Thirteen minutes later we were pulling up in front of the Sans.
The Mayor and Captain, had just arrived and were being seated at a round table as we walked up.
"Ah, there you are, Mayor Winslow, this is Detective Alys Spring. My very best agent and this is Detective Arden Haze one of our supernatural correspondents, that are down here on a case." He introduced and then we all sat down Arden on my left, the Mayor on my right and of course the Captain across from me.
"So Mr. Haze..." The Mayor started.
"Please call me Arden." Arden said smiling, the look was one he had most likely used a thousand times, it seemed as if he has been in this position before, a true salesman. Funny and I thought I was good at this.
"Right, Arden. What is it like working for the supernatural agency?" Winslow asked.
"Well right now its still a bit unorganized, don't get me wrong the supernatural community has always had its structure. But this is a very new approach to it, being completely out in the open has brought certain problems and advantages. But our agency is still working out the kinks, luckily my partner and I have plenty of experience as private detectives and even before that as guards for certain high profile members in our community." Arden articulated well and did so without inadvertently spilling any of the councils secrets or the secret that there was in fact a council, several actually. One for every kind of sup and one that had one of each on it, just incase there was ever a need for a supreme ruling.
"Interesting and Miss Alys, I believe you are supposed to make some big speech on why I should give your department more money." The Mayor said knowingly as he fluffed his napkin into his lap and looked back up at me expectantly.
"Yes, well I could give you a wonderfully eloquent speech about how our entire system needs upgrading or how we need new protective gear or new cells because the bars are starting to corrode away. But im not going to do that, in all seriousness sir, if you want to keep your city safe you will give the department the money that it needs, because its the right thing to do." I paused for a moment but he didn't seem to be thinking along the same lines as I was. "Look three weeks ago our computer system shut down for eight hours backing up our paperwork process by a couple of days, four days ago one of our officers Rodrift was shot, should have been fine because he was wearing a vest but the vest was old and the bullet tore right through it and last but not least. Two months ago a prisoner escaped because three bars came loose on his cell and he was able to squeeze through them, as he tried to escape he injured three officers and a one of their wives. Before i had to take him down when he got ahold of one of their guns. He could have killed any number of people if I hadn't have gotten to him first. We have to be able to protect the citizens and to do that we have to be confident in the equipment we use to protect ourselves and catch the perpetrators." I said and shrugged off my jacket and purse placing them on the back of my chair.
"Well there's something to be said for blunt attractive women, they certainly get the job done thats for sure. Im sold, Flint why don't you fax that paperwork on cost over to my office in the morning. Now what say we have a couple drinks and a laugh or two and forget about work for one night." He said with a chuckle just as the waiter appeared at his side.
I looked down at the menu but then hear a wonderfully pleasant and familiar French voice walk up next to me. "No, no, this wont due. You will have the chefs specialty and our most expensive wine."
"The most expensive, that might be a bit over board." I said looking up into the beautiful blue eyes of Odessa Gana, I knew her thirty years ago when we had both supposedly just moved to the area, she told me she was moving away five years later. She was also a vampire without any ties so she could do what she wished.
She put her hands on her hips, "Well that depends, its only ridiculous if you are actually throwing it over board." I stood as she pulled me into a firm hug, that would most likely have a human gasping for air. "Wow, You look amazing, thirty years and you don't look as if you have aged a day. If I didn't know better." She said appraising me, her thick French accent ringing true.
"And you, looking amazing as always. Is this place yours?" I asked as I sat back down and she pulled a chair up to our table, placing my chair even closer to Arden's.
"Oui, oui, it is, the vampires are out in the open now, I even have alternative blood sources on my menu. But..so I thought, now I can truly live my dream and open a true French restaurant, like I have aways wanted right here in America. So I did, with true French chefs and true French recipes. But not French waiters, they are the worse, just do their job and done, no more." She chuckled as we all did, "I kid but no, please let me serve you. The best of my best is what you will have, ok." She said and jumped out of her seat and went back to the kitchens, seemed like only seconds later a waiter was at the table with a bottle of wine pouring glasses.
I swung my legs back around to get readjusted in my seat and accidently hit Arden's legs with my own. Instantly his hand was on my leg and tingles spread through out my skin, where ever his hand brushed. He seemed to feel something too because he took a deep breath and sighed as he slowly slid his hand off of my leg. I moved again and a knife fell off the table, Arden caught it mid air but it cut his hand. Gently cupping his hand in mine I took the knife from it. I looked down at the cut, it wasn't bad and would most likely heal in seconds.
I looked up at Arden who had a look of shock on his face, but in a good way if there was such a thing, it was then I realized that I had gotten his blood on one of my fingers and now that finger was in my mouth. His blood was excellent, rich and thick, better than any wine, the feeling that rushed through my veins was one of pure power and belonging. I could feel my eyes starting to go crazy once again and closed them, looking down as I grabbed a napkin and used it to clean the excess blood from his hand. The Mayor and Captain didn't seem to notice a thing, though Arden was breathing a little heavier next to me. Did how I reacted to his blood mean something or is that just how his blood makes people react.
No matter my age, I had never had a reaction like that to anyones blood and I had tasted more than my fair share. I could still feel its effects trickling down my spine. I could feel myself overheating, light sweat forming on the back of my neck and sweet radiance start to blossom in my core. One drop of his blood and I was so horny I was considering jumping him right here and now.
"If you will excuse me." I said in an involuntarily husky voice and quickly walked back to the bathroom, forcing myself not to look back at Arden as I left the table, even though I felt his eyes on me still. Once in the bathroom, sighing deeply and leaned over onto the marble counter, I brushed my hair to my right side and turned on the water, splashing my face and neck with the cool liquid. I could not sit through dinner feeling like this, I had to find a way to cool down. I looked up into the mirror, my eyes weren't going crazy like I thought, no they were kind of glowing silver. Well that's not so bad, I could pass that off as just having bright eyes. But this heat, the moment I step out of this bathroom every sup in the place will know that I'm keyed up and ready to play ball.
Suddenly the bathroom door swung open and a second later I felt strong arms wrap around my waist and spin me into the wall. His hard body pinning me there, but it wasn't the one that I wanted, it was Hank. Easiest cool down ever, but now im pissed.
