“This is ridiculous,” Haylie muttered for the third time, blowing the black bangs of her wig out of her face in annoyance. The motion, along with a little pout, looked so cute, my lips secretly curled into a smile.
“You can take it off as soon as we’re inside,” Sarah said.
“I just don’t understand how me changing my appearance makes any difference. If they have Watchers out there, they would recognize you all, nevertheless. They know most of you.”
“Yeah, but they wouldn’t have a reason to attack us if they don’t know you’re with us, so stop complaining,” Sarah snapped and slapped Haylie’s arm away to stop her from ruining her fake hairstyle.
Phil and Josh got into the car waiting for us at the southern entrance, and the others followed. Haylie got sandwiched between Chris and Sarah in the middle row, while I had to share the back row with Cassie. Although we had plenty of room for two people, Cassie deliberately pressed her body to mine. I couldn’t scoot away, though, as I was already sitting as far to the edge as possible.
We drove for about ten minutes when Cassie rested her hand on my thigh. I was close to slapping it away but thought better of it. I didn’t want to make a scene in the car.
A long queue was already forming in front of the club when we arrived. Hell’s Trial was a famous club and bursting full every weekend. Phil parked the car opposite the building.
“Your turn, Josh,” Cassie urged him on.
“It’s not so easy, there are too many people. I need to get closer,” Josh answered and stepped out of the car.
“What is he doing?” Haylie asked curiously.
“Watch,” Sarah replied with a grin on her face.
We all waited, watching Josh who pretended to stroll down the sidewalk. A few minutes later, he walked back to the car.
“The password is ‘Zombie.’ Seems like our lucky day, you’ll get three for two,” Josh informed us.
“Yes!” Sarah exclaimed, and we all stepped out of the car. When she noticed Haylie’s quizzical look, she explained, “Josh was listening for the password needed for the VIP area. We won’t have to wait in line and, as you heard, tonight is Zombie night!” Haylie’s look grew even more irritated as Sarah dragged her along.
“Don’t worry, we won’t be attacked by flesh-eating creatures. It’s a cocktail,” Chris enlightened her, draping his arm around her shoulders. I suddenly felt the urge to make the same wrist-twisting move with Chris’ arm I was teaching my students.
“Sounds deadly.”
Cassie took the lead in front of us, her five-inch heels clicking in a staccato on the ground. To be in line with the dress code, all of us wore dark clothes, but Cassie was flamboyant, as usual. She wore tight, black leather pants with loose threads on the sides and a ridiculously short leather jacket covering only half of her glittering top. To add to the gothic look, she’d changed her straight blonde hair to long, black curls.
“Zombie!” Cassie whisper-blurted out in front of the big security guy who stayed completely unfazed by her enthusiasm. He gave us a quick once-over, nodded shortly, and opened the door at the side entrance. We all earned jealous looks from the partygoers who were freezing their asses off waiting to get inside.
The club was exactly like I remembered it. Everything was painted black or covered with black fabric. Pentagrams and other satanic symbols decorated the area, most of them illuminated in shades of orange and red. Fake mist floated over the ground giving the club an eerie glow. The VIP area was on the upper level and made a U-turn around the club. Balustrades made of glass fenced the top floor, giving the VIP guests an unobstructed view of the main floor below.
“I’ll go get changed,” Haylie shouted over the music, and Sarah followed her to the restroom while Cassie went to the coat check to hand in her jacket. I wore the only pair of black jeans I owned, a black t-shirt with a faded rock logo, and a wristband overlaid with metal studs.
“We’ll go fetch some drinks,” Josh announced and strode off with Phil to the bar where two male bartenders with devil’s horns on their heads were mixing drinks. Meanwhile, Chris and I strolled over to the glass balustrade to take in the scene.
Dancers crowded the main floor, all of them hypnotized by the vibrating bass and the blue and red spotlights. The song faded to a rock song, and the crowd went crazy to Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman.’
The people below wore all kinds of costumes—most of the girls barely covered by pieces of fabric, leather, and latex showing off tattoos and piercings of all kinds. A few even wore flashing contact lenses in yellow or red.
I was glad to see the female waitresses still stuck to their corporate wardrobe. Usually, I wasn’t a fan of stockings and preferred bare skin, but the fish-net style covering long legs and tight corsets wrapping the upper bodies left little to the imagination. I wondered if Haylie would feel comfortable in a place like this, considering she’d been working in a run-down biker bar with an entirely different clientele.
