Chapter Two

by Michelle M Pillow & Mandy M Roth

 “What’s with the sign on the door?” Mandy asked as she sashayed toward the bar.

Armando smiled and stood slowly from his seat. A grin appeared on his pale face as he tipped his head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, now you’re coy!” Mandy let out a loud laugh. The man was a lot of things, coy wasn’t one of them. “Seriously, why do you need to hire more help? It’s not like you’re too good to serve a drink or two. It wouldn’t kill you.”

A sexy laugh escaped him as he took a step toward her. “No, serving a drink will not kill me. Besides, I’m already dead.”

She groaned and plopped down at an empty seat.

Armando moved behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. “You look tired, Mandy,” only to add a little harshly, “didn’t get much sleep last night?”

“No, I had a rough night. I never realized how wild vamps are in bed,” she said, closing her eyes and stretching her neck. Armando’s grip tightened on her. “Ouch, take it easy big boy. I don’t mend as fast as you.”

“What brings you down to the club so early?”

Mandy patted his hands and smiled up at him. “You haven’t seen my purse have you? I can’t remember what I did with it.”

Armando snorted, an air of disgust floating about him. “I’m surprised you remember much of anything you did last night.”

“Giving her a hard time first thing in the door, Armando?”  

Mandy leaned back and saw Dmitri approaching. He flashed one of his famous bad boy smiles and picked up a bottle of whiskey from behind the counter.

“Bit early for a drink, isn’t it?” Mandy asked.

“It’s never too early for a drink.” Dmitri shot back with a tiny salute. “So, what’s the deal with your little blonde friend?”

Mandy glanced at Armando. He shrugged and continued rubbing her shoulders. “Who, Michelle?” she inquired. “Please tell me that you’re not interested in Michelle.”

“Well, yeah, I am interested. Why?”

Mandy let out a very unladylike snort. “She is so out of your league. You’re a ladies man and she’s not into those. She’s got rather…” Mandy tried to think of a delicate way of saying her friend would never consider dating a supernatural. “She’s picky.”

Dmitri filled his glass and did another shot of whiskey. “No woman can resist the loving of the lycan,” he said in a low sultry tone.

“He’s kidding, right?” Mandy asked, glancing up at Armando. The vampire just smiled. It was almost a storybook vampire smile. She couldn’t help herself as she teased, “Are you going to break out in the Thriller dance now?”

Dmitri burst out into laughter.

Armando just looked confused.

She stroked his hand gently. “It’s okay, you’ve been dead a long time. It’s excusable.”

“So, you really think I’ve got no chance with Michelle?” Dmitri asked.

“Oh, sweetie, you’d stand a chance in hell with her.”

He tossed his hands in the air and spun in a circle. A phone started to ring and Dmitri bent down behind the bar. He came up with a small silver handbag. “Why do we have a purse back here that’s ringing?”

Armando’s caresses came harder now and Mandy felt too good to move. “It’s mine, answer it please.”

“Sure,” Dmitri said, fishing the phone out of her handbag. “Hello, this is the man who is going to shag Mandy’s friend Michelle tonight. Who is this?”

Dmitri cleared his throat and shot Mandy a horrified look. He ran his hands through his light brown hair and bit at his corner lip as he brought the phone over to Mandy. “Here,” he said, extending his hand outwards. “It’s Michelle.”

Mandy burst into laughter and took the phone from him. “What’s up, babes?”

“What’s up?” Michelle screamed in Mandy’s ear. “What’s up is I’ve been trying to get a hold of you all damn night. I’ve been worried sick about you. What have you been doing?”

“I think you mean who.” A smiled smile formed on Mandy’s face. “Actually, what might work too—now that I think about it. I went home with those vamps from last night.” Armando’s hands squeezed her shoulders tight. She gasped and tapped on his cool hands to indicate he was rubbing too hard.

“Did you get your article done?” Michelle asked.

Mandy held the phone away from her ear before saying no. She didn’t feel like listening to Michelle yell. When the screaming in the phone stopped, Mandy put it back to her ear. “So, you’re coming down to the club, right?”

“Did you hear a word I said?” Michelle demanded.

“Nope. And you took my car so I need a ride. I’ll see you in a bit. Thanks babes, owe ya one!” Mandy shut her phone off and put it back in her purse.

“I think I pissed her off,” Dmitri said.

Mandy nodded. “Yep, you did, but she’ll still come down here.”

“How do you know?” asked Dmitri, looking hopeful.

“She’s not done yelling at me and I’m sure she’s got a few choice things to say to you too!”

~****~

“Oh, I know you!”                                             

Michelle glanced up, sure the woman had the wrong person. But her purple eyes seemed to be looking right at her. Michelle looked over her shoulder. No, they were the only two in the parking lot along with a handful of cars. “I’m sorry?”

