Quench(22)
“You didn’t want me there.” Uneasy, he turned away from her. “I’m a hairy-assed cat. I walk on all fours and I like it, Viv.”
“I…I’m hungry. Can we just go?”
“At your service.” Alek was glad to drop it. He wouldn’t know what to say if she asked the hard question anyway. Besides, he was hungry too.
He’d fed at Big Bear before Case dropped by but it took a lot out of him to feed her. Human blood worked so much better than an animal kill. The skier had recovered quickly and he’d escorted the man home safely after he thought he’d bumped his head in a fall.
Reign never killed humans.
He snatched her against his body and disappeared to the Looking Glass. The lot was full of cars but no one was outside. Those still here had settled at the bar or in private rooms for the night. They’d all be looking for a good time.
Entering the club with Viv on his arm, he sniffed Case out immediately. He nodded at Alek from where he sat chatting up a wolf shifter. Alek peered around the room and found Tres. She glanced up and came right over.
“Damn it’s good to see you,” she said, throwing her arms around him. “Wow, Case said you had yourself a foxy-ass lady.” She reached her hand out to Viv. “I’m Tres. Alek and I go way back.”
He sure as hell hoped Viv wouldn’t start any shit. Tres was really tiny but with Case’s blood in her veins she was far from easy to handle.
“I’m Viviana, call me Viv.”
Well, shit, that was too easy.
“Alek, visit with your friend, I’ll sit with Tres and get to know her better.”
“Sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine but I could eat something. I’ll have another run at a very rare steak. You can show me how to chew it.” Her broad smile sat his blood racing and his cock reared its big head. This vamp had his number. And if he looked in a mirror he’d find hers tattooed on his forehead.
“I’ll take care of it.”
As long as Holly stayed out of the way, the night could only get better.
“We gave her some time off. We decided to stay, hoping you guys would drop by.”
“Stay out of my mind, damn it.” He laughed and sat beside Case, who had been a lifesaver last night and today. “Thanks for stopping by this morning.”
“You know I love you, bro. Couldn’t stand to see you hurt. How are things?”
“She hasn’t mentioned anything. We haven’t talked much since she got up. The champagne was a hit,” Alek said.
“Hmm, I bet it was.”
“Being mated could be good I guess. We’ll see how it plays out.”
“She’ll come round. They give us a merry chase, don’t they? Like being on the hunt in the old days.”
“I don’t remember chasing water buffalo being so hard.”
He glanced back at the table where Viv and Tres seemed to be hitting it off. They shared a laugh over something.
“How long did it take for Tres to learn to keep you out of her mind?”
“You’re safe until you change her. Viv’s got old blood in her veins, though, I can barely read her.” He winked at Alek. “You may as well give up, it’ll wear you out.”
“Damn.”
“Come on, I’ll show you the new room we had done this week.” Case peered at him. “Does she know you’re a performer and that you like to be watched having sex?”
“We haven’t gotten that far in our relationship yet. Shit, now I know how you felt with Tres watching me. If I smelled you getting hot for her I’d claw your heart out.”
Case laughed so loud in the quiet hallway Alek was sure everyone heard him.
“Tres would beat you to it. Not a woman in the world gets my blood running like my little snow cat and it’ll be like that until we die. You’ll see. Still, I like to watch. We both do so it’s no big deal.” He pushed in a code and threw open the door to a room three times larger than any other on the premises.
A king-size bed sat against one of the four mirrored walls.
Alek asked, “No two-ways?”
“This is for patrons who like to be up close and personal. It’s only for those who can handle that kind of action.”
“Nice. In the old days I’d have loved a space like this.”
In the far corner was a fully stocked bar and a dining table with four comfortable chairs. An oversized sofa sat in the middle of the floor facing the bed.
Looking around the walls, he saw what he searched for. One mirror had a small glass button. Alek pushed it and a panel swished open. The spacious pale-blue bathroom held a sunken hot tub and was stocked with plush navy-blue towels, oils and anything else an adventurous couple would need.