“I suggest you apologize,” I said, uncertain if Lorenzo had awoken, or if his wolf understood human words.
After a hard swallow, the man offered an apology. I smiled and grabbed Thunder by a handful of hair and led him away.
“Now was that necessary?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.
Thunder made a high-pitched sound and snorted. Clearly he thought it was.
We moved through an elegant lobby like nothing I’d ever seen. I marveled at the crystal chandeliers sparkling overhead, the champagne-colored rug in the sitting area, and a marble fountain near the center of the room. Lorenzo had reserved the room and spared no expense in selecting the finest hotel in the city. I stole a piece of chocolate from a bowl sitting on the front desk and the man smiled, his eyes briefly flicking down to Lorenzo before he looked away.
“Let us know if you need anything, Mrs. Church.”
“Oh, I’m not—”
Thunder abruptly barked and interrupted me. I waved at the man before we moved through the revolving doors.
Fresh snow blanketed the ground, and I tucked my left hand inside the pocket of my brown suede coat. The jacket reached my knees, so it was my favorite to wear during snow days. My brown boots left thick footprints in the patches of snow where no one else had walked. Most people were inside the shops along the street, and not many cars were about. In fenced-off spaces, it looked like six inches had fallen, and ice covered the tree limbs.
I kept a slow pace, enjoying a chance to stretch my muscles and explore a new city. Unlike Austin, the buildings had history and character—some appearing to be several hundred years old. Others looked like they’d been built yesterday. Apartment buildings were nestled between some of the businesses, and as Lorenzo had said, special symbols marked the doors of Breed-owned shops.
The air didn’t smell as clean as it did down south. Instead, it was a mixture of snow, oil, and spices from some of the restaurants I passed by. Vampires seemed unaffected by the cold; many of them wore nothing but cotton shirts and pants. They were easy to spot because of their unblemished skin, so unnaturally perfect. Unlike in human folklore, Vampires didn’t disintegrate in sunlight. They simply found it uncomfortable as their pupils were fully dilated and natural light hurt their eyes. Some of the older ones had learned to tolerate it better, but modern sunglasses were a welcomed convenience.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me places like this existed?” I asked Thunder.
He trotted beside me, taking in different scents as we continued our adventure. Each time a stranger walked by, he’d growl and press himself against me.
In Oklahoma, the Breed side of town consisted of nothing but two streets. All I’d ever seen were Shifters, so moving to Austin had been a culture shock because of the diversity. But I’d never seen anything like this before.
When my feet tired and I could no longer feel my nose, I entered a small shop and ordered a few hot dogs. I gave a couple to Thunder and relaxed at a small table, watching customers go in and out. Thunder sat beside me with his head on my lap. I had to thump him on the nose because he kept putting his muzzle beneath my shirt and licking my stomach.
The bell jingled and a woman hustled in, her raven-colored hair flying behind her. “Brrr!” she said in a loud voice. “It’s cold out there today!” Her foot flew out and she almost slipped from the wet ice on her boot. “Oh shit,” she murmured, grabbing the edge of the counter.
The older man behind the counter laughed. “You must be hungry today! Watch your step; I’ve been meaning to clear out some of the snow that fell in front of the doors this morning.” He bustled around, bagging some items for her. “Your order’s almost ready, just waiting on the fries. That’s thirty beef franks and ten spicy sausages. Do you want the buns in a warming bag?”
She grimaced and leaned against the counter. “What do you suggest?”
“Well, how far is your drive?”
“The way I drive? Fifteen minutes.”
“I’ll separate them, just so nothing gets soggy,” he offered. “The fries should stay crisp, but if not, you can put them under the broiler and that’ll perk them right up.”
She pulled out her phone and made a call. “Can you turn on the broiler? … No, but just in case the fries get cold. I shouldn’t be more than twenty minutes, so tell everyone to have the plates ready. Whose bright idea was it to have hot dogs for lunch anyhow? … Yeah, well, tell Levi next time he can be the runner and get them himself. Is Lakota still sleeping?”
My breath caught. It felt like my heart stopped in my chest, as if time froze and I was drifting in the winds of fate.
“It can’t be,” I whispered.
The woman unzipped her black bomber jacket and leaned against the counter, facing me. “I love you too. Bye.” She slipped the phone in her purse and shivered.
Thunder whined, but I dismissed his frantic pacing.