Page 33 of Dawn Caravan
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The thumping bassspilled out of Zarva, making Ben wish like mad for his human hearing back. Maybe noise-canceling headphones. Earplugs. Anything.
Chloe walked between him and Gavin. She looked up. “Ha! You’re both making the face.”
Ben met Gavin’s eyes. There was definitely a look, and it had a lot to do with the cacophony of sound emerging from Radu’s club. “Have you been here before?”
“Not when it’s been this crowded,” Gavin muttered.
They made their way to the alley behind the club and the private entrance manned by a vampire bouncer who was taller than them both and had a head that was distinctly square and facial hair that looked straight out of an old Western.
Romania defied explanation.
A heavy metal door opened and steps led up to a distinctly muffled room that still thumped of bass.
“Vampire lounge,” Gavin muttered. “This is new.”
“Good idea though.”
“Bummer,” Chloe said. “No music at all?”
Ben looked at Chloe, amazed that she couldn’t hear anything. Then he looked at Gavin.
The man shrugged.
“Was I that deaf?”
“Deaf?” Chloe asked.
“Oh no,” Gavin said. “You were far worse.”
“Bullshit.” Ben walked up to a discreet hostess stand. “We’re here to meet Radu.”
The young woman was dressed in a strappy black cocktail dress and her red-streaked hair matched the leather booths in the dimly lit lounge. “You are Mr. Vecchio?” She spoke in heavily accented English.
“Yes.”
She looked at Ben. “But I have only three in your party.”
Ben looked at Gavin, then Chloe. “And?”
She offered him a strained smile. “I’m sorry. I am confused. Please, if you can wait. Please. Let me check with Radu.”
She wandered off, leaving Ben, Gavin, and Chloe waiting in the lounge.
“Maybe it’s a language thing?” Ben asked. “Do you speak Romanian?”
“No.” Gavin was sweeping his eyes around the club. “Not picking up anything suspicious,” he said under his breath.
“Neither am I.”
The hostess came back, all smiles. “Please. My apologies. Please follow me.” They followed her through the winding lounge. “It was a… missed understanding from me.”
“No problem.” Ben glanced at each booth they passed, taking note of faces and making mental notes to ask about a few who looked familiar.
Hello.
In the far corner he spotted the vampire guard he’d seen with the mysterious woman in Kashgar. The man was looking as nondescript as ever, but his eyes locked on Benjamin with clear recognition.
