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Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

I paused, wondering why Shepard was asking me about my dreams, then continued forward.

“Opening a bakery with Vena has been a goal of mine for years, but owning a place and doing the work I love isn’t everything. I’d like to think life is a balance.”

He nodded. “I’d like to think so as well.”

I grinned at him. He was the worst offender of having a work-life balance.

“You’re not doing a good job of it.”

He frowned, drawing my eyes to his kissable lips.

“What do you mean?”

“Unless I’m missing something, your life currently consists of running Blur and hunting vampires.”

“I’ve been busier than usual lately,” he admitted. “Which is why I’m asking in a roundabout way if you’ve thought about everything that goes into opening a business. It’s hard work and a lot of hours.”

“Is this about Cross’ new place?” I asked, finally understanding where this conversation was coming from.

He scrubbed a hand along his jaw. “I just want you to think about every aspect of owning a business before you leap into something.”

“I am thinking about things, and I’m not leaping. And the business wouldn’t just be run by me. I’d have two co-owners helping it thrive. I’ll only be responsible for the recipes for now.”

I folded my arms, unintentionally drawing his gaze to my generous chest. While I hadn’t done it on purpose, I couldn’t deny the way my pulse skipped a beat at his attention.

“If you’re worried that I’ll quit Blur, stop. I’m not going anywhere. I like my job here. The hours and pay are dependable.”

His shoulders relaxed slightly. “Good. I want you to achieve your dreams, Everly. Truly. Actually, I was hoping you could come up with recipes for Blur. You could make a name for yourself here before you expand.”

“Griz is the head chef. He comes up with the recipes.” I’d met enough chefs to know they were territorial about their kitchens.

“Yes, but his focus is on savory appetizers and tapas. We’ve never had sweet options, and I’d like that to change. But let’s table this discussion for now. I need to give out assignments before we open.” He moved toward me as if to escort me out of the office.

“Not so fast. You never gave me the update you promised. People are still going missing. I heard another person disappeared recently.”

He placed a soothing hand on my arm. I soaked up its warmth but refused to step aside until I got an update. Both Shepard and Cross didn’t like to include me on the vampire hunt, and honestly, I was okay with not knowing everything. But that didn’t mean I wanted to live in D.C., oblivious to what the vampires were up to after that huge fight between vampires and werewolves a few weeks ago.

While the vampires had taken a considerable hit to their numbers that day, including Adriel, the vampire Miles and Sierra had known as Master, many vampires were still alive, including Adriel’s lover, Vivian, who he’d affectionately called Pet. I didn’t even want to think about what level of grudge Vivian and his followers were carrying now.

“We’re still working on it,” Shepard said when he realized I wouldn’t be placated. “I’m looking into the most recent disappearance to see if it’s vampire-related. Cross is…working on his end as well to assist us.”

I smiled at him. “By the way, thank you for helping Cross get set up with papers and facilitating his purchase of the former Juicy building.”

“I did it because he’s the lesser of two evils and because you asked.”

My smile widened, and Shepard leaned in.

“I’d do just about anything for you, Everly.”

Someone cleared his throat behind us. “Everyone is assembled,” Anchor said. “I’ll just…” I listened to his footsteps retreat as Shepard closed the distance between us and kissed my forehead.

“I meant what I said, Everly. Anything.” He took my arm and escorted me out of his office to release me just outside the employee room so I could enter first.

Vena gestured for me to join her as the rest of the assembled staff continued to converse.

“Why is your hair a mess?” I asked, reaching up to smooth her silky dark hair back into place. “And your tie is crooked…” Realization hit me, and I lowered my voice to scold her. “Seriously, Vena, here?”

Her cat-like grin made me cringe.

“People can hear and smell things here.”

She snorted, which earned her a raised brow from Shepard as he went over assignments for the night.

“Never mind that,” she whispered. “Did you see the group text from Miles?”

Shepard had a rule about not using phones on the floor, but since I wasn't technically on the floor yet, I pulled mine out of my pocket and peeked while everyone started filing out of the room.

Miles’ text to Vena and me had photos of a library filled with books and a long hallway with intricately carved stone walls. I wasn’t an otherworlder nerd like Vena and Miles, but even I was impressed with the history shown in those two pictures.