A hand snaked around my shoulder, and I turned to see Cassie grinning up at me, her glossy lips reflecting the spotlights. I didn’t miss her accidentally pressing her breasts against my upper arm.
“You still owe me a dance from last time, remember?” she purred seductively in my ear.
Oh yeah, I did remember. I’d given Cassie a poor excuse about not feeling well and left the club early, only to ditch her because of a sweet brunette I’d screwed in the emergency exit later—twice. If Cassie only knew how many women she’d had to share me with…
“Maybe later. Let’s have our… drinks… first…” The words died on my tongue when I saw Sarah coming out of the restroom, followed by…
Black, ankle-high boots strapped with overlapping metal buckles. Dark low-rider jeans layering long legs and hanging on perfect hips. A wine-red leather top, tight as a second skin, corded in the middle from top to bottom and giving view to a plunging neckline. It left a nice strip of bare skin around the sexiest hipbones I’d ever seen.
I didn’t need to look up to know whom that gorgeous body belonged to.
But I did look up. Needed to.
And in that exact moment, as if she’d rehearsed the scene with the DJ, the intro from Pop Evil’s ‘Boss’s Daughter’ started to blare from the sound system, and the lyrics couldn’t have been more fitting:
That girl, she’s a loaded gun
Gonna take ‘em out take ‘em one by one
She knows when she’s dressed to kill
She’ll put a bullet in your heart just to feel the thrill
Her boots hit the floor in time with the rocky beat, and a few guys whipped their heads around to check her out. No, not a few… all of them. Even the ones flirting with the half-naked waitresses got wide-eyed as Haylie glided past them, seemingly oblivious to her effect on the male population. I didn’t miss Chris straightening beside me as she approached us.
And the song reached the chorus, the main singer’s rough voice roaring through the club:
She’s hell on heels
She turns my wheels
With her devil smile and her angel eyes
And she’s got me all hypnotized
Just as Cassie was about to turn around to see what had captured our attention, Josh and Phil came to a halt in front of us with a tray full of cocktails in their hands and obscuring my nice view.
“Party time,” Josh exclaimed, handing out the cocktails in glasses with glowing red bottoms.
“Just in time,” Sarah said. We took the cocktails Josh offered.
“Oh, I forgot, you aren’t allowed to drink tonight,” Haylie said to Phil who held a bottle of soda in his hands.
“It’s okay, alcohol doesn’t agree with me. I’ve been drunk once, and believe me, it’s hell when you’re a Watcher and get dizzy. So, I’m always on driver duty,” Phil explained, and Haylie smiled in return.
“Alright, let’s have fun tonight, guys!” Josh shouted, and we all raised our glasses in a toast.
Yeah, I had mixed feelings about how much fun the night would bring. Cassie barely glanced at Haylie when they clinked glasses. I had a hard time giving Haylie a nonchalant glance when we clinked ours, not wanting to be caught checking her out.
“What’s in there?” Haylie asked suspiciously after taking the first sip and licked her lips. The movement immediately caught my attention, and for a second, the only thing I could think of was clamping her lower lip in between my teeth before licking those luscious lips myself. “It tastes as if it could power my car,” she added in a tight voice, trying not to cough.
“Orange juice, lime juice, and grenadine syrup,” Chris informed her with a grin, and Haylie shot him a dark look. “What? It’s true,” Chris mocked.
“In addition to rum and cherry brandy,” Sarah clarified. “It can disarm you pretty fast, so drink slowly if you’re not used to alcohol.”
Haylie chuckled. “In case you forgot, I’m a bartender. Becoming resistant to alcohol is part of the job. Granted, I’m more familiar with shots and the simple cocktails rather than the exotic ones.”
“Well, I won’t say no to a tequila or two, later.”
We enjoyed our drinks for a few more minutes. It was funny, though. Cassie stood next to Haylie, both making a gorgeous sight. I dared to admit that I wouldn’t say no to a threesome with them.
On the left was Cassie who could barely walk straight in her tight leather pants and pointed, pencil-sharp heels. Her breasts were nearly spilling out like a stamp with Come, Take Me on it. Thick, black eyeliner outlined her eyes, and she sucked on her straw awkwardly to avoid messing up her gloss. Her hair, which she’d changed to a deep jet black with her Shifter ability, contrasted with her pale skin and was stiff and coarse from tons of hair spray.
