She nodded, winking.
I waved her off, looking at the key. “I can make my own way up.”
“He said you’d try to ditch me.” She grinned as we started to walk and I threw a glance over my shoulder to make sure I wasn’t followed.
She stepped closer to me and lowered her voice. “There are a few hunters staying at the hotel, overflow from the booked conference. Luka arranged for you to take the freight elevator near the kitchens so you wouldn’t be seen.”
Oh.That could be a problem, especially since I’d just taught a class and now everyone at the conference knew who I was. That was actually very thoughtful of Luka…
I simply nodded and she led the way, walking two paces in front of me.
I was following a werewolf into a vampire’s hotel room to let him feed from me—what the heck had become of my life?
We slipped down the alleyway and then Sage, my new werewolf escort, pulled open a door that had been propped ajar with a stone. Stepping inside, I heard the bustling sounds of a busy kitchen. Paying them no attention, Sage slipped to the right, down a hallway where a young man no more than seventeen was waiting by a freight elevator. Sage traced a finger across his chest. “Thanks, doll.”
The teenager looked like he was going to faint at the attention of such a beautiful woman and merely nodded, holding the doors open while we stepped inside. As soon as they shut, Sage hit the button for the penthouse floor.
With a slight jerk, the elevator whirred upward and I swallowed hard.
“So you hunt vampires?” Sage said as if we were making casual conversation.
I gulped, trying to decide what to say.
“Me too,” she added. “We just got out of a yearlong war with them. Nasty little bastards.”
I frowned. “But … Luka is your friend?”
She nodded. “Well, he’s not like the others. Obviously. He helped us win the war, freed our people.”
Right … okay … the werewolves had been at war with the vampires. I had no idea.
“How did he help you? I heard he was in prison?” I couldn’t help but pepper her with questions while she was willing.
Sage inclined her head. “Yeah he was. But me and my bestie broke him out and then he helped us kill his aunt, the queen. Now we’re all on the run from the Magical Creature Council in Magic City.”
My eyebrows hit my hairline.
Say what?
The queen of the vampires was dead!
Holy hell, that washugenews. No wonder his family was trying to kill him. Drucilla Drake was the most God-awful vampire alive, if reports could be believed, and if Luka helped her reach her demise, then maybe … in some weird way … God wanted me to help him and that’s why he’d brought us together.
I relaxed a little, feeling better than I had in days about my decision to keep Luka alive. For now.
Following Sage out of the elevator, I traversed the hallway to an opulent open doorway. Two male voices could be heard as we rounded the corner.
“No way! You remember that brawl differently than I do. I totally had Sawyer!” Luka’s voice carried into the hall and I stepped inside of a richly decorated hotel room to see the male vampire casually leaning across a bar top, talking with a handsome but gruff looking male, werewolf I assumed.
The werewolf laughed. “Bro, you were all but crying for release—” The male stopped when he saw me, and Luka’s head slowly turned in my direction. When his eyes landed on mine, they hooded as he raked his gaze over my corseted dress.
I swallowed hard. “Food delivery.” I raised my wrist and then laughed nervously.
Sage chuckled beside me and walked over to the male werewolf, pulling him in for a light peck on the lips.
“I’m Walsh, Luka’s bodyguard,” the male said, and Luka rolled his eyes.
“I hate you,” Luka growled, but there was a playfulness to his tone. These guys had history.
