by Karen Lynch
Motioning to Brock and Raoul, I ran to the stairs to the second floor. We passed the bar, where I spotted the bodies of the two human male bartenders and another waitress. Brock went over to check for signs of life and shook his head grimly. The Incubi obviously planned to leave no survivors.
We were halfway up the stairs when the main door opened and Geoffrey entered with the rest of his team. I caught his eye and pointed up. He nodded and told two of his people to stay downstairs while the rest of them followed us to the second floor.
At the top of the stairs, I quickly assessed the scene. Bruce and Lorne, Adele’s two other security guys, were embroiled in battle with six Incubi. The ogres had sustained numerous cuts from the Incubi blades, but they fought valiantly to protect their mistress.
Behind them, three more Incubi were viciously kicking the steel door to Adele’s office. The door was dented badly, but it held under their assault. Adele’s office was warded by warlock magic, most likely by Orias, who was one of the most powerful warlocks in the country. It was going to take more than brute force to break down that door.
The biggest threat was to the ogres, so I jumped in to help them. Bruce was closest to me, so I put myself between him and the three Incubi who were taking turns slashing at him with their knives. I brought my sword up in an arc, and one of the Incubi stumbled backward, clutching at the stump where his hand used to be. On the downward swing, my blade laid open the chest of another Incubi. He staggered, and I went in for the kill, relieving him of his head.
A minute after we joined the fight, it was over. I studied the bodies littering the floor, glad to see that none of ours was among them.
I looked up at Bruce, who towered over me. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” He grinned, showing off his fangs. “What took you so long?”
I laughed and walked to Adele’s office door, which looked battered but stood firm. Knocking loudly, I called, “Adele, it’s Chris. You can come out now.”
I had to knock two more times before the door flew open to reveal Adele’s pale face. The succubus wore jeans and a shirt instead of her usual slinky dress, and she had on very little makeup. Her hair was uncharacteristically messy, and the sleeve of her shirt was ripped at the shoulder. I’d never seen her look so disheveled or frightened.
I opened my mouth to ask if she was okay, but my question was cut short when she threw herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck. Her body shook, and a ragged sob escaped as if she couldn’t hold it back.
“You came,” she choked out. “Thank you.”
I’d never seen Adele when she wasn’t put together and composed, and her current state took me aback. I wasn’t sure how to deal with the scared woman clinging to me. My Mori wasn’t too happy either, and it growled, shrinking away from the touch of a female who wasn’t my mate.
When my demon suddenly fluttered, I looked up to see Beth standing at the top of the stairs. Her eyes were narrowed on the woman in my arms, and the straight line of her mouth told me she was not happy about what she saw.
Heat shot through me at the possessive glint in her eyes, and I felt a rush of elation. She wanted me even if she refused to admit it.
I gently set Adele away from me. She wavered a little, but Bruce rushed over to steady her.
“Mistress, are you hurt?”
She patted his arm affectionately. “I’m okay, Bruce. You look worse than I do.” She looked around in alarm. “Where’s Dolph?”
“He’s downstairs,” I told her. “He’s hurt, but he’ll make it.”
She sagged in relief against Bruce. “He took the blade meant for me. I’d be dead if it wasn’t for my men.”
“Can you tell us what happened?” I asked her.
Adele’s gaze swept over the bodies, and her face began to harden, her anger surfacing to replace the fear. “I was downstairs making sure everything was ready for tonight when they came through the front door. There were so many of them that it was impossible for Dolph and Bruce to stop them all.” She drew a shuddering breath. “One of them came at me with a knife, and Dolph threw himself in front of me. Lorne and Bruce held them off long enough for me to get to the office.”
I crouched near the closest body and pulled back one of the sleeves, confirming what I already knew. Standing, I looked at Adele again. “Why does the Lilin want you dead? He left you alone until tonight.”
