Any characters you recognize are the property of Sherrilyn Kenyon. She retains all rights to the characters and does not authorize this work. This is solely for mine and hopefully my friends’ amusement. No money is being made off of this story. This is rated PG for now….that may change.
This hasn’t been beta’d so keep that in mind…. Oh and I should mention that this story contains some spoilers through Sins of the Night.
Hugs,
Maggie
The next few days passed without incident. Jenny took care of several of her business contacts and was actually ahead of schedule. She decided to take the afternoon off and go find some good Cajun food, but where. Smiling at herself in the mirror she thought, ‘well Sanctuary certainly had good rice and beans that first night in town. If I take my car this time, I should be safe.’
She called to get her car pulled around to the front. When she arrived downstairs, she noticed there was a different doorman on duty. It was just as well, she supposed. Jack had been more than a little nosey about what she had been up to the past few times she had seen the man. It was almost as bad as being back home. Okay, she admitted it. She liked the older man’s fatherly concern. It made the place seem more familiar to her.
Stepping outside, Matt once again had brought her car around
for her. She shook her head at the young man. “Are you always on duty here?”
He smiled. “I’m a student in the business department at Xavier University. I’m usually either asleep or here working when I don’t have classes. The boss is pretty cool about letting me study in my down time. I’m hoping to move up to better things with the company once I graduate.” He blushed as he handed the woman her keys. “And that’s probably way more than you wanted to know. Sorry.”
Jenny chuckled as she gave the valet a nice tip. “Not at all Matt. I’m glad to hear the hotel management supports higher education. It will make me more like to be a return customer.” She winked as she got in the car.
Heading down the road, she was soon on her way to the French Quarter and Sanctuary. She was hoping things would end better than her last visit did. She pulled onto Ursulines Avenue and managed to find a parking spot on the street not too far from the front door.
As she walked up the front steps of Sanctuary, she noticed the large longhaired blonde man standing at the door looked a bit like the two Peltier men she had met on her last visit. ‘Great,” she thought. ‘Another one to tell me to quit snooping.’
“You’re Jenny Hearson aren’t you?” The man asked as she reached the top of the stairs.
She stopped, taken somewhat aback by the question. “Yeah but
how do you know?”
The man chuckled. “Cuz Ash told me to keep an eye out for you in case you came back this way. I’m Dev.”
The name rang a bell but she wasn’t sure why until she thought about her last visit. “Nice to meet you Dev but who is Ash? Oh, you mean that big guy with the black and purple hair that can part water?”
“Um.. Yeah.” He appeared a bit confused that she didn’t know whom he was talking about. “Anyway I’m glad to see you drove this time. When you get ready to leave, be sure to let me know and I’ll see you safely back to your car.”
He waved her inside, shutting the door behind her before she could ask any more questions. ‘Now that was weird in a major way.’ She shook her head and headed further inside.
As the young archaeologist walked up to the bar, she heard the crash of cymbals from the other end of the club. The bartender in front of her barked, “Cody, damn it! Are you a roadie or a side show clown?”
A voice from somewhere behind the drum kit yelled, “Sorry Angel. I’m just trying to set you your band’s equipment for tonight. If you’d rather I waited until the rest of the Howlers showed up to supervise me, I can.”
The man behind the counter, Angel apparently, growled before yelling back, “Just get the stuff set up in time for my sound check.” He turned to the young woman giving her a smile. “Sorry, I sing with Howlers when I’m not stuck back here so I’m a bit protective of my band’s equipment. What can I do for you?”
The young woman smiled. “A iced sweet tea would be good for a start and some of that jambalaya I’ve heard so much about.”
“Coming right up.” He nodded and headed back to the kitchen after pouring her a glass of tea.
She took a sip of her tea and turned around on the stool to face the main part of the club. It was quieter this time of day though she did see a few businessmen in the corner booth having a meeting. There were a few others at tables having a late lunch and she could hear someone playing pool at the far end of the hall. The place smelled clean today, not the usual smell of old sweat and stale cigarettes she had come to associate with clubs. She thought they must have a really good cleaning staff.
She was watching the sound tech finish tuning a guitar when she heard a gruff voice behind her. “He broke anything yet.”
Jenny turned to see the bartender had returned with her
lunch. She grinned at the man. “Not yet but the day is still young.”
He laughed as he refilled her tea glass. “That is it. If you don’t need
anything else, I’ll go check on the klutz and let you enjoy your lunch. I’ll be
back to check on you in a bit.”
She nodded her agreement and watched the attractive bartender walk away. She turned back to her plate and took a bite of the jambalaya. It was pure heaven. Now she knew why Nick raved about this place so much. Nick… she sighed. She really needed to find out what had become of her friend. She shook off the worry as best she could and went to work demolishing her plate of food.
She had just given up on being able to finish the filling meal when she sensed someone near, watching her. She turned to see the young waiter from the other night, Kyle, grinning knowingly at her. “Don’t worry. Most humans can’t finish the portions around here. They’re designed for a… healthier appetite. I’m glad you decided to come back.”
Jenny gave him an odd look at way he said ‘humans’ but faced with his obviously welcoming demeanor, decided not to question what he meant. She nodded. “Thanks. The food is great if a bit too generous. I’m surprised you remembered me.”
“I always remember the pretty ones.” He winked.
The young woman blushed appreciatively then remembered their previous conversation. “You haven’t heard from Nick have you?”
The young man frowned and shook his head. “Nope. I wish I had. I told Mama Lo about you though. She’s in her office if you want to see if she can help.”
The archaeologist nodded. “That would be great. I really
appreciate the help Kyle.”
