Club Noire

Chapter4

Making my way down the elevator, I fought any lingering doubts. Entering my office, I booted up my computer and began my work day. An hour or so later, I checked the clock on my desk and made my way to the central part of the club. Along the way, I stopped and checked on the prep crew in the kitchen and spoke with my daytime managers. Nobody was overly surprised to see me as I was known to check in at all hours to make sure everything was running smoothly. I greeted Phaedra and Jas and took a seat in the round booth they occupied.

As we waited for Alexei, I checked my phone for any messages. My parents enjoyed technology and liked to use it often on me. This meant lots of text messages full of emojis and details of the minutiae of their lives and those of my family. I loved them but hated their smothering ways and needed to direct my life. I would chart my own course on my own terms. My sister had sent an early morning text asking when I would come home to visit. Again. I sighed and absently rubbed my temples, contemplating my reply, if any. She was the golden child as far as my family was concerned. We were all loved equally, but she had done everything my parents had expected without a peep in protest. Unlike my rebellious self, I ran away to this city to reinvent myself. I knew they were waiting for me to “come to my senses” and return home to be the dutiful daughter. But as pigs had not yet achieved flight, the wait might be longer than they anticipated.

Alexei and his main bodyguard, a bear shifter named Dima, arrived promptly and strolled over to where we sat. I rose, and Alexei took my hand, placing a chaste kiss on my knuckles. I struggled not to roll my eyes as Dima smothered a laugh. I knew he was the only one who could get away with such disrespect in front of the leader of a vampire faction. I winked at him as Alexei scowled at the pair of us. He snarled something in Russian, and Dima snickered a reply that would have made him red with rage if he were human. I sought to redirect them both to the issue at hand.

I motioned Alexei to the booth, and he slid in after me, a move that wasn’t wasted on my friends. They struggled to keep their expressions neutral despite my frustration with his closeness. He leaned into my space and whispered in my ear, his voice a deep accented caress designed to reach the most private parts of me.

“I wish to take you out sometime, krasavitsa. Let me spoil you. You need a strong man in your life,” he said softly. I struggled to keep my libido at bay because I knew he could smell my arousal. I stubbornly looked straight ahead and cleared my throat.

“I believe you said you had some more information for me?” I asked to keep this meeting strictly business. He smirked knowingly at my attempt at redirection. He repeated what he had told me last night and fielded the questions my sharp-minded friends threw his way as I rapidly took notes in my homemade shorthand.

Suddenly, I heard my talent manager, Marcus, screech, “What happened to your FACE!” My head whipped around Alexei to see what the commotion was about. I loved Marcus, but that question could be in reference to a big zit or a black eye. You could never tell and were guaranteed the same level of drama.

Turning to Alexei, I murmured, “Excuse me, I need to check out whatever this is,” and half rose from my seat. I needn’t have bothered. Marcus swung towards me, pulling a very tearful dancer along behind him. I recognized her immediately. Mercedes was one of my top performers and always in demand. She was a statuesque Latina with some elven blood, irresistible all around, and built like a stallion. She was also athletic as all get out. Her signature moves involved swinging up the pole to the ceiling and holding a split, then sliding down at heart-stopping intervals upside down until she was a hairsbreadth from the floor, at which point she rotated right-side up and landed in another split on the floor and twerked. I was vaguely aware of growling in my periphery. I realized it was Dima who looked ready to kill someone. But that someone wasn’t Mercedes; it was whoever had hurt her. I was on my feet immediately, and Alexei stood right behind me.

“Alexei, call off your bear or leave,” I said with all seriousness, without looking at either of them. To Phaedra, I said, “Go call Doc and get the first aid kit from my medical bay, please. Marcus, take Mercedes to the med bay, and I will meet you there. Mercedes, I will ask you but once, nod or shake your head a little for me-did that sh*t Dav do this to you?” I gently turned Mercedes’ swollen face and gently felt for fractures. I was almost positive that the b*stard boyfriend of hers had broken her jaw, and she would probably end up with two black eyes. I wanted to growl like Dima, but I knew if I unleashed my full fury on him, the whole place would come down, and I was in no mood to answer any questions from Alexei or anyone else about my background.

Thankfully, Mercedes gave a slight nod with downcast eyes. She knew I would never tell her, “I told you so,” even though I had begged her to leave that trash she called a boyfriend. Dav was a hyena shifter who fancied himself a made man but he was really a low-level thug. He got off on pain, and I knew he was abusive to Mercedes. She often came in with a bruise or two that even her glamour couldn’t hide from me. I knew what it was like to love hard, but any man who got with me would die before I let him touch me in anger. As if reading my thoughts, Alexei leaned into my back and said, “I can make this piece of sh*t disappear if you say the word. Anything that upsets you or your girls needs to be eliminated.” His offer was tempting, but he didn’t realize I could find and neutralize this little threat by myself. I pretended to consider his offer before turning around.

“I appreciate the offer, Alexei, but I respectfully decline. However, judging by your man's response, I will allow him to accompany Mercedes and Marcus to Med Bay. I don’t want him tearing up my furniture because his mate is hurt.” At this last sentence, several wide eyes locked on me. I huffed and rolled my eyes. “Seriously, do you all know nothing about shifters? Only a shifter who scents his mate acts like this. And a word for you, Dima,” I said, fixing him with a deadly stare. “Do not presume to go after this man. He. Is. Mine. To. Kill. Am I understood?” Dima glared at me, his earlier jocularity gone. Finally, he gave a nod. I thanked him in Russian and moved to Jas.

“Find him and take him to the Dungeon. I’ll deal with him,” I stated, turning toward the medical bay without seeing if my directives would be met. I knew they would. Jas could find anyone, no matter who or what they were and where they thought they could hide in the city. His network was extensive, and I swore everyone owed him a favor. I could hear him on his cell as I made my way to the Med Bay, with the Russians trailing behind me.

I directed Mercedes to recline on the patient's bed. I knew better than to lay her flat while waiting for Doc to arrive. Phaedra quickly got the first aid kit and other supplies. Having a Med Bay in a club like mine might seem weird, but accidents happen. Sometimes, a girl or one of the staff got injured, and sometimes, despite my rules, the clientele pushed the boundaries and got dangerous with the staff and each other. I eliminated the middleman or healer, and I could treat everyone in-house. That way, I knew they were seeing a real professional. Some healers were little more than quacks in this district and valued a dollar over quality care, even more if they were prejudiced against their patients. Doc and his assistant (his wife, a sweet, plump woman who was a combination of nurse assistant and bookkeeper) were the real deal and kind to all. I paid Doc perfect money to work for me exclusively but we both pretended he was available for other work.