Adele rubbed her arms. “He found out I’m in contact with the Mohiri, and he thinks I’m helping you against him. There’s no reasoning with a Lilin when his mind is set on something.”
I surveyed the carnage. “It might be best for you to leave town for a while.”
“I’m leaving tonight.” She stood and looked at Bruce. “You’re in charge while I’m gone. Can you call someone to clean up the club? And let the staff know we’ll be closed until further notice. They’ll be compensated as usual.”
“I’m afraid most of your staff didn’t make it,” I said.
She put a hand to her chest. “They’re all dead?”
Beth stepped forward. “All except one. We got to her before they could…” She pressed her lips together.
Adele pushed past me and went to Beth. “Where is she? I need to make sure she’s okay.”
I watched them go then looked at Geoffrey. “We should go through their pockets before Adele has the bodies disposed of. We might find something to lead us to their sire.”
“I was thinking the same thing.”
We found a few wallets with cash but no credit cards or identification of any kind. Other than the tattoos on their wrists, there was nothing to tie them to the Lilin.
I headed downstairs to where Beth and Jordan stood talking to Raoul while Adele sat with the waitress.
Walking over to join them, I held up the knife I’d pulled from the Incubus’s body earlier. “Who owns this?”
“I do.”
I couldn’t stop the look of surprise that crossed my face when Beth held out her hand. I’d expected Raoul to claim the weapon because the strike had been so fast and clean, something you’d expect from a more experienced warrior.
The corner of Jordan’s mouth lifted. “Wicked aim, right?”
“Perfect shot,” I praised Beth as I passed her the knife.
She smiled shyly and sheathed the blade. “Thanks.”
After we’d escorted Adele to a private hangar at the airport, we headed back to the command center. I pulled my bike up beside Beth’s in the garage and removed my helmet.
“I’m sorry we had to cancel our date.”
She lifted a shoulder. “It’s okay. Duty calls.”
Jordan snorted. “What are you guys, senior citizens? It’s barely nine. Plenty of night left.”
“It’s too late for dinner,” Beth said as we went into the house.
“But not for dancing.” Jordan swiveled her hips. “And that’s a lot more fun than dinner anyway.”
“I’m up for dancing if you are,” I said to Beth. I wasn’t willing to give up on our date just yet.
Beth bit her lip and shot me a nervous glance. “I –”
“We’ll all go,” Jordan announced. “We can wear those hot new dresses we bought last week.”
I smiled gratefully at Jordan. “I think that’s a great idea.”
I wanted Beth all to myself, but if having Jordan there made her more comfortable, I was all for it. Plus, I really wanted to see her in her hot new dress.
Sara was in the kitchen when we came in. “What’s a great idea?” she asked around a mouthful of apple.
Jordan stole a slice of apple from her. “We’re all going dancing tonight.”
Sara didn’t look nearly as excited as Jordan. “Didn’t you guys just fight a dozen Incubi or something? That wasn’t fun enough for you?”
“If you call watching someone else do all the killing fun. Now I have all this pent-up energy I need to burn off.” Jordan laid an arm across Beth’s shoulders. “What do you say?”
Beth thou
ght it over for a moment. “Okay.”
“Don’t sound so excited.” Jordan laughed as she released Beth and headed for the door. She looked back over her shoulder. “I’m going to my place to get gorgeous. And then we’re going to show this town how to party.”
Chapter 13
Chris
“YOU’RE STARING AGAIN.”
I gave Nikolas a sideways look before directing my gaze at the dance floor.
“Half the males in this place are staring,” I growled. “Could that dress be any smaller?”
Beth’s dress – if you could call it that – was a short, strappy, burgundy creation with an open back and a neckline deep enough to reveal the smooth swells of her breasts. The fabric was gathered at one side of her waist, and it looked like a good tug would unwrap her like a present.
“It’s no smaller than what any other woman here is wearing,” Nikolas pointed out unhelpfully.
