Bloodlust

"Here!" Lexi said, not bothering to consult the rest of the group as she pushed open a saloon door that read M ILADIESin curlicue script. I was impressed by her boldness–back in Mystic Falls, only women of ill repute would ever enter a barroom. But as I was fast realizing, New Orleans wasnt Mystic Falls.

The floor of Miladies was caked with sawdust, and I winced at the overwhelmingly acrid smell of sweat, whiskey, and cologne. The tables were packed shoulder to shoulder with men playing cards, gambling, and gossiping. One entire side of the room was filled with Union soldiers, and in another corner, a motley band consisting of players with an accordion, two fiddles, and a flute was playing a jaunty rendition of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic."

"What do you think?" Lexi asked, leading me to the bar.

"Is this a Union bar?" I asked. The Union army had captured the city some months back, and soldiers stood sentinel on nearly every corner, maintaining order and reminding Confederates that the war they were fighting looked to be a losing cause.

"Yes. You know what that means, right?"

I scanned the room. Aside from the soldiers, it was a solitary crowd. Single men drowned their loneliness at wooden tables, barely acknowledging their neighbors. The bartenders filled glasses with a mechanical air, never seeming to register the people for whom they poured their wares.

I understood immediately. "Everyone here is a stranger passing through."

"Exactly." Lexi smiled, clearly pleased that I was catching on.

Buxton cleared his throat in disapproval. I could tell he didnt like me–that he was waiting for me to slip up so he could stake me without incurring Lexis wrath.

"Hugo, find us a table!" Lexi commanded. Hugo walked his hulkish frame over to a rough-hewn table next to the band. Before he could even open his mouth, the blue-coated soldiers at the table glanced at each other and stood up, leaving half-filled mugs behind.

Lexi pulled out two chairs. "Stefan, sit next to me."

I sat, vaguely embarrassed that I was so compliant, like a child. But I reminded myself that even Hugo followed her lead. Lexi had Power, and she knew how to use it.

Percy, Hugo, and Buxton also settled around.

"Now," Lexi said, taking one of the abandoned beer mugs and waving it around in the air, just as the waitress approached us. "Lets teach you how to behave in public."

My cheeks flushed with anger. "I am behaving," I said through clenched teeth. "Despite the fact that there are so many people that its nearly impossible to concentrate."

Percy and Hugo snickered.

"Hes not ready " Buxton said in a surly tone.

"Yes, he is." Lexis words were low and slightly menacing. Buxton clenched his jaw, clearly trying to rein in his temper. I shifted in my chair. I suddenly felt like I was ten years old again, with Damon protecting me from the Giffin brothers. Only this time it was a girl standing up for me. I was about to point out that I didnt need Lexi to answer for me when she placed a hand on my knee. The touch was gentle and calmed me.

"It gets easier," she said, briefly catching my eyes. "So, lesson one," she stated, addressing the entire group. A kindness on her part, I realized, since I was the only one who didnt know the finer points of being a vampire. "Lesson one is learning how to compel without drawing attention to yourself." She leaned back and eyed the band. "I dont like this song. Stefan, what song would you like to hear?"

"Uh ." I glanced around the table, confused. Percy snickered again, but stopped when Lexi glared at him. ",,God Save the South?" I said hesitantly. The first thing that came to my head, it was a tune Damon used to whistle when he was on leave from the army.

Lexi scooted her chair back, the legs kicking up a layer of sawdust. She sauntered over to the band and looked each of the members in the eye as she said something I couldnt hear.

The band stopped mid-chord and immediately switched to "God Save the South."

"Hey!" one soldier shouted. His comrades glanced at one another, clearly wondering why a band in a Union bar had suddenly been inspired to play a pro-Southern song.

Lexi grinned, as if delighted by her trick. "Are you impressed?"

"Very," I said, meaning it. Even Percy and Hugo nodded in agreement.

Lexi took a sip of her beer. "Your turn. Pick someone," she said.

I glanced around the bar, my eye catching on a dark-haired barmaid. Her eyes were deep brown, and her hair was tied in a low knot at the nape of her neck. Her lips were parted, and she wore a cameo pendant that nestled in the notch of her neck. In the split second between seeing and knowing, I was reminded of Katherine. I thought of my first glimpse of Miss Molly, and how Id mistaken her for Katherine as well. It felt as though my maker were intent to haunt me in New Orleans.

"Her," I said, nodding toward the girl.

Lexi looked at me sharply, as if she knew there was a story behind this decision. But she didnt pry. "Clear your mind," she said instead, "and allow your energy to enter her."

I nodded, remembering the moment on the train when my thoughts had touched Lavinias. I fixed my gaze on the barmaid. She was laughing, her head tilted back toward the ceiling, but as soon as my focus locked on her, her eyes lowered to mine, almost as if Id bidden her to do so.

"Good," Lexi murmured. "Now, use your mind to tell her what you want from her."

That was the piece I had missed. When Id tried to compel the conductor, Id had thousands of thoughts about possible scenarios that could happen during our interaction, but I had not asked for any of them.