Lonely Vampire

Chapter 3-1

Chapter 3

In the weeks since his run-in with Tino Verona, Armand found himself wondering where the younger vampire had settled in the city—if he had. Not that Armand particularly cared, as long as Tino didn’t hunt where he wasn’t welcome. Armand was very territorial—with good reason. In the past, when vampires had been more prevalent, he’d had to fight for every block of whatever area he wanted to make his own. Despite the decline in the vampire population over the last hundred years, due to their growing tired of their lives, in a world where keeping their existence a secret had become increasingly difficult, he couldn’t extinguish his predatory need to keep his territory his own, with no intruders vying for humans to feed upon.

One Friday night, he got an answer to his question about Verona. His manager at Le Restaurant de la Nuit Éternelle had informed him that Glen Holmes, a wealthy oil magnate, had booked the entire restaurant for the evening. That happened on occasion, and as the owner, Armand felt it incumbent upon himself to be there for such events.

He arrived at dusk, when the restaurant opened.

“Monsieur Lyon, are you checking up on us?” Paul, the maitre d’ asked with obvious amusement.

“Paul…” Armand shook his head. “How many times to I need to tell you, it’s just Armand.”

“Unless we’re with customers. I know, Armand. You’re here to meet and greet Mr. Holmes and his guests, I take it.”

“A necessity, I’m afraid,” Armand replied dourly.

“Then you’d better put on a smile. The way you’re glaring, they’ll turn tail and run.”

“I am not glaring.”

“Could have fooled me.”

Armand smiled, asking, “Better?” then went around the room to make certain everything was as it should be. Not that he doubted it wouldn’t be, but it paid to check, since he was here.

A few minutes later, Glen Holmes and his wife arrived, dressed to the nines in impeccable formalwear. Soon, Holmes’ guests began arriving. Armand greeted each person cordially before turning them over to Paul to be taken to their seats. That is until Tino came in.

Armand frowned deeply, asking, “What are you doing here?” It didn’t escape his attention that Tino was wearing a tuxedo, as were all of the men in Holmes’ party.

“I’m one of Glen’s guests,” Tino replied with aplomb.

“In the few short weeks you’ve been in the city, how did you manage to make friends with him?”

Tino c****d his head. “Glen is a connoisseur of classic and vintage automobiles. I happen to own one. He saw it, we struck up a conversation and, as they say, the rest is history.”

“So you’re using your connection with him to join the in crowd of the rich and famous of Denver.”

Tino smiled. “I don’t intend to spend my whole stay here in the city cloistered in my house. I like living the high life and how better to do than to be invited to parties, like the one he’s hosting tonight for his wife’s birthday. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to join the others and enjoy myself.”

He’s lying. Why? I don’t know. But he is. Otherwise, why did he have a block up so I couldn’t probe his mind? Normal self-defense? I doubt it.

With that thought in mind, Armand went back to his duties as the owner of the restaurant, vowing to find out more about the charismatic vampire and what he had been doing since last they’d spoken.