Forbidden Nights with a Vampire(76)

 

Phil had grown up seeing other werewolves bow to his father and call him Supreme Pack Master. His dad was the most powerful Alpha wolf in America. By the age of twelve Phil had realized that his father craved power more than anything. He would always want more power and more control over his subjects, including his own sons. And Phil, cursed with the same genetic makeup as his father, was not the kind of wolf who could accept being controlled.

 

He took a deep breath. "This is really important."

 

"Yeah, I figured that. Otherwise, you would have never bothered to call."

 

He winced at the resentment in her voice. "Thank you for helping. It'll be good to see you."

 

"Oh Phil." Her voice trembled with emotion. "I'd do anything for you, you know that. I'll be waiting for your call. Be careful."

 

"Thanks." He hung up.

 

A sense of foreboding settled in his gut. The cabin in Wyoming was the perfect place to hide Vanda. No one in the Vampire World knew of its existence. But the cost of using it might be way too high.

 

Vanda wrinkled her nose. "Smells like coffee in here."

 

"It was a coffee warehouse for a hundred years," Robby explained. "The coven used to live in an old wine cellar, but it was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina."

 

Vanda surveyed the huge rectangular room. Water stains marked the walls, showing how badly the warehouse had flooded. It was dry now, and empty except for a small sitting area that consisted of a sofa and several armchairs.

 

Robby, Zoltan, and Dougal had visited the New Orleans coven before, so the warehouse was embedded in their psychic memory. They'd simply grabbed onto Vanda, Phineas, and Phil and teleported them there.

 

Vanda tightened the whip around her waist. "Where is everybody? I thought they were expecting us."

 

Phil pointed at a surveillance camera above the main entrance. "They probably know we're here."

 

"Bonsoir, mes amis," a deep masculine voice echoed across the warehouse. "Welcome to our home."

 

Vanda looked around, and then up. A balcony spread across the width of the warehouse. From a door in the center, a couple emerged. The man was handsome, dressed entirely in black, and the woman by his side wore a shimmering golden evening gown the same shade as her hair.

 

"No stairs or ladders," Phil murmured. "A good way to stay safe."

 

More Vamps filed from the upstairs room. Elegantly dressed, they posed along the length of the balcony. Vanda realized the coven must actually live in the room on the second floor. With no access other than levitation, it kept them safe from mortal intruders.

 

The man in black stepped off the balcony and floated down, his black coat fluttering around him till he landed gracefully on the ground floor. He bowed. "I am Colbert GrandPied, at your service."

 

"Vanda Barkowski." She extended a hand.

 

He leaned over to kiss it. "Enchanté."

 

As Colbert greeted the rest of the Vamps and Phil, Vanda watched more well-dressed Vamps float down from the balcony.

 

"I am Giselle." The blonde, dressed in gold, kissed Vanda's cheeks. "We are honored to have you here."

 

Honored? Vanda didn't see much honor in being bait. And these elegant Vamps looked dressed for the opera rather than a battle with Casimir. "Ah, you do realize there could be a battle?"

 

Giselle cocked her head. "It was my understanding that the battle will occur at the Vampire Blues. That is the plan, non?"

 

Vanda sighed. "Yes, but—"

 

"Do not worry, chérie." Giselle patted her on the shoulder. "Our best swordsmen will accompany you to the club. Many of them lost loved ones in the Great Vampire War of 1710. They are eager to have their revenge."

 

"Great." Vanda smiled wryly. "Then everybody's happy." She glanced at Phil. He'd been frowning all night, his gaze darting everywhere as if he expected danger at every turn.

 

Colbert slipped an arm around Giselle's slim waist. "And where are Scarlett and Tootsie? I thought they'd be the first ones down."

 

"They were still fiddling with their makeup in the bathroom, the last I saw them." Giselle smiled at Vanda. "They're your biggest fans."

 

"Fans?" Vanda blinked when a figure ran from the upstairs room onto the balcony. "Wow." The silver dress was completely covered with sequins and sparkled like a disco ball. It took her eyes a second to adjust.

 

"That's Scarlett," Colbert whispered.

 

Vanda's mouth fell open. Scarlett's figure filled out the dress quite well…for a man.