They ended up talking for hours. Customers filed in and out of the tavern, busy waiters strode past wearing trays, Ladrache kept whispering warnings about heaven knew what. But Jade and Josse were lost to the world, completely focused on their first real conversation.
So far, Jade had mostly interacted with Mirko and Adelphine, neither of whom were known for their communication skills. Josse had been the slightly scary patriarch at various meetings about her stay, but they’d never actually exchanged more than a few sentences, let alone sat down for a private chat.
At some point, Adelphine had arrived with two plates of food, which they had wolfed down between sentences. Zina had sidled up in hopes of a walk, but had soon headed for the park in the kind care of a barman.
Jade had ended up telling Josse more than she intended. And yet, weirdly enough, once she realised this, it didn’t really bother her.
***
Josse hadn’t had much time to reflect on their conversation. The travelling ancients had summoned him into their haughty presence as they rose from their sleep in the late afternoon.
It seemed that they weren’t prepared to take ‘no’ for an answer. Why they even bothered to discuss his house rules was anyone’s guess; old-school vampires didn’t usually negotiate with the peasants. He assumed that they were driven by sheer outrage at what they saw as a slight.
And yet, no, there would be no exceptions, even for beings as exceptional as his customers considered themselves to be. No, he wasn’t putting their health at risk; everyone knew that the bit about requiring fresh blood was pure propaganda. And yes, he was perfectly able to enforce his decisions.
He wasn’t about to tell them how, but they could tell he was confident.
***
Meanwhile, at the warehouse café, another confab had unfolded. With the hrrrrgrAWWWR safely behind them and a few more hours to go before moonrise, the alley’s were-beings had gathered for a debrief. Lunar attraction was still powerful on the night after a full moon, and they would soon be seeking shelter just to make sure, but this was just a precaution – there was still plenty of time for a few rounds.
A seat near the centre of the pack had been kept for Josse, who gladly accepted a glass of Westvleteren after the latest sterile debate with the undead grandees. The elder presided in full regalia, fielding questions about lycanthro tradition, ancestral rituals and obscure were ailments, all while downing a surprising number of stiff drinks.
“Is it true that…”
“My grandmother used to tell me…”
“Can you teach me to…”
“I’ve heard that all werewolves…”
“Actually, why is it that…”
Unlike the visiting vampires and despite her putrid apparel, the elder had turned out to be fabulous company. He was looking forward to a long chat with her the following day, when he was due to drive her back to her village in the Ardennes – but he did hope she’d be travelling in neutral attire.
***
At the tavern, Jade and two waiters she didn’t really know were locking up. The street lay serene in the silver moonlight; cool night air was beckoning after the day’s scorching heat, and she was looking forward to a moment of peace and quiet to think about her recent conversation with Josse.
No Mirko to cramp her style this evening; she hadn’t actually been meant to be working. For all he knew she was safely tucked away in her bed.
She fingered her necklace, then felt for the spray bottle in her tote bag. Zina watched her closely with eyes full of hope and an encouraging smile, tail wagging tentatively.
“Come on, girl, let’s go,” Jade urged her on quietly, ignoring the poltergeist’s prophecies of impending ‘drache’. They slunk through the door, closing it securely as they left.
The alley seemed back to normal behind the closed gate; the bats again swirling over the roof of the warehouse at the back. Was there a second lot flitting about nearer the entrance? She thought she’d caught movement from the corner of her eye, but when she turned her head for a closer look there was no one to be seen.