And then there was Haylie on the right side. Her stance was casual, one of her hands buried in her pockets. She wasn’t showing off her breasts as Cassie did, but she didn’t need to, as hers were at least one cup size bigger… probably two, and another reason for Cassie to loathe her. Her luxuriant hair was again held in place by her hair clip, only lower and more disheveled, escaping strands part of the frayed look and giving her a tinge of wildness. She’d highlighted her eyes with smoky eye shadow, transforming her innocent face into a darker one and giving it a mysterious look. She removed the straw and drank from her cocktail glass, not needing to take care of lip gloss. Her many bracelets clinked with the movement. It was funny how accustomed I’d grown to the sound.
So, there was the one who was trying desperately to be the center of attention, and the one who didn’t try at all. The sex appeal Haylie exuded was unconscious and innate, whereas Cassie’s was practiced and superficial.
Chris must have thought the same because he couldn’t take his eyes off of Haylie. If he stared one second longer, I’d be forced to grab his straw and poke his eyes out.
“When will your friend arrive?” Chris asked, leaning dangerously close to her.
“Should be here any minute. I texted her the password,” Haylie answered with a flick of her hair. Josh and Phil only had eyes for Cassie. Unfortunately, she didn’t have any eyes for them and snuggled closer to me, attaching herself to me like a monkey.
“Let’s sit at a table,” Sarah suggested, and we all walked over to a free one near the back wall. Sarah was the first to get to the end of the couch, Haylie taking a seat next to her.
Did I want to sit next to Haylie, or should I let Chris sit there? Both options didn’t sit well with me. Damn, since when did I need to worry about such things?
My decision was taken from me when Chris hustled me forward, giving me no other choice but to drop down next to Haylie. Cassie tried hastily to catch the last free seat on the bench next to me, but Chris beat her to it, quickly snuggling in before she could, a smug smile on his face. I threw him a scrutinized look, but he just shrugged in response. What was he up to?
Josh and Phil took the chairs, and Cassie didn’t have a choice except to do the same. Her face turned sour as if she’d just bitten into the lemon in her cocktail.
Haylie shifted a little bit, scooting over to Sarah’s side and trying to give us some space, but the extremely saggy leather couch glued us together, flattening her upper arm with mine.
“Guys, it feels so good to be out again,” Sarah said before facing Haylie. “You’ll join me on the dance floor later, right? The guys are boring. They sit and drink most of the time, doing nothing but ogling the bartenders.” She threw us all a scolding look.
“Sure, I’ll just wait for Lauren. By the way, why didn’t Scott come with us?”
“Tracers don’t feel comfortable in places like this, as you can certainly imagine.”
“Oh. Right.”
A dark haired, familiar girl appeared, approaching our table. She grinned from ear to ear when she spotted us, and Haylie stood up to greet her.
“Lauren,” she exclaimed, her happiness audible.
“Oh, honey, I missed you so much,” Lauren cried, and they both hugged tightly.
Haylie didn’t do it on purpose, but her butt was suddenly hovering at my eye level. What a sight… Jeez, this was getting out of control.
I willed my head to the other side, only to get caught in Chris’ gaze as he wiggled his eyebrows at me. He knew exactly what was going on in my head. I threw him a don’t-go-there look, which Chris countered with a wink.
“Let me introduce you,” Haylie said after they separated. “Phil, Josh, and Cassie,” she introduced the ones sitting in the seats, and Lauren shook hands with all of them, earning a bored look from Cassie. “This is Sarah. My… life saver.”
“Haylie told me a lot about you.” Sarah sweetly smiled when greeting Lauren.
“Over there is Chris.”
“Hi, Lauren,” he greeted her with a charming smile, and Lauren waved back as they were too far apart to shake hands.
“And this is… Dylan,” Haylie finished her introduction with a much lower voice than before. I hid my grin. She was horrible at keeping her façade.
“Ah, Officer Dwight. I need to learn how to distinguish fake IDs from real ones,” Lauren mocked, half amused and half accusing, referring to the night Jimmy and I disguised ourselves as detectives to find information about Dorian and his plans.
