Samantha walked over to her, extending her hand. “Hi Kat, I’m Samantha. I really appreciate you bringing me something to wear.” She was disappointed Luca hadn’t returned for her but hid her feelings from the stranger.
Kat shook her hand and placed the clothes on the desk. “I brought you a choice: yoga pants or sundress. Tris said you were a petite little thing, and he’s right. I co-own a shop a few blocks over, Hair and Heels. We’re a beauty salon and spa but also sell clothes and accessories. I’m pretty sure both will fit. So what do ya think?” She put her hands on her hips, waiting for a response. Kat played with the red sundress, holding it up to herself by the spaghetti straps.
Kat was naturally beautiful; an exotic woman with long auburn hair and deep brown eyes. Even though Tristan had platinum blonde hair, he and Kat had the same intense eyes and straight nose. Samantha wouldn’t have known they were siblings if she hadn’t been told, but now saw a slight resemblance.
“Since I’ve been in yoga pants all day, I guess the sundress will work. But I don’t have any shoes except sneakers,” Samantha answered.
“No problem. I’ve got some flip-flops in my bag,” she added, smiling.
“Thanks so much. I really appreciate you taking time out of your day to help us.” Samantha used the word ‘us’ as if she and Luca were a couple, even though a more accurate description would have been traveling companions, or friends due to circumstances.
“Like I said, not a problem at all. A friend of Tristan’s is a friend of mine. We take care of each other. Especially us girls,” she winked.
Oddly, Samantha felt at ease with the lovely woman and wondered if she was a wolf like Tristan. She smiled at Kat. “Well, thanks again.” She waited on her to leave.
“Come on now, Samantha. Don’t be shy. Lord knows, us wolves aren’t. I’m staying; at least until I make sure the dress fits you. I’ve gotta get back to the shop soon, but I’ve got time for a bit of a chat,” she said, plopping herself in the overstuffed leather sofa.
Samantha never thought of herself as shy, but she didn’t know the woman in front of her from Adam. But she really didn’t have much choice, given that Kat wasn’t moving. Deciding to go with the flow, she stripped off her towel and pulled the cotton sundress over her head. Looking down and feeling around to make sure it wasn’t too tight she smiled over at Kat. “It’s lovely,” Samantha declared, running her hands down her sides. “Thanks again.”
“No problem.” Kat came over and stood in front of Samantha, admiring the smooth fabric and the fit of the dress. “Looks great on you. That plastic bag over there has the flip-flops in it and a pair of undies. Good thing the dress has a shelf built into it ‘cause I don’t sell bras. Well, I better get going.”
Samantha waved as Kat opened the door. “Thanks again, Kat. I actually live in Philly too. Maybe when I get back, I’ll look you up,” she offered.
Kat just smiled and waved back as she shut the door.
Samantha walked back into the bathroom and began to comb out her wet hair. Thinking about her conversation with Kat, Samantha felt quite relieved to have a normal conversation with a human-looking woman…even if she really was a wolf. She smiled to herself wondering if all wolves were as friendly as Tristan and Kat. Taking once last glance at herself in the mirror, Samantha felt satisfied with her attractive new dress. Clean and clothed, she was refreshed and ready to go downstairs; she wanted to find Luca and get something to eat.
Shaved and showered, Luca walked into the main club room and sat at the bar. From behind it, Tristan faced the wall and reaching up, grabbed a bottle of Martell Cognac off the top shelf and two glasses, and set them on the brass bar.
“So, long day, huh?” Tristan asked. He poured two fingers into each snifter. Even though it was four in the afternoon, happy hour started early in Eden on a Friday night. Patrons were already starting to pour through the front entrance, but no one had come to the far end of the bar yet.
“Yeah, you could say that. Someone torched the cabin and left our witch a little message. Something about a periapt.” Luca took a long draw of his drink. “It was written in bat’s blood. Real bat’s blood. But I didn’t scent any supernaturals so it must have been a puppet. Haven’t told Samantha yet.”
“A periapt, huh? Could be for anything, but what does this one do and why would someone want it so badly and why would Samantha have it?” Tristan mused.
“And those, my friend, are all very good questions I’ve asked myself. Perhaps Ilsbeth can help us. I don’t know. To be honest, I really just need to feed right now and maybe fuck. This whole situation’s wearing on me, and I need to blow off some steam, before I get onto that plane and head down to New Orleans.” He tapped nervously on the edge of his glass.
“Yeah, about that…” Tristan hesitated and looked up at his sister. She bounded down the stairs toward them, silently signaling to Tristan to be quiet, obviously wanting to surprise Luca.
Luca spied a female refection in Tristan’s eyes. Immediately recognizing her scent, he spun on his bar seat and held out his arms. “Kat!”
Kat jumped into his arms as he spun her about as if she weighed nothing. “Luca, baby!” she cooed. “I’m so glad to see you. I can’t believe you’re here. I’ve only got maybe twenty minutes ‘til my next appointment, but I’ve been looking to go down to visit ya. ”
Things were about to get interesting. Luca and Kat had met years ago when Kade’s ex-lover had kidnapped and tortured her in the mid-eighteen hundreds. Luca had been there that day to rescue her and bring her back to Tristan. As the years passed, Luca and Kat had had their fair share of romantic moments, but it was always free and easy; neither of them was looking for commitment.
As they hugged tightly, Kat kissed him on the cheek, and pulled away, leaving her arm around his waist.
“You knew she was here?” Luca questioned Tristan.
“Yes I did. And you know, if you’re going to New Orleans tonight, I’ve been thinking maybe you could take Kat with you,” Tristan suggested.
Luca looked at Kat and then back to Tristan. “What’s up?”
Kat looked at her shoes, not wanting to recount what was happening.
Tristan’s eyes narrowed. “Kat, here, has an unwanted suitor. And it’s none other than Jax Chandler, the Alpha from New York. Now, he’s been told that he can’t have her, but he’s not one to take no for an answer. I don’t want anything happening to her.”
“What? Are you afraid he’ll kidnap her?” Luca asked.
“Well, that I’m not sure of, but I think if she takes a little trip down to see our brother Marcel, it’ll help to bolster my verdict on this. I don’t want him thinking he can get stupid and try and take her.” Tristan hopped over the bar and put his arm around his sister. “Kat wants Marcel to call the pack out on this, and I agree. So what say you? Can you take her with you?”
“Certainly. But she can’t stay with me. She’ll have to stay with Kade or Marcel.” There was no way he was going to let two females stay at his house. He had a feeling that Samantha wouldn’t take too kindly to having him let a former lover stay with them. Nor did he want the two women ganging up on him. No, she’d have to stay with Kade or go to her brother’s.
“Thanks Luca!” Kat kissed him again; this time on the lips.
“Okay, it’s settled then. Now let’s see what I can do about a donor. I’ll go check the list,” Tristan announced.
Eden’s maître d’ kept a donor list at the front desk of willing human and shifter donors who wished to experience the orgasmic bite of a vampire, sex, or both. They wore beepers around their necks that buzzed should they be called to ‘volunteer’. There were private rooms upstairs for these activities that accommodated pairs and groups. The rooms were video monitored for the safety of guests to make sure all activities were consensual and safe. It was against the law to kill during a feeding, and Eden’s state-of-the-art security system kept things legal.