A stewardess came by and offered drinks, and Victoria ordered a glass of water, doing all she could to get it down without puking.
Vance didn’t seem to have the same reserve. He ordered a Jack and Coke and gulped it down in just a few seconds.
She chuffed. It was wasted alcohol. Vampires didn’t process liquor like humans. It would barely have any effect on him at all.
Once her water cup was empty, she felt a little better. Her stomach had settled, and she was beginning to think more clearly. The solution to their problem was obvious. They’d have to visit every bar on Bourbon Street and see which one didn’t seem like the others. It would be a long and grueling process, but she was willing to go to any length for God. After all, He was the one who gave Vance back his soul and let her ascend so she could be with him.
Gabriel showing up hadn’t been in her plan, and it had thrown her relationship with Vance into a tailspin. She wasn’t sure her explanation had been enough, but she had hope. They hadn’t really had many occasions where jealousy had come to the forefront, but Vance was the forgiving type, and they’d been together for centuries already. All they had ahead of them was their future. She hoped it would be many more centuries.
Vance’s snores jerked her out of her revelry. Glancing to her left, she smiled. He looked so peaceful when he pretended to sleep, and she wanted to kiss him, but she didn’t want to risk ruining the ruse. It was so much more peaceful when he was quiet. Every stewardess that passed looked at him longingly and smiled at how sweet he was. Victoria chuckled under her breath. If only they knew.
When the captain announced they were about to land, she nudged Vance and whispered in his ear, “Honey, it’s time to wake up. We’re about to land.”
He groaned and stretched before turning and giving her his classic, lopsided grin.
“Did you have a nice nap?”
“I did. I was dreaming we were back on the island together, in the sheets, making love.” His grin widened, and his eyes sparkled mischievously.
She felt her face get hot, and she dropped her gaze to her feet as the butterflies in her stomach erupted once more. Her husband was damn sexy, there was no doubt about that, and she was afraid if he didn’t stop with the suggestive phrases, she was going to take him into the bathroom and join the mile-high club, though she supposed it would be the no-high club if the plane had landed.
It always seemed as though he knew what she was thinking, and he gave her a huge smile, showing all his pretty white teeth, as he leaned closely to her ear. “You know, we can do that if you really want to.”
Though she didn’t think it was possible, her face grew even hotter. She slapped him on the arm gently. “You are so bad.”
“Only you know just how bad.”
When the plane touched down, she let out a sigh of relief and unbuckled her seatbelt. One more trip done.
His face fell as he realized they were obviously not headed to the bathroom. He did his duty as a husband and retrieved their carry-on bags from the overhead compartment, sitting back down once he had them in hand to wait for the plane doors to be opened so they could exit.
Victoria stood and stretched a bit, wishing she could let her wings out—they still itched. Alas, if she did that, every human on board the plane would freak out. Wouldn’t they? She wondered exactly what kind of reaction they’d have to seeing an angel suddenly appear in the middle of an airplane. Her thoughts drew a chuckle from her stomach, and she tried to hide it behind her hand before Vance noticed she was laughing.
He would’ve made a big deal out of it and probably embarrassed her in front of everyone, just like he had with the lady who’d overheard when Victoria said something about flying while everyone was walking down the breezeway. Really? All he could come up with was that I’m insane?
When the doors opened, everyone filed out of the plane, and Victoria and Vance took their spots in the line, bags in hand.
They exited and made their way to baggage claim to gather the luggage they’d checked back in Miami when they’d left Little Palm Island. She hoped if security had opened their bags, the glamour she put on her sword would work, and they’d see nothing more than a passport. Vance had put a similar glamour on his sword, but she wasn’t sure what his was supposed to look like. There was one time he actually made it look like a vibrator. That happened to be the one time the TSA put a tag in the luggage saying it had been checked.
She’d been mortified when she found out.
Vance had just laughed and laughed like it was the best joke ever.
He had a strange fascination with all things modern. It was like a toddler with a building set; they tinkered with it all day and night like they were obsessed. She couldn’t quite wrap her head around it all. Someone so old yet so interested in everything new. They wouldn’t even have cell phones if it weren’t for him. She wasn’t fond of giving people the ability to reach her wherever she was—including the bathroom. That was her sacred space. Her private space. The space no one was supposed to invade in any way.
Vance snagged their bags from the belt and dumped them on the floor at her feet. “Now, where are we going, sweetheart?”
“La Maison Marigny Inn. It’s on Bourbon Street with a balcony that overlooks everything. I thought it would be nice to be able to watch the comings and goings of the people barhopping without needing to get down in the trenches.”
He twirled her around, rested his hands on her hips, and pulled her close, looking into her eyes. “But darling, getting down in the trenches is the fun part.” There was a wicked grin on his face that perfectly complemented the mischievous look in his eyes.
She smacked him lightly on the chest. “I know what an affinity you have for getting into trouble, but we have to walk a very fine line on this mission. Many peoples’ lives are at stake. I can feel it in my bones. Something is very, very wrong.”
All humor dropped from his face. “You really think so?”
“I do. I think there’s more going on than God wants us to know. He doesn’t always tell us, because sometimes, we need to learn on our own. His note was vague, but it hinted at several people losing their souls in New Orleans.”
“Darling, many people come to New Orleans to indulge in debauchery. I hardly think that means they also lost their souls.”
“Then where did all these souls go? Do you really think God would send us on an impossible mission?” Victoria lifted her hands to shoulder height, palms up, and shrugged.
Vance shook his head. “No, I don’t think He would.”
“Let’s get a cab and head down to La Maison Marigny Inn. Perhaps we can find out what’s going on if we just sit and look at the street for one night?” She knew it wouldn’t be that easy, but she really didn’t want to have to enter every single bar on Bourbon Street, looking for something that could take away a human soul. After all, she had no idea what they were even looking for. There were so many possibilities.
He picked up the bags and headed for the exit doors to hail a cab.
She followed along like the dutiful wife she was, pretending nothing was amiss, doing her best to smile at people that walked by. What worried her most was Vance getting out of control and partying too hard when they had a mission to accomplish.
They hailed a cab and climbed into the backseat, and she told the cabbie they were going to La Maison Marigny Inn. He nodded.