“Yeah, I’m sorry about that.” I harrumphed.
“I’m sure you are,” Lauren said with a knowing smile. “As long as you found what you were looking for…” she drawled, and I didn’t miss the hint as her eyes trailed to Haylie who looked rather uncomfortable.
“Here, take a seat and drink this,” Phil offered, pushing a cocktail into Lauren’s hands.
“Thanks. Let me just hand in my jacket first,” Lauren said and walked over to the coat check.
“Dammit. She will ask me about my new life. I don’t know what to tell her,” Haylie worried, watching Lauren disappear.
“We’ll help you,” Chris reassured her.
“You don’t know Lauren. You can’t lie to her. She sees right through you.”
Lauren returned, took the free seat next to Phil, and thanked him for the drink. “So, I’m dying to know where you’re living right now to be surrounded by so many handsome men,” she said. Haylie cleared her throat in embarrassment. “What? It’s true.” Lauren eyed Chris who winked at her. I rolled my eyes to the ceiling. Was there one girl who didn’t fall for his attitude?
“Handsome they may be, but they can still be as annoying as all the other guys,” Sarah proclaimed, and the two girls quickly lost themselves in easy chatter.
“Why are you wearing contacts?” Lauren suddenly asked, taking Haylie clearly off guard. I was surprised Lauren even noticed, considering the dark atmosphere and beaming spotlights. For me, of course, the difference couldn’t be more obvious.
“I… um… my sight got worse.” Yep, Haylie was a bad liar. Something I tended to be very good at.
Lauren snorted. “You’ve got the sight of an eagle.”
“We all agreed to use gray contacts tonight. Partner-look, you know?” Sarah came to Haylie’s rescue, causing Lauren to eye us all closely to confirm Sarah’s statement.
“Don’t buy it, but never mind,” Lauren said after pouting her lips. Haylie turned her head to Chris and gave him an I-told-you-so look.
“You’ve changed,” Lauren observed, eyeing Haylie closely.
“What do you mean?” Haylie’s head whipped back to Lauren, alarm underlying her tone.
“I don’t know. You look… different. Stronger. There are more muscles on your arms. And you look like someone who had some life-changing experiences.” Haylie hadn’t been exaggerating when she explained about Lauren’s talent for seeing straight to the core. Chris snorted in response, clearly amused.
“Yeah, I guess so,” Haylie conceded, tugging nervously at the bracelets on her wrist. For a second, I felt the urge to take her hand in mine to ease her anxiety. Thankfully, I was sane enough to grab my cocktail instead.
“Finish your drinks, ladies, the next one is waiting,” Sarah announced to distract Lauren from asking more questions, and we emptied our cocktails before taking a second one.
After some time, we were all shouting at each other to be heard over the loud music. Phil and Josh were busy flirting with one of the female waitresses. Chris talked with Lauren about her job at Joey’s, and Haylie laughed with Sarah over a joke I missed. I found myself getting distracted by her voice, so I only half-listened to what Cassie said to me.
I declined the third drink Phil offered me, wanting to keep a clear head. I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice and get sauced while a Natural was under my protection.
“So, as you are both bartenders, can you do some cool moves, too?” Sarah asked and earned a grin from Lauren.
“Haylie?” Lauren directed at her with wiggling eyebrows, and Haylie nodded in agreement. They both quickly finished their cocktails and took a slice of lemon from the platter on the table.
“Watch,” Lauren announced, and they both began to move in synch.
They squeezed some lemon juice in their glasses, spun them once on their palm, mysteriously without spilling any liquor, and threw them up behind their backs to catch them in front. Then the lemon followed the same way, and they caught the slices with their glasses. It didn’t last more than three seconds.
My attention switched between Haylie’s hands handling the cocktail glasses like a pro and her boots as she folded one leg over the other. A sudden image of her in plain, black underwear, wearing these boots while she wound her thighs around my hips, flashed in front of my mental eye, and it was all I could do to steer my thoughts away from naughty-land.
“Wow, that was crazy! How did you do that?” Sarah exclaimed in astonishment, and they all started talking at once.
Lauren showed Phil and Josh how to spin the glass on their palms, but they both struggled with getting their thumbs out of the way and only managed one eighties.
“Astounding,” Cassie muttered in annoyance.
“Would it kill you to swallow your witty comments for one night?” Chris snapped.