Vena had already sent a response asking if any of the books were for sale. Each one looked old and was labeled in dwarvish. She was obviously already searching for literature for Cross' new business. Our business, technically.

“Problem?” Shepard asked, startling me.

I glanced up and saw that Vena had slipped out of the room without me. Probably to chase down Anchor again.

“Not a problem,” I said, facing Shepard. “Just got a little lost in thought.”

Worry seeped into Shepard’s gaze as it lifted from my phone to me.

“Is Miles in trouble? That hall looks familiar.”

I chuckled and shook my head. “I understand why trouble was your first thought, considering everything that’s happened recently. But I promise you don’t need to add us to your list again. Miles is with his parents, meeting with dwarven royalty tonight to discuss a map they found a few weeks back. Actually, it’s the one they mentioned the night you met them. Miles is just geeking out over all the cool stuff he’s seeing for the first time.”

“Why’s Vena interested in books?”

“Vena is part of Cross' business plan, too. He wants a business that will appeal to all species. Sweets from me and books curated by Vena.”

Shepard’s gaze locked with mine.

“You know he wants more than that, though, right?”

“Are you still worried he’s going to turn us into blood slaves? I thought he’d proven himself to you already. He’s been working with you for weeks, Shepard. Establishing contacts. Helping find nests.”

“Did he tell you he’s not revealing his contacts? That he’s setting up his own network and protecting some of his kind?”

“No, but we talked about creating treats with human blood in them, and I’m smart enough to figure out that means he wants to be on good terms with some of his kind.” I reached out and clasped Shepard’s forearm. “I believe vampires are like humans. They aren’t all good or bad but a mix of both and capable of either. It’s their choice who they want to be. Just like it’s your choice to kill the innocent ones with the bad ones.”

“Innocent?” Shepard scoffed.

“Do you think every vampire asked to be turned? I don’t. But now I know how you’d see me or Vena if either of us is attacked and survives the process.”

I gave him a sad pat and turned away. He caught my arm and spun me around. Hands framing my face, he looked down at me with an intensity that stole my breath.

“For you, I’d break every rule we have, Everly. Don’t you know that yet?”

His mouth crashed down onto mine. It’d been weeks since he kissed me, and I hadn’t realized how much I’d craved it. The first touch of his tongue almost brought me to my knees, and his hungry urgency had me responding in kind.

My hands gripped his wrists, holding on for dear life as I lost all sense of time and space. There was only Shepard and his warm, insistent lips.

When he finally pulled back, I was panting and dazed. Gold flashed in his eyes as he stared down at me.

“You need to have the strength for both of us right now and walk away,” he said, his voice gravelly.

I nodded and robotically turned and left the room. It wasn’t until I reached the stairs that I realized what he’d meant, and my eyes rounded. Had he really been that close to?—

Glancing over my shoulder, I saw him standing in the hallway, watching me. The way he gripped the doorframe confirmed what I’d suspected.

Shepard wanted me like a vampire wanted blood.

Facing forward, I hurried downstairs, glad that he’d given the VIP section to Adrian.

Vena’s sharp gaze missed nothing. She took her phone out and frantically typed as I went to my assigned section beside hers.

Vena: You look recently bent over. Not fair! Tell me how you did it. You flashed the girls, didn’t you?! Curse fate for giving me running-sized boobs!

Me: I was not bent over. Focus. Doors are opening.

Vena: Fingered? I’d take that too.

I dropped my phone, accidentally kicking it under a table. Vena cackled like a madwoman.

“I’ll get that for you, Ev,” Anchor said from behind me.

He stooped and picked up my phone for me. His sheepish expression when he handed it back had me patting his arm in shared misery.

“She sure knows how to test a person, doesn’t she?” I said.

He nodded.

“Hang in there. You’ll have her in a tiara and holding a bouquet in no time.”

He flashed me a grin as my phone vibrated.

Vena: Stop flirting with my man. You have two of your own.

Anchor chuckled and returned to his place at the bottom of the VIP stairs.

Music came on, and I pocketed my phone as I greeted the first group of patrons to claim a table in my section.

“Everly,” a familiar dwarf said as he and his companions settled at one of my tables. “You look lovely, as always.”

Brott and his friends were regulars and fond of Blur’s lamb skewers with an herb dipping sauce and one of the signature drinks, Effervescence.

