Great Hexpectations, A Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy (Dulcie O'Neil Series #3)

by H. P. Mallory

  “What Bram doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” Knight answered dismissively and, nodding his head at the bouncer, the smaller man approached the double entry doors and held one of them open for us. Knight offered him a smile and allowed me to enter before he came up behind me, putting his hands on either side of my hips as he steered me through the crowd.

  I glanced back and him with a frown to which he merely responded with an innocent grin. Facing the club again, I took in my surroundings, immediately making note of the exit routes. Hey, you never know when you’re going to need one. As to the club itself, the place was pretty packed. A strobe light highlighted the patrons as they danced in the center of the room, making the crowd appear like some sort of pulsating, throbbing creature. Timbaland’s “Scream” belted out through the speakers and I felt myself hungering for a Captain Morgan and Coke. The dance floor was square and large, and a bar occupied the far corner, while lounges fringed the sides.

  Knight tightened his grip on either side of my waist and piloted me through the mass of undulating people, pulling me into him when some drunken guy stumbled out in front of me. The guy looked embarrassed and quickly allowed the crowd to swallow him up again as Knight directed me to an empty table which boasted a few purses and…Trey’s manbag?

  “Surprise!”

  Before I had the chance to think another thought, Sam, Dia and Trey all jumped out from wherever the hell they’d been hiding and greeted me with large smiles and jazz hands. I felt myself go into fight or flight mode and had to calm myself down, talking my heart out of having an attack while I took a deep breath.

  “What’s going on?” I asked, turning to face Knight with total confusion written on my face. It’s not like it was my birthday or anything.

  Knight smiled smugly and nodded at the booth, motioning for me to take a seat. “I thought you needed a night out on the town with your friends because you’ve been through a lot lately.”

  And that was the truth. I’d been through a crap load lately. Hmm, within the last six months, I’d nearly been killed by a Kragengen shape shifter—a voracious predator that had been feasting on some of Splendor’s citizens. And if that weren’t enough to cause my stress levels to spike, more recently, I had to defeat a Dreamstalker, who attacked me under the guise of my dreams. But, wait, it gets better…I also suffered through the tragedy of learning that my old boss, the prior Head of the ANC, not to mention my very close friend, Quillan, had been double dealing all along and turned out to be one of the bad guys. Yes, I had had one hell of a year.

  I glanced at Knight and smiled. Sometimes he did things that surprised me, things that were not in line with his tough guy persona. Sometimes he made me wonder.

  “Girl, you need a drink!” Dia said with a huge smile as she enveloped me in her arms.

  Dia Robinson was one of my newest friends but that didn’t diminish our friendship, which was bonded strong. Dia was the Head of the ANC for one of our bordering communities, Moon. She and I worked very closely on the last case which involved the Dreamstalker.

  “It’s so good to see you,” I said as I held her tightly, taking in her bright red halter top and matching pants. Red must have been her favorite color because it seemed she was always wearing it. I had to admit, it did compliment her beautiful chocolate skin and the perpetual glow that seemed to surround her. Dia was one of those people you couldn’t help wanting to hang out with.

  She pulled away and smiled down at me with her full, beautiful lips just as my best friend, (a witch working for the ANC), Sam, appeared and gave me a big hug. Then it was Trey’s turn. Trey is a hobgoblin, also employed by Knight and the ANC, and, although I’d never cared for him much in the beginning of our acquaintance, I definitely considered him a friend now.

  “’Sup, Dulce?” he said, lifting his chin like he thought he was Eminem or something.

  I couldn’t help my laugh. Trey is anything but cool although he tries so hard to play the part. He’s short, overweight, always sweaty and perpetually lusting after anything with boobs. But he’s got a heart of gold.

  “Thanks for coming out tonight, Trey,” I said.

  “Okay, what’s everyone drinking?” Knight asked and offered us all a cheery grin. He took everyone’s orders while I sat down at the table and the other three followed suit.

  “Wow, this is a surprise,” I started. “And you drove all the way from Moon, Dia?” Moon was a good two-hour drive from Splendor.

