Vampire Lane (3 page)

"It's nothing. I have to say I’m surprised to see you again so soon."

"I hope that it won’t affect my chances to get this job. I had no idea you owned the bar."

"I would never do such a thing. Besides, it was just a dance. Now let’s get back to business. I have a clerical position open as well as a waitress position. I was thinking a few days in the office and one day a week helping out the wait staff. How does that sound?"

"That sounds perfect. I have recent office experience. I worked in an office in Anchorage for three months and I also have worked as a waitress from time to time."

"Excellent. Why did you only stay for three months?"

"I spent many years moving around. I was looking for a place I could call home. I finally found it here."

"I see, and since you are vampire, I have to ask. Are you still bound to your sire?"

"No, he released me a long time ago. He still lives in California."

Natasha looked at Tanek and felt disappointed he obviously felt nothing. He looked all business. But what did she expect? It was just a dance. She kept thinking the things she felt, he must have felt them, too. Right?

"That’s good. I wouldn't want him calling you out of the blue … It has happened before," Tanek said. “So I think you would be a good fit here. You look professional and you have experience. The job is yours if you want it."

"Yes! Yes, I want it. Thank you, Tanek. I don’t know how I can thank you. I really needed this job."

"You have tonight off. Come back tomorrow at Midnight for some clerical training."

Natasha stood up, and Tanek stood with her. He was shocked when she ran around the desk and hugged him.

"Ms. Wasko, please, this is highly inappropriate," Tanek stammered.

Natasha pulled away. "Oh, sorry, I just got a little excited. I will see you tomorrow."

***

Natasha left
Bite Me
excited and in a great mood. She wanted to celebrate, but wasn’t sure what to do or where to go. She couldn’t party it up at the place she now worked at. She walked along the street and could hear music coming from all the bars, and finally she saw one that appealed to her. The sign said
She's A Vamp
. She thought with a name like that it must be vampire friendly. She walked inside and could tell right away it had a totally different vibe from
Bite Me
. She could tell this was a place that offered live feeding. Several humans sat at tables nearby, waiting to be needed as a meal.

She approached the bar and ordered a blood wine. She took it with her to a nearby table, deciding she would drink her blood wine and find a handsome vampire to dance with, and hopefully the dance with Tanek would soon just be distant memory.

She sipped on her wine when a human woman strolled up to her and sat down with Natasha." Hi, I'm Maureen."

"Thank you, Maureen, but I don’t need to feed."

Maureen shrugged, not even fazed by Natasha’s attempt to get rid of her.

"I haven't seen you in here before," Maureen said, looking at Natasha in a way that suggested she was interested in a sexual way.

“I'm new in town, and was trying to celebrate my new job."

Natasha looked at Maureen with her short brown hair and pouty lips. She would probably be a really yummy treat. She wasn't stick thin either, which meant she would be a little sweeter than the thin model types. Natasha decided she needed to stop being so hard on herself and have fun. She downed the rest of the blood wine and took Maureen by the hand.

"Let’s dance."

Maureen smiled and went with her excitedly. It was a fast paced song and they both danced happily together. Natasha noticed Maureen kept watching her intently. It didn't really bother Natasha; she liked the attention. It had been too long.

Natasha continued dancing a few more songs, and Maureen was right with her. Natasha wondered if she was getting her in trouble for not working.

"Maureen, I’m not getting you into trouble, am I?"

"I work on commission. The boss doesn’t care what we do as long as we are in the club."

"I could use more blood wine. Want to join me for another drink?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, let’s go."

Natasha and Maureen danced over to the table and ordered more drinks.

"I have an idea. Let’s get more drunk than we’ve ever been, like ever." Maureen giggled.

Natasha laughed at Maureen’s idea. She liked the idea, as she was never allowed to do such things when she was under Godfryd.

The waitress returned with another blood wine and a few shots. They drank, ordered more, and drank again. Finally, it was getting close to dawn and Natasha had to work in the evening. She helped Maureen out to the cab, but had no idea where she lived. Natasha took her back to her house and they fell asleep together in her bed. Natasha liked Maureen and would never admit it, but she was lonely and she felt more content than she felt in a long time.

Chapter 5

Tanek arrived early for work. He would never admit he was excited to see Natasha again. He would start her training in the office today. He was nervous to be in the office all alone with her. He pretended like the dance was nothing, but he couldn't think about anything else. Spotting Laya on his way to the office, he nodded his head in greeting. He sat done at his desk and fired up his laptop. He had a stack of bills that needed to be entered into the accounting program, so that would be where he started Natasha’s training. He took out the brand new laptop he had bought her and set it up next to his. Everything was ready to go when he heard a knock at the door.

He looked up to see Natasha. She looked hot wearing a solid blue wrap dress, her hair all up in a tight bun. Her lipstick was a deep red, in complete contrast to her pale complexion.

Tanek could feel himself getting turned on. The thought of kissing those lips and stripping her out of that dress was more than he could handle.

“Come sit over here and we can start.”

Natasha sat down next to Tanek, and raised her eyebrows at the two laptops side by side.

“I purchased you a work laptop. You will bring it with you and take it home every night. I need to be able to go over business matters at a moment’s notice. You will be in charge of entering all bills, and paying them out as well. I will add more responsibilities as you learn.”

“I just want to say thank you for this opportunity. It means a lot to me.”

“Doing a good job is all the thanks I need.”

“I will do such a good job, you will never want to let me go.”

Tanek laughed, but deep inside he was already feeling like he never wanted to let her go.

