The Reluctant Vampire Page 0,41

past her to the now-vacant driver's seat, then out the side window, and sighed. "Right, we're here."

Drina straightened as the driver opened the door on Harper's side. She then followed him out of the car and into the cold night. Harper paused long enough to give instructions to his driver before hustling her to the door of the Night Club.

A wave of heat and sound hit them as they entered and Drina peered around curiously, not at all surprised to find it looked like any club in any city. They were in a large room with shadowed booths around the edge of a lit dance floor. Loud music blared from all corners. Harper started to lead her to one of the few empty booths, but she caught his arm and leaned up to ask, "Is there a lounge area?

Somewhere quieter, where we can talk when not dancing?"

Nodding, he changed direc on at once and led her to a set of swinging doors. They pushed through into another room, this one wholly made up of tables and booths and much quieter once the doors swung shut behind them. They chose a booth along the wall.

Sliding into one side, Drina smiled as she shrugged out of her coat. "We can always go in there to dance as we like, but it will be easier to talk in here when we want a break."

"Smart thinking," Harper said, hanging his own coat from a hook at the end of the booth. He then took her coat to hang it beside his.

He slid in across from her, murmuring an apology as his feet nudged hers, then glanced around as a waitress appeared. He smiled at her, but then glanced to Drina, and asked, "Do you know what you want?

Or would you like to check the menu?"

For answer, she picked up a narrow menu in a holder at the end of the table and opened it, saying, "It's probably be er to see what they have in case the selec on isn't the same as in Spain or the names are different."

Harper nodded and turned to the waitress, but she was already slipping away, saying, "I'll give you a minute."

Drina laid the menu on the table and turned it sideways so they could both see it. They each leaned forward, head to head to look it over, but then a beeping came from Harper's coat. Frowning, he straightened and reached in the pocket to retrieve his phone.

Drina politely pretended she couldn't hear what he was saying, not that there was much to hear. He said,

"Hello," listened briefly, and then sighed, and said, "I did wonder about that. All right. Well, there's nothing we can do about it." Another silence followed, and then he said, "I'm not sure. I'll have to call you back on that."

Drina glanced at him in question as he hung up, and Harper grimaced.

"It seems it's officially a blizzard out there," he announced apologe cally. "That was my pilot saying they've shut down the airport and are advising people to stay off the highways. He thinks they'll be closing those soon too, but whatever the case, it isn't safe to take the helicopter back to Port Henry tonight."

Drina stared at him blankly for a minute, and then reached for her own phone.

"We can try driving back tonight, but we'd have to leave right away if you want to give it a go," Harper said, as she began to punch in the number for Casey Co age. "Otherwise, we aren't leaving un l tomorrow sometime, and then only if the storm lets up."

Drina bit her lip and nodded to acknowledge his words, then s lled as the phone picked up on the other end.

"Drina?" Mirabeau said by way of greeting.

"Yes, I - "

"Listen, a big storm hit here an hour or so a er you guys le . They just shut down the 401 from London to Woodstock, and I suspect the rest of the highway will soon follow. I'm thinking it probably isn't safe for you guys to fly. You two better not try to come back tonight."

"What about Stephanie?" Drina asked with a frown. "I'm supposed to sleep - "

"She's sound asleep on the sofa with the TV on. We'll leave her there for now. If she wakes up and wants to go to bed, I'll go up with her. It's not a problem. Although, that probably isn't even necessary tonight. Leonius isn't in the area, and she isn't likely to try