“You’re a writer, right? The Dragon Lords and Lords of the Var books? And you work for the Nocturnal Journal,” said the woman.

“Ah, yeah, yeah that’s me,” Michelle answered, giving a light smile.

“I’m Caroline,” the woman said, holding out her hand. She was dressed comfortably in blue jeans and leather boots. She didn’t look like a typical Raven patron. Michelle chuckled, of course, neither did she. “I write too.”

Michelle took the woman’s hand briefly. She didn’t want to ignore her, but she was livid with Mandy. And where was that jerk who’d answered Mandy’s phone? So help him if Mandy didn’t put him up to it!

“You’re upset aren’t you?” asked Caroline.

Michelle blinked. Artfully getting out of the direct question, she asked, “You say you write? Anything I might have heard of?”

“Nothing yet, but I hope to have something contacted soon,” said Caroline. “I’ve got someone interested in a suspenseful paranormal romance. Actually, that’s why I’m here. I’m researching my next book, or at least an idea for a next book. Besides, it’s nice to get away from the computer and out into the world every once and awhile—if only to watch what’s going on.”

Michelle grinned, forgetting her momentary wrath. She genuinely liked the laid back woman. 

“Do you work here?” asked Caroline.

“No.” Michelle frowned, remembering why she was there. “I have to pick up a friend of mine, Mandy Roth.”

“Daughter of Darkness and Immortal Ops, Mandy Roth?” Caroline asked, getting excited. “She’s here too? Do you think…?”

“What?” Michelle began walking in the front door. The large doorman hadn’t arrived yet and she was glad she didn’t have to shove past him.

“Well, I know you are always looking for new and aspiring authors to interview. I’d love to come down and talk to you sometime about my work.”

Michelle grabbed a business card out of her purse and handed it to Caroline. “Sure, give me a call. I’ll be in my office tomorrow.”

“Great,” Caroline said as she grabbed the help wanted sign off The Raven’s door. Michelle gave her a questioning look. “Research. Besides, I could use the extra cash.”

~****~

“Hey, where’s Mr. Howl at the Moon Cocky Boy?” Michelle asked, walking up to Mandy and dropping her purse down on the table.

Mandy laughed and nodded her head toward the bar. “He’s waiting for the new hire to show up.”

“Oh, he’ll be trying to make the moves on her next.”

“On who?”

Michelle began to answer her, but was cut off by a dark blonde with an apron on. “Oh, hi, you must be Mandy.” She thrust her hand out. “I’m Caroline. I’m doing an aspiring author interview with Michelle at the Nocturnal Journal.”

Caroline’s brown eyes bulged. “Yes, oh my gosh, I can’t believe I’m talking to—”

“Hey, lady, how about some drinks over here?” a husky voice shouted from the other side of the bar.

Caroline rolled her eyes even as she grinned before heading off to handle her customers. Mandy leaned over and smiled at Michelle. “I wonder why they hired more help.”

Armando suddenly appeared next to them. Both women jumped. “Can’t you give a shout out before you materialize next to us?” Michelle asked, dryly.

“My apologies,” Armando said with a slight bow of his head. “Mandy, would you like to dance?”

“You can’t leave the bar unattended,” she said turning her attentions back to Michelle.

Michelle sighed and looked up at Armando. For a vampire, he wasn’t turning out to be such a bad guy. She almost felt bad for him. It was obvious that he was trying to impress Mandy, but she was oblivious to it. “I think that Armando hired more help so he’d be free to visit with the patrons,” Michelle said, pushing Mandy’s hand.

“Oh, okay…but, I don’t want to leave you here by yourself.”

“I’ll keep her company,” Dmitri said, gliding into the empty chair next to Michelle.

Mandy smiled brightly and put her hand in Armando’s. Michelle watched in horror as the two of them left her sitting with Dmitri, the stud who thought he was going to shag her tonight. She inched her seat away from him and rolled her eyes.

“What? I don’t bite,” he said with a smile.

Michelle huffed. Grumbling under her breath, “I thought all werewolves were supposed to bite.”

“Is that a request?” Dmitri gave a cocky grin, his grey eyes hopeful.

“Oh, please.” Michelle stood to walk away from him. She was suddenly sorry she’d encouraged Mandy to dance with Armando. What did she care if the vampire got his feeling hurt?

“I can’t believe Mandy is so nice in person,” said Caroline as soon as Michelle sat down at the bar.

“Mandy has her moments,” Michelle forced a laugh, even as she cursed her friend for abandoning her like a lycan’s chew toy. “Can I get a coffee?”

“Ah, yeah, sure. What do you want in it?”

Michelle rubbed her temples, willing the song to end so she could grab Mandy and get out of the club. “Just the coffee.”