“So you take the bills as they come in and open this program.”

Natasha nodded and followed along with her own laptop. She caught on quickly, and within minutes she knew how to do it with no problems. Then he went over the process for paying out bills. Within minutes, she was as good as an old pro, typing away and making quick progress going through the stack.

“Tomorrow I will put another desk in here, but for tonight, we will have to share,” Tanek said as he tried clearing more space.

“I don’t mind sharing; it’s cozy,” Natasha relied happily.

Tanek didn’t mind either and considered making it permanent, but knew they needed more space.

Tanek stood up as Natasha continued working. “I’m going to go check on the bar. I’ll be back to check on you in a little while.”

“Yes, Mr. Koja,” Natasha said without looking up from her computer.

Tanek walked out into the bar, his long black hair tied into a ponytail. Laya saw him and rushed over.

“I’ve been waiting for you to come out all night!” Laya yelled at Tanek.

“I was in my office; you could have come down to see me.”

Laya grabbed Tanek by the shirt and dragged him into a dark corner. “I’m a witch. I know things, and I saw you dance with her.”

“Laya, are you okay? You’re making no sense.”

“I know Natasha is your destiny. The way the both of you were gazing into each other’s eyes, all lovey dovey and all that. I saw you pasted to each other when you danced,” Laya said dramatically. “As your now best friend, I have to tell you stop being you, and go for it.”

“Laya, I think you have customers waiting.” Tanek walked off as he gave her a sideways smile. He decided not to say anything else, as anything he had to say might encourage her further.

“I know things!” Laya yelled after him.

Tanek walked back over to the bar and checked in with the other employees. It turned out to be a busy night. The music was loud, but Tanek had vampire hearing so even with the obnoxiously loud music, he could still hear all the conversations throughout the club.

He looked up to a very familiar voice to see the woman who had betrayed him. He felt the anger swell up inside him, but he calmed himself. He knew he couldn’t react.

“Tanek, can we go somewhere and talk?”

Tanek looked at Gretchen with her dark blonde hair with platinum blonde steaks, a Werecat trait. She was also sporting a prominent baby belly and seemed to glow with happiness.

“I don’t have anything to say to you,” Tanek said, backing away.

“Please, Tanek, it won’t take long,” Gretchen pleaded.

Tanek finally stopped. He could see she wouldn’t stop, so he agreed just to get rid of her quicker. He led Gretchen into one of the VIP rooms and closed the curtain, giving them privacy.

Gretchen sat on the plush sofa, and she cleared her throat before she began. “I have been talking with Laya and Adrian, and I realize I was unfair and cruel to you. I should have broken it off before going out with Adrian. I was new to the dating thing. I acted selfish and childish.”

“I appreciate you telling me this. I am also beginning to realize I didn’t really care. I mean, I am angry at you for humiliating me. I am a proud man, but as I think about it, I realized I had little romantic feelings. I think I was lonely, and I liked you as a friend, so I thought you would make a good mate.” Tanek couldn’t believe he was telling her all this. It felt good, like weight had been lifted from his heart.

“I should have just told you from the start I had feelings for someone else.”

Tanek didn’t want to have any more resentment. He knew now Gretchen wasn’t meant for him and he should be glad she broke it off, even though she did it in the most horrible way possible.

“I miss working here sometimes. I like working with Adrian, but sometimes it feels like I don’t have anything of my own anymore.” Gretchen wiped a few stray tears from her cheek.

“Oh, Gretchen, it’s the pregnancy hormones, it can do strange things. I had seven sisters growing up, all older.”

“You never told me that.”

“I am very old; too much to tell. I grew up in Poland, and large families were normal. I remember when my sister, Edna, was pregnant with her first child. She threw her husband out at least six times before she gave birth. But once the baby was born, they became closer than ever. My point is whatever you’re feeling, it may be the hormones.”

Gretchen looked up and smiled at Tanek. “Do you think we could ever be friends again?”

“If you had come in last week and asked that question, I would have said no.”

“Something has happened?”

“Just a new perspective. I consider us friends and all from the past forgotten. So when are you due?”

“Three more long months.” She laughed, rubbing her stomach lightly.

“Then I have time,” Tanek said and stood up.

“Time?” Gretchen asked.

“To plan you a baby shower. That is unless someone has beaten me to it.”

“Well, no, but you don’t have to; it’s so much trouble.”

“I will talk with Laya and Natasha; they will do most of the work.”

“Who is Natasha?”

“My new assistant.”

“Are you two involved?” Gretchen asked, giving him a sly smile.

“Not you, too,” he groaned. “She’s just an employee.”

“So I’m not the only one asking questions?”

Tanek heard the curtain being pulled aside, and Laya stood there and squealed with joy. She rushed over and hugged Gretchen, and they were both very happy to see each other.

“You didn’t tell me you were coming tonight.”

“I’m sorry, I needed to talk with Tanek.”

Laya looked from Gretchen to Tanek. “Is everything good with you two?”

Tanek smiled. “I am planning Gretchen a baby shower. With some help from you and Natasha.”

“Oh my goddess, why didn’t I think of this earlier?”

“It’s really not necessary. Those things are such a fuss over nothing.”

Tanek looked at Laya and knew Gretchen just stepped into it. The look of determination on her face actually scared him a little. “Gretchen, you’re my best girlfriend and I will be throwing you a baby shower, and nothing you can do will stop me. Have a guest list to me by tomorrow. Don’t make me call your mama.”