He headed down to the pier and Joe’s Crab Shack, where he could grab a shrimp po’boy and a beer.
Even then, he showed Nantha’s photo to everyone who walked by his table, just in case one of them might have seen her. No one had. He refused to let this dampen his spirits. After all, he still had time until darkness. After his meal, he’d do another circle of the seawall.
He’d simply keep searching until he met Shayla and Maddie at Broken Chains, signed the contract and handed over his retainer fee. Then and only then would he truly feel as if he wasn’t simply spinning his wheels.
While he looked, he’d ask every business to put up a poster. Earlier, he’d had the foresight to print up some missing person posters. He’d left some with his mother, asking her to go around her neighborhood and get them up. For himself, he stuck close to the businesses, restaurants and shops. After traveling all around Broadway, The Strand, the seawall and the pier asking store owners to put them up, he realized he’d need to print more. He stopped back into the same print shop where he’d had the first batch done and ordered again. They ran them off while he waited, declined to charge him anything. He thanked them, the kindness of the small gesture warming his heart. He also noted they already had one posted to their window.
Making a second round to hit all the places he hadn’t the first time, as the sun began to set, he ended up with a few hundred of the posters left. Exhausted, he decided to go home and shower, maybe grab a sandwich before heading to Broken Chains to meet Shayla and Maddie.
As full darkness fell, he drove back toward Harborside Drive. Across from the cruise ship terminals, there were various parking lots as well as commercial businesses and warehouses. Some of the older buildings hadn’t been repaired since Hurricane Ike tore through and were still boarded up. Broken Chains was hidden down an alley between two such buildings. Most humans viewed the area as dangerous and stayed away. The bar’s Vampire and Shifter employees made sure to clear the alley before opening for business each night.
As he made his way toward the alley, he glanced around before making that last right turn. There, the sign with no letters, swinging in the night breeze. If any human chanced upon it, they’d definitely believe it a remnant from the time before the hurricane.
Zach stopped, inhaling deeply, waiting before he actually tapped the code out on the door. He’d always loved the moment before entering. The atmospheric setup—the dead-end alley, towering medieval door. The precise number of knocks in a certain cadence, and the vetting before one was allowed in. He wondered what happened if a human accidentally made it this far and tapped on the door. He wasn’t sure, though he knew for certain they would not be allowed inside. Broken Chains was for paranormal entities only. Among the entire world owned by humans, this place was theirs alone. A safe haven.
Once he’d made it in, he stood still and scanned the premises, a peace settling over his weary body. The muted lighting, the clinking of glasses and dishes, the sound of the band tuning their instruments and the hum of quiet conversation. For whatever reason, the bar was even more crowded on this Wednesday night than it had been the evening before. Mid-week point, perhaps? The pleasant buzz of noise made him feel welcome, at home.
Once again, as Zach made his way through the crowd, he was glad the bar didn’t allow smoking. Shifters had sensitive noses, and a room full of cigarette smoke made most of them feel nauseous. The last time Zach had visited a human bar, the smoke had been so thick he hadn’t even ordered a drink before turning around and walking right back out. These days, the humans had become health conscious, and more and more establishments banned smoking.
Shayla and Maddie had said they’d meet him here at eight. He’d arrived half an hour early, and judging from the lack of places to sit, he hoped they’d gotten here even earlier. If not, they’d all be standing and circling the room like hawks until someone actually got up and vacated their table.
The band continued to warm up. There were five of them. A different group from the night before. Broken Chains constantly rotated their musical act. Zach had heard everyone wanted to play there, and competition was so tight that they were booked months in advance. He liked the fact they changed up the music. Something for everyone that way. From the sound of their warm-up, this band sounded like they played eighties music. He shrugged, continuing to wade through elbow-to-elbow people in search of the two women.
He reached the back edge of the bar and turned to go down the other side. Nothing, though every single table was full. A few other Shifters whom he’d spoken with previously waved. He waved back, though he didn’t stop to talk.
Once he’d made a complete circuit of the packed room, he climbed the narrow staircase to check the second floor.
There weren’t as many people up here. He felt like he could breathe. There they were. They’d taken a table near the back, as far away from the balcony railing to below as possible. He approved of their choice, where it would be quieter.
Shayla and Maddie spotted him. Shayla waved. As he made his way toward them, dodging a waiter with a tray of drinks, he realized a third woman had joined them. A blonde with short, spiky hair and too-perfect alabaster skin. He stopped in his tracks. Something about her... Then he knew. The hair on his arms rose, and he pushed back the urge to growl. Vampire. His entire family had been blessed—or cursed—with the ability to instantly recognize a Vampire, even one who blended well with the human population. Though Shifters and Vamps had long ago forged a truce and these days the two got along, he couldn’t help his initial visceral reaction. Hopefully he’d been far enough away that no one at the table would have noticed.
Resuming his progress, he inclined his head toward the newcomer before pulling out the remaining empty chair. From the cold way the Vampire regarded him, he guessed she felt the same way he did. Inherent enemies couldn’t help their initial reaction. It was in their DNA.
Still standing, he kept one hand on the back of the chair. He really wanted to know what she was doing here. This was to have been a private meeting between him and the Shadow Agency.
“Evening,” he said as a greeting, including all three of them in his glance, though he slid his gaze away from the Vampire as quickly as possible without appearing rude.
“Hey there, Zach.” Shayla’s wide smile made him catch his breath. Tonight she wore her silky black hair pulled back in her trademark complicated braid. The hairstyle showed off her high cheekbones, sensual lips and striking eyes. She was, he thought, absolutely stunning. Even his inner Wolf sat up and took notice.
She gestured gracefully toward the Vampire. “This is Carmen Vargas. I’m sorry you haven’t had a chance to meet her before now. She’s the third partner in the Shadow Agency.”
Third partner? This was new. Privately, he wondered how wise that decision might be, but as an about-to-be client, he figured the Vampire could go places neither he nor the others could. Beggars couldn’t be choosers. Right now, he could use all the help he could get locating his sister. If a Vamp could help find Nantha, he’d let her.
He finally lowered himself into the chair, directly across from the now-glowering Vampire. Shayla glanced from him to Carmen and back again. “What?” she asked, spreading her hands, showing off her bright blue nail polish. “I’m picking up a strange vibe. Do you two know each other?”
“No,” Zach answered. He forced himself to relax, aware the other Shifter, Maddie, had gone into full alert. Seemed his inner Wolf wasn’t the only one paying attention. “We don’t.”
“It’s okay,” Carmen interjected, finally taking her gaze off him. “Sometimes age-old instinct trumps common sense.”
In
