Bloodlust Blues: A heart-racing and completely addictive urban fantasy (Charley Underwood Book 1) by Luanne Bennett

Author:Luanne Bennett [Bennett, Luanne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Second Sky
Published: 2024-03-22T00:00:00+00:00

SIXTEEN

I was nervous all afternoon while I waited for a bunch of crazed vampires to walk into my bar and start trouble. Although the pack was ready to back me up, it wasn’t me I was worried about. The bar opened in an hour, and it would fill up quickly with plenty of potential victims if I didn’t submit to Masterson’s extortion demands.

The clock was ticking, and plan B was sounding better by the minute. But even if I did decide to go with my backup plan and close the Stag for the night, those vampires would just pivot. They’d walk in here tomorrow night or the next until they got what they wanted. Short of shutting the place down indefinitely, I had no choice but to face Ian Masterson head-on.

“Did you find Mutt?” I glanced at the time. My dishwasher was due an hour ago.

Dog shook his head and continued to wipe down one of the tables. A task Mutt should have been doing. “I still haven’t heard from him.” Instead of being irritated, he seemed concerned. “I don’t like it. Mutt is no prize, but he’s dependable.”

“Have you called Dougie?” Dougie was Mutt’s best friend. If something was up, he’d know about it.

Dog nodded. “He hasn’t heard from Mutt either. Like I said, I don’t like it. I swung by his place on my way in. His car was there and his door was unlocked, but no Mutt. Something’s wrong.”

Now I was worried. “Maybe we should call the police.”

“I already did. It’s been less than twenty-four hours, so Carter told me to give it another day or two.” He shook his head in disgust. “The asshole said Mutt was probably off on a bender.”

“I thought Mutt was sober?”

“He is. Mutt doesn’t have much, but what he does have, he worked damn hard for. Just the thought of drinking again makes his skin crawl.”

Dog was right about that. I shouldn’t have questioned it. Mutt worked in a bar, for God’s sake. I’d never seen him once give that wall of liquor bottles a second glance.

The front door opened, and Tom Murphy walked inside. He came over to the bar and leaned against it. That was all I needed. Murphy showing up for no reason but to aggravate me with his mere presence. “We’re not open yet, Tom. What can I do for you?”

“I just wanted to stop by to let you know that Helen Stovall, the woman who tried to drive into your bar, was released from the hospital this morning.”

“Oh yeah? Good for her. Is she still loony?”

“She seems sane, but she’s sticking to her story.”

I got busy taking inventory of the liquor bottles, hoping he’d get the message and leave. “As long as her insurance pays for my truck damage, I don’t care if she says Jesus himself told her to drive through my front window.”

He lingered. The man made an art form out of getting under my skin. “Is there something else I can help you with?”

Tom turned his attention to Dog.

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