“I don’t care about other women.” I waved a hand at the three girls dancing together. “Sara’s not wearing a dress.”
Nikolas’s eyes practically devoured his mate, who was dressed in skinny pants and a black sequined tank.
“Sara doesn’t own a dress,” he said with satisfaction.
I’d never been jealous of my best friend until that moment. Sara had her share of admirers, but her outfit left a lot more to the imagination.
It wasn’t that I didn’t like Beth in the dress. She had a gorgeous body, and I’d nearly forgotten how to speak when she’d walked out of her bedroom earlier wearing that thing. My first thought had been, She’s all mine, and my chest had nearly burst with pure male satisfaction and pride.
That had lasted until we’d entered the club and I saw the male heads turn and the naked lust in their eyes. I didn’t care that none of these males would ever touch her. I knew what they were thinking, and it made me want to take off my shirt and cover her with it. I wanted to stand by her and growl at any male who dared to even look at my mate.
The tempo of the music increased, and Beth and Jordan raised their arms over their heads. Beth’s hem rose a few inches, and I choked on my saliva.
Nikolas slapped me hard on the back and forced me to turn around to face the bar we’d been leaning against.
“You’re two seconds away from doing something that will embarrass her and won’t end well for you.” He waved at the bartender. “What you need is a stiff drink.”
I wrung my head in my hands. “This is killing me. How did you survive it for so long?”
“A few months of pain was nothing compared to the thought of a lifetime without Sara,” he replied quietly. “I’d do it all again for her.”
When he said it like that, it put everything into perspective. What I felt for Beth went beyond a physical attraction or the influence of the bond we shared. I’d loved that girl almost since the day I met her. My feelings for her had changed and grown over the years, but the roots of that love went deeper than any I’d ever known. I couldn’t imagine a future without her by my side.
If I thought it would help my case with her, I’d declare my love for her right now. But Beth was skittish and afraid of her feelings for me. I’d seen it in her eyes when she realized she’d sought me out in my bed. She was wary of letting me in because of her fear of being hurt again. As much as I wanted to lay my heart open to her, I was afraid of driving her away.
I lifted my head to meet his serious gaze. “Beth is worth it, too.”
“I know.”
The bartender laid two glasses of Scotch in front of us. Nikolas picked up his and raised it to me. “Drink up. You’re going to need it.”
We downed the contents of our glasses and called for a refill. After the third one, we slowed and talked about work. Or Nikolas talked and I did my best not to turn around and see what Beth was doing.
“We’re delaying our trip to New York until the Lilin threat is over,” he said, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. “Tristan agrees that now is not the best time to take resources from here to start a new command center.”
“New York has gone this long without one. They can last a little longer.”
He nodded and drained his glass. I knew it was bothering him that Sara wouldn’t leave Los Angeles, even if she was stronger than the Lilin. It was built into our DNA to be protective of our mates no matter how capable they were of defending themselves. I was going to worry about Beth’s safety every second until the Lilin was dead or gone from here.
Sara came up behind Nikolas and slipped her arms around his waist. “Hey, handsome. Want to dance?”
He set his glass on the bar and turned to take her in his arms. I watched unabashedly as they kissed like they were the only two people in the room. Someday, it would be like this for Beth and me. I just needed to be patient and keep whittling down her defenses.
I looked at the dance floor, but there was no sign of Beth or Jordan. I could sense Beth, so I knew she wasn’t that far away. Still, I didn’t like not being able to see her, and I scanned the crowd for a glimpse of her.
Being taller than the average male and having enhanced vision came in handy at times like this. I caught sight of Jordan first, leaving the restroom on the other side of the club. I let out a breath when I saw Beth exit a few seconds later.
My eyes narrowed when they were intercepted by a tall man with blond hair. His back was to me, but Beth’s and Jordan’s smiles told me they knew him. Jealousy flared in me as I watched the man move closer to Beth, who didn’t seem to mind his nearness. She’d been in Los Angeles for weeks before I got here, and I had no clue whether or not she’d seen anyone during that time. Was this man someone she’d dated?