Suddenly, something flew through the air, landing directly on Cassie’s neckline. She gasped in surprise, only to pull out a lemon slice from between her breasts. The entire table laughed. She lifted her head, trying to find the one responsible and glared open-mouthed at Haylie. Of course, she’d suspect her to be the attacker.
“Oops,” Lauren gave herself away, not sounding apologetic, and before Cassie could say anything, Lauren stood up. “Haylie. Dance floor. Now,” she commanded, and Haylie nodded eagerly.
“I’m coming, too,” Sarah shouted, already a little bit slurry.
“Yeah, let’s go down,” Chris said and followed the girls.
As soon as the four of them took off to descend the stairs to the main floor, Cassie seated her butt next to me. Josh and Phil were again flirting with the bartender. Great.
My gaze wandered over the crowd below, ignoring Cassie’s wandering hand on my thigh, and I spotted Sarah, Chris, Haylie, and Lauren in the middle. The DJs switched, and the music morphed into rocky electronic mixes, the strobes flashing to the fast beat.
“What about that dance?” Cassie hopefully asked. I was about to decline, but then I saw Chris leaning closer to Haylie. He whispered something into her ear, his hand skimming over her hips, and Haylie laughed wholeheartedly. That quickly made my decision.
“Okay, let’s go.”
~~~
Although I enjoyed the music while Cassie rubbed her butt against my groin, I found myself searching for the others every few seconds—or rather, a certain Natural with killer boots. Chris had finally detached himself from Haylie and was now flirting with Lauren instead.
While Cassie’s dancing style was aggressive, like the one of a naughty pole dancer desperate to earn some cash, Haylie’s was way more sensual. She only moved her hips and legs to the beat, but in such an elegant way, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I felt sorry for Cassie. She was trying so hard to get my attention every chance she got, but I had no space in my mind for her at that moment.
When I scanned the dance floor again, Haylie was nowhere in sight. Chris was busy dancing with Lauren and Sarah, one attached on each side. Taking a nervous look around, I found Haylie at the bar, her elbows propped against the counter. A guy was talking to her. His face was covered in piercings, wide flash tunnels boring his ears, and his sleeveless jacket was full of metal spikes. When Haylie didn’t look, he eyed her neckline hungrily, rolling the metal bar in his tongue around his teeth in anticipation. A wicked grin crossed his face, and I knew he was up to no good.
He leaned closer, whispering something into her ear, but she turned her head away—a clear message. He didn’t back off, though, and his hand circled her waist, moving lower. Haylie’s hand shot behind, grabbing his wrist before he could move to her butt, and shook her head. The guy somehow didn’t get the message and brushed his hand over her bare arm, stepping into her personal space—too close for my taste.
“I’ll be right back,” I shouted over the music to Cassie and strode toward the bar, ignoring her protests.
Before the bastard had a chance to touch Haylie again, my hand made a vice around his wrist. His eyes shot to mine high above him as I was at least one head taller. The wicked smile quickly vanished from his face, replaced by confusion and a glint of fear.
“You touch her again, and I’ll make sure to break every single bone in that hand,” I growled, my eyes speaking in spiteful, unspoken warnings. I could feel Haylie shift uncomfortably next to me, clearly anticipating a fight. “It will take twenty-seven seconds. One second for each.”
Punk boy swallowed hard, his eyes darting from me to Haylie and back again. He pivoted on his heels without another word and left quickly, probably assuming I was the jealous boyfriend. I watched him with caution until he disappeared into the crowd.
“Are you okay?”
“Um… yeah, thanks, but there was really no need to intervene,” Haylie mumbled, sounding embarrassed. “I’m used to handling guys like him.”
“That may be true, but my tactic was more efficient than your pathetic attempts to get rid of him,” I muttered back, causing her to give me a wicked grin.
“You will probably appear in his nightmares from now on,” Haylie joked, referring to the guy who was lucky to still have all his limbs intact.
“Good for him.”
A light smile curled her lips. She faced the bar again, waiting for the waitress to take her order. We didn’t talk for a while and seemed to be stuck in an awkward situation. What now?
“Want something to drink?” I asked. Her eyes darted up to mine, astonishment clear on her face. I held her gaze.
“Yeah. A beer, please,” she said after she was convinced I wasn’t joking about asking her.
