The Dark-Hunters (251 page)

He put that thought away and focused on the woman with him. A woman unlike any other he’d ever met before.

She was truly special. Unique.

Time seemed to hold still as he stood there, just letting the warmth of Tabitha seep into him.

He was actually startled when Marla stood up and gestured for him to follow her.

“Dum-da-dum-dum … dum…” Tabitha hummed the theme song to
Dragnet
as if to portend his doom as they followed Marla back through the dressing room into a hallway that was crowded with drag queens.

Tabitha kissed Valerius’s cheek, then left him so that she could make room for others.

She headed out into the club and found Marla’s best friend, Yves, sitting at a table in front of the runway with a group of his pals.

“Hey, vampire slayer,” Yves said as she pulled a chair up to the table. “Are you here to cheer Marla on?”

“Of course. Where else would I be?”

A cheer went up from the table while they bantered around and laid bets on who would win until the show finally started.

Tabitha was a nervous wreck until Marla and Valerius appeared. The crowd went wild the minute they saw Valerius, who walked as if he was completely comfortable in his role as escort. Only Tabitha could sense his discomfort and she had a feeling it stemmed more from his fear of causing Marla to be hurt than anything else.

When they reached the stairs that would lead them off the runway to where the rest of the earlier contestants were gathered, Valerius descended first and, like a true gentleman, reached up to help Marla down.

Tabitha wanted to weep at what a kind thing he was doing for someone he didn’t even know.

She couldn’t think of any other straight man who would do something this ridiculous to help out a woman he’d just met. A woman who had stabbed him no less.

As soon as the escorts were dismissed, she pushed through the crowd to find him. The instant she reached him, she threw herself into his arms and held him close.

Valerius was completely stunned by Tabitha’s exuberant reaction. She felt so good in his arms that it was all he could do not to crush her to him and kiss her until they both made a spectacle of themselves.

She squeezed him tight, then laid a gentle kiss on his lips. “You are the best!”

Shocked, he didn’t know what to say to that.

“If you want, we can leave now.”

Valerius looked about. “No,” he said honestly. “I’ve come this far and I didn’t kill Marla, so I think we should stay and see how she does.”

The look on her face made his entire body burn. “Does Ash have any idea just what a sweetheart you are?”

“I shudder at the mere prospect.”

She laughed, then took his hand and led him to a table near the stage.

A large group of men greeted them.

“You were great!” the one closest to them said.

Valerius inclined his head as Tabitha introduced all of them. They sat there for a little over an hour while the contestants held a talent and bathing suit competition. The latter of which made Valerius even more uncomfortable than being on stage.

“You okay?” Tabitha asked, leaning toward him. “You look a little green.”

“I’m fine,” he said, even though he was cringing at the thought of how a man could restrict himself so much in a bathing suit as to leave no trace of his gender.

Some things just didn’t bear thinking on.

After an hour, the judges had finally narrowed it down to three contestants.

Tabitha sat forward. She wrapped her arm around Valerius and perched her chin on his shoulder as she held her breath and prayed for Marla.

Valerius didn’t move, but the sensation of his hand on hers made her warm considerably. No matter the outcome, she was so grateful to him for bailing her out.

Neither Kyrian nor Ash would be caught dead here.

Tabitha caught Marla’s nervous gaze as they came down to the winner’s name.

She couldn’t breathe. Not until they announced …

“Marla Divine!”

Marla screamed and grabbed the contestant closest to her. They jumped up and down and cried as more contestants moved in for hugs and congrats.

Tabitha shot to her feet, screaming and whistling her support. “Go, Marla, go!”

She looked down to see Valerius staring at her in horror.

Huffing at him, she pulled him to his feet. “Let’s hear it, General,” she said. “Shout out.”

“I only shout when calling orders to troops and that was a long time ago.”

Well, there was only so much loosening up a person could do in one night.

She blew him a raspberry, then continued yelling for her roommate.

The emcee placed the crown on Marla, and the sash, then handed her a dozen roses and directed her toward the runway.

Marla walked down it, crying and laughing as she blew kisses to the audience.

When it was all over, Tabitha and Valerius fought the crowd to her side. Marla hugged Tabitha first, then grabbed Valerius. “Thank you!”