He grinned sheepishly at her before they heard a crash coming from the stage
area, followed by a growl. ‘A growl?’ She thought. She didn’t have time to check it out as Kyle was heading toward
the back hallway, motioning her to follow. “Come on. I better get ya back to
Mama before my brothers start fighting.
With my luck Etienne will show up then all hell will break lose.”
The girl wasn’t sure what he was talking about but followed him anyway. They reached a huge wooden door near the end of the hallway and he knocked before opening it. “Mama, are you busy? This is Jennifer, Nick’s friend from Colorado I told you about.”
The young woman followed him into the office. An older looking businesswoman stood to greet her. Jenny, even in a family of tall siblings was amaze by the woman’s height. She looked like an Amazon. The woman had golden hair pulled up in a loose French twist. She wore stylish reading glasses that she took off as she put out her hand for a greeting.
“Jenny, I’ve been expecting you. Please have a seat.” She motioned to one of the chairs before turning to her son. “That will be all Kyle.” When he just stood there looking at them, the older woman snapped her fingers in front of him. “Kyle you have work to do. Shut the door on your way out.”
He gave Jenny another sheepish grin then nodded. “Yes Ma’am.” He started to say something else but Mama waved him off, pointing at the door. He left, closing it behind him.
“Boys,” Mama Lo sighed, waving again at the chair in front of her desk, as she sat down in her own. “They can be such a handful, especially the young ones. How are you enjoying your visit to New Orleans dear?”
The younger woman thought about it a minute before answering. “Well my business has been going well. As for my other plans… well it’s been interesting.”
“I imagine so. Things never turn out quite the way we plan child, no matter how old we get.” The businesswoman responded cryptically.
She shrugged in reply. “I guess so. Thing is I’m worried about Nick. I haven’t been able to get in touch with him since his mother’s death. He doesn’t usually go this long without chatting or at least sending out an email to his friends.”
The older woman sighed. “Nick and his mother were very close. There is no telling how he might have reacted to her losing such a big part of his heart. Why judge him by his usual actions when he is in such an unusual situation? You come from a close family. Can you say for sure how well you carry on if faced with such a loss?”
“How do you know I come from a big family?” The girl asked suspiciously.
Mama Lo bristled at that. “I do my homework Jennifer. Something you would do well to learn from before you go charging into a situation blind.”
She wanted to argue with the woman but knew that wasn’t going to get her anywhere. Besides, on some level she knew she was right. “I am just worried about Nick. I want to know he is safe. Is that so wrong?” Tears pooled in her eyes as she asked.
The older woman shook her head and got up, walking around to lean on the front of her desk. She wiped a stray tear off the younger woman’s cheek before handing her a tissue. “No child. It is never wrong to care about those we love. Your heart is good. Just don’t let it take you where your talents can’t follow. Be very sure of what you want as well as what you are prepared to risk before you jump into anything.”
She sighed. “I appreciate the advice but that doesn’t solve my dilemma. Isn’t there anyone you can think of I could talk to that would help? I can’t give up.”
She studied the archaeologist a moment before shaking her head. “No. There is no one *I* can send you to find. I’m sorry.” At the girl’s dejected look she added, “Perhaps someone will find you though. Keep your mind open dear.”
Pulling the young woman up, she gave her hug as she led her to the door. “If I hear from Nick, I will be sure to tell him to get a message to you. In the mean time, you enjoy the rest of your trip and if you need a friendly ear before you leave, my door is open. Now why don’t you go see about getting one of the boys to box up your leftovers.”
She gently pushed her out the door and closed it as another guest appeared in the office. Turning she asked, “Acheron do you ever knock?”
The huge man grinned, unashamed. “My apologies. I didn’t want young Miss Hearson to see me in the hallway.”
The Matriarch of the Peltier clan nodded in understanding. “Yes. I didn’t give her any information that she didn’t already know in her heart. She seems like a sweet girl, just concerned about a friend. What are you going to do about her?” She asked hesitantly.
The Dark Hunter leader smiled at her. “Don’t worry Mama
Bear. I have no immediate plans to destroy anything where she is concerned.”
”Not even a bit of her memory?” The she bear raised an eyebrow skeptically.
The towering god dressed as a Goth biker shook his head and smiled sadly. “No Mon Ami. Not if things work out the way they should, though she may wish I had taken that route before the end.”
“What do you plan to do to her?”
“Leave her to her own devices a bit longer and see how she fairs with… unexpected challenges.” He turned to woman. “You were perfect. Just follow your heart where the girl is concerned when she comes back and she’ll be fine.”
“If she comes back?”
The man nodded noncommittally before flashing out of her office into the alley beyond the building. A teenaged dressed in clothes to match the man appeared before him. “Akri. I did just like you said. I think it worked too.” She peered around the corner to see what Ash was watching. She saw the young lady from Selene’s shop walking toward a car accompanied by both Dev and Kyle. “That’s the girl Akri!”
The man hissed at her. “Shh Simi I know. I have it under control. That’s why I sent you on the errand.”
She pouted. “I still say you should just let me barbeque her.”
“Simi…”
“Simi don’t barbeque people I know Akri. But I did what you asked. Simi wants plastic to get more sparklies.”
The huge man took out his wallet and handed her a gold Mastercard. “Only to Selene’s then home to shop on QVC.”
She squealed and hugged him. “Yes Akri. You are the best daddy ever. I go now.”
He shook his head as she disappeared. Stepping out of the shadows to watch Jenny’s retreating car, he whispered. “Simi wasn’t completely wrong. It is going to be a trial by fire. I hope you’re ready for it.”