Dead Reckoning(102)

Mindy, with ill-timed lust, gave Jock a hopeful look. She was so dumb, but that didn’t mean she ought to die. I wondered if I could get her to make a trip to the women’s room before the time came. No. Unless it was her idea, such a maneuver would be a red flag. I looked at the newcomers and tried to brace myself for what was to come.

This was particularly horrible — this waiting, this planning, knowing I was about to do my best to kill the people in front of me. I was looking into their eyes and hoping they would die in the next hour. Was this how soldiers felt? I wasn’t as wired as I thought I’d be; I was suspended in an eerie calm, perhaps because now that Victor had arrived, nothing could stop what was going to happen.

When Victor indicated he was satisfied with his greeting by taking the central chair, Eric told Jock to bring drinks all around. The out-of-town vamps all waited for Luis to drink from a glass he picked from the tray at random. After Luis survived for several minutes, all the newcomers selected glasses and one by one, they all took sips. The atmosphere grew much easier after that, because the drinks were absolutely kosher: warmed synthetic blood, a premium brand.

“You stick to the letter of the law here at Fangtasia,” Victor observed. He smiled at Eric. Mindy was between them, and she was leaning on Victor’s shoulder, her own Diet Coke with rum in front of her. Her husband, Mark, on Victor’s left, didn’t seem to feel well. His color was bad, and he seemed listless. When I saw the fang marks on his neck, I wondered if Victor had overindulged. Mindy didn’t seem worried.

“Yes, Regent,” Eric said. He smiled back, just as sincerely, and he didn’t elaborate.

“Your beautiful wife?”

“Is present, of course,” Eric said. “What would the evening be without her?” Eric waved me forward, and Victor raised his drink to me in appreciation of my appearance. I managed to look pleased. “Victor,” I said, “we’re so glad you could come tonight.” I didn’t try to summon more than “pleased.” Victor wouldn’t expect me to be as good at concealing my feelings as Eric was, and I wasn’t going to give him cause to think any different.

Of course, Eric hadn’t wanted me to be there. He’d made it plain that a frail human should not be around when vampires were fighting. In theory, I agreed. I would much rather have been at home — but I would have worried every second. The clincher in my argument was that Victor would definitely go on the alert if I were conspicuous by my absence, which would have been a clear signal that Eric was about to spring something. Eric couldn’t deny that when I’d made the point at our meeting.

Akiro positioned himself behind Victor’s chair. Hmmm, awkward. I was trying to think what I could do about that. Pam was behind Eric’s chair. When Eric beckoned to me, I smiled and went to join him, my purse over my shoulder.

Colton and Audrina were blending into the background by carrying trays of drinks around the club.

To my astonishment, Heidi went down on one knee by my chair, her posture indicating alert attention. Eric glanced at her but didn’t comment. Heidi was taking a stance as though Eric had ordered her to protect me during what might be a touchy visit. I looked down at her, but she didn’t meet my eyes. Yep, that was exactly what had happened. At least that was within the scope of “normal” and wouldn’t necessarily make the visitors worried.

“Bill,” Eric called. “We’re ready!”

And Bill emerged from the back hallway, smiling — a totally uncharacteristic broad grin — to stand with his arm outflung toward the hall (tah-DAH!) to announce Bubba’s entrance.

And what an entrance it was! It put Victor’s in the shade.

“Ohmygosh,” I murmured. Bubba was wearing a red jumpsuit that someone had taken a Bedazzler to; he had fake jewels and sequins everywhere, and his hair was styled in an amazing pompadour. He was wearing black boots and big rings. He was smiling that amazing lopsided smile that had made women swoon all over the globe, and he was waving as though there were thousands of us instead of a handful. Bill stood by the boom box Maxwell had set up, and when Bubba leaped onto the tiny stage and thanked us all very much, the lights went down. Bill started the music — “Kentucky Rain.”

It was incredible. What can I say?

Victor was totally entranced, or as totally as someone who’s perpetually wary can be. Victor leaned forward — Mindy and Mark forgotten, the other vampires forgotten — to absorb the experience. After all, he had Akiro to watch out for him. And Akiro was on the job, no doubt about it. His eyes never fixed on Bubba, but swept the room. Luis and Antonio had positioned themselves by the front door, guarding Akiro’s back, and the bodyguard’s eyes were doing a 180-degree scan of the rest of the club as he stood behind Victor.