Coffin Girls (Elegantly Undead: Book 1 of the Coffin Girls Witch Vampire Series) (21 page)

“Count us in,” said Miss Suzette and Raulf jointly, stepping
from behind a tree where they’d been shamelessly eavesdropping.

“What?” asked Raulf, when he saw the smirks on their women’s
faces. “Y’all knew we were there all along.”

“Yes, brother,” Anais went forward and took his hand, that
one word, clarifying and cementing the status of their relationship, “and
you’re welcome. You’re both family and we will never exclude you unless it is
what you wish.”

Conall came forward and extended a hand to the wolf, “Thank
you. I know you’re doing it for your family, not my cause, but I appreciate the
offer and am indebted to you for your generosity.”

“I’ll take your gratitude,” responded Raulf. He couldn’t
hate this man, though he thought long and hard and envied him still. Anais
would continue to be his love but he wanted her happy and so far, the witch
seemed to do that. “But I’m not doing this for my family – only – I’m, we’re,”
he indicated towards Miss Suzette, “are from strong bloodlines too, strong
magick, and we’re doing this because it is right.”

--------

Blood Lust was pumping, the very air that swum around them
throbbed to the beat of the bass provided by DJ Duke. Ironically, Duke had been
a real one in the sixteenth century, which of course, his human fans had no
clue of as his occupation of playing in clubs and working in recording studios
catered perfectly to the nocturnal lifestyle of a vampire. The DJ box was
surrounded by of what Anais and Co. snidely referred to as ‘lipstick vamps’ –
air-head, pretty girls who lived and loved the life of centuries of non-stop
partying.

V leaned into the leather-padded back-rest offered by the
booth they were sitting in, looking at their group and flicking her gaze
towards the women throwing their bodies around in front of Stephan. “I think we
can deduce that immortality doesn’t improve intelligence. I know it shouldn’t
bug me. They lead their lives and I do mine but it does. They irritate the shit
out of me.”

“That’s the human in you or the witch human in you at least,
I think,” offered Sophie. “I don’t get irritated by much but they grate me too.
I’m not sure if it’s the fake brains, fake smiles or fake attitudes.”

Feet tapping, Marie interjected, “Oh, stop your bitching and
come and dance before the alcohol in these blood-infused drinks, crap
blood-infused drinks, gets to me.”

Rose threw a smirk at Marie, “Now you’re bitching. You’re
livid that Akeldonna’s used your blood-alcohol idea for her clubs.”

“Of course I’m mad. They took me ages to mix and come up
with. We threw her a fantastic opening party and now she frikkin’ steals my
recipes!”

Anais, lips curved in amusement, patted Marie’s hand
consolingly, “Don’t worry, Marie. Yours is so much better and,” she stopped to
sip the Blood Lust blocolate, the chocolate vodka infused blood drink, “you use
better quality alcohol and blood. The cow is a cheapskate so yours will always
be better. You’re the
originale
,
cher
and she’s a cheap copy.”

Marie grinned satisfyingly in response. “So, let’s go dance
before the cheap booze hits me.”

“You sure you can dance after all that? I think the cheap
booze has already hit.” V, pointed to the number of empty glasses that sat on
the table in front of Marie.

“Sure, y’all just watch me.” Marie made a point of strutting
her stuff on her way to the dance floor.

Anais grinned in appreciation of her friend’s sense of fun.
It had been a few grueling days of events and magick training and they were due
for a break. “We better go before she hurts herself.”

Anais leaned over and whispered in Conall’s ear, seductively
letting her lips graze the tasty appendage, savoring the involuntary shudder it
elicited. “Don’t take too long now, I’m feeling a need to work off all this
energy that the lessons have given me and I think you can help.” She teasingly
dodged the smoldering kiss she could see was coming and followed the rest of
the ladies to the dance floor.

Conall lingered over the sight of Anais’s derriere moving in
tune to the music as she made her way to her friends. Turning to his, he
quickly erected an invisible sound barrier over them so that no one could hear
them but they could hear what was happening around them. It wasn’t that he was
uncomfortable in a vampire club crawling with supernaturals but he’d learnt the
hard way to always be prepared. “This is the first time we’ve been alone since
the last time we were in the Quarter. No vampire women, no Voodoo mama and no
broody werewolf. So, how’s home, Sylvain? Is ma in a state?”

