Chapter 2

Remi leaned against the wall outside the break room and glanced at the clock. A few people were still missing, so hopefully, the supplier came back to the phone soon. She hated being put on hold, and any other time would have hung up and emailed, but their blood supplier had short-shipped them, so it was a top priority. Customers relied on them for their blood source. Without it, humans would become menu items. And she couldn’t forget the four vampires that lived in the well-hidden rooms beneath Serenity counted on having a meal, or two, every day.

Darien came around the corner carrying two steaming cups. He stopped and gave her an inquiring look; she shook her head. With a sigh, he moved by her and took their cups into the break room. He sat beside Nadine as she went through the order book while waiting for the meeting to begin. Leaning close to her, he must have said something funny because she laughed quietly, shaking her head at him. To look at Naddy, you’d never guess she was a scary, powerful witch with her pale blonde hair and soft blue eyes, but inside, that petite beauty was enough magic to alter history if she deemed it so. A good thing that she had the sweetest disposition and a truly loving heart. As Remi’s assistant manager, she was her savior. Without her, she would never sleep, rarely eat, and probably lose her mind.

Sitting and chatting while they waited were Berk and Caitlyn. At least Berk was one of the males in Cait’s life Remi didn’t have to worry about trying any moves on her, not that Remi doubted she could take care of herself. He was one of the wolf-shifter quadruplets, and he was gay. Her heart went out to him; it couldn’t be easy being so different in a race that was all alpha personalities. Thankfully his three identical-looking brothers seemed to support his choice. Berk liked to tell everyone that the three Lewis brothers set loose on the female populous was unfair enough, so he was balancing the scales and spreading some of their hotness to the other side. Remi wasn’t sure about all that, but they were good-looking boys; with short brown hair, hazel eyes, and dimples.

Sighing, she glanced at the clock again. She’d been on hold now for twenty minutes, and her patience was almost at an end.

Ranae’s laugh distracted her; it was one of those bubbly, infectious laughs, and everyone in the room had no choice but to smile. Whatever she and her twin, Deanne, were talking about was entertaining Ranae. If you didn’t look at Deanne’s dyed black hair, they were exactly alike. They didn’t fit the elf image most people thought of. They were short and curvy with big beautiful dark eyes and soft voices that could lull anyone who listened long enough. As far as waitresses went, there was no competition. They were the best at what they did, making every single person they served feel like they were the most important in the world. Remi often wondered if it was due to their personalities or their race. She didn’t know any other elves to compare it with.

Iris and Betany sat with their heads close together. Whatever had been bothering Iris wasn’t now, and for that, Remi could only sigh in relief. What Darien had said was true. Everyone loved Iris, except those few times she lost her cool. Those ramifications were messy to clean up and get past.

She met Darien’s dark eyes and shook her head. She was still on hold. Sighing, he got up and picked up his cup. With his large body and long legs, he was in front of her before she could blink—one of these days, she would get used to everyone except her having supernatural speed. With a smile that said he knew what she was thinking, he gently pulled the phone out of her hand.

“I’ve got this. You remind everyone to keep things clean during the audit.”

“Use your growly voice when they take you off hold.”

Chuckling softly, he turned and headed for the supply room. Sighing, Remi turned back to the staff that all sat watching her. “Relax, this isn’t one of those bad meetings.”

By the time she got through answering all the questions about the audit, the early lunch rush had started. Pulling her long hair into a loose braid, she went out behind the counter to cover the regular customers that Iris usually dealt with. The same customers sat at the counter almost every day.

Nadine followed her and started fresh coffee.

“Hey, Joe,” Remi greeted the old troll beside the door. “How are ya’ today?”

He gave her a toothless grin. “Good, Remi.”

Pouring his coffee, she set in on the counter in front of him and gave him a genuine smile, not one of her customer service smiles.

“I think I’ll try some of Soren’s soup today with toast.”

“Sounds good, Joe.” Writing on the order pad, she turned and clipped it to the holder. All it said was Joe’s lunch, but Soren and Berk would know the order. The old guy ordered the same thing every single day.

Nadine came around behind her to fill a drink order. “Don’t worry, Rem. No one is going to start anything with the auditor here.”

Reaching around her, Remi grabbed the next two customers’ drinks. “I’m more concerned with the privacy of our in-house residents.”

Picking up the tray, she gave her a big smile. “No worries. You know Pascal monitors everyone’s thoughts to make sure the dungeon stays a secret.” With that, she walked away.

Deanne went by giggling, having heard the nickname the staff used for the downstairs. Grabbing Joe’s soup, she took it over to him just as Ranae walked around behind her with an order.

“Les wants to know if we have red on tap, Remi.”

Eyebrows raised, Remi sent Les, a wolf shifter, a shake of her head. “Les is just trying to rattle my chain, Ranae. Tell him to behave.”

“Will do.” She left again with a large glass of milk in her hand.

Remi turned to get the next order ready and caught Soren’s frown through the window. Looking in the same direction, she spotted a couple sitting in the corner. One she’d never seen before. A familiar chill went through her veins. Moving down to the end of the window, she looked back through it, “Yellow light, Berk.”

With a nod, he flipped the switch and continued with the order he was working on. Glancing over at Les, she watched him stare at the light for a moment and then turn to her and raise his glass of milk. “Swear he only comes here to drive me nuts.”

Nadine moved by her with the coffee pot in her hand. “He comes here because it feels like home,” she said softly and kept going.

“Remi.”

She turned to see Darien standing at the door to the kitchen.

“I’m going to grab a nap.” He rubbed a hand over his face, the only sign that he was tired as far as she could tell. “The supplier is sending the rest of our order this afternoon.”

“Thanks, Dare.”

“Anytime.” With a mock salute, the muscles dancing in his arm along with it, he went back through the door.

“Why can’t you look like that, Stanley?”

Remi grinned, keeping her back to Mr. and Mrs. Reece, and quickly moved to the other end of the counter before the couple started bickering, another thing that happened daily at Serenity.