to gather information.
Sylvain inwardly frowned. That was one vampire that exuded malice. He
recollected how his skin crawled every time she’d looked at him at the
pre-meeting dinner. He’d gotten the distinct impression that she’d wished that
he was on the menu – and it wasn’t blood lust.

“We’ve no idea,” responded Sophie. “She’s hard to read and
this is really the first time we’ve interacted with her directly.”

“Why do you ask?” questioned V.

 “Just curious,” responded Sylvain nonchalantly. “It
does seem odd that she’d open a vampire bar in a place that already has one
that caters sufficiently for the vampire population here. At least that’s what
I thought when you took us to the other club.”

Marie blanched, thinking back to when she asked the same
question and raising the guys’ eyebrows.

“Marie thought the same.” Anais jumped in to save her friend
from discomfort. “Yves didn’t take to well to what he thought of as
impertinence. Maybe it is just an investment and she’s a bit greedy.”

“It’s possible,” nodded Conall, sending a mental request to
Sylvain to back off. He didn’t want to lose the ground he’d gained by making
them uncomfortable. “We’ll see when we get there.”

Conall saw the relief flood Marie’s face, which was echoed
in that of her friends’. He mentally asked Niul and Sylvain to change the
subject and keep the others occupied. When they complied by asking questions of
the fascinating Quarter, he pulled Anais closer

“When we get to the club, I’d appreciate it if you’d take
time out of your planning to dance with me. I’d like to hold you, find a rhythm
with you,” he whispered, sending tingles along her skin, from throat to thigh.
He had the satisfaction of seeing the lump she swallowed and pulled back a bit,
lightening the mood, “maybe you can show me how to do the Cajun two-step? I’ve
heard of it even in Ireland.”