Page 22 of Vampire Soldier

Except when I walk in, Perry is at the bar with Carla and greets me with a smile. He’s got a yellow folder and raises it.

“Let’s take a seat and we can fill this out and go over all the details. Do you want something to drink?”

I don’t let my relief show that Malachi isn’t in sight. Just because I’m determined to be the bigger professional doesn’t mean I’m not relieved I don’t have to face him right away. Especially when my lady bits twinge with satisfaction as I pull out a barstool and hop up onto it.

“Just finished my coffee,” I say as I raise the now empty cup and set it aside on the bar top before plopping my purse on the seat next to me. “Let me get everything.”

After Perry takes the required documents to make copies, I start filling out the employment paperwork.

“Excited?” Carla asks as she glances between the inventory in front of her and the clipboard she’s holding.

I glance up at her with a quick grin before returning to the paperwork. “Absolutely,” I answer. “This is different than what I’m used to, but I’m excited for the challenge.”

“I knew you were the right choice,” Carla says with a wink before calling out to another bartender who appeared from the kitchens. When that’s taken care of, her attention returns to me. “We’ve got a good group of girls as dancers. Other than the one issue between the last producers and the one dancer, there hasn’t been any other issues. They mesh really well together.”

I huff a breath of laughter out of my nose before signing the tax document I was on and flipping to the next sheet. “Glad to hear it. Hopefully I can step into the position without too much trouble. None of the girls wanted the position?”

That had honestly been one of my biggest concerns—that there’d be resentment on some of the dancers’ part over not moving up into the position.

Carla shrugged, trading the clipboard for a knife and cutting board before grabbing a pan of lemons from the drink fridge. She tosses a clean white bar towel over her shoulder. “Malachi told the dancers they could let him know if they were interested, but if any did I’m not aware of it. I deal with the front of house, though. Perry manages the theater side more, so he’d probably know better.”

My heart skips a beat at Malachi’s name and I glance around the restaurant. His office is directly above us, along with the private party sections.

“Is Mal—Mr. Casadecappa here already?” Carla doesn’t seem to catch me tripping over his name, thank goodness.

“He’s out for the day, apparently,” a disgruntled voice answers. Carla and I both look at Perry, who is clearly peeved as he returns to the bar and hands me back my information. “Other business, apparently.”

“Nightsh—” I snap my mouth shut before finishing the question. Perry’s eyes bolt to mine, widening slightly. Right. Only he and I know Mal’s true nature. I clear my throat. “Night might have been late for him? He dropped by the club last night.” I recover lamely, revealing that I’d seen him in an attempt to save face.

It makes Perry’s eyes widen further and even Carla is looking at me oddly.

“He did?” Perry asks, a look of pure professional confusion on his face.

Shoot, I’m just making this worse. There’s no way either of them can know what happened last night. I give a half shrug. “Something about checking references?” I offer before quickly changing the subject, pushing the completed paperwork closer to the man with a bright smile. “All done! Time to get started. Only a few days before we open, right?”

If either think my enthusiasm is over the top, they don’t show it. Perry looks relieved, actually.

“Follow me. I’ll show you to the dressing room where your office will be and then the dancers should be showing up soon.”

I wave goodbye to Carla and grab my bag. I’m going to have my own office! I fight back the squeal that builds in my throat, all thoughts of my vampire one-night stand now boss disappearing.

I wasn’t playing myself up when I told Carla I was excited for the challenge this position is going to be. I’m nervous, but the butterflies in my stomach that grow as I follow Perry through a door near the stage and into the back are the good kind.

After a decade working at strip clubs and relying on tips, I’m finally going to be making enough money to save up enough to have breathing room. I’m not going to have to budget so tightly, and if Charlie wants something, I’ll be able to splurge and not feel guilty saying no.

There’s no way I’m going to let one night with my now-official boss screw this up for us.

ChapterEleven

MALACHI

The metallic scent of blood mixes with the scents of the shifter’s fear and anger. When Ambrose had called me to the underground basements of Noir in the middle of the night, it was a fucking relief.

I’d fucked Blake on her couch last night, and even now I swear I can still taste her on my lips. I’d gotten the hell out of there, leaving without so much as a look backward. I’d headed right to the penthouse I rent in Topside—necessary for appearances—and showered under scalding water. I scrubbed my skin raw, deserving the pain for what had happened.

I was so fucking stupid. I told her—told myself—that one time would be enough to get this craving out of my system. I knew the moment I tasted her that one time wouldn’t be enough. One night wouldn’t be enough.

I hadn’t spent more than an evening with a partner for centuries. I’d learned my lesson with letting someone get close.

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