She shook her head and tsked. “That’s not why you’re here, Dante. You needed a change of scenery to help you get over your breakup.”
Teddy grunted a laugh. “Big surprise you can’t hold on to a woman.”
“Hey, leave my personal life out of this,” I said.
The Proprietor lifted her chin. “I suppose you could make a little time for business as well. Do what you do best.”
“Kill evil?” Now we were talking. I puffed up my chest and grinned.
The Proprietor shook her head. “Mentor. Inspire.”
“This big biter?” I asked incredulously.
Teddy glowered at me.
“He’s newly undead and full of potential. And you, Dante, need to see the world as more than black and white. You could learn a lot from each other.” The Proprietor took a step toward me then another, a gleam in her eyes. “What’s the matter? Not up for the challenge?”
I looked her over and grinned. “Oh, I’m always up for it.”
“Mm, I just bet,” she purred.
I winked before turning my attention back to big ol’ Ted. It had been a good long while since I’d mentored a new recruit. If he played ball, he could become a valuable asset. We didn’t have anyone like Teddy on the team. This could open the door to all kinds of undercover missions. Plus, the dude was made of sturdy stuff. Agents often had to take hard hits during scuffles and ended up in the infirmary despite their superior healing. Teddy could take a punch better than most of the team. Look how long he’d held up against me.
I rubbed my chin.
According to The Proprietor, he was a new vampire. There was still time to influence his path to glory. He could become one of us instead of one of them. It also meant I could skip over the whole “you’re a vampire” talk, which was always such a tedious task with the recently deceased and undead.
“I’ll do it,” I announced. “Challenge accepted. By the time I’m done with Teddy here, I’ll make him one of our top agents.”
Teddy coughed. “I’m not looking for a mentor.”
The Proprietor pulled her eyes off me and aimed them at the burly man bear. “Think of it as an initiation into the coolest undead agency in Alaska.”
It was my turn to cough. “Try the whole planet.”
Teddy scratched his beard. “I’ve always wanted to go to Alaska. What sort of work do you all do up there? What would I have to do? What’s the pay?”
“Teddy, Teddy, Teddy, slow down.” I chuckled.
He folded his arms across his chest. “Why do you keep calling me Teddy?”
“First rule,” I said. “No more dumbass nicknames like Blade.” Teddy glanced down at his arm with the dagger tattoo. “Forgot about the tat. From now on, you’re Teddy, as in Teddy Bear.”
My new toy. I flashed Teddy a grin. He frowned.
“How about Bear?”
“Maybe after you’ve killed fifty vampires. For now, you’re Teddy.”
“I’ll have to kill vampires? They just want to be left alone.”
“Like I said, the two of you could learn a lot from one another,” The Proprietor said.
Right, and Teddy and I needed to have a long talk once she was out of earshot. Let the mentor start training without outside interference.
“Looks like my work here is done,” our lovely hostess announced. It was her turn to wink before swirling around and sashaying gracefully toward the door.
Right. And mine was just beginning. Usually, orientation took place on base, but what the hell? It was a weird kind of night.
Before exiting the cabin, The Proprietor looked over her shoulder. “Make sure to give yourselves playtime, boys. This boat won’t stay afloat forever.” With that, she swept into the corridor and out of view.
I thought of Noel enjoying playtime with Magic Mike. Shit. It was probably too late. Did he take her against a wall like the deer-and-faerie couple? Noel had the perfect petite figure to lift and hold for hours on end. Thinking about her golden dress around her waist, her ankles crossed around another dude’s hips made me want to send Teddy on his first interrogation assignment. “Do not go easy on the guy,” I’d instruct him.
Not happening. I sighed. I didn’t abuse power, not like Agent Melcher. May he rot in eternal hell.
I snatched my bow tie off the ground and wound it around my wrist. Guess these things were good for something after all.
I started toward Teddy. He went into a crouch.
“Hey, same team, remember?” I continued over to the big guy and slapped my arm around his back. “Teddy, let’s get a drink—and something to eat if I can find where they serve the food on this ship.”
Teddy grunted. “I’ve been looking too. Haven’t seen any eats so far.”
“What kind of party doesn’t have snacks?” Teddy joined me in the head shaking.
“Well, they do serve blood.”
I pulled my arm away and lifted my pointer and middle finger. “Rule number two. We get our blood fix through transfusions. I won’t have my mentee turning into an out-of-control blood junkie. No biting. No sucking. Not unless you’re on a mission.”
Teddy’s lips twisted to the side through his wiry beard. “Will I get to go on many missions?”
I jutted my chin and grinned. “Teddy, with my tutelage, you’ll be killing it in the field. I’m going to make you one of my star agents. We’ve got a vampire pandemic on our hands, and most of these biters don’t play nice with pretty young things like your date.”
“She’s no longer my date,” Teddy grumbled, shooting me an accusatory glare.
“Hey, you’ll find a better one.” I spread my arms. “Barbie was more trouble than she was worth, take it from me. Plus, she sounded off her meds. You’re better off with an Alaskan woman. They’d go wild over a big, strong man like you.”
Teddy smiled. “Seriously?”
“Dead serious. Now, let’s grab a couple of cold suds and have a quick 101 before getting back to the party.”
After giving Teddy the rundown and instructions to report on base first thing the following week, I went in search of Noel. Figured I’d find her in the hull of the ship.
Noel was seated on a dark red sofa along the edge of a large dance floor packed to the gills. There was no sign of a band or DJ, but the music was pumping loud from floor to ceiling and wall to wall. The couples in the bowels of the ship danced like there was no tomorrow. The soulful singer was shaking things up with “I Love It” by Icona Pop.
A brunette in a long, billowing silver gown danced with the apparition of a man with wavy hair hanging over the shoulders of his cotton shirt. Light reflected off the jewels sewed into the woman’s bodice and long sleeves. They gave the appearance of a silvery glow, oddly surrounding the woman instead of the ghostly projection.
Beside Noel sat a flesh-and-blood guy with a long mustache, gambler hat, black frock coat, and spurs on his boots. Noel had her legs crossed, golden dress riding up her thigh, silky brown hair unbound and loose down her back—a cocktail in hand. She moved her shoulders to the music, mouthing along to, “I don’t care. I love it.”
The cowboy she’d wrangled rubbed his thumb below her knee, working his way up her leg.