Sylvain eyed his friend thoughtfully, things between Conall
and Anais had progressed to a serious state even if they pretended as that it
was a fling. “Your home is lovely and unchanged. The change seems to be coming
from this quarter. And yes, your mother is in quite a state. It took much
convincing from me and your sisters to stop her from coming here.”

“Why would she want to do that? I’ve been on missions for
the Goddess before? Surely she’s not concerned for my safety?”

“Aah, Conall, you display a son’s foolhardiness.” Niul
explained. “Of course your mother is concerned for your safety. She’s a mother,
isn’t she?” He raised an enquiring brow at Conall who sheepishly nodded before
he continued, “But what our friend, Sylvain, is referring to is your mother’s
concern for her son’s heart, not his body.”

“What?” Conall was mystified and then realisation shone on
his face and he narrowed his eyes at Sylvain, “Did you rat on me to my ma,
Syl?”

Sylvain held up his hands in his defense, “Of course I
didn’t nor did your sisters, though Fianna was close to spilling. Your mom’s
psychic, Con, what do you think?”

“Fuck! Now she’ll definitely be coming down. And if she
doesn’t make it down here, she’ll be watching us like a loaf of bread in the
oven of a starving man when we take Anais home with us.” Conall grumbled,
nearly grabbing a blood infused drink, and then blinking, went for his tall one
of Guinness. “Okay, enough of that, I can see that you both want to have a go
at me about Anais and I’m not falling for that. Let’s chat about the mission
while we have the chance. I’m still no nearer to figuring out what the Goddess
meant for us to come here unless it has to do with the powers that Anais has.”

Niul nodded in ascent, “Been thinking of that, I have and
we’d be on the same page. The vampires have seemed to be there usual selves and
I can’t pick out anything going on with the council. The recon I’ve been doing
has shown that they live large and sleep like the undead,” Niul grinned at the
pun.

“And,” added Sylvain, “nothing new on the missing witches.
There’s no link to any vampires in one of their activities before they went
missing and nothing to raise any flags.”

Conall nodded, “My gut tells me there’s something about in
New Orleans but I can’t put a finger on it. So, in the meantime, do you agree
that we carry on teaching the ladies, do recon and see what it leads to?”

Sylvain grinned wickedly, “Sure. That’s the only way I see
for us right now. And speaking of carrying, you better go and join your lovely
lady before that big vamp over there gets a bit too friendly.”

Conall did a double take in the direction where the ladies
were dancing. A huge blonde vampire was trying to wedge himself between Anais
and Sophie. Conall swore, earning bigger grins from his friends. “If he doesn’t
stop poking at her, it’ll be bloody in Blood Lust because I’m going to cut off
his fingers and then his balls.”

Conall promptly disengaged the magickal sound booth and
swift-footed it to Anais.

“This place is unbelievable!” Conall leaned down to whisper
in Anais’ ear, liking the feeling of getting close as they moved to a ballad of
love lost and yearned for. “It’s hard to reconcile a public night club with one
meant for the supernatural crowd. Maybe it’s because I can sense and spot the
supes amongst a crowd and there’s an overwhelming amount of them here. It’s
like the unusual is celebrated here and with us being part of that unusual, I
can see why you’ve made this your primary base.”

“It’s just how New Orleans is,” Anais shrugged. “Take the
Quarter – windows of shops advertise supernatural - vampire-themed
accommodation and events, psychic readings, voodoo tours and ghost-hunting.
People probably come to the club thinking it’s a tourist gimmick. People only
see what they want and what their minds and beliefs can handle. I’ve been doing
it here for years, decades at a time, and the only humans that have an inkling
of what’s going on has been Miss Suzette, Raulf and their Voodoo, Shifter
families and I believe it’s because they’re not really the usual human crowd.”

Conall glared at another man, a shifter this time,
approaching them. Didn’t the idiots see that she was with him? He pulled Anais
closer possessively, loving the way she curved into him.

“I’m quite happy with our little arrangement, so you can
stop shooting daggers at all the guys around us, Conall. They’re just flirting
and dancing, having fun. Vampires are by nature, flirtatious and sexual
creatures. You know that. Have a heart, Conall.”