“Thank you,” I said. “Can I get you your regular order, or would you like to try something new? Chef Griz has a delicious goat cheese and roasted tomato tartlet tonight.”

“Let’s do our regular order and add the tartlet as well,” he said.

I placed the order on my handheld POS and excused myself to welcome the new customers who sat down in my section. By the time I was about to check on the order for the dwarves, they were flagging me down.

“Is everything okay?” I asked. “I was just going to get your order.”

Brott shook his head. “I’m sorry, Vezrama. We have to go.” He handed me a fistful of cash that was much more than the cost of the drinks and food. “Keep the food for yourself.”

“I can box it up,” I said. “It will only take a moment.”

“A moment is more than we have, I’m afraid. We must go, Vezrama.”

They moved quicker than I’d ever seen them move and were gone before I could say goodbye. I headed to the main bar at the back of the room to cancel the order, but it was already ready.

Shepard was behind the bar with Buzz, so I called him over.

“Brott and his friends had to leave. They paid me for their food and drinks. Can I give them to another table so they aren’t wasted?”

He nodded, but his brow furrowed. “They weren’t the only dwarves to leave suddenly.”

Vena popped up next to me with a wad of cash. “My table just left after ordering, but they paid cash before anything was ready. Can I keep it?”

“Were they dwarves?” I asked.

She nodded.

“So, can I keep it?” Vena asked.

“You can keep the difference in the cost of their order,” I said. “And Shepard agreed to give the food and drinks to another table in your section.”

“Excellent,” she said. “My tables will love me and tip me well.”

As she grabbed her order and practically skipped away, I looked at Shepard.

“Do you think there is an issue with the dwarves?” I asked.

“Doubtful. They are one of the most stable creatures.”

He was frowning, though, so I quickly pulled out my phone and sent Miles a private text.

Me: Just checking in to see if everything is okay. The dwarves left Blur suddenly.

“I’m sure everything is fine, Everly,” Shepard said.

“You’re probably right, but let me know if you hear why they left.”

I hurried away with the order to split it between two other tables and spent the rest of the night running back and forth between customers and the bar. No other dwarves came in, and it wasn’t just me who noticed.

The wolves at Blur seemed to grow anxious with every passing hour.

Something was wrong.

It wasn’t until the end of our shift that Vena nearly bowled me over with her phone in her hand.

“Did you see the group text from Miles?”

“No.” I pulled out my phone from my apron pocket.

Miles: The Dwarf Mountain is on lockdown because the prince died. Be in touch soon.

“Uh, that can’t be good,” I said, looking up at her.

“No kidding. I tried calling Mom and Dad, but they didn’t pick up.”

“And they likely won’t,” Shepard said, approaching us. “We’ll talk before you leave.”

Counting out tips was painful because Vena had the patience of a gnat. Her fidgeting kept drawing attention.

“Anchor,” I said under my breath, hoping he’d hear me from the kitchen. “You’re going to need to distract Vena.”

“Vena, can you check the ladies’ room for me?” Anchor called, coming out of the kitchen. “Someone mentioned a clog.”

Buzz made a choked noise as Vena bounded off her stool.

“He could have gone with anything, and he went with a clogged toilet?” Buzz said softly.

Shepard elbowed him and said goodnight to Pam and Adrian. As soon as it was just the wolves and me at the bar, Shepard set aside the glass he’d been drying.

“The prince was young. Late twenties, maybe. It’s unlikely he died from natural causes.”

“What does that have to do with Vena’s parents not answering their phones?” I asked.

“As guests, Vena’s family won’t have anything to worry about. However, due to the investigation that likely needs to take place regarding the prince’s death, the dwarves are probably limiting outside communication for now.”

“If the mountain is under lockdown, why did all the dwarves leave like they did?” I asked.

“To return home and mourn their prince. We probably won’t see our regulars again for a while.”

“And Vena’s family?”

“They will remain the king’s guests until he has answers. But don’t worry. He’ll want answers quickly. Worst-case scenario, they’ll be home by Monday. Until then, it’s business as usual for the rest of the world.”

That was easy for him to say. He didn’t live with Vena. The likelihood of her being okay with her family locked away in a mountain was low.

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