Page 14 of Vampire Lee

Was he in charge? Bernadette could pour drinks if it got too busy. He’d asked her to help out before, and it had gone well. Once the dinner crowd went over to drinking, she could move in behind the bar with him. “I think we’ll manage.”

“Good.” Jala gave him a cold look, and Lee instantly straightened. She’d never been the cuddly kind, but…It might not have anything to do with him, though. Maybe she’s tired.

“Are you okay?”

“Of course.” She walked away. Okay, so maybe it had something to do with him. But she couldn’t know what he was planning with Rei, could she? Nah, she didn’t have a clue what Maybe-Aaron was up to. Jala wouldn’t condone underground fighting.

He went back to pouring drinks, and more and more people trickled in.

“Vampire Lee.” Eli slumped on one of the bar stools.

“Back again?” He grinned and reached for a beer glass.

“Give me a whiskey.”

Hmm, not good. Eli seldom drank anything other than beer. “What’s up?”

“Horrible day at work. The dude I’m working with—”

“What do you do?” Lee should know. He’d been chatting with Eli every week for years.

“Demolition. We’re tearing down a building over on Brook Row.”

Lee hummed. “What happened?”

“We were working, dragging concrete slabs, and all of a sudden, Zain, my partner, was gone. The boss didn’t care, only shouted at me for getting behind, and I had to do the work of two. Fucking asshole.”

“Where did he go? Your partner, I mean.”

“Fuck knows.” Eli reached for the whiskey as soon as Lee placed the tumbler on the bar. “It was as if he vanished into thin air.” He paled a little.

“Maybe he quit?”

Eli frowned at him. “We’ve worked together for two years. He wouldn’t leave me.” Eli looked worried for real, which stirred Lee’s unease again. What the fuck was up with him today? “What…eh…species is he?”

“Cross, but he’s a good guy.”

Shifters were weird with the crossbreeds. They could fuck around with different species, but few wanted to be in an interspecies relationship, and crossbreeds were often shunned by packs, prides, and sleuths.

“Can he shift?” Lee was bad with crossbreeds, but he believed if they were mixes between two shifting species, they could most often shift. If they were mixed with humans, there were no guarantees.

“Partially.”

Lee nodded. So human mix then? It didn’t matter other than it would make him weaker. “Maybe he got the stomach flu or something. Have you called him?”

“Several times. He doesn’t pick up.”

Someone called for Vampire Lee, and he abandoned Eli to his drink. Shortly after, Maybe-Aaron cut through the crowd. Shit.

Lee poured a couple of drinks before nearing him. “Evening.” He plastered on a smile. “What can I get you?”

“Beer, please.”

Lee got pouring, not asking what kind he wanted this time. He placed the glass in front of him and grabbed his phone in his pocket.

“Texting during working hours?” Maybe-Aaron’s voice was neutral, and yet Lee got the feeling he disapproved.

Lee gave him a quick grin with a hint of fang. “Just confirming.” He hit Send on his text to Rei and pocketed the phone.

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