Alpha Guardians Books 1-6

Chapter 5

5

Cassie slicked on a final coat of gleaming ruby red lipstick and admired herself in her compact mirror. Her thick winged eyeliner was flawless, her orange-red locks piled in a tousled updo, a thin gold circlet resting on her head. That was the funny thing about Kith clubs, the thing Cassie loved most: you could leave all conventional dress behind and truly dress to impress, regardless of what might be appropriate for a normal human club.

She wasn’t entirely thrilled with the Vampires who ran Bellocq, mostly because their monthly disappearances during the new moon had stuck her in the Manor with Gabriel for four days straight. Neither Cassie nor Gabriel were patient to begin with, it seemed, but the lustful tension blooming between them was becoming unbearable.

Even now, with Aeric sitting between her and her would-be mate, Cassie could smell nothing but Gabriel. She could smell his skin under his clothes, each time he shifted in his seat in the car. The fact that she knew that it was Gabriel’s skin, specifically his skin, was more off-putting than Cassie could possibly express.

And tonight, they would have to talk, touch, and work as a team. How the hell was that going to happen?

The Oracle stirred within Cassie, perhaps reacting to her ill ease. She took a deep breath and tried to think positive thoughts, sending positive vibes to the Oracle. The last thing Cassie needed right now was to go all possessed and flame-eyed, then start spewing cryptic prophecies about how the car’s occupants were going to suffer and die. When the Oracle spoke, the revelations were rarely comforting and joyful.

Cassie sighed and looked out the window as Duverjay pulled the SUV around Lee Circle in New Orleans’ Central Business District, checking out the elegant white column in the center of the roundabout. Robert E. Lee stood there, looking out over the highway. He wasn’t one of Cassie’s favorite people, but he did make a memorable monument.

“That’s it, there on the right,” Cassie said, pointing out a squat olive green building.

“Not much to look at,” Rhys rumbled from the front passenger seat. He nudged the Guardians’ butler, their driver for the evening. “Let us out over here, Duverjay.”

Duverjay pulled over, waiting for Cassie and the Guardians to get out in front of the Hotel Modern, something of a chic hot spot in its own right. It was ten thirty, just the right hour to find plenty of New Orleans social activity. At the moment a number of people were sitting on a patio at the hotel’s front entrance, sipping drinks and chatting; a full third of them stopped and stared as Cassie, Gabriel, Rhys, and Aeric exited the SUV.

Cassie smoothed her hands down her backless gold Aidan Mattox gown. The floor-length dress fit like a glove, clinging to all the right places, the intricate gold beading shimmering in the moonlight. The beading spread out from her waist in a sunburst pattern, flattering her figure beyond belief. She looked like a flame-haired Venus rising from the sea, three model-handsome men in tuxedoes following her every step.

No wonder people were staring. Cassie kept the amusement from her face, sweeping past the hotel patrons. Gabriel was right behind her, and Cassie knew he was getting at least as much attention as she was, if not more. His Burberry tux fit so well that Cassie could barely bring herself to glance in his direction, too afraid she’d actually start to drool.

Gabriel was built, that was for certain. His ass in that tux was a crime against humanity.

“Where’s the entrance to the club?”

Cassie shot the man in question a look as he cut into her lascivious train of thought.

“This way, through the courtyard,” she said, turning a corner and leading them into a huge candlelit seating area. Aside from candles, the only light was from dim bulbs strung overhead, leaving plenty of room for the sultry New Orleans moon to make the courtyard romantic.

Cassie skirted the tables filled with laughing, happy twenty-somethings and stopped a dozen paces from where two armed, suited guards stood. Above them hung a simply-lettered sign that read bellocq — a craft cocktail bar.

“Here we are,” Cassie announced, stepping up to the guards and giving them a nod. “Gentlemen.”

“Miss Chase,” both of them replied at once, dipping their heads reverently and pulling the double doors open to let her in.

“That was suspiciously easy,” Aeric rumbled.

“Those were just the human guards,” Cassie said, rolling her eyes. “They don’t even know what I am, just that I’m a VIP.”

They stepped into the human half of Bellocq, a dark and intimate lounge room done up in crimson velvet, black silk, and silver accents. Couples and small groups stood around and sat on overstuffed chaises, laughing and talking over the persistent beat of the music. Booths were built into the walls, lined with rich cushions and partially hidden by thick curtains of silver and black beads.

There was a stunning backlit bar to their right, but Cassie swept by it in favor of heading straight through the room. When she neared the back she veered left toward a small corner, stepping through a gap between two of the booths. Here there were two more guards, and they eyed Cassie and the Guardians with a great deal more suspicion. They stood in front of a blank stretch of black-painted wall, and they were armed with both guns and wands.