Valerius nodded. “My pleasure. Congratulations on winning, Marla.”

Marla smiled. “I owe the two of you. Don’t think I’m going to forget, now. Y’all go on and I’ll catch up to you later.”

“All right,” Tabitha said. “I’ll see you at home.”

They made their way out of the club, to the busy Canal Street that bordered the French Quarter.

Tabitha checked her watch. It was almost ten. “I don’t know about you, but I’m famished. Want to go grab a bite?”

Valerius gave her an amused stare. “You have to be the only woman alive who would ask a man with fangs that question.”

She laughed. “You’re probably right. So would you like to join me?”

“We don’t have reservations anywhere.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “Hon, where I’m going we don’t need no stinking reservations.”

“Where are we going?”

She headed down Royal Street, which connected Canal to Iberville. “The Antoine’s of seafood. Acme Oyster House.”

“Acme? I’ve never eaten there.”

And as soon as Tabitha reached the door of the place, Valerius knew why. It actually had plastic black-and-white checked tablecloths.

He hesitated in the doorway as he scanned the small restaurant. The place was tiny and the crowd thinning. It had a bar to his right that stretched along the wall, and tables set up to his left. The walls were a tawdry mixture of mirrors, pictures, and neon signs. It was loud and obnoxious.

Not to mention, Valerius had to quickly catch himself and mentally force his image into the mirrors before someone realized he didn’t cast a reflection.

Tabitha turned to look at him. She put her hands on her hips. “Would you stop looking like someone just scuffed your brand-new shoes? They have the best oysters on earth here.”

“It’s so … neon.”

“So put on your sunglasses.”

“It doesn’t look sanitary,” he said in a low tone.

“Oh please, you’re about to eat something that is the vacuum cleaner of the ocean. You do know how pearls are formed, right? All an oyster does is ingest trash. Besides, you’re immortal, what do you care?”

“Valerius?”

He looked past Tabitha to see Vane and Bride Kattalakis seated at the oyster bar, where two men behind the counter were shucking oysters for the handful of people who sat there. Valerius let out a relieved breath. Finally, someone he could relate to. A little, anyway since Vane was an Arcadian wolf and Bride his human mate.

Dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt, Vane was Valerius’s height and had long dark brown hair that he wore loose around his shoulders. Bride was a plump, beautiful woman whose long auburn hair was worn up in a messy bun. She had on a tan sweater over a brown dress with little white flowers.

Valerius crossed the floor to shake Vane’s hand. “Wolf,” he said in greeting … it was always polite to refer to the Arcadians and Katagaria by their animal selves. “Nice seeing you again.” He looked to Bride. “And you, my lady, always an honor.”

Bride smiled at him, then looked at Tabitha. “What are the two of you doing here? Together?”

“Val was doing a favor for me,” Tabitha said as she came up behind him. She turned to one of the men behind the counter, who was wiping his hands after shucking a plate of oysters. “Hey, Luther, two beers and a fork.”

The tall African-American laughed at her. “Tabby, this is what, the fourth time this week you’ve been here? Don’t you have a home?”

“Yeah, but we don’t have oysters in it. At least not good ones. And I have to come here just to harass you. Imagine a whole day without Tabitha in it … What would you do?”

Luther laughed.

Valerius didn’t miss the strange look that passed between Vane and Bride before Luther handed Bride the plate of shucked oysters and went to get Tabitha the beers.

“Is there something I should know?” Valerius asked them.

The instant Vane opened his mouth to speak, Tabitha kicked his shin. Hard.

Vane yelped, then frowned at her.

“What was that?” Valerius asked. “Why did you kick him?”

“No reason,” Tabitha said, reaching over the bar to pluck an oyster from the pile.

She looked angelic, which meant something truly evil was going on.

Valerius looked back at Vane. “What were you going to say?”

“Absolutely nothing,” Vane said before he took a drink from his longneck.

Valerius had a bad feeling about this.

Luther returned with two bottles of beer and handed them to Tabitha, who in turn held one out for Valerius.

He stared at it blankly.

“Aren’t you thirsty?” Tabitha asked.

“Don’t we get glasses?”