  “Honey, there’s no way I was going to miss it. ‘Specially when your Mr. Sex on a Stick said I’d better make it out or suffer the wrath of the Loki.” She paused for a second or two, running her perfectly manicured nails against her lips. “Course, that’s a punishment I just might want to sign up for!”

  “Oh, God,” I muttered. Dia was like a cat in heat whenever she was around Knight. However, all women were like that really. “I’m happy to see you, Dia.”

  “And I’m happy to be here, girl. Got to know your BFF a little better,” she said, glancing at Sam who just smiled.

  “Yeah, I guess I was sort of passed out during our introduction,” Sam said with a smile. The truth of the matter was that Sam had been in a coma. She’d been one of the Dreamstalker’s victims and Dia, Knight and I had worked tirelessly to save her. But, I didn’t need any more reminders of the hell my life had been lately. Instead, I fully intended to drink away the memories and lose myself in the moment—surrounded by the people closest to me.

  #

  Two hours later and I was inebriated. I’d downed four Captain Morgan and Cokes and now found myself dancing in front of Knight, who was sitting at our table with his legs stretched out before him, watching me with a glimmer in his eye as he sipped his whiskey.

  “So I thought you wanted some alone time with me?” I started, swaying my hips to “All The Right Moves” by One Republic. “What happened to that?”

  Knight smiled and I felt something blossom in my stomach—something repressed, something carnal. I wanted him.

  “Of course I want some alone time with you.”

  “So why didn’t you take the opportunity tonight?”

  He shrugged. “Because tonight is about you. It’s not about what I want. It’s about what you need and I thought you needed a night out to release some steam.”

  I nodded and suppressed the incredible desire to throw my arms around him and kiss him. Sometimes he was just so…nice. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, Dulce.” He sipped his whiskey again, his eyes never leaving mine. “I’m trying to prove I’m not a bad guy.”

  I was taken aback and stopped dancing, instead swaying with inebriation. “I don’t think you’re a bad guy.”

  He shrugged. “Maybe not, but you’re still holding back.” Then he laughed. “You’re a tough nut to crack. The toughest I’ve come across yet.”

  “Maybe that’s why you keep coming back?”

  He sipped his whiskey and his eyes began to lighten, an eerie glow usurping their otherwise bright blue. His damned eyes were glowing again, the same way they had the first time I’d seen them do it—when we were at Bram’s restaurant. I bit my tongue, wanting to ask him what the deal was but I knew he wouldn’t enlighten me. Not yet—our date still wasn’t over.

  “Nope, that’s not why I keep coming back,” he said simply and the glow in his eyes died away. Before I had the chance to respond, Sam came up behind me.

  “I have to pee, Dulce, wanna come?”

  I didn’t want to come but it was unspoken girl law that if your friend had to pee, you had to accompany her. I nodded and smiled at Knight in apology as he smirked. I wasn’t sure why, but I was convinced his gaze didn’t stray from us as we made our way through the crowd, eventually disappearing into the bathroom.

  “So are you going to have sex with Knight later or what?” Sam asked, her words slurring until it sounded like she was talking underwater.

  “Sam!”

  She waved away my faux shock. “Come on, Dulce, when a
re you gonna give the poor guy a break?”

  “Ah, so you’re on his side now?” I asked in mock annoyance, propping my hands on my hips.

  Sam started for the stall but didn’t stop talking, she just raised her voice. “I think we both mislabeled him. Knight’s not a player. He really likes you.”

  I sighed deeply, not really sure what to think or what to say. All I was sure of was that I really didn’t want to wait in the bathroom for her, listening to her pee. “I’ll wait outside for you.”

  I started for the door and exhaled all my tension. Did Knight really like me or was he actually just a player? Would he treat me as badly as Jack had? Would I even be dumb enough to put myself in that situation again to begin with? I mean, I liked my life as it was. Granted I really didn’t have much of a romantic life, but did that really matter? I had friends…

  “Dulcie.”

  It was like I was in slow motion, my brain trying to place the voice but finding it difficult with my alcohol-induced stupor. But, when I focused on the man standing before me, complete with his sickening sweet smile, I wanted to throw up.

  “Jack.”

  I didn’t even recognize my own voice. Instead, my heart was hammering and my blood seemed to be increasing in temperature, boiling me from the inside out. My breath was coming faster and shallower and it was all I could do to stay standing.

  “Wow, didn’t think I’d see you here.”

  “Yeah,” I managed to reply as I tried to get control of myself. Dulcie, you can handle this. Just calm the hell down. Just act cool.

  Jack looked the same as he had all those years ago. Still tall and dashingly handsome; still the same warm brown eyes I’d lost myself in; still that charming, boyish smile. His eyes raked me from head to toe.

  “You look great, like you haven’t changed since the last time I saw you.”

  The last time he saw me…the time I’d caught him in bed with another woman. And then all the emotions, all the feelings of anger and hurt started churning in my gut again, feeling as fresh as if I’d just walked in on him again.

  I didn’t realize my hands had fisted at my sides until I glanced down at them. My body absolutely and totally wanted to knock him out. And that was when I realized I needed to just walk away. Before I had the chance, I was blocked by what looked like an Amazon. She approached Jack and took his hand and it was like déjà vu. She wasn’t the same woman I’d walked in on all those years ago, but that didn’t even matter. Standing beside him, she was his height—a full six feet. And she was gorgeous with long black hair and boobs that were so big, she could probably get away with driving in the carpool lane.

  “Who’s this, Jack?” she asked in a sweet voice laced with alcohol.

  As far as my buzz was concerned, it had packed and moved out at the exact moment I found myself standing in front of my ex.

  “This is Dulcie,” he said with that same smirk, his eyes never leaving mine. They were hungry, predatorily so. “My ex.”

  The woman’s eyes widened. “The fairy?”

  Jack was a human and, apparently, so was this chick. Her humanity was something that should have struck me immediately since I have the ability to detect Netherworld creatures from humans as soon as I get close to one. I can tell a werewolf from a vamp from a goblin from a ditzy brunette in less than three seconds. But, where the hell that ability was right now was anyone’s guess.

  “Yeah, the fairy,” I managed to answer.

  The woman smiled, revealing a set of perfect white teeth set behind sumptuous, full lips. I could never accuse Jack of dating anyone less than beautiful. “Well isn’t she just the cutest, lil’ thing? I could just pinch her, she’s so cute, like a lil’ lightnin’ bug.”

  That was when I realized she had a southern accent. Scarlett O’Hara had just lost all her charm and, as God was my witness, I’d be damned if I ever drank another sweet tea.

  “Yeah, I’d say Dulcie has some lightning in her,” Jack said with a laugh and another carnivorous gaze, this time at my bust.

  Even though I wanted to either blast their righteous smiles off their righteous faces or, at the very least, run away and hide, I did neither. My feet were cemented in place like my ankles had just gone on strike.

  “You okay, Dulce?”

  I heard Knight’s alto voice come up behind me at the same instant that his arm weaved through mine and his hand found my waist, grasping it and pulling me into him. I couldn’t even speak, and from the looks of it, neither could the skyscraper. Instead, she just stared at Knight like she’d never seen a god before.

  “Hi,” she said and paused for a few seconds. “Who are you?”

  “Knight.” He glanced down and offered me a little smile, squeezing my side as if to say he knew exactly what I was going through and that he was there for me, that he would see me through this. Then he faced the woman again and extended his hand. “I’m Dulcie’s fiancé, it’s nice to meet you.”

  At that moment, I wanted nothing more than for the room and everyone in it to melt away around us, leaving only Knight and me. He’d saved me. Just when I thought I was going to shrivel up and die, he’d ridden in on his white steed and slayed my dragon.

  “Hi, Knight,” the woman said in as flirty a voice as she could muster. “I’m Sunshine.”

  Knight chuckled and shook his head. “I’ll bet you are.”

  “And I’m Jack,” the jerk in question said as he thrust his hand out and the smile he’d been wearing only seconds before was now nowhere to be found. Instead, he wore a deeply etched frown and it was obvious he was put out either because I had a fiancé or because his date was still staring at Knight in total and complete appreciation.

  “Good to meet you,” Knight responded, without offering his hand in return. Instead, he glanced down at me and smiled. “Was wondering where you’d gone to, Dulce.” Then he started to walk away, pulling me with him and when he smacked my ass and smiled at them, he added, “I just can’t get enough of her, she’s so damned beautiful,” I didn’t even mind.

  When we were out of their line of sight, he looked at me with concern in his eyes. “Are you okay?”

  I just nodded, still feeling shell-shocked. Then I glanced up at him and felt something that I hadn’t felt in a long time, something I couldn’t even characterize but it was real and pounding its way through me. “Thank you.”

  He just nodded. “Sorry about the ass smack but wanted to play it up.”

  “No,” I was quick to respond. “I mean it…thank you.”

  Knight didn’t say anything for a few seconds but bit his lip like he was trying to find just the right words. Then he turned to face me and there was something deliberate about his expression. “Dulcie, he’s an asshole, you know that, right?”

  At first I was confused because it wasn’t as though Knight had ever met Jack, so how could he know the situation between us? But then it suddenly occurred to me that Knight knew exactly who Jack was. He knew because he’d inserted himself in a dream that I’d had about Jack a long time ago. That was one of Knight’s abilities—he could basically highjack my dreams whenever he wanted to.

  “Trust me, I know he’s a jerk. I was just surprised to see him, that’s all.”

  “Okay,” Knight answered although he didn’t sound convinced. “Did it weird you out at all? I mean, what I said?”

  “Weird me out?” I shot back at him with a little laugh. “No, you were like my knight in shining armor.”

  He chuckled. “No pun intended?”

  Warmth suffused me as I glanced back up at him. “No pun intended.”

  Two

  By the end of the evening, I was drunker than I’d been in a long time. After the little incident with Jack and Dixie’s tallest woman, I found myself wanting nothing more than to lose myself in alcohol. Granted, it probably wasn’t a great idea, but I wasn’t concerned with great ideas at the moment…no, all I was concerned with was inebriation and the quickest route there.

  “Dulce, I go
tta get to bed,” Sam said and collapsed into the booth next to me. “I feel sick.”

  “You’re a witch, charm away your hangover,” I argued, not wanting the night to end. If the night ended, I’d go home, which would leave me with nothing to do but think. And given the events of the evening, thinking wasn’t such a great idea.

  Sam shook her head. “I’m too drunk to focus on a charm. I think it’s a few Advil for me and the sack.”

  “Girl, I’m right there with you,” Dia said with a laugh. Although she’d had just as much to drink as we did, she didn’t seem drunk in the least. Nope…instead, Dia looked like she’d just been sipping on water all night. The same couldn’t be said for Trey, who sat beside Knight, and had already fallen asleep, drooling into his man-bag.

  “What are we going to do with him?” Sam asked as she pointed to the sleeping hobgoblin.

  Knight laughed and shook his head. “Leave him to me.” Then he seemed to think better of it and scrutinized each of us. “I’ll give all of you a ride home.”

  “You’ve been drinking too,” I pointed out, still not okay with the fact that our evening was coming to an end.

  Knight faced me and smiled. “As a Loki, my metabolism is faster than yours. I process alcohol within a couple of hours.”

  “Of course!” I said and shook my head. “How could I have thought otherwise?”

  Knight didn’t respond but offered me a knowing grin before reaching for Trey and hoisting him over his shoulder as if he weighed nothing which just hinted to Knight’s strength because Trey weighs…a lot. I draped my purse over one shoulder and Trey’s man-bag over the other. Then Dia, Sam and I followed Knight out of the club.

  Knight reached inside his pants pocket and produced the key to his Beemer, beeping it unlocked as I opened the rear door and watched him deposit Trey, rather unceremoniously, into the back seat. Trey grunted once he hit the seat and then rolled over onto his side, leaving a line of drool across the black leather. I glanced at Knight, who offered me a frown. Then I remembered Dia and the fact that we were a long way from Moon.