“Jacques, Redford,” Cassie said, greeting the guards by name.

“Oracle,” Redford replied. He was the bigger of the two men, his suit straining to fit across his massive chest, and he seemed to be in charge.

“My friends and I are looking for some… diversion,” Cassie said, fluttering her eyelashes.

Redford’s brows shot up as he looked between Cassie and the Guardians, obviously drawing some inference at which Cassie couldn’t begin to guess.

“You will vouch for them, Oracle? You know the rules,” Redford said, giving Cassie a meaningful look.

“I do,” Cassie said, giving Redford a rueful smile.

Redford glanced at Jacques, who shrugged.

“All right, Oracle. Enjoy yourself,” Redford said, pulling his wand from his belt and tapping it on the wall.

The wall wavered for a moment, the illusion dispersing to reveal a soaring, cavernous entrance to the Kith club, the doorway covered in a thousand tiny gold spikes that gleamed in the dim light.

“Do not touch these,” Cassie said to the Guardians. Gabriel and Rhys frowned, but Aeric appeared unruffled. For the tenth time that day, Cassie had the distinct feeling that Aeric was not only older than the other Guardians, but perhaps something else entirely. Something… more.

They headed into the Kith side of Bellocq, walking single-file until they emerged into a single massive chamber. Gold shimmered on nearly every surface in the room, candles flickering in a thousand tiny sconces carved in the slick stone ceiling.

There were booths and overstuffed furniture on one side and a dazzling bar on the other, a close imitation of the human side. The main difference was the dance floor set between the booths and the bar, a hundred tightly packed bodies gyrating to a thunderous bass line that Cassie could feel in her very bones.

Gabriel stopped beside her, and Cassie saw him mouth a word of surprise. Bellocq was pretty impressive, after all. It was the most exclusive, expensive, and elite Kith bar in the city, mostly because there was a labyrinth of private rooms leading from a hallway behind the bar, catering to any and every taste.

Or so Alice had told Cassie, at any rate.

The thought of her friend straightened Cassie’s spine, and she touched Gabriel’s arm to get his attention.

“Let’s get a drink first,” she said, raising her voice to be heard over the music.

To her surprise, Rhys and Aeric both left them, Rhys heading for the dance floor and Aeric for the back hallway.

“Don’t worry about them,” Gabriel said, leaning close to murmur in her ear. He was close enough that Cassie could feel his breath on her neck and smell his crisp, masculine scent.

“I—” Cassie started, flustered.

Gabriel took her hand, lacing his fingers with hers as he had before, and led her to the bar. Even in a Kith establishment full of Vampires and every kind of shifter in existence, Gabriel was by far the most handsome man at the bar. One of the tallest, too.

He elbowed his way into a spot at the counter, seeming unaware of the two blonde nymphs who were practically begging for his attention, giggling and thrusting out their chests. Cassie held in a wince as she eyed their thin frames and ethereal features, acutely aware that she was much taller and curvier than the two fairies.

“Cass,” Gabriel said, giving her hand a squeeze.

She looked up at him, nearly melting at the look on his face. He was giving her an overtly appraising, appreciative look, his midnight blue gaze running up and down her frame before returning to her face.

“I almost couldn’t let you out of the Manor in that dress, you know,” Gabriel said, lips twitching with humor. “It’s the definition of sinful.”

His accent seemed to thicken when he was flirting, and Cassie could only imagine the effect it had on unknowing women in bars like this one. Hell, that look on his face, that accent, the way his suit jacket defined his tall, muscular frame…

Yeah, it was working on Cassie too, if her ever-dampening panties were any indication. She licked her lips, feeling her face heat as she stared up at Gabriel. Sucking in a breath, she tried to remember her mission.

“We should, um… look for Asangel. As soon as we get this drink, I mean,” she said, jerking her gaze from Gabriel’s.

“All business, are we?” he asked, but he let the matter drop. Gabriel managed to attract the attention of a pretty female bartender, and in short order he offered Cassie her drink. The cocktail came in a dainty gold cup, filled to the brim with crushed ice and garnished with fresh strawberries and mint.

Cassie took a sip and nodded her approval, especially since the drink was both light and strong. Not too girly, despite the intricate fruit garnishes. She noticed that Gabriel had chosen a glass of port for himself and found herself glad he’d spared her the same.

“How’d you know what to order me?” she asked, curious.

A grin burst over Gabriel’s face, his eyes twinkling. Cassie’s lungs seized for a moment at the beauty of him, and she realized this was the first time she’d seen him smile fully.

