Page 36 of Dark Rover's Luck

Din cast a sidelong glance at Fenella. "That depends. The plan is for two weeks, but I might extend my stay."

Ingrid sighed dramatically. "I wish all of you would move here. The clan is too small to be divided, and we have enough space in the village even with the Kra-ell."

Atzil chuckled. "I'm just glad that most of the Kra-ell don't need reservations at Callie's or it would have been impossible to get a table."

"Right." Fenella pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I was told that the purebloods and even some of the hybrids only drink blood."

"Not exclusively." Atzil leaned over as if to whisper a secret in her ear. "Even the purebloods drink alcohol. They're some of my best customers."

17

FENELLA

"Fascinating." Fenella's interest was piqued. "What do they like to drink?"

"Mainly hard liquor, but they like mixing it with some sweet juices that they can tolerate to an extent. It's not good for their digestion, but then it's not good for humans either, but they still like to drink."

Atzil seemed like a nice guy, and Fenella had a feeling that she would like working with him.

"Do you have anyone helping you in the bar?" She threw the bait, hoping he would bite.

"No, which is why I only open on weekends," Atzil said. "During the week, I cook for Kalugal and the rest of our men."

"A chef and a bartender." Fenella leaned back. "That's an interesting combination."

Atzil smiled, something rueful in the expression. "Food and drink make people happy, and I like doing both."

A young waitress, who couldn't be older than Arezoo and looked like she had some Kra-ell in her, brought over two bottles of wine, a red and a white. Fenella opted for a glass of red.

"I should tell Kyra's older nieces about Callie's. I'm sure they would love to have a job in the village, and it looks like Callie needs help here."

"She does." Ingrid sipped on her red wine. "I would love for her to move to a larger place and cook enough for the entire clan. Maybe then Kalugal and his men will come eat here, and Atzil will be free to open the bar every day of the week."

"I can help with that." Fenella seized the opening. "I mean in the bar. I have a lot of experience bartending, and I need a job."

Atzil leaned forward. "What's your specialty? Classic cocktails? Modern mixology? Or just pulling pints and lending an ear?"

"All of the above. I've worked everywhere from dive bars to five-star hotels. I can mix a perfect martini while breaking up a fight and balancing the till."

Atzil laughed, a rich sound that transformed his serious face. "Impressive resume. When can you start?"

"I'm available whenever you need me," Fenella said. "And I just want to add that I can run the place on my own while you are busy cooking for Kalugal. I can keep the bar open every night."

Atzil looked intrigued. "How about you stop by the Hobbit tomorrow afternoon? I'll show you around, and we'll discuss particulars."

"Perfect." Fenella beamed, feeling an unexpected surge of optimism.

When their food arrived, it temporarily diverted the conversation to appreciative comments about the meal. The pasta was excellent, simple but perfectly executed with fresh ingredients and a light, flavorful sauce.

Once the main meal was over and it was time for dessert, Fenella leaned back with her coffee and leveled her gaze at Atzil. "From what I was told, Kalugal and a number of Brotherhood members escaped during WWII, but I was wondering what you did after you escaped."

"The Brotherhood had been deeply embedded in the Imperial military structure," Atzil said. "They were using it as cover for their operations in the Pacific. When the nuclear bombs were dropped in the area where we were stationed, we used it as a perfect opportunity to disappear. Not even immortals can survive a nuclear blast, so we were presumed dead. Getting to the United States wasn't difficult for a guy who could compel and a group of soldiers who could shroud and thrall. We arrived in New York with nothing, and establishing ourselves wasn't easy. We had no resources, no identities in the modern sense. Kalugal made difficult choices to ensure our survival."

"What kind of choices?" Fenella asked, though she suspected she already knew.

Atzil met her gaze steadily. "He used thralling and compulsion on Wall Street traders, extracting insider information that allowed us to build a financial foundation. Not ethical, certainly not legal, but necessary at the time and super effective. We were practically swimming in money, and then he moved to investing in technology. Our boss is very smart."

The guy obviously worshiped the ground Kalugal walked on, and she couldn't blame him. His boss had saved him from a horrible life in the Brotherhood's ranks and then ensured that his men were well provided for.

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