The Accidental Vampire(6)

DJ shrugged, silently saying he knew nothing about it. It was Brunswick who answered.

Smiling with amusement, he asked, "You didn't think you were the only one to answer

the ad, did you?" Before Victor could respond, he added, "There are six men coming

tonight. You're the first to arrive."

Victor wasn't pleased at this news, but was more concerned with the displeasure now

on Brunswick's face.

"I hope they all don't bring friends or the house is going to be crowded," the officer

commented, and then shook his head and said, "Come, I've kept you standing here

long enough. I'll show you to your table."

When Officer Brunswick turned to lead the way through the crowded restaurant, DJ

started to follow, but Victor caught his arm to hold him back and asked, "What does he

mean by ' the house will be crowded' !"

"I told you Elvi invited us down for the week," DJ reminded him.

"Yes," he acknowledged impatiently. "But I expected we'd be staying at a hotel, not

someone's house."

"It's a bed‐and‐breakfast. Casey Cottage. Elvi owns it," DJ murmured. "It'll be fine."

"Are you boys coming or has the thought of competition scared you off?"

Victor stiffened. Captain Brunswick had paused at an empty booth halfway up the

right‐hand side of the restaurant, one Victor was sure hadn't been empty when they

entered. No one had left the restaurant, however, so he supposed whoever had been

seated there when they'd entered, had now joined the crowd milling around the bar at

the front of the restaurant.

"This job is looking more and more interesting by the minute," DJ commented under

his breath as they moved forward to join Brunswick.

Victor's only response was a grunt. To him, the situation seemed to be growing more

complicated by the minute, and more troublesome.

"Here we are." Captain Brunswick stood blocking the far side of the booth, obviously

expecting them to squeeze into the nearer side together.

Victor immediately stepped aside and gestured DJ in. Claustrophobic as he found cars,

there was no way he was going to be trapped on the inside of a booth.

Making a face, DJ slipped quickly along the seat, scrunching himself up in the corner.

Victor settled next to him, ignoring the way the younger immortal proceeded to

mutter and shift about with discomfort. The booth was really far too small for two

grown men to sit side by side; especially two grown men well over six feet tall and half

as wide. They were both built like warriors of old, which was handy when it came to

hunting. Size intimidated and any advantage was useful.

"Mabel will join us as soon as she and Elvi arrive," Brunswick commented as the

conversations in the room began again. The mariachi band was apparently taking a

break, but the patrons were at least no longer silent, though they were still staring and

Victor suspected the conversations being held around the room were mostly about

him and DJ.

Victor ignored the glances cast their way and nodded in response to Brunswick's

comment, but still had no idea who Mabel was and still didn't care. His only interest in

Port Henry was to meet this Elvi so he could sort out if she truly was one of them or

they could get in the car and head home.

Victor used to enjoy his work. However, he'd found himself growing weary of late. He

was, in effect, a hunter tired of the hunt. Rather useless he supposed. On the other

hand, Victor acknowledged to himself, he had no special desire to be at home either.

He didn't seem to be satisfied or at peace anywhere anymore, but then he never really

had been since his wife, Marion's, death. He also found himself tired a lot of the time,

his dissatisfaction increasing. It was something he tried not to think about too often.

He may be bored and weary with life right now, but had no wish to go rogue as many

other of his kind had gone at this stage.

"Mabel!" DJ said suddenly, apparently just placing the name. "She's Elvi's friend and

the co‐owner of the restaurant, and the bed‐and‐breakfast. Right?"

Brunswick nodded. "Her best friend. If Mabel doesn't like you, you can forget about

Elvi. Those two have been thick as thieves since they were kids. She's—"

He paused abruptly when the room suddenly quieted again. Leaning sideways,

Brunswick peered toward the front door and then got abruptly to his feet. "Another

one's arrived. Excuse me."



Chapter Two





Elvi was blow‐drying her hair when Mabel knocked at the door and shouted

something. Frowning, she turned off the hair dryer and called, "What?"

"Are you almost ready?" the woman said impatiently.

"Yes, yes, I'm coming." Elvi quickly began to wrap the cord around the dryer, her gaze