Now it was my time to shoot her a disbelieving look. “Really? You didn’t strike me as a beer type of girl.”
She laughed, stroking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I hope you didn’t expect me to be the Cosmopolitan type of girl.”
I chuckled. “No, that classification would apply to Cassie.” I ordered two beers and handed one to Haylie.
“Thanks,” she said, and we clinked the bottoms of our bottles.
“There you are!” came a high-pitched voice from behind me. I closed my eyes briefly, praying for patience, and turned reluctantly to face Cassie. “I could use some fresh air. Why don’t we go outside for a few?” she suggested with the intention to get me away from where I currently was next to Haylie.
“I’d rather stay here and finish my beer,” I declined.
“I’ll join you. I could use some fresh air, too,” Phil, who suddenly appeared behind Cassie, chimed in.
I hid my grin behind my beer bottle. You had to give it to him to use every chance he got. Cassie looked lost for a second, but she quickly put on a defying expression.
“I like that song.” She turned to Phil. “Let’s go for a dance,” she suggested, grabbing a shocked Phil by the arm and dragging him onto the dance floor.
“You don’t have to stay with me,” Haylie said, bringing my attention back to her.
“I don’t mind.”
“You’re annoyed.”
“Cassie annoys me.”
She inclined her head, giving me an analyzing look. “She doesn’t seem to know that.”
“No, she just ignores it and is completely oblivious to my rejections.”
Haylie sipped her beer and turned to face the crowd, propping her elbows behind her on the counter. “You should talk to her.”
I huffed a dry laugh. “I can’t count how many times I have told her I wasn’t interested, but she won’t listen. We’ve already had dozens of heated debates. Chris is my witness. It’s useless.”
Haylie just nodded and kept silent. I tried to read her face to see what she was thinking, but her expression gave nothing away.
“What do you think about the club? Do you like it?”
“Totally, but I feel a little out of style in my outfit,” she mused, eyeing a woman with a sharp side cut, yellow contact lenses similar to cat eyes, and skull tattoos all over her neck and shoulders. If you asked me, Haylie couldn’t have chosen a better outfit, and every guy in the club would have agreed. “I don’t even have a tattoo. You have one, right?”
I nodded. “On my back.”
“When did you get it?”
I should have known that question was about to come. “In jail.”
“Oh. Shit, sorry, I didn’t want to…”
“It’s no big deal.” I guess she already knew why I had landed in prison in the first place, so I didn’t bother explaining.
Jail had been bearable. As a Fighter, I’d quickly claimed a higher status. I’d had it better than every other inmate and enough time to steel my body. Also, enough time to get out my aggressions.
I couldn’t help myself but study Haylie again from under my lashes. Her foot was propped against the counter behind her, moving lightly to the beat. A stupid idea formed in my head, and I acted before I found the time to think it through. Taking the beer bottle from her hands, I put it on the counter before grabbing her wrist.
“Follow me.”
Not waiting for an answer, I dragged her to the dance floor to a crowded spot where the others wouldn’t find us so easily.
I spun around and took in Haylie’s shocked face. Granted, I wasn’t making it easy for her. But I needed this… just one dance, one opportunity to be close to her, one opportunity to touch her, and one night where I could forget about the mountain-high barriers looming between us.
My hand moved to her waist, pulling her closer, our bodies nearly touching—nearly. If I pulled her any closer, her nipples would graze my chest, and I wouldn’t survive such an assault.
I started to move to the hypnotizing beat, waiting for her to catch up. She stared at my chest, unsure what to do, and finally began to sway her body from side to side. When the song reached its high and the strobes kicked in, her movements became stronger, the tension between us slowly subsiding.
She let her arms hang loosely at her sides instead of wrapping them around my neck, but I didn’t mind. Cassie was always groping me, desperate to feel my muscles, and it somehow weakened the effect. With her not touching me, she gave me control over her with my hand on her waist, guiding her.
Someone bumped into Haylie from behind, and I was close to showing the idiot what a Fighter like me was capable of, but Haylie’s stumble brought her body flush with mine. I took advantage of the situation and glided my hand over the small of her back until resting it on the other hip, allowing me to feel the soft skin above her waistband. My leg was sandwiched between hers as our bodies moved in sync. I tried hard to pry my eyes away from the plump breasts a few inches under my chin but failed miserably.