Conall inwardly frowned at her reference to them as a
‘little arrangement’ but let it go, now was also not the time to speak of what
he felt for her.  “I’ll have their hearts, alright, if they don’t keep
their paws to themselves.”

“Such a strong, powerful and good looking man and yet you’re
so jealous of them.” She gently moved his face to look down into hers. She
caught the smile he gave at the statement and held it. “Rest assured, lover,
you’ll be the only one warming my bed tonight.” Anais looked over to Niul
snuggled up to V and Sophie draped in the arms of Sylvain. “It looks like we’re
not the only ones that will have that pleasure tonight.” Marie and Rose were
likely being attended to by two very handsome vampires, including the blonde
Adonis that Conall had nearly dragged away from her earlier.

“It’s been a tough few days; they’re all entitled to a bit
of fun and a night off. They’ve each taken well to learning the craft. Your
sisters have thankfully been focused, more than I anticipated having seen how
they’re given to continuous squabbling.”

“
Exactement
! We’ve all earned tonight’s play time.
And I’m about ready to go home and play a different game with you.” She slipped
out of his arms as the number neared to the end, the implications of her invitation
and the close proximity to him making her heavy with wanting. “I’ll go freshen
up in the lady’s and then we’ll be off?”

“I aim to please, Madame.” Conall bowed slightly drawing out
a giggle from her, making his lips curve in response. “I’ll wait for you at the
table.”

Anais made her way to the bathroom, her smile slipping.
She’d been feeling the glow wanting to erupt while she was on the dance floor.
At first she thought that it was due to her nearness to Conall and then
recognized, as flashes of unknown others came to her, that it was the witch
magick. She was so tired of being the centre of attention with one or other
drama and they all needed the night off that she decided to keep quiet about
it. The flashes had intensified in frequency and she got a sense of urgency
from whoever was sending it to her, so she decided to escape to the only
private place a nightclub offered - the loo.

A piercing voice interrupted her thoughts. Akeldonna’s
equivalent of a handmaiden, the Greek vampireress, Elektra approached her as
she was about to escape into a cubicle. “Anais, how lovely to see you?” Air
kisses were followed by useless platitudes as Anais nodded, smiled and returned
the fake niceties. 

“Elektra,” Anais pasted an extra-wide smile onto her face, “the
drinks here are so good.” Thank God Marie wasn’t here to hear that and clomp
her over the head. “I’ve had so many that please excuse me. I need the little
girl’s room pronto.”

“Of course, I completely understand. Your dear Marie does
try, poor girl. But some things do require talent and more than a clever little
idea. But we’ll let that be our little secret.” Elektra leaned in
conspiratorially, “That Marie is a spit-fire but these Cajuns seem to be. The
men are good for it in bed but I admire you putting up with it in Marie and
your other child, Rose. Their attitudes would drive me mad. But I understand
the bond between maker and child, even the unruly ones; it’s our curse when we
turn those wild cards. They’re either a hit or a miss but,” Elektra waved a
jeweled hand in the air, as crass as her orange-red hair and electric blue
hooker get-up, “like I said, I admire your tolerance of your ‘misses’ with
those two.”

Anais mentally gritted her teeth. Smiling broadly, she put
on an Oscar-winning performance. “I appreciate your understanding of what I
have to go through. But you’re right, as always, dear Elektra, we makers have
to live with the consequences of turning just anyone.”

Elektra beamed at Anais, “I’m so glad to hear that you share
that perspective. A pity that we live so long with our mistakes, isn’t it? Tell
me, what do you think of Akeldonna’s newest brain child. I just loooove Blood
Lust. It’s so in-your-face-chic.”

“Once again, you’re right. It is genius!” Anais clapped her
hands in acknowledgement. And take that back to your bitch boss too!

“It is, isn’t it? I’m so glad I’ve run into you. Now I can
tell Akeldonna that there’s an added health benefit to her club. Having some
fun has done wonders for your looks! I’ve never seen you look better. You’re
nearly glowing!”

Another mental gritting of teeth, then did a magickal scan
to check if she was visibly glowing. Nothing was leaking so Elektra was just
being her bitchy self then.

“Is our dear Akeldonna here?”

“She’s somewhere. I must tell her you’re here.” 

Checking to see if the smile was still pasted on her face,
she leaned in to air kiss and escape, “Please do. I’d love to see her again.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to do my business here so I can get back to
that delicious fun!”