Chapter 2: Chapter 2
Once they were inside, Malik headed directly to the bar at the far side of the huge room which had once been the church’s nave. Unsurprisingly, because it was Saturday night, the club was busy. Andre veered left, wending his way through the crowds toward the stairs leading to the upper floor. When he got there, he walked along the balcony overlooking the ground floor, avoiding the customers at the tables along the railing, until he arrived at the door to Thorin’s office. Knocking once, he waited for his Sire to tell him he could enter.
“It went well?” Thorin asked even before Andre could take a seat.
“Exactly as planned. He was egotistical enough to believe he was safe using the path to return to his pack without one or more of his Betas accompanying him.”
“Their kind have always thought they were impervious to harm, until it happens to one of them.”
“Which is good for us.” Andre smiled dryly. “It would do well for us not to feel the same way, however. No one, vampire or werewolf, is guaranteed a long life if they believe they are superior to everyone and thus untouchable.”
Thorin nodded. “We can think we’re unassailable, but you and I know for a fact it’s not true. The werewolves have taken down more of us than I care to think about. But then we’ve done the same to them, and could do more if we didn’t have to worry about the humans, especially those who are certain vampires and werewolves live among them.”
“With good reason at times,” Andre replied sourly. “If I hadn’t dealt with Raúl…”
“Yes. His plan would have created havoc if he’d succeeded. Thankfully we discovered what he was going to do before he could put it into motion.”
“I’ll second that. For an Alpha he was incredibly stupid. His plan to attack us here at the club…To make it look as if it were yet another mass shooting, so that people would discover which ones of us are vampires because we didn’t die, and healed rapidly…” Andre shook his head grimly.
“I disagree about his stupidity. It was clever on his part, and it might have succeeded if Malik hadn’t overheard him when he was discussing the idea with two of his Betas.”
“A foolish thing to do without checking to be certain no one was around, visible or invisible,” Andre replied. “Another sign of his arrogance, for which he paid dearly. Let’s hope his Betas don’t decide to try to carry on with his plan.”
Thorin smiled maliciously. “I have the feeling they’ll have other things to keep them busy, at least for the time being. They’ll be fighting each other to take over as the Alpha of the Wintermane pack, now that he’s gone.”
“If I knew where that was going to happen,” Andre said thoughtfully.
“Absolutely not!” Thorin scowled at him. “You are too valuable to us to take a foolish chance like that.”
Andre shrugged. “It was just an idea.”
“Well, put it out of your mind. That’s an order.”
“Yes, Thorin.” Andre knew better than to disobey his Sire—even more so as Thorin was also the King of the vampires within the territory. “Do you need me for anything else?”
“Not at the moment, although I’m certain I will eventually. Until then, take some time off. You’ve earned it.”
“Thank you.”
* * * *
“Time off?” Andre grumbled as he drove home. “I don’t do inactivity well and he knows it.” He had been what the human’s would have called Thorin’s enforcer for more years than he liked to think about. It kept him on his toes and gave him a reason to get up every night.
Because he was hungry, Andre pulled into the parking garage of his building, got out of the car, and set the security, but didn’t go up to his condo. Instead he walked swiftly outside then slowed his pace to a casual stroll. It was late enough that the bar half a block away was closing. He went into the parking lot beside it, biding his time until most of the bar’s patrons had driven away.
A man, with a woman of questionable morality clinging to his arm, walked toward a car at the back of the semi-dark lot. When they got there, he pushed her against the hood, fumbling for the hem of her skirt.
She giggled, saying, “Can’t wait until you get me in the car?”
Andre stepped into view, catching her startled gaze to take control of her mind, ordering her not to move. Then he put his hand on the man’s shoulder, turning him around.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone