by Raven Steele
“Are you kidding? Sales dropped when you disappeared. I’d love my girl back behind the bar, showing people a good time. When can you start?”
“As soon as possible.”
“Great! I’d already filled your position, but I don’t mind a few bartenders working together.” He winked. “Especially if it’s you. Make your own schedule.”
“Thank you. Seriously. I can’t tell you how badly I need this.”
He crossed the room, his brows creasing with worry. “Listen, I don’t know why you’ve returned. This town is dangerous, especially if you’re still with that gang. Tell me you’re not still with them. Especially after … everything I heard.”
“I have some unfinished business with them, but then I’m gone.”
He nodded, giving me a stern expression. “Then make it quick, but in the meantime, you can make me some money.”
I smiled. “I’d like that.”
The rest of the day moved quickly, and if there was even a moment where things slowed, I found something to do. If I didn’t, I’d think about Scorpion's Breath, or gutting Silas, or being stuck in that well while my family lay bleeding above me.
Clearly, I had issues.
I performed two shows that night, tossing bottles into the air, pouring drinks in new ways, impressing the crowd with my skills. I even did a backflip upon the bar. The club had never been so packed. On the outside, I looked like the happiest person in the world, but on the inside, I was wilting, petals darkening and curling in on each other.
Move faster.
Work harder.
Where the hell was some Scorpion Breath when you needed it?
Shut up.
“Hey!” a voice called from within the crowd. I continued dancing on the bar, dipping back so a stranger could suck the olive from my belly button.
“Hey!” the voice called again. “Briar!”
I searched the many faces until I found the one trying to get my attention. Heather, Dominic’s right-hand bitch. “What do you want?”
“Dominic’s been expecting you. He sent me to find you.”
“Let me finish up here. I’ll head over in a bit.”
“I’ll wait for you outside.”
As soon as she turned her back, I flipped her off. Couldn’t she see that I was busy? I guess she thought the pack was so important that I’d drop everything when Dominic called. I frowned, then jumped off the bar and the crowd booed. She was right.
“I’ll be back tomorrow night, ladies and gents, but Danny will be here all night.” I pointed to him, flashing a smile, and their attention shifted to him. I picked up a towel to wipe at my exposed belly beneath my halter top. Mood ruined.
“You taking off?” Danny, the other bartender who took my place, was making something colorful. So far, he appeared to be good at his job. The ladies seemed to like him, too. With beach-blond hair and aqua-colored eyes, his tip jar was filling fast.
“Yup. Tell Eddie.” I pulled my own tips out of my pocket and, after straightening them out, shoved them in my purse. Fortunately, Danny had taken most of the orders tonight, so it didn’t take me long to cash out.
“You did great today,” he said. “I’ve never seen a show like that before, and I’ve worked lots of places.”
“That’s what I’m good at—putting on shows.”
I grabbed my leather jacket from under the bar and shoved my way to the exit, ignoring the many people who tried to talk to me. Pushing open the door, I sucked in a breath of cold air. Time to face the Alpha. Hopefully, I’d done enough.
Heather didn’t speak to me on the drive over, which was just as well. Neither of us had anything to say to each other. She was team evil, and I was team … still trying to decide. My actions last night sure confused the hell out of me.
We walked into the mansion. She didn’t stop moving as she pointed down the hall. “He’s in his office.”
I stood there looking after her. Several pack members were in their usual spots, and beyond the sliding glass doors a fire burned bright. Dark shapes moved past it. A few of the shifters looked at me, but quickly averted their gaze.
Ryder was the only one to approach me. “I saw you at the club earlier today. You were killing it.”
“You did? Sorry, I didn’t notice. Busy. Hey, what’s with everyone?” I nodded my head past his shoulder.
“Don’t worry about it. They’re not worth your time.”
“They heard where I went last night, didn’t they?”
“It doesn’t matter. You just worry about you.” He hooked my arm and led me away from the living room and the rigid air that occupied it. “Dominic expected you much sooner. He’s in a mood.”
“Isn’t he always?”
“No, I’m not.” Dominic appeared in the hallway, his arms crossed across his massive chest. He looked at Ryder. “Leave.”
Ryder cast me a sympathetic look before he left us alone. I followed Dominic back into his office. I had a feeling I was going to get used to sitting in here. Hopefully for all the right reasons.
“I spoke to Angel.” He moved around to his side of the desk. “Sit down.”
“And?” I landed in the seat across from him.
“He spoke very highly of you, more so than anyone else I’ve sent him.”
“I only did what you asked.”
“I’d say you went above and beyond.”
“That’s how I do everything.”
He leaned back in his chair, eyeing me thoughtfully. “It would seem so. Anyway, because of your good work, Angel has agreed to meet with us, and he assured me that Mateo would be there. He’s the one that needs convincing. I want you at that meeting.”
“Me? Why?”
He ground his teeth. “Because Angel said Mateo would not meet with me unless you were there.”
I grimaced, thinking about how Mateo had been watching me fight. I didn’t like his curiosity in me.
“Somehow you’ve managed to worm your way into important pack business again.” I opened my mouth to defend myself, but he held up his hand to stop me. “It doesn’t matter if you did it intentionally nor not. If he wants it, we give it. We need this deal to go through.”
I floundered, trying to figure out what to say. If Dominic thought I’d done it intentionally, then he wouldn’t trust me. I decided that obedience was the only answer in this situation, so I nodded, showing him that he had my full cooperation. “When will it be?”
“In two weeks. A shame it couldn’t be sooner. I will let you know exactly when and where. If you don’t show up, then you might as well never return.” His threat was clear.
“Yes, sir.”
He nodded, then looked down at his desk, shuffling his papers. I’d been dismissed.
I made to get out of my chair. “In the meantime, what would you like—”
“I’m leaving in a couple of hours to meet with the Ministry and Heather will be coming with me. We’ll be gone over night, but Gerald will let you know if there’s something I need you to do.” He didn’t look up.
The Ministry. I knew very little about them, except that they were a powerful group of supernaturals, the governing force for the Principes Noctis. The only way to obtain a seat on the board was to kill the one you replaced, so that told you what kind of group they were.
“All nine members?”
“Yes, but that’s none of your business.”
I lowered my head. “Yes, sir. Of course.”
Something big must be going on if all members were going to be there. That rarely happened. Maybe it had something to do with this Big Bad that Silas had mentioned. I turned to leave.
“You did well last night, Briar.” He watched for my reaction, the sincerity in his voice making me uneasy. “Better than I expected.”
“Does that mean I can be put back on security?”
He laughed. “Not at all. You still have a long way to go. Redemption doesn’t come that easy.”
“Of course, sir.” When I reached the
door, I hesitated. “Is there anything I can do to make things up to you?”
His expression turned icy again. “Just do your job. Take what you can get. You’re lucky you’re still in the pack.”
“There must be something I can do.”
His chest rose and fell and he blew air out his nostrils. He was annoyed, but I had to ask. I couldn’t keep doing this for months.
“You know, if you really want to make an impression, find the Greybacks. There are rumors that they are also trying to work with Mateo. Jackson needs to learn his place. Find them so I can remind him.”
I nodded trying to keep a straight face. I knew exactly where the Greybacks were. “I’ll do my best.”
I had one more thing to ask him, but I was almost afraid to do it. But thin pockets gave me courage. “By the way, I had to buy some things for last night …”
He waved his hand at me. “Talk to Gerald about that. He’ll take it out of petty cash.”
I practically left the room skipping. I was going to get my money back for that dress I ripped apart, and I already knew where the Greybacks were. I was about to become Dominic’s best friend.
Did it bother me that I would be betraying them? Not really. I’d seen how they treated Ryder and other people. They deserved whatever came their way. They all did.
I stopped, remembering something Dominic had said. He was leaving. Tonight. This might be the perfect time to search his room. But I couldn’t do it alone.
The living room was less crowded now as most of the shifters had moved outside. While I waited for Dominic to leave, I had Gerald reimburse me. Then I hung out by the fire, putting back a couple of gross-tasting beers. No one said a word to me, which was fine because I didn’t really know anyone. Most of the friends I’d already made weren’t here.
I sat up straighter when Dominic passed by the screen doors inside the living room with a rolling suitcase. His security entourage followed behind him, including Heather, who glared at me through the glass. I gave her my best finger.
After they left, more shifters joined us by the fire, including Jerry, Samantha and Ryder. As soon as I saw Ryder, I jumped up and grabbed his arm, pulling him away from the pack and their accusing eyes. I was disappointed when even Samantha threw a disapproving stare my way. Screw her.
“What’s going on?” Ryder followed me back into the house, out of earshot from everyone else.
I quickly told him my plan. Before I was finished, he was shaking his head. “That’s crazy! Ever since Silas’s room was broken into, Dominic has a guard posted at all times just outside his door. We won’t get past them.”
“You’re right. We won’t. Not without help.”
“Who’s going to help us do something as insane as breaking into the Alpha’s most private quarters?”
A grin stretched across my face, baring my canines. “I know just the person.”
Chapter 13
I pulled out my phone and texted Samira. There was a chance she was unavailable, working or something. She owned an accountant firm and did work for businesses owned by supernaturals. The Silver Claws were one of her customers. Although, thinking about it, I’d only seen her actually working on projects for Dominic.
When I heard her voice, I asked, “Want to do a job with me?”
“Will I have to dress like a prostitute and fight?”
“You heard about that?”
“Every vampire has heard about your performance with Angel.”
I snorted. “Lynx picked out the prostitute dress, by the way.”
“And then you ripped it up to your rear end. I heard you like pink undergarments.”
“It was necessary. No one can fight in a long dress.”
“I was taught how to fight in a dress that went to my ankles.”
Well then. I didn’t know how to respond to that. So I paused, trying to think. “You’re a special case. Nailed it anyways.”
When she didn’t respond, I added, “Dominic just left the house. He’s going out of town for the night. I need to break into that secret room I told you about. You coming or what?”
“I’ll be there in ten minutes. Meet me outside.”
“Is she coming?” Ryder hovered behind my shoulder as I tucked the phone in my pocket.
“Yup. Let’s go.” I walked outside with Ryder next to me. Samira hadn’t said where to meet her. But I assumed she could find me anywhere. I walked past the fire trying to go unnoticed, but Jerry stepped in front of me, scowling.
“Is it true? You went to Heartbeat with a bunch of vampires?”
“I went with one vampire. And Dominic ordered me to.”
“You could’ve said no.” Samantha came up next to him.
Shit, these guys were some of the few friends I had in the pack. They’d stood up for me. But couldn’t they see I didn’t have a choice?
“In case you’ve forgotten, Dominic just tried to kill me a few weeks ago. I’m neck deep in shit with him. I pretty much don’t have a choice if I want to stay in this pack.”
“But you didn’t have to do that.” Her nose flared, disgust in her voice. “Leave that to the shifters on the south side of the city, unless you’re looking to become a vampisite.”
“Look, I’m just trying to get back in with Dominic. I want to be on security again.”
“Leave her alone, guys.” Gerald walked toward me, his presence affecting those around us. They all sat up straighter and melted their expressions into neutral territory. “It’s not like she let them suck on her, right?”
I swallowed. “Of course not. I played a role. That’s all.” I needed to change this subject and quick. “Has anyone seen Luke? Or Vincent?”
Gerard checked his phone. “I haven’t seen V all night, but Luke is supposed to be here in a couple of hours.”
Shoot. I wanted Luke to be in on this; maybe there was something in that room that could help him find his brother. But I didn’t want to wait too long. We had to get in right now while the pack was preoccupied with drinking and partying.
“Thanks. I’ll look for him later.”
“Let’s go.” Ryder put his hand on my shoulder. He looked uncomfortable as I with the conversation, but probably for different reasons. As a former Greyback, Ryder wasn’t treated as a regular pack member. Honestly, he was better than them, and I was determined to find a better pack for him when all this was over.
“Where you going?” Jerry narrowed his eyes. “Not going to hang out with your new vamp friends, are you?”
“Just a run,” I answered. “It’s been awhile.”
He nodded and gripped my shoulder. “I’m glad you’re back, but don’t do anything too beneath you. It won’t sit well with the others, even if you do move up the ranks. Wolves have good memories.”
“And I have an amazing right hook. So screw off.”
I stormed away, pissed off but also ashamed for what I had said. Whatever. Once this deal with Dominic was over, I was out of here. I was just doing what I had to do.
I picked up speed into the forest. As soon as I was under the cover of the trees, the tension in my shoulders eased. The forest felt like home, no matter where I lived. I slowed down to wait for Ryder.
“Where did you say she was going to meet us?”
“I didn’t.” I continued walking, trying to burn the anger right out of me. I shouldn’t have said that to Jerry. He had always been kind to me. Ugh. What was wrong with me?
“I’m here.” Samira appeared before us. Her sudden arrival brought with her a gust of wind. Ryder stepped back, fear flashing in his eyes.
I blinked. “I can see that.”
“What’s the plan?” She peered towards the house.
“Dominic just left,” I said. “Let’s wait a few minutes to make sure no one from his security comes back. Think you can find your way onto the roof without being seen?”
“Of course.”
“What about your scent? You’re probably going to have to roll in some nearby shit some
where so no one smells you. I had to do that. It wasn’t pleasant, but we do what we got to do.”
She reached into her pocket and removed a small can and proceeded to spray it all over herself.
Ryder wrinkled his nose. “That smells like piss.”
“Deer piss.” She showed us the can. “Much better than rolling in shit.” She looked at me pointedly then shifted her gaze back to Fire Ridge.
I shrugged, as if I wasn’t feeling like the stupidest person on earth. “I didn’t know they sold that.”
She stared at me until I frowned. “What?”
“What are you doing to mask your scent? You don’t want Dominic smelling you in his room.”
Inwardly, I cringed. I was so excited just to have the opportunity to get into his room that I hadn’t thought about our scents. I casually reached out, squirming uncomfortably. “Can we borrow some of that?”
She cupped her hand to her ear. “Could you repeat that?”
Ryder smiled at our exchange.
“Ugh, Sammie, just hand over the piss.”
A grin barely twitched at the corners of her mouth, but I saw it. She handed it to me. “This scent in his room will still confuse him, but it should be subtle enough that maybe he’ll think a window was left open or think it was on his maid.”
I sprayed it on me, while Samira continued to speak. “I assume there’s a guard blocking Dominic’s room? Is that who you want me to compel?”
“I didn’t say—”
“Why else did you have me come?”
I handed the deer piss to Ryder. “Are you okay with that? I know decent vampires don’t like to compel others.”
She turned her attention back to me. “You think I’m decent?”
I furrowed my brow. “I did a minute ago, but now I’m not so sure.”
“I’ll do it. I need to know as much about Dominic as I can. This may be my only chance.”
All three of us waited another ten minutes before we made our move. While we hid, half of the pack stripped, then shifted into their wolf form to go for a run. We had to move around to keep them from noticing us. The other members remained behind, drinking and laughing by the fire.
I nudged Samira. “You go first.”
