Villere House (Blood of My Blood) (17 page)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

T
he walk to
La Luxure
was hurried and without words. Lottie felt that same urgent tug that had first pulled her into Villere House of Voodoo and had no doubts they were headed in the right direction. Xavier kept her hand firmly in his the entire time, easing any and all trepidation she had about returning to the vampire bar. Even as they walked down the narrow brick alley to the obscure entrance, even as he reached for the door handle…

Besides, it was too early for vampires. Right…?

It wasn't until he let go of her hand and opened the door that her heart remembered vampires were dangerous. Suddenly needing reassurance, she looked up into his dark brown eyes.

"Don't be nervous. I'm packing stakes. Long, wooden stakes."

The joke helped soothe her tension. She grinned. "So you aren't just happy to see me…."

He burst out laughing. That he seemed so relaxed made her relax, and laughing about it made her feel much better as he guided her through the open door. The club being virtually empty helped, too.

A slender woman with dark hair tended bar and a few patrons lingered on barstools. Armand sat against the far wall, blending almost perfectly with the black background. When he saw them, he rose and approached, stopping a good three feet away.

"Xavier Villere," he said fondly. It was a greeting that should have come with a handshake but didn't. "What brings you here?"

Xavier's hand slid to the small of her back. Protective, even though the gesture presented her as the reason they'd come. In spite of her earlier freak out over his desire to
protect
, she found she liked the feel of him protecting her, especially in this context. Now that she understood his nature a little better it was easier to accept his nurturing.

"Ah," Armand said. "Lottie…Boyd, correct?"

"You have a good memory." Her smile trembled but she tried to breathe through it.

"You did run out of here like the place was on fire."

Her cheeks warmed. A joking, teasing vampire. How odd.

"What can I do for you two? Would you care for a drink?"

"No, thank you," Xavier said. "We're actually here because of Élise Cantrelle." He glanced at her, a silent encouragement for her to pick up the story.

"We found out she is my great-great, well, grandmother. And, I don't know how to say this without sounding crazy, but I think she's been haunting me. Like trying to tell me something through dreams. That's what led me here the other night. The house was familiar."

"Makes sense."

That was easy. Though, what did she expect?

"So, what brings you back here tonight?"

"The dreams have stopped. I was hoping...well, I hoped maybe I could look around, see if something triggers my memory."

"Of course."

She glanced around the bar. There wasn't much to see there. She could see evidence of the old house, just as she had the other night, but nothing new.

"Anything?" Xavier asked.

Shaking her head, she turned back to Armand, who was watching her. God he had intense eyes. She swallowed, unable to stealth the sound.

"Um, do you think...Would it be possible..."

"Care if we go upstairs?" Xavier interjected. He sure knew how to read her, and when she was nervous or felt unsure, he jumped right in.

"Not at all."

"If it isn't too much trouble," she interjected quickly. Last thing she wanted to do was insult a vampire.

Armand's small smile revealed the points of his very sharp looking canines. "None."

He turned and started for the back room when a deafening slam came from the entrance. Julien Villere sauntered into the bar. His eyes were conniving, the irises filled in with blackness. Didn't he have green eyes? From where she stood, they looked as dark as Xavier's.

"What the fuck." Xavier's expression was a mix of shock, fury, suspicion, and bewilderment. "Did you follow us?"

"Surprise!" Julien held out his arms like he was the birthday cake. "I thought I'd see what all the fuss was with this
vampire
bar. Do I have to give it to get it, or can I just order a shot of A-positive straight up?"

Out of nowhere, the huge, muscled bartender from the other night shoved his way through the velvet curtains leading to the backroom. Lottie remembered the stacks of beer boxes lining the storeroom walls and imagined the rhino of a man now blocking Julien's path into the bar slinging them around like they were boxes of Kleenex.

She watched Xavier flinch with disgust and then take a deep breath and shake it off.

Armand's quiet presence was a startling addition. "Isn't that your brother?" he asked, his deep voice cool, but definitely irritated.

"Yes," Xavier admitted through gritted teeth.

"I will forgive him because he is a Villere, but I will not tolerate such disrespect—even from a Villere. Take care of it or I will. Or Slade will. Neither outcome will be good."

Slade must be the scowling man with his tree-trunk arms crossed tightly across his massive chest.

"Gladly." Xavier turned to her. "Why don't you go ahead while I address this…situation."

"Are you sure?" The idea of traveling upstairs alone with Armand was nothing short of terrifying.

He grabbed her hand and gave it a brief squeeze. "Absolutely."

Her lip was so firmly between her teeth as he turned away it was quite possible blood was dripping down her chin and she'd never know it. She was pretty sure Armand would…

"Don't worry," the vampire said right into her ear. "I rarely bite."

She nearly jumped out of her skin. She stared at Xavier in horror but he was already walking away. Turning to Armand, she forced a smile. He wore a mischievous half-cocked grin on his full lips.

Jesus, if there was ever a poster-boy for a vampire, he was it.

Xavier's attention was firmly on Julien and she knew enough about the man to know if he wasn't concerned about Armand neither should she.

Still…

Her eyes drifted over his solid, muscular form, sleeve tattoo, black painted nails, pale skin and bright hazel eyes. He was scary enough whether or not he was a vampire.

"Lead the way," she said with a nervous chuckle.

