Astrid Cooper - Monsters InK 3 - The Cat the Vampire Dragged In by Astrid Cooper

Author:Astrid Cooper [Cooper, Astrid]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Jai tugged off his boots at the front door. His feet hurt like hell. The cool marble soothed.

After a day pounding the pavement getting provisions,

ordering stock for the opening night, a bout of retail therapy, including the purchase of the latest hardback of his favourite fantasy author, Jai was exhausted.

Bas’s instructions were specific: nothing but the best and that meant spending a small fortune on vintage champagne, cognac and liqueurs. Sev was going to supply the decadent chocolates and desserts, while the cafe across the road was going to make the horsd’oeuvre and other finger food—all vegetarian.

Monsters was still looking for a chef, but no applicants had come up to speed, so until they had someone suitable, the cabaret had to rely on outsiders to provide the catering. Not a satisfactory arrangement, even though Ril added pizzazz to the sample of food the human caterers provided, to give it that special Monsters zing…

Jai left his boots where they lay by the massive carved front door. He paused, again admiring the foyer. The gothic vaulted ceiling of dark wood and glass complemented the stained glass windows along the front wall. The black marble floor was patterned by the geometric reflections from the light of the crystal chandeliers, along the entire length of the foyer. Several red velvet chaises longue and tables with vases of crimson roses were placed around the atrium. Gyng’s favourite longue was again draped in velvet. It was due to be reupholstered—again. The cat insisted on sculpting it with his teeth and claws. Bas called it a work in progress—a sample of cat art. Matthew described it as wanton destruction. But Bas and Gyng won out. The chaise and the cat were not to be parted.

Hell, he missed the cat! Jai paused in mid-thought, suddenly unsure to which cat he was referring.

He strode across the floor and down the wide, carved ebony staircase. Bas was nothing if not a perfectionist when it came to design and decoration. The staircase had cost fiftythousand dollars and had taken months to carve on site. The bannister finials were dragons with their wings outstretched. Bas had wanted bats, but Matt thought that was too overt. The vampire had the final word and had tiny bats carved in the underside of each dragon wing. Jai had to look hard to see them, but once found, the bats’ eyes followed him around the room. It didn’t worry Jai, but Ril said the eyes gave her the creeps.

Smiling, Jai descended the staircase, crossed the cabaret room floor, pushed open the sub-basement door, and descended the narrow steps two at a time. He strode through the corridor to his office, turning sideways through the door, his hands full of the bags from his shop-’til-I drop expedition.

“What the hell…?” He heard someone singing Stairway to Heaven. Not just someone. The lilt and tone was pure cat. Jai paused at the door and saw Leydan lying on the sofa, dressed only in his boxers. He was plugged in to Jai’s I-Pod.

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