Unnatural Allies

Chapter 1-2

“Time off?” Andre grumbled as he drove home. “I don’t do inactivity well and he knows it.” He had been what the human’s would have called Thorin’s enforcer for more years than he liked to think about. It kept him on his toes and gave him a reason to get up every night.

Because he was hungry, Andre pulled into the parking garage of his building, got out of the car, and set the security, but didn’t go up to his condo. Instead he walked swiftly outside then slowed his pace to a casual stroll. It was late enough that the bar half a block away was closing. He went into the parking lot beside it, biding his time until most of the bar’s patrons had driven away.

A man, with a woman of questionable morality clinging to his arm, walked toward a car at the back of the semi-dark lot. When they got there, he pushed her against the hood, fumbling for the hem of her skirt.

She giggled, saying, “Can’t wait until you get me in the car?”

Andre stepped into view, catching her startled gaze to take control of her mind, ordering her not to move. Then he put his hand on the man’s shoulder, turning him around.

“She’s right, you should have waited,” Andre said as he cupped the man’s jaw, tilting his head back. Before the man had a chance to protest or fight back, Andre took over his mind as well. His fangs dropped and he drank deeply. When he finished, he sealed the wounds with a lick of his tongue, and then fed from the woman.

Sated, Andre released his control of them, after wiping their memories of what had happened. As he strolled away he heard the woman say, “I must have had too much to drink. I feel dizzy.” He took a quick glance over his shoulder, biting back a laugh when she slid down to end up sprawled on the ground. The last thing Andre saw as he left the lot was the guy trying to manhandle her into the car.

Returning to his building, he took the elevator up to his condo on the twelfth floor, disarming then rearming the security box after entering. When he was in his living room he stood silently, listening. Although the security on the condo was excellent, he never took anything for granted. Given what he did and who his enemies were, he had no illusions that one of them might not decide to pay a surprise visit, teleporting in while he was gone to lay in wait for his return. Of course they’d have to be able to see inside, first. That was one reason he kept his drapes closed at night as well as during the day. Still, it would only take the slightest space between them for an enemy on his balcony to peer inside, and then enter once he had.

Crossing the room, he paused at the bar to pour a glass of red wine, before he pulled back the drape over the door to the balcony just enough to open it and step outside—after using all his senses to make certain no one was lying in wait for him out there.

The security on his condo, and the building, had been the primary impetus for buying it instead of a house. That and the fact the condo was high enough up that no one could access the balcony unless they had a paranormal’s abilities. Or were second-story men. He chuckled, as he usually did when that thought came to him. Anyone scaling the exterior of the building, up from the ground or down from the roof seven stories above him, would be obvious to even the casual observer. At night the exterior of the building was bathed with low-key lighting—another security element to deter any burglars.

Settling on one of the balcony chairs, he kicked his long legs up, resting his feet on the railing as he sipped his wine. All right, what shall I do with my time off? Stay here and go crazy from idleness? Take a trip? If Thorin needs me I can be back within hours, or less, depending on where I go.

He considered his options. He had two friends who lived in New York City, but he hated the place with all its noise and dirt. Another friend had a home on the Columbia River in Washington State. Well, former friend. It’s been forever since we even talked, to say the least of visiting each other.

Although he didn’t know anyone there anymore, he considered going to New Orleans. He’d always enjoyed time spent in the city and, like New York, finding people to feed from was not a problem. Tourists abounded no matter the time of year. Unfortunately, so did werewolves, although they stayed primarily in the bayous surrounding the city unless they were looking for trouble—the preponderance of vampires in the city acting as a deterrent to them living within the parish.

“Toss a coin,” he muttered. “Stay or go. I’ll sleep on it and then decide. Hell, if I get lucky something will come up that Thorin needs me to deal with and it’ll be a moot point.”

Finishing his wine, he went inside, poured another glass, and settled down with the book he was reading until his inner clock told him it was almost sunrise and thus time to go to bed before he fell asleep on the sofa.