“In here,” Antoine said, emerging from the back. Not from the hallway to the restrooms, but from the far corner, an opening I had missed in the dark of night and not visible from the shadows of the side door or over the bar. “Ricky-bo,” he said as the men shook hands.
The front door opened again; Rick turned. A woman entered, a shawl around her head and shoulders despite the heat. The two exchanged a look as she folded the shawl. Her scent reached me and I tensed. It was the woman who slept with the rogue vamp. Surprisingly, she looked familiar, but I couldn’t place her. Had I passed her on the street? Not at Sunday church service, surely, not with her understated elegance. This woman would have stood out—blond, elegant, blue eyes and peaches-and-cream skin, silk and linen and delicate shoes, probably Italian. Big diamonds and gold at her ears and on her ring finger, along with a wedding band. Married. To Rick? Surprising jealously zinged through me. On its heels came the certainty that she was married to someone else, not Rick. The jealousy faded, but not my discomfort that it had emerged in the first place. Rick was too devious for my tastes. Too sly. Too . . . something. Which was why Beast liked him. All these thoughts in the time it took me to take a breath.
“Anna,” Antoine said, his Cajun accent thickening as the power he wore like a second skin gathered and tightened about him. “Good, you come. To back.” Antoine locked the front door and skirted through the shadows to lock the side door. The three disappeared into the gloom down a short hallway. A door opened. Voices filtered out. The door closed. The place was well built—hurricane proof—and soundproofed. I couldn’t make out anything.
I considered jumping down and eavesdropping, but from the way the sounds had echoed when they entered the room, there might be no exit from the back. I didn’t want to be caught trespassing, listening at the door. I dropped down, landing lightly on the bar along with a scattering of dust bunnies, which I swept to the floor on my way to the keys. Silently I thanked the nice person who had carefully labeled each, and I made off with one of three for the side door. I hoped no one would notice it was gone.
It was only after I was out on the street, the stolen key in my pocket, that I considered the possible presence of cameras in the restaurant. Cameras that could have seen me leap to the ledge. Not a totally human move. I dismissed the worry that followed. The meeting in the Royal Mojo Blues Company was secret. Unlikely that cameras would be active to catch the attendees arriving or leaving. I was pretty sure I was safe.
I was halfway home when I remembered where I had seen Anna. In the Times-Picayune. Anna was the mayor’s wife. Now, that was an interesting situation. Rick and the mayor and the rogue all with the same woman. How in heck did she stand the rogue’s stink?
CHAPTER 14
Beast was born
By dusk, I made it back to my freebie house, stripped off jewelry and sweaty, dusty clothes, and took four steaks and the necklace of panther claws into the yard. Though it was only marginally night, I shifted.
Hungry. Ate dead cow. Stretched. High on sun-warmed stone, plopped on side, face on rock, whiskers tickling. Purring, as sunset painted sky many purples. Rain sprinkled on warm stone, damping pelt. Scents strong in shower. Mold, river, fish, cow blood, dogs, cats. Prey.
Mouse came out to play, leaving tracks in mud. I softened breath. Watched it dart among stones. Eyes slit, lazy, content. Had eaten or would play with mouse. But hunting soon. Foolish to waste strength on mouse. No matter how fun.
Full dark fell. Rain was constant and sluggish. A distant bell tolled. Time passed. Stirred, stretched again, pulling joints, muscles, shaking off rain. Studied garden. Prowled it. Marked it. My den. Leaped to wall, slipped into shadow. Padded along alleys and side streets, full of smells. Jumped over tall gates keeping humans out, pets in. Kept to shadows, following her scent back. Food/alcohol/mating place open. Club. Different music makers filled night with sound. Crowd smaller. Humans smelled lonely again.
Slow, steady rain returned, keeping humans indoors. Prowled walls of building, finding dark place on side street. Cars parked. Sniffed out big one, owned by vamp. Leo.
She commanded me, Hunt. Now. Huffed but rounded building at swift trot. When street empty, crept near front door. Made self small in shadow, tail tight, feet together, close. Pulled in scents, mouth open, lips pulled back. Found Anna’s and Rick’s trail, covered by many others, washed by rain. But I am good hunter. Could tell they had left within short time of each other, taking same route. Rick’s trail overlay Anna’s. Perused her. Prey. Followed down Royal Street, away from club. Trail scents overlapping. Rick stalking Anna. Hunched low, creeping, keeping to shadows. Cars passed, moving slow. Hid from each. Following. Hunting.