Haylie didn’t notice, as she still couldn’t meet my gaze, and finally closed her eyes, letting me take the lead. I’d never been so lost in dancing than at that moment. I simply couldn’t take my eyes off her face as if I was under control of a magnetic force, not allowing me to look anywhere else. We were so close, I could count the freckles dotting her honey-colored skin, her long, thick lashes nearly grazing my nose, her sweet breath skimming my throat.
I took my time studying her, enjoying the way she surrendered to me, memorizing the curve of her lips, the form of her jaw, and the slope of her delicate nose. Our hips ground in unison, gyrating against each other, and my body started to feed on the energy she was transferring as the Connection set in.
It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced, causing the blood to pulsate inside my veins, igniting my nerves where my skin touched hers, and making it even harder not to do… more. She wouldn’t feel this invisible link evolving between our bodies, of course. Not as long as she hadn’t gone through the Awakening. It was all I could do to keep our mouths separated and not pull her into my arms to kiss her senseless, so I removed my fingers from her bare skin, resting my hand on the small of her back instead. The Connection broke off immediately, leaving a trail of tingles on my skin.
I didn’t know for how long we were dancing like that, but it must have been long enough for the crowd to thin. At some point, Lauren approached us.
“I’m sorry to interrupt you, but I need to snatch my sweetie here away for a minute, okay? I don’t have the pleasure to see her every day.” Haylie gave me an apologetic look, and I watched, still dazed, as Lauren dragged her away.
I combed a hand through my hair, exhaling audibly as I processed what just happened. Damn, the Connection with her had been stronger than the one I felt when fucking Cassie, all because of a single touch.
“Finally warming up to our beautiful girl,” Chris chided with a clasp on my shoulder. “Although, she,” he nodded his head toward Cassie, “won’t be happy about it.”
Cassie’s arms were cradled around Phil’s neck, but Phil’s efforts to get her attention seemed futile as it appeared she was only interested in shooting me the darkest glare she could. She said something to Phil who nodded, and they left, walking to the entrance. Chris laughed as we both watched them disappear.
“I’m glad you’re amused. You’re not the one who has to pay for it later,” I mumbled in annoyance. Cassie would throw a tantrum, I was sure of it. Hopefully, she’d stay away from Haylie. Cassie was unpredictable when she was jealous.
Meanwhile, Lauren and Haylie were making up for the time they’d lost. They stood by the bar, talking and laughing. At least Haylie was in good hands because Lauren dismissed every male who came near them quicker than I could have reacted.
“She’s cute,” Chris observed.
“Who?”
“Lauren. I like her attitude.”
“I thought you liked Haylie.”
Chris chuckled. “Everyone likes her except for Cassie, of course. I’m not blind. Haylie is one of the most beautiful creatures on the planet. I don’t deny I have a hard time not checking her out every time she’s near, but,” he emphasized when I shot him a scolding look that felt as if laser beams were shooting out of my pupils, “I’ll leave her to you if you want to take the chance.” I was about to ask what he meant but was interrupted by Lauren.
“Hey.”
“Hey. Where’s Haylie?”
“Restroom. A guy accidentally spilled his drink, and it got into her eyes. She needs to remove her contact lenses. Sarah went with her.”
I threw Chris a meaningful look. We would have to be careful outside.
“Guys, the club will close soon. Where are the others?” Josh asked when he reached us.
“Phil’s outside with Cassie. We’re waiting for Sarah and Haylie.”
“That was one hell of a night. We should repeat it soon,” Josh beamed.
“Totally. Lauren, should we drop you off somewhere?” Chris asked her.
“No, thanks. I already bought tickets for the train.” A minute later, Haylie and Sarah joined us. “Everything alright?” Lauren asked.
“Yeah, but it burns like hell,” Haylie complained, her eyes watering. Although it wasn’t safe, I was glad to see her jaylior eyes again, even if accompanied by fake hair. When Lauren noticed Haylie wearing a wig, she threw her a questioning glance.
“Don’t ask,” Haylie muttered before Lauren could comment.
“Ready to go?” Phil asked when he joined us.
“Where’s Cassie?” Sarah asked.
“Um… I thought she was with you,” Phil replied, confused.
“But you just went outside with her.”
