Shift of Time (A Rue Darrow Novel Book 1) Read Free Page B

appeared to be no dance floor. However, that didn’t stop a few swaying couples from enjoying the music in each other’s arms. Most of the people crowded the bar or took up every available spot talking to each other in loud voices. A few tables arranged along two walls were occupied.
    Automatically dialing down my sense of hearing, which I think was self-preservation, I weaved through the crowd. Someone grabbed my arm, and I looked around. A leering, toothless man stood before me. “Hey, baby, buy you a drink?”
    “Go away,” I said and started to give him a little push to help him. Then I recalled my new job and restrained myself. I forced a smile that must have looked menacing because he flinched. “Maybe some other time.”
    “Uh, yeah.”
    I moved on and reached the bar. A man and a woman worked behind it, serving customers with smooth efficiency. Did Almonester even need me? Well, if it was only to be tonight before he came to his senses, I would take advantage of it.
    The man, a blond, good looking with silver eyes, appeared before me and set down a napkin. “What will it be?”
    “Nothing. I’m supposed to start working here.”
    His eyebrows rose. “You? But you’re…”
    He broke off, and I leaned forward over the counter. “I’m what?”
    “Nothing.” He averted his eyes quickly from mine, which stirred my suspicions.
    Someone called to the blond before we could exchange names and other pleasantries, and he moved along the bar. I turned away from it and gave the place another scan. All human patrons, I was disappointed to find. I liked learning about new—well, I wasn’t sure what you would call them. Species? While I knew there were many in New Orleans, they weren’t drinking in the Rusty Ankle. I wondered if that had to do with Almonester’s evil disposition.
    A few men tried to catch my attention, and a couple were bold enough to approach. I sent them on their way with more forced smiles. Each time, the reaction was the same. Maybe I needed to practice charming human men who reeked of alcohol. Unfortunately, I didn’t want to.
    Upon my third attempt, Almonester appeared and grumbled. “Stop scaring the customers!”
    “I—I wasn’t,” I stuttered, embarrassed.
    He glared at me and turned away. “Follow.”
    Resigned that I wasn’t going to get courtesy from him, I did as he asked, and we headed toward the back of the bar. When he opened the door to an office, I hesitated, but I didn’t want him to think I was afraid, so I followed him inside. He shut the door, and the noise of the music was only partially muffled.
    Almonester rifled through a series of shelves on the far wall and then turned to hand me a bundle of material. I unraveled it to find an apron. Musty. First chance I got, I would wash it.
    “You don’t have to smile,” he snapped. “You just have to be—” His teeth clicked together.
    “Be what?” I wasn’t focusing on him but on the small office. The walls were painted a dull gray, and no pictures broke up the dismal impression. An old metal desk dominated the room with a chair that leaned to one side behind it. In the corner beside the desk was a safe at least four feet tall. Talk about obvious and intriguing. Didn’t Almonester keep his money in the bank, or didn’t he trust them? Wasn’t he worried someone would break into the place and haul the safe away?
    The click of my landlord’s yellowed teeth caught my attention, and I turned back to him. “Pretty by human standards.”
    I folded my arms and tilted my head. “You mean you don’t find me pretty, Almonester?”
    “You don’t want to goad me, vampire.”
    I sobered fast. He was right. His normal disposition was angry, and earlier he had escalated it to rage with one word from me. Antagonizing him was a bad idea because I was ignorant of his abilities and whatever had prompted him to do as Ian asked.
    “Focus!” Almonester roared, and I snapped out of my reverie. He continued. “Your sire should