“Actually, I asked the bartender what the Oracle gets,” he admitted, looking proud of himself. “I didn’t figure you for a port girl.”

“You figured right,” Cassie said, sipping her drink.

She turned her back to the bar and scanned the room, and then had an idea. Leaning up on her tiptoes, she tried to get close enough to Gabriel so that she wouldn’t be overheard by others.

“Order us another drink,” she murmured.

“Already?” he asked, lips twitching.

“When you order it, ask the bartender to send a glass of blood wine to Asangel. If you play it cool, she might make it easy for us,” Cassie explained.

Gabriel nodded, looking impressed, and turned to comply. Cassie pretended to focus on her drink as the blonde bartender poured blood wine into a golden chalice and handed it off to a stunning brunette waitress. Gabriel sipped his port and put a new cocktail into Cassie’s free hand, engaging her in some discussion about the bar’s interior design. Gabriel turned away from the dance floor to seem more casual, but his banter didn’t fool Cassie for a hot second.

Cassie nodded, watching the waitress over the rim of her cup. When the waitress handed the chalice off with a flirty wink, Cassie couldn’t help but stare at the recipient.

“Did it work? Do you see him?” Gabriel asked.

“Uhhh… yeah,” Cassie said, swallowing hard. Ciprian Asangel was six and a half feet of lithe, suave man. He might be a Vampire, but his dirty blonde hair, crinkling blue eyes, and brilliant grin were undeniably attractive. He wore a metallic blue suit that looked tailor-made, and the flock of women encircling him almost seemed like an accessory of sorts, an echo of his attractiveness.

Gabriel reached out and slid an arm around Cassie’s waist, pulling her close and dropping a kiss on the top of her head. He turned her in a smooth movement, but his grin faltered when he spotted Asangel.

“Didn’t expect him to be so bloody… like that,” Gabriel muttered. “Actually, I was sort of hoping he liked men. Would’ve made talking to him a lot easier.”

Cassie rubbed her lips together, knowing Gabriel wasn’t going to like her next words.

“I think we both know that I have to be the one to talk to him,” she said. “You might as well not even argue. You know I’m right.”

Gabriel’s eyes narrowed with annoyance, but Cassie could tell she’d won this round.

“Three minutes,” he said. “And he’d better not touch you, not if he likes having hands.”

“Take a breath,” Cassie sighed. “First of all, I’m not even your mate—”

Gabriel cut her off with a growl, cupping her jaw and giving her a quick, firm kiss. The brief contact sent a shiver down her spine, but Cassie pulled away.

“You’re not making things better,” she told him.

“I didn’t intend to,” Gabriel fired back.

“You don’t get to stake your claim here, buddy,” Cassie said, stepping back. “Now I’m going to go talk to that sexy Vampire, and you are going to stay right here and try not to ruin the bartender’s panties. Got it?”

Before Gabriel could say another word, Cassie left him and strode across the dance floor, weaving between bodies on the crowded dance floor. Cassie caught Asangel’s attention immediately, and it was everything she could do to keep from blushing as the handsome Vampire raked his ice-blue gaze up and down her body. His appraisal seemed as honest as it was frank, and when Cassie’s eyes locked onto Asangel’s she found herself flattered at the curious hunger she found there.

Cassie played her cards for all they were worth, swaying her hips as she strode up to the Vampire, a knowing smirk on her lips. Her confident attitude must have worked, because two of Asangel’s admirers backed up as Cassie approached, giving her space to stop less than a foot in front of him.

“Enjoying the drink?” she asked, settling a hand on her hip and giving him an appraising glance of her own.

Asangel’s brows arched a little, a smile lifting the corners of his lips.

“Very much so,” he said, his Eastern European accent thick. “This blend is a favorite of mine, thank you.”

Cassie gave him a suggestive smirk and then held her hand out as she introduced herself.

“Cassandra,” she said.

“I know who you are, Oracle,” he said, his smile broadening as he took her hand, pressing his thumb against her gloved wrist to caress her pulse point. “I am Ciprian.”

“I know who you are, too,” Cassie bluffed, giving him a forced grin in return. The Oracle rose within her, giving her a flash of a softer, kinder-looking Ciprian offering his neck to a gorgeous brunette with dark coloring. The woman in the vision raised a brow and bared her fangs, then sunk her teeth into Ciprian’s neck, making them both moan in ecstasy.

Cassie sucked in a breath as she blinked the vision away. She couldn’t be certain, but she thought she’d just witnessed Ciprian’s transformation from human to Vampire. Ciprian didn’t so much as blink, but Cassie noticed an unmistakable hint of fang in his smile now.

