Hunting For Love ~ Book 6 ~ The Royal Blood Collection

Chapter 4

There was a fun fact me about me. I did not look like the standard vampire because I was a regular at the spray tanning booth. It was necessary if I wanted to blend in. Plus, I liked it. There was something interesting about it, something different. I'd often go through phases where I'd get it done regularly and then not at all.

Vampires spent their entire daylight hours asleep, and were extremely sun phobic. So, it was not surprising that we were pale. Alterations in the lines were slowly coming through now that we were breeding with transformed humans.

The vampire converts were a new thing. There were a few who wanted to be a part of our world, they could see the brighter future that we offered and wanted to be a part of it. The transformation process was not easy. It was a transfusion using vampire blood, the process is repeated until the patient exhibits the telltale signs of being a vampire. A stint in hospital was required and vampire donors were hard to find. Many had the mindset that these humans were spies and wanted to bring us down from the inside.

Sitting in the parked car, I looked at the pool hall and wondered if I'd find my target in here. Was the clerk's warning a deterrent for me? Absolutely not. I'd gone against worse. One little human didn't bother me no matter how dangerous he was.

It was normal for me to hit a few places over before I found the one I was looking for. Looking at the picture one last time, I tucked it into the inner pocket of my jacket and wandered into the pool hall.

It was a vast area, consumed by three rows of pool tables. The sides were lined with a wall mounted counter and bar stools. A few humans looked at me as I continued to the bar, most of them seemed more interested in their game.

Pulling myself up onto a stool, I looked at the tables, waiting for my target to show his face. It wasn't easy to see the people, the overhead lights were stark, creating shadows on the bodies around them.

"What can I get you?"

"A beer thanks," I said, handing him a twenty.

It would do nothing for me other than taste nice for a few moments. As for the real reason, it was to alleviate any tension that might be brewing. If I could get information out of this guy then it would be worth drinking the beer.

It appeared on a coaster next to my arm, the barman gave me my change. I frowned as I counted it. There was twenty dollars in change. Looking up, I saw a vague smile as the barman winked at me.

Well. That was new.

I smiled and pocketed the money. Picking up the glass, I raised it with a wordless offer and a lot of gratitude. I loved free things.

The barman continued serving other patrons, I watched with interest and also to ensure that I didn't seem obvious in my search. He was an intriguing creature, the built frame hidden beneath the tight black shirt and jeans. And, he was human. A beard was beginning to form, beyond the three day growth, it was enough to stir thoughts and feelings.

Fraternizing with humans didn't bother me. I spent enough time around them to realize they weren't that bad. Well, most of them weren't. As for this Henley Davenport, it was the complete opposite.

The problem with whispers was that they weren't always correct. I'd work from the reports that I'd been given, seen to be more reliable than a clerk in a convenience store. Of course, I wasn't about to ignore what he'd said, otherwise going in there to get the information would have been pointless.

Scanning the large room again, I searched for the face that should be familiar to me. I'd looked at that damned photo enough in the past few hours. I should be able to recognize him instantly.

"You look like you're searching for someone."

Was I that obvious?

I turned to the barman, his arms were wide as he leaned on the counter, watching me with an inane grin.

"Just a special guy." I offered with a sweet smile.

If I pretended that I was just the little woman, I could get out of most situations. This world was still so stupidly sexist. They looked at me and believed that I couldn't be anything more than just a wife and mother. Well, they were wrong. I'd learned from the best.

I was bold. I was defiant. I was smart. I didn't fear anything. I could fire any number of weapons and land the target with ease. I could go from standing to a sprint within seconds. I wasn't afraid of heights or what was around the corner.

Nothing stood in my way.

The barman chuckled, leaning closer.

"Anyone in particular?"

Yes, absolutely. I couldn't say that of course. Henley would hit the ground running if he knew that he was being hunted. Once he found that out, I'd never find him again. It hadn't happened to me but I'd heard of another hunter that had his target find out ahead of time. They went deep underground and the search had to be called off. No target found, no payment made and an incredibly annoyed boss man. Alaric could be a real prick at times, I could imagine that his underlings to be no better. The hunter was probably sent on his way with his tail between his legs, never used for army hunt requests again.

Putting the empty glass on the counter, I smiled sweetly.

"Not fussy at all."

The barman's eyebrows raised with amusement. He flicked his head to the end of the bar. Beyond it was an archway with the restroom sign above it.

I was stunned. Again, I was okay with humans and interacting with them physically but to actually be here, it was intriguing.

All thought about what I should be doing was lost. The human was bewitching and I wanted to know what they were like physically because I'd never been down this path before. Did I have time for this? Casually, I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was only eleven pm. Yep, I had time. This place was clearly a bust so I might as well make it worth my time.

Sliding off the stool, I followed him through the arch and down the corridor to the restroom. My hand was on the hidden weapons in my belt, ready for anything.