“It’s beer, Val, not champagne. Take it. Really, it doesn’t bite.”

“Tabby, be nice,” Bride chided. “Valerius probably isn’t used to beer.”

“I do drink it,” Valerius said, taking the bottle reluctantly, “just not like this.”

“You want oysters?” Tabitha asked him.

“I’m not sure after your rather blunt reminder of what they are.”

Tabitha laughed at him. “Set us up, Luther, and keep them coming until I pop.”

Luther grinned at her. “I don’t think you have a limit, Tabby. It’s a wonder we have any left to serve after you leave.”

Tabitha sat on the stool beside Bride and indicated for Valerius to assume the one on the opposite side of her. Valerius set his beer on the counter before he complied.

“You look so uncomfortable here, Valerius,” Bride said sweetly. “How on earth did Tabitha talk you into this?”

“I’m still not quite sure.”

“You two been dating long?” Vane asked.

“We’re not dating, Vane,” Tabitha answered quickly. “I told you, Val is only doing me a favor.”

“Whatever you say, Tab. I just hope your sis—”

His words were cut short by Bride clearing her throat. “Tabitha knows what she’s doing, Vane. Don’t you, Tabby?”

“Usually not, but this is okay. Really.”

Valerius would sell his soul again for a chance to read Vane’s mind. “Vane, may I have a word with you privately?”

Bride poured Tabasco sauce over an oyster. “You leave that barstool, Mr. Kattalakis, and you really will be ‘in the doghouse’ literally for the rest of the week. In fact, I’ll sic your brother Fury on you and change the locks.”

Vane actually cringed. “As much as I would like to help you out, Valerius, you have to remember that her father neuters dogs for a living, and he trained his daughter well. I think I’ll have to pass.”

Valerius looked at Tabitha, who was busy taking an oyster from Luther. She refused to meet his gaze.

What did Vane know that he didn’t?

They sat at the bar, with Tabitha and Bride chatting about clothes, old friends, and nothing important while both men were ill at ease. The restaurant closed at ten, but Luther served them oysters for another fifteen minutes.

“Thank you, Luther,” Tabitha said. “I really appreciate you not running me off.”

“It’s always a pleasure, Tabby. I like the way you appreciate my service and food, and I have to say this one is easier to feed than your friend Simi. That little girl eats like a demon.”

“Oh, you have
no
idea.”

Valerius went to pay while Vane stayed with the women. Once the bill was settled, Vane and Bride headed off toward Royal while he and Tabitha headed toward Bourbon.

“Ready to patrol?” Tabitha asked.

“I’ll drop you at your—”

“I’m not going home,” she said, interrupting him.

“Where are you going?”

“Stalking Daimons. Just like you.”

“That’s not safe.”

She stopped and glared at him. “I know what I’m doing.”

“I know,” he said quietly. “You have the spirit and strength of an Amazon. But I would really rather you not kill yourself for something best left to those of us who have already died. Unlike you, we have no one to mourn us if we perish.”

Tabitha was taken aback at his unexpected words. More than that, she was taken aback by the concern she felt from him. The pain. “Who mourned for you when you died?” she asked, not sure why she wanted to know.

He paused, then looked away. “No one.”

“No one? Didn’t you have any family?”

He laughed bitterly at that. “My family was a Shakespearean tragedy. Trust me when I say they were gleefully rid of me.”

“How can you say that? I’m sure they cared. Surely—”

“My brothers are the ones who killed me.”

Tabitha felt the vengeful agony that surged through him as he growled those heartfelt words at her. Her chest ached for him. Was he telling her the truth?

“Your brothers?”

Valerius couldn’t breathe as the past tore through him. But in truth, he felt a wave of relief at finally, after two thousand years, telling someone the truth about what had made him a Dark-Hunter.

He nodded as he forced the twisted images of that night out of his mind. When he spoke, his voice was surprisingly level. “I was an embarrassment to my family so they executed me.”

“Executed you how?”

His eyes were blank. “You’re an ancient scholar. I’m sure you know what Rome did to her enemies.”

Tabitha covered her mouth as a wave of nausea consumed her. Before she could stop herself, she took his arm and pulled back his sleeve so that she could see the scar on his wrist. There was all the proof she needed.