Page 1 of Witches and Wine
Boom.Bada boom. Bada boom.The repeating bass from the blaring music reverberating off the walls in the club had become static noise to me as of late. It used to give me life, making me want to double fist with a wine bottle in one hand and a whiskey in the other, partying until the sun rose. Not that I could see myself doing anything else in the Cove, but its grandeur had started to lose its luster within the past year. And I blamed a temptress with crimsonhair.
“Boss,” Tambie yelled, her black pixie haircut bobbing as she stomped her foot when I hadn’t answered her on the second beckoning.
I’d crawled into my favorite spot in the establishment—a corner rounded booth with burgundy crushed velvet upholstery and large enough to seat ten averagely sized beings. With my arms sprawled on the back, I tapped a finger to the music’s steady rhythm and lazily turned my gaze on her. “Yes?”
Tambie rested the silver tray she’d been carrying on the grey and white marbled table between us, flattening her palms on either side of it. “I know you prefer youryoutime—” She shifted her gaze to the side and mumbled, “—a lot lately.” Her eyes didn’t turn back to me until after she nervously scratched the tip of one of her small, tan, fawn antlers extending from above her temple.
The sight made the spot on my skull itch where my own much larger horns made an appearance when I allowed them, but I resisted the urge to touch my head there. “Has the club lost business? Caught on fire? Has a stampede of centaurs suddenly burst through the doors, destroying everything in their path?”
Her brown eyes blinked, and she flicked the collar of her black button-down uniform shirt. “No?”
“Then it seems that my lack of involvement hasn’t affected business. So, my dear little maenad, what’s the problem?”
Tambie clucked her tongue against the inside of her cheek and folded her arms in a huff. “Sir, when people come toBacchus, they expect its owner to be ontheme.”
Arching a brow at her and ignoring her eyes rolling as I turned in my seat to survey my establishment, I continued to drum my fingers to the music. Violet and white light spilled in rotating rays across the main dance area on the first floor; dozens of gyrating bodies swayed and bounced to the rhythm. Several more female maenads danced between Corinthian columns bordering the top floor while male demons of varying colors patterned between them, their spade tails twirling to the music.
Whichever patrons weren’t dancing were either taking up stools at the bar or chatting away at one of the many lounge areas or tables. Club Bacchus turned no one away, and it was apparent from this night alone with its variety in attendance—gods, witches, minotaur, demons, gargoyles, sprites, griffins, and even a leprechaun or two. And this was aslownight.
With a deep sigh, I turned my gaze back to Tambie. “Seems like everyone is doing just fine without my company.”
Tambie leaned her forearms on the table and curled her finger in the air, beckoning me to pay attention. “Listen, Dion. Theytalk.”
“They?” Propping my elbows on the table, I rested my chin on my palms and grinned. “Sounds scandalous. I’malmostintrigued.”
After Tambie let out a lion’s cub growl, she swiped the tray and shrugged. “Fine. It’s your club, D. All I do is schlep drinks, right?”
Regret twisted in my gut, but by the time I swallowed my pride enough to open my godsdamned mouth, Tambie was already sulking away, her steps rivaling a minotaur’s hooves.
“Tambie,” I called out. “I didn’t mean it like that.” Sighing at Tambie ignoring me with her back firmly turned, I rose from my seat to try again, “Tambie.”
She proceeded to act as if I were invisible and busied herself with taking drink orders. Grumbling, I slumped into my chair and checked my phone—still no new messages. It’d beenmonthssince I’d heard from her. A growl bubbled in the back of my throat, and I slammed the device to the table, screen down. A sudden chill washed over my skin, causing my spine to stiffen. It only took one quick whiff to recognizethatscent.
Tossing a glare at the entrance, my grip tightening on the lounge chair, I ground my molars. “A primordial. The icing on the fucking cake today.” After snapping the collar of my dress jacket and ruffling my hair, I pushed to standing, working my way toward the entrance to reluctantly greet our VIP guest.
It wasn’t easy to discern which of the primordial gods he was through the seas of dancing bodies. But as I got closer, smilingand nodding to those who addressed me, the primordial slid into a squared lounge area in the corner, and our eyes locked.
Erebus. As if it could get any fucking worse.
“Emo,” I announced, playing with the golden grape charm hanging from the chain around my neck. “Towhatdo I owe this displeasure?”
Erebus peeled off a pair of black leather driving gloves, for whatever the fuck reason he needed those, and tossed them to the table before bothering to look at me. “Dion. I had a feeling this establishment was yours.”
Flagging the bartender, I silently ordered drinks delivered to the table and took a seat without invitation. “Andwhatgave it away?”
“What brought you to Arcane Cove? Weren’t you gallivanting with the likes of mortals for years across North America?” Erebus flicked some of his long black hair from his equally dark eyes and motioned for his lackeys to give us space.
“I was.”
Aella, another maenad, approached with drinks, resting them on the table with a wicked glint in her eyes as she devoured Erebus with her stare. The chestnut ringlets of her hair bounced when she pressed the empty tray to her chest. “Can I get you anything else?” She directed the question at Erebus.
“No,” Erebus quipped, not giving her more than a quick glance at her antlers.
Aella’s demeanor turned instantly, and I delicately snatched her wrist, knowing she was seconds away from giving the primordial a warranted piece of her mind. “Thanks, Aella.”
Another of my maenads stormed off, slamming her heels off-beat with the music. At least this time, it wasn’t my fault.
“I was in North America for a time, yes,” I continued, sliding one glass to Erebus and raising mine. “But I got tired of hiding my true nature. What can I say?”
