All Souls' Night - Renee Rose Page 0,117

and returning home when a silky, rich male voice speaks into my left ear, making me jump.

“Hello, there. You’re new here, aren’t you?”

I turn to find myself staring up at possibly the most gorgeous man I’ve ever set eyes on before. He looks a little older than me and wears a brightly patterned silk shirt and black slacks. I’m certain his vibrant blue eyes make my green ones look washed out in comparison.

My heart skips, races, as I feel like I’m falling into his gaze. “H-hi.” The night is suddenly wrapped in magic, and the velvety sky above us doesn’t hold mere stars, but dancing lights in the eyes of the gods and goddesses of old.

I feel like anything is now possible.

His gaze slowly scans my body before he speaks again. “I’ve never seen you around before. What’s your name?”

I swallow hard. “J-John. John Cameron B-Baker.”

“Hmm. John. That’s awfully dull. I’ll call you Baker.”

I find myself nodding and smiling. I don’t care what he calls me as long as he keeps looking at me like that and the world continues feeling like this. They call me Baker at work, anyway, because there are three other Johns and two Juans.

“I’m Taylor.” He smiles. “Now all we need is a tinker, soldier, and spy, and we’re a nursery rhyme.” He giggles. “Or something like that.”

He holds out a hand and I find myself taking it and walking next to him toward the front door.

“I’m right that this is your first time at Club Toxic, aren’t I?”

“Y-yes.”

“Then you really should come in with someone who knows—oooh, Naomi, my delicious darling! How lovely to see you here tonight, pet.” He releases my hand and snags a woman from the line, pulling her into his arms for a deep, passionate kiss that makes me blush.

Suddenly, it feels like the magic just evaporated from the night. Maybe he’s not gay after all.

Then he spins around and takes my hand again, smiling down at me. Just like that, the magic’s returned. “Naomi, Baker. Baker, Naomi.” He squeezes my hand. “We are going to have so much fun tonight!”

As he leads us toward the club’s entrance, I realize I’m no longer caring if I find David inside. It feels like I’m about to step into a whole new world.

One that simultaneously thrills and terrifies me.

Chapter 3

As I make my usual pre-opening rounds to ensure everything is ready, I find my mood souring. I had hoped to find someone to play with tonight, but I suspect I’ll end up either utilizing my staff discount to purchase some blood on tap, or let one of the club’s staff house humans slake my needs.

The more I consider it, I know I’ll most likely pick the on-tap option.

Meaning it’s doubtful I’ll get laid tonight. When I glance through the house humans on the schedule tonight, none of them grab my interest, not even the men.

I don’t know why I’m feeling like this, either. Not sure if it’s because of the time of year, or what. It’s not like me to default to not wanting to feed from someone, and definitely not like me to not try to get laid.

Except I’ve been alive long enough to know that when something feels off, I listen to my instincts. Doing so throughout the years has prevented me from exiting this not-so-mortal coil before I’m ready.

I close my eyes and listen. Really listen. Other than Theophilus upstairs, and two of the human bartenders who are already present, I sense nothing amiss. No one in the building who shouldn’t be here at this time.

Yet there’s a certainty slowly spreading inside me. Like the build up of electricity in the atmosphere ahead of an impending storm. I don’t know if I should be worried, because I don’t sense danger. Still, it… disquiets me.

Once I’ve checked out the nightclub and kitchen, I make my way through the secret door in the coat check closet near the club’s main entrance. That leads me to the stairs down to the dungeon play area. Only vampires, their guests, and club staff are allowed in the dungeon. Occasionally, a shifter or two might come down, but usually because they’re doing business for or with Lucius, not because they’re here for the club. Shifters and vampires don’t normally socialize with each other.

The general public doesn’t even know about the dungeon part of the club, and we like to keep it that way. With the exception of staff, most humans who come down here don’t