“Ladies, go get a drink. I think the Oracle — Cassandra, that is, I think she deserves some privacy,” Ciprian said, waving his flock away.

They slunk off, shooting Cassie nasty looks, and Ciprian led her around the dance floor to what appeared to be his private booth. Ciprian directed her into one side of the high-walled leather booth, waiting until she’d slid around the table to the far side before joining her from the other side.

When Ciprian settled beside her, he was so close that his knee brushed Cassie’s. She summoned all her strength and kept her face blank, giving him nothing more than an expectant expression. She’d be damned if she was going to let some strange Vampire ruffle her feathers, especially if he was just testing her mettle.

“You want something, Oracle. I can smell it,” Ciprian said, leaning in to inhale her scent.

“Everyone wants something,” Cassie said, twining her fingers together in her lap and squeezing until her knuckles went white.

“Mmm,” Ciprian murmured, reaching out and brushing a lock of Cassie’s hair back from her temple, tucking it behind her ear in a tender gesture. He grazed her neck with the back of two fingers, making her jump. “I suppose they do. Tell me, Oracle, what would happen if I were to taste you? Do you think I would be able to glimpse my future?”

Cassie acted on reflex, bringing her hand up to knock his away. Ciprian favored her with a frown, but he pulled back a few inches.

“You’d better learn manners, little seer,” he informed her.

“Look over at the bar,” Cassie said, flying on blind hope. “The three big, brooding guys that are staring at us. You know who they are, I presume.”

Ciprian’s smile dimmed.

“I did wonder at the Guardians’ interest,” he said with a sigh. “Not to mention the fact that you reek of bear.”

Cassie started to argue with him, then shook her head. It was better not to play along with him.

“I want to know where Pere Mal is keeping his assets now,” Cassie said, going straight to the heart of the matter.

Ciprian’s eyebrows shot up and he gave a bark of laughter.

“Do you, now? What is the saying? I think people in hell want ice water,” he told her with an amused smile. “You’re a fool if you think I’ll give you information for free.”

Cassie narrowed her eyes, but she knew Ciprian was right.

“A trade, then,” she suggested.

Ciprian gave her another devilish grin.

“A taste of the Oracle?” he asked, wiggling his brows.

Cassie snorted.

“Not a chance,” she said. “I was thinking something along the lines of a prophecy. A single prophecy, something I can draw on without a blood sacrifice.”

To her surprise, Ciprian sobered. He gave her a considering glance, then slowly nodded.

“I am looking for someone, too,” he said, his tone confidential. He grasped her wrist and pulled her close, whispering into her ear, “Kieran the Grey”.

A prickle of foreboding spread out across Cassie’s skin at the sound of the name. She tugged her wrist from Ciprian’s grasp, frowning. She didn’t know why, but when she closed her eyes and focused on the strange name, she felt uneasy, tense.

She saw a pair of green and gold eyes. A figure wrapped in shadow and mist… A busy street at night, filled with revelers and a brass band…

Her eyes flew open and she gasped.

“He’s in the city!” she said.

“Do you know where?” Ciprian said, licking his lips as he leaned in.

“Give me an address first,” Cassie said, shaking her head.

“He’s got a bunch of properties,” Ciprian said, holding up a hand when Cassie started to complain. “Look, I don’t know which one he’s keeping girls in, but if I had to guess, he’s moved them to someplace heavily protected. I can’t tell you which one, but I can get you a list of some of his more valued holdings. I’ll have one of the girls write down the addresses and deliver them to the handsome blond Guardian lurking in the corner over there.”

Ciprian nodded, drawing Cassie’s attention to Aeric, who was indeed watching her from the corner of the room, his expression steely.

“Fine,” Cassie said, turning back to the Vampire. “Your man is on Frenchmen Street right now, watching the crowds.”

“Hunting, more like,” Ciprian said. He gave Cassie another ghoulish smile and then shocked her by leaning forward to press his lips to hers.

“Mmf!” Cassie protested against his lips.

“Consider it a personal favor,” Ciprian said as he pulled back, then winked at her.

Cassie opened her mouth to protest, but half a second later she was roughly yanked out of the booth. Before she really understood what was going on, Ciprian was headed for the exit and she was in Gabriel’s arms.

“Are you okay?” Gabriel demanded, taking her to the far side of the bar and setting her down in a dimly lit corner. “Did he hurt you?”

“I’m fine,” Cassie said, staring up at Gabriel as he caged her against the wall with his arms. “Gabriel, I’m fine. I promise.”

“Good,” he said.

The next thing Cassie knew, Gabriel’s kiss consumed her every thought.