Night Play(82)

He cradled her against his chest as the driver gently urged her mule, Caesar, onto the street, toward the Garden District.

"Are you two newlyweds?" Michaela, the driver, asked.

Vane looked at her.

"I guess we are," Bride said. Not sure how else to answer Michaela's question.

"I thought so. You got that happy-in-love look about you. I can always spot it."

Bride closed her eyes as she inhaled the warm, masculine scent of Vane and considered just how much she would love to gobble him up. She could hear his heart pounding underneath her cheek while the mule's hooves clip-clopped through the French Quarter. Music would occasionally drift out of the buildings and cars they passed: jazz, zydeco, rock, and even a country tune every now and again.

The air held just the hint of a chill to it, otherwise the night was extremely pleasant. Her hometown had never looked more lovely to her. And when she passed the street to her shop, she smiled as she remembered seeing Vane there for the first time.

In some ways it seemed like an eternity ago.

Vane leaned his head down so that his cheek rested on the top of her hair while he cupped her face with his hand.

They didn't speak while the driver pointed out landmarks and buildings.

Vane couldn't breathe as he held Bride. Caressing her skin was like stroking satin. She was so precious to him. He felt as if he had been reborn the day he first saw her with that touch of sadness in her eyes at Sunshine's art stand.

He didn't want to think about a future without her.

While visiting Fang, he had told his brother everything about Bride. He'd hoped that it might bring Fang out of his stupor.

It hadn't.

If anything, it seemed to depress his brother more.

How he wished he knew some way to reach Fang. A part of him felt guilty that Bride made him happy while his brother was so miserable.

But he didn't want to go back to the way he'd been before he'd found her. For the first time in his life, he didn't have to hide himself from his lover. It was so incredible to be completely honest about who and what he was.

She didn't judge him or hate him for things that weren't his fault. She accepted him and that was the greatest miracle of all.

All too soon, the carriage returned to Decatur. Vane got out first, then helped Bride down. He tipped the driver, then took her hand and led her toward the St. Louis Cathedral. "Would you like to go dancing?"

Bride bit her lip at his offer. She hadn't gone dancing in years. "I would love to."

"Do you have a favorite club?"

She shook her head.

"Hmmm, I can't take you to Sanctuary, I'm still kind of banished from it for attacking one of my pack mates. Ash and Simi like to go dancing at someplace called the Dungeon, but knowing their taste in music and clubs, I doubt either one of us would be comfortable there. Nick Gautier hangs at Temptations… Then again, knowing Nick, I have a feeling it's probably not a good place for you, either."

"No," she said with a laugh at the mention of one of New Orleans's more renowned gentlemen's clubs. "We could try the Tricou House on Bourbon. Tabitha goes there a lot after work. Of course, she's there looking for vampires to stake, but she says they have great music and food."

"Okay, sounds like a destination."

As they walked down Père Antoine Alley, Vane began to slow his pace.

Bride frowned as he pulled away from her and put her behind him.

"What's the…" Her voice trailed off as she saw what appeared to be four blond men with an attractive brunette. At first she thought one of the men was making out with the woman in one of the alcoves, until the other three men saw Vane and cursed.

"Back off, Were-Hunter," one of the men snarled. His sinister gaze went to Bride. "You have too much to lose by fighting us."

"Let her go," Vane said in a deadly voice.

They didn't.

"Stay here," Vane ordered her before he threw his hand out and sent two of the vampires flying.

Before he could move, something bright flashed in the alleyway. Bride held her hand up to shield her eyes as Vane made an inhuman cry.

"Grab his mate," someone said.

She was still bunded by the flash. Someone grabbed her roughly. Knowing Vane would never handle her that way, she gave a vicious kick that contacted with flesh.

The vampire crumpled as he cupped himself.

Another one came at her. Just as she was sure he had her, he disintegrated. The other two ran toward a shadow and then they too were gone.

Bride braced herself to fight the approaching shadow until she realized it was Valerius.

"Are you all right?" he asked her.

She nodded as her sight cleared enough so that she could look for Vane. He was a few feet from the woman, who appeared to be unconscious.

Bride froze as she saw him. He was flashing back and forth from a naked human to wolf and back again.