"So when are we having a live band in here again?" Joey asked Jolee.
"Soon," she smiled.
Joey looked at her from across the booth. His brown eyes watching her carefully. She just sat before him smiling mischievously.
"When's soon Jolee?" he asked again.
"Well, I actually had Abigail go through some local bands the other day. She brought me tapes of the groups music, recorded interviews, pictures and her opinion. From everything I reviewed quickly it seems her choice is the band to book, but I'm not sure if I should trust her all that much. I do have a reputation to uphold," she answered.
"So book them for a small gig on a slow night, if you like them ask them to play longer and book another night. If they suck then they play a short time and leave. You know the other option," he replied.
"Yeah, I go through all the material she gave me. I hate that," Jolee said with a sigh.
"She's a good judge of character, trust her. She has a way of surprising you," he smiled.
"Speaking of surprises, what's going on with her and Sully? He spends all his time with her," she observed.
"Whatever it is, I really haven't seen Sully this happy before. He hasn't been in a bad mood since she arrived. So I'm not complaining," Joey replied.
"Me either, it's great, but aren't you upset? She asked for your help and she's your friend," she asked.
"It's ok. Sully can protect her just as well if not better than me. I still see her all the time," he answered.
"Weren't you two together before though?" she questioned.
"No, not really. We're great friend and that's all. When we tried to take it to another level nothing came out of it. It was like we were best friends, so we stayed friends. We love each other much deeper than that, I think," he replied.
"Isn't being a lover the deepest love?" she asked.
"I believe it can be, but only with that one person. With Abby, if we were or did become lovers it could really damage what we have," he explained.
"So it doesn't hurt you that Sully's making the move on her?" she continued to question.
"No, of course not. That is even if he is making a move," he answered.
"What about the whole vampyre mortal thing?" she continued.
"She won't allow herself to be changed. I asked her once, but she said she's more useful as a witch. Besides if she were to be changed, her powers of a witch would be gone," Joey explained.
"Even if a Tremere changed her? They are closely related to witches" Jolee asked curiously.
"I don't know," he replied.
"So you think she's destined to be stay and die a mortal?" Jolee went on.
"We all died once as mortals, but in her case I'm not sure. Perhaps once her job as a witch is done it may be a different story. For now, yes she'll stay mortal," he said running his finger over the table's candle.
"Too much politics for me," she laughed.
"Definitely, you're much too beautiful to think of such details," he smiled.
"I know," she said still laughing.
Jolee scanned her club observing her patrons enjoying themselves. The dance floor was full, the bar stocked and busy, things were well. She saw the club doors open and immediately was drawn to them.
Three men entered the club. They were generally well dressed and handsome. The three made their way to the bar where they sat watching the clubs life.
Jolee immediately sat up in concern," Joey."
Joey had already seen what she was looking at.
"How dare they show up in my club," she said upset.
"I'll warn Sully. Will you be ok?" Joey asked.
"Yes, of course. They'd be nuts to try anything here. I have fellow clan members and I believe Tom and Mark are here tonight," she answered.
"Ok, I'll be back quickly. Don't leave the club for anything," Joey warned slipping quietly from the booth.
Jolee watched Joey head to the back of the club then disappear. her attention then turned to the new three men. Anger filled her.
She left the safety of the booth and headed towards the bar. She leaned against the bar next to one of the men.
"What are you doing here Chris?" she hissed/
"Nothing, just came in for some entertainment," Chris answered.
"I don't want any trouble. No one here likes you so whatever you're here for it's a waste e of time," she responded her tone still hard.
"Man, I didn't think getting a drink was so political," Coby replied.
"It's not just a drink and we all know that Chris," she said coldly.
"Jolee please. I can understand you being uncomfortable but there's really no need," Chris said calmly.
"Really? Why? So you can catch us off guard?" she hissed.
"We left ok. The three of us. We thought it'd be safe here," Christian answered sounding upset and scared.
"What?" Jolee asked.
"Look what my friend here means is we realized what the Vigilante was doing is wrong. We were wrong. We left, but I don't think they're too happy about it. I thought Sully would help us," Chris replied.
"Sully won't help you. No one will. You give us all a bad name. You defied the Masquerade and put us all in danger," she said her voice calming down.
"Maybe he won't but where else can we go? We know what we did is wrong now, but how can we change the past? We want to move on in the future, if we even have one," Chris explained.
Jolee watched the three men. They seemed sincere, but something didn't sit well with her. They had been Vigilante and that was enough for her not to care.
"Drink you beers then leave," she ordered.
"Jolee come on. You're not mad at me are you?" Chris asked.
"You left all of us. You've even killed some of my clan. Let's just say you're not on my friend's list," she answered.
"I'm sorry," Chris said to her softly.