I had no right to be jealous of anyone she’d been with before me because I’d had my share of lovers in the past. But the thought of another male touching her made my Mori growl and my jaw clench.
The man gestured toward the smaller bar on that side of the room, and Beth smiled and shook her head. They talked for another minute before she pointed in our direction.
He nodded. Then he reached out and took her hand, lifting it to his mouth.
Mine.
Something dark and primal surged in me, and my vision tunneled on the lips brushing against the back of Beth’s hand. I heard the sound of breaking glass, but my attention was riveted on Beth.
The man released her hand, and she smiled again before she and Jordan walked away from him.
“Feeling a little rage there, my friend?” asked a voice laced with laughter.
I looked over at Nikolas and followed his gaze to the crushed glass in my hand and the Scotch-soaked patch on the front of my shirt.
“Here.”
Sara passed me some cocktail napkins, and I wrapped what was left of the glass in them. I used more napkins to press to the cuts on my hand.
She reached for my hand. “Let me see.”
I waved her off. “They’re shallow. They’ll be gone in no time.”
I watched Beth weave through the crowd. She walked up to us, and her eyes immediately dropped to my hand.
“What happened?”
The concern in her voice warmed me until I could no longer feel the tiny pricks of pain from my cuts.
“Nothing. Minor accident.”
I pulled the napkin away from my hand, pleased to see the small cuts were already closing. Stuffing the napkin in my pants pocket, I took Beth’s hand in my uninjured one.
“It’s my turn to dance with you.”
Heat flared briefly in her eyes, and I wondered if she was remembering our dance at Blue Nyx. I hadn’t forgotten a second of it, and I had every intention of getting just as close to her tonight.
The DJ must have read my mind because the music changed to a slower tempo as I led Beth to the dance floor. I tugged her gently to me until our bodies touched, and I heard her soft intake of breath when I ran my hands down her arms and lifted them, placing them around my neck. I put my hands on her hips and locked my gaze with hers as we moved wit
h the music.
“Are…you having fun?” she asked a little breathlessly.
“I am now. I was disappointed we didn’t have our dinner, but this more than makes up for it.”
She gave me a coy smile, and it took an enormous effort not to kiss her. I cast about for something to say that would keep me from thinking about her soft lips.
“Jordan was right earlier when she said you have wicked aim with a knife. You also have great reflexes. That was a perfect kill shot tonight.”
I felt her body relax as she beamed at me.
“Thanks.”
“I haven’t seen you sparring yet, but Nikolas tells me you’re one of the best young warriors he’s seen in hand-to-hand.”
Her lips parted in surprise, and she flushed with pleasure. “He said that?”
“Yes, and he doesn’t throw out compliments often.”
She bit her bottom lip as if she was trying to contain her excitement. “I’ve learned a lot from him since I came here, although I’m not brave enough to spar with him yet.”
I laughed. “Few people are.”
“You are.”
“I’m a sucker for punishment.”
“No,” she said earnestly. “You’re an amazing fighter.”
Pleasure rippled through me. I’d been complimented many times on my fighting, but hearing it from her made my chest swell.
“Everything you taught me helped me excel in training. I finished at the top of my class.”
I smiled, and she averted her eyes. It was the first time she’d spoken about the past without anger. It felt like we’d moved past an important hurdle and she was one step closer to forgiving me.
“We can start practicing together again if you want to. Mason, too,” I added quickly before she balked, thinking it was an excuse to spend time with her. It was, but I also wanted to teach her everything I knew. As a warrior, she was going to face dangers no matter how much I hated it. The best way I knew to keep her safe and my sanity intact was to make sure she was prepared for anything.
Her gaze met mine again. “Okay.”
“Good. We’ll start tomorrow…if you’re up for it.”