She followed him through the velvet curtains into the backroom, past his office, and then up stairs that were all too familiar. With a light touch, she lovingly ran her hand up the mahogany railing. She remembered this wood well. It had barely changed.

"I'm afraid I told you all I know the other night," Armand said as he opened the door at the top of the stairs. "My family merely purchased the home."

"So you didn't know Élise?"

Holding the door open for her, Armand cocked his head ever so slightly, a small smile on his lips. "No."

That was disappointing.

His apartment was not. Quite frankly, it was a little more modern than what she expected from a vampire, but definitely sleek and sexy. The main room had been completely opened up and housed a very
clean
, very high-end kitchen (strange for a vampire), with a large granite island lined with barstools—all adjacent to a living room filled with sleek leather furniture and large T.V.

"Oh."

"You sound dismayed."

"It looks nothing like I remember."

"No, it wouldn't I'm afraid. I did a complete renovation recently. The third floor remains mostly untouched. Would you like to see it?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. I never made it up there in any of my dreams. I was hoping something would trigger a memory." Looking around the room, she tried to envision the second floor when it had been Élise's house, but couldn't. It was just too different.

"What is that crystal you keep stroking?"

Oh? Was she? She hadn't noticed. Looking down she saw the green pendant between her fingers. Embarrassed, she dropped her hand. "Nervous habit, I guess."

"Is that Apophyllite?"

"Yeah. Delia Villere gave it to me to, you know, help channel Élise's spirit. But obviously it isn't working."

"These things can be tricky. Do you have anything personal of hers—Élise's?"

Lottie felt her heart jump with excitement. Was he about to tell her he had an old scarf or something he'd found in the attic…? "No. Do you?"

"That would be convenient, but no." He paused, seemed to think for a moment, and then gestured toward one of the barstools. "Would you like to sit?"

"I'm fine. I should probably just go back downstairs."

"Perhaps you should sit." It was definitely a command and she wasn't prepared to argue. "I'll only be a moment," he said once her butt was firmly planted on the barstool, and then disappeared into another room. He returned seconds later, carrying a shoebox-sized ornate case.

He set it on the counter top and opened it. She was dying to see inside, but the contents were blocked by the open lid. When he pulled out what looked like a huge ice-pick she felt her eyes nearly fall out their sockets, her eyelids too wide to contain them.

"It's only to prick the skin."

"Why—?"

"You are descended from Élise Cantrelle, correct?"

She nodded, her eyelids refusing to relax.

"Your blood is then a personal effect of hers, as your blood comes from her blood."

"I don't understand..."

"This is just a theory, but a drop of blood placed on your crystal might just strengthen its power to call to your spirit, aka Élise Cantrelle. Much like if you had a personal effect."

"You really think that will work?"

"I have no idea," he admitted. "But blood is a powerful fluid. And I've seen stranger."

She didn't doubt that for a second.

She didn't have to think about it for long. Anything that might help uncover answers she was ready to do. She held out her left hand, first finger extended, mindful of her bandages. If Armand noticed he didn't say anything.

With gentle fingers he clasped hers. "The tools have all been sterilized," he told her. "You needn't worry; I'm very skilled at this."

Another
fact
she didn't doubt.

He quickly pricked her finger and set the ice pick aside. He then massaged the digit, much like the nurses did whenever Lottie gave blood, until a large crimson drop bubbled at the top. "Rub that on the
Apophyllite. I'll grab you a bandage."

"That's it?"

"That's it. If it even works. I really don't know if it will."

Easy enough.

Carefully, she smeared the blood onto the crystal pendant. Armand held out a band-aid and just as she was getting ready to take it, it hit her. All at once, like a steamroller, the vision flattened her, demanding every ounce of her attention. Armand was gone, the modern decor of his apartment gone. All she could see was what Élise wanted her to see.

~

Shoving past Slade and then his brother, Xavier had to resist the urge to slap the smirk off Julien's face as he passed.

"Come with me."

"Aye, Captain."

He didn't bother to check to see if Julien followed. Rage kept his feet marching forward until he was out on the sidewalk. He was afraid if he had to look at Julien, he wouldn't be able to keep from throttling him.

"I don't know what the hell is going on with you, but you are treading on dangerous ground right now."

"Sorry little bro."

Xavier turned, fully expecting the apology to continue. He wasn't sure if he was going to be able to let it go just like that, but he would at least hear Julien out.

"But you are in my way."

The blow came hard and fast and slammed into the right side of Xavier's face. Dazed, his head swimming in and out of inky darkness, he staggered back, reaching for the support of the wall. Julien lunged at him, shoving him back with the force of a linebacker. The back of his head hit the brick.

A shot of pain, a lot of darkness, and then nothing.

~

Still feeling flushed, the room around her spun into a blur of indistinguishable colors. Colors she couldn't separate from the emotions twirling around her heart. She touched the empty spot on the bed beside her, still warm from Laurent's body and couldn't help the smile that spread through her entire body.

A soft knocking on the door made her scramble for her chemise. She had just slipped the fabric over her head when Rosette, grinning from ear to ear, opened the door.

"Monsieur Villere has been escorted out."

"Thank you, Rosette."

The maid lingered in the door, looking like she might burst at any moment. It was as if Élise's happiness was so enormous, it had overflowed and spilled onto the other woman.

Knowing she'd be unable to contain it for much longer, she gestured for Rosette to enter. She bounded into the room, grasping Élise's hands.