His question drew another scowl from Lucern. He was the man; the fellow should have addressed the question to him.
"I'm not sure. Just set them here. We can manage, thanks." Kate accepted the card key from the fellow and handed him a tip, making Lucern scowl again, this time at himself. He was the man; he should have tipped the bellhop. He should be more on the ball. His only excuse was that it had been a long day. His flight had been at three p.m., but he'd had to leave for the airport at one to get through security. He had worn a business suit, hat and sunglasses, and slathered on sunscreen, but of course, some of the sunlight had got through. His body had sustained damage that his blood was already working to correct. He was feeling depleted and needed to feed—a state he was beginning to associate with Kate Leever.
The click of the door closing drew his gaze back to her, and Lucern picked up their argument immediately. "I do not need to be worked on."
"Lucern," his editor began wearily. Suddenly losing her temper, she said grimly, "Look. You're named after a dairy product, you look like an Angel wannabe, and you talk like a bad Bela Lugosi. You need work!"
"Wow, Kate."
Lucern turned to see a tall, slender blond man entering the room. He was clapping his hands slowly, an irrepressible grin on his face. "You'll have to give me pointers on handling writers. I've never seen it done quite like that."
"Oh. Chris." Kate sighed unhappily.
"This is Chris?" Lucern asked with dismay.
His editor stiffened again but said simply, "Yes."
"You never said he was a man. Make him leave."
Kate's eyes narrowed on him, fury burning out of them. "Look, Lucern—"
"Nope," Chris interjected. He put his hands up in a conciliatory gesture. "Kate, he doesn't sound like Bela Lugosi. The smarmy accent is missing."
Kate's ire turned on her coworker. "I meant he uses old-fashioned terminology."
Chris merely arched an eyebrow. A moment later he added, "And his hair's too dark for him to be an Angel wannabe."
"Shut up! Stay out of this."
The editor laughed, apparently unoffended. "And Allison and Chuck were worried you couldn't handle this guy."
"Who is this gentleman?" Lucern asked Kate stiffly. If she said it was her husband, boyfriend or lover, he feared he might have to perform some violence.
"Chris Keyes," Kate announced. "He's an editor at Roundhouse, too. Chris Keyes, meet Lucern Argeneau, aka Luke Amirault, the vampire writer."
"A pleasure, Mr. Argeneau." The lanky editor stepped forward and offered his hand in welcome.
Lucern automatically shook, but he asked, "You're an editor?"
Keyes nodded.
"What do you edit?"
"Romance, like Kate."
Lucern nodded slowly, then asked hopefully, "Are you a homosexual?"
Chris Keyes's eyes rounded in shock.
"Lucern!"
Lucern glanced at Kate with annoyance. She sounded just like his mother when she barked like that. Taking in the way his editor was flushing and then paling by turns, he decided not to mention it.
A sudden burst of laughter drew his gaze back to Chris. The young man's stunned expression had given way to a deep belly laugh. Lucern waited patiently for him to recover himself.
When Chris's mirth had died down to a chuckle, he asked, "What made you ask such a question?"
"You are a romance editor. That is a woman's job."
"Ah." Chris grinned. "But you write them. Are you gay?"
Lucern stared for a moment, then grinned, caught. "Touché."
Kate was not amused. Moving between the two, she glared up at Lucern. "Chris has kindly agreed to help look after you this weekend. You will not be rude to him." She scowled and added, "At least, no ruder than you usually are."
Lucern scowled back. "I do not need to be looked after."
"You—"
"Kate," Chris interrupted. "It's getting late. If you still want to go to Bobbi's kick-off party, you should probably—"
"Oh, damn!" Kate glanced at her watch. She seemed to forget all about Lucern and asked her coworker,
"Where did you put my stuff? It's a Western theme. I have to change."
"I put it in that room." Chris pointed to a door on their right. "I figured if you didn't like it, we could shuffle later."
Kate merely nodded. Rushing into the room, she slammed the door behind her. Chris just shook his head.
Lucern scowled after Kate. If she expected him to go to this party, she had another think coming. He had no intention of going to a Western themed party after just flying in.
"So, I guess it's you and me tonight, Luc," Chris said cheerfully. Lucern suddenly rethought the party. Kate would be there. Not this guy.
"Why are you here?" he asked the male editor.
Chris grinned. "I'm supposed to keep you safe. When Kate can't be around. Like tonight."
"Keep me safe?" Lucern echoed. "From what?"
Chris pursed his lips and considered. Then he grinned. "You've never been to a Romantic Times conference, have you, Luc?"