“Yeah, but she came back in again soon after. I had to make a call and told her not to wait for me. She said she’d meet you inside.”
My phone vibrated in my pockets, and I activated the screen. A text message from Cassie.
I’ll take a cab, need a few days off. Kiss. Cass.
“What is it?” Chris asked when he noticed my frown.
“Cassie got home on her own.”
“Really? Wow, she must be super pissed.”
“Why, what happened?” Sarah asked.
“Tell you later,” Chris said.
What did Cassie mean ‘a few days off?’ Did she intend to leave the compound for a few days? All because of me? Hmm, maybe it was better this way for both of us. Jimmy wouldn’t be happy, though.
While we made our way back to the car, Josh told us about the bartender he’d flirted with all night, but I was only half listening. I couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened between Haylie and me. Technically, nothing had happened, but given our relationship status, we’d made a huge turn. No idea in which direction, though.
All of a sudden, three hooded figures rushed past us, one tackling Haylie accidentally. I swear that girl was a magnet for bad guys, and it annoyed the hell out of me.
“Sorry!” one of them shouted over his shoulder, not stopping in his tracks.
“No problem,” Haylie replied, and the guys ran off.
Chris was in the middle again, his arms draped around Haylie and Lauren. I’ll leave her to you if you want to take the chance, he’d said. Did he think I wanted more from Haylie? Ridiculous. Sex maybe, but I wouldn’t go there. Ever. It would complicate things a thousand times. It had been just one dance, nothing more. Still, I was glad Chris seemed to have found interest in Lauren.
“Shit, this can’t be happening,” Haylie suddenly called out, patting down her jeans pockets as if searching for something. “Hey, stop! You son of a bitch!” Haylie yelled, sprinting forward.
“What’s wrong?” Chris shouted after her in bewilderment.
“He stole my phone!” Haylie yelled over her shoulder. I broke into a run a second later.
“Wait with Phil in the car,” Chris commanded the others and fell in line with me as we ran through the dark city.
The guys made a run down the sidewalk, Haylie close on their heels. Somewhere along the way, she yanked off the wig, throwing it into the bushes.
After rounding a few corners, we came to a junkyard. The guy who’d tackled Haylie threw scared looks over his shoulder as he realized he wouldn’t outrun us. Damn, she was fast. I should have outrun her easily by now, but her condition had improved exponentially. Well, she was a Natural, after all.
The guy stumbled in his haste to escape and spun to face Haylie. Just as she attempted to jump on him, he fished out something shiny from his pockets. My heart stopped beating for a second when I recognized brass knuckles with deadly spikes wrapped around the guy’s fingers.
His fist would have connected with Haylie’s chest, but she fell to her knees in front of him, snapping her head sideways in the last second, the fist with the steel rings zipping by her ear. Without hesitation, she rammed her head into his stomach, tackling him to the ground.
“I’ll take the other two!” Chris shouted and took off following the two guys who were running in the other direction.
When I finally reached Haylie wrestling with the guy under her, I grabbed her coat, yanking her behind me. In my haste to get her out of harm’s way, I used too much of my power, flinging her off to the side, but she quickly regained her footing.
The guy who would soon make acquaintance with my fists rolled onto his stomach and frantically tried to get to his feet, but he had no chance to fight my steel grip.
Snatching his ankle, I tugged him down so he landed on his front again. Flipping him over with my boot, I kneeled on his chest, aiming a fist at his face, but before I got the chance to execute my punch, a clicking sound made me hesitate for a brief second.
The bastard had a gun!
The weapon trembled in his hands as he tried to point it at my head, but I reacted quickly, smacking his wrist away. The earsplitting sound of a shot fired was heard, and I used the edge of my free hand to swiftly break the wrist I was holding. He cried out in agony, but it was the scream coming from behind me that made me whip around in panic.
Haylie stood a few feet away from me, shock masking her features. Her head bowed slowly downward, and I followed her gaze noticing red smears of blood on her trembling hands.
No, this can’t be happening. Not like that. Please, not like that…
I couldn’t see where the bullet hit her, but it didn’t matter.
It was enough.
Enough to let me lose all sanity.
A haze of red layered my vision, and every noise around me became a background hum as Jenna’s haunting eyes stared back at me. She was burning, flames engulfing her body, cries of agony filling the air.
The darkness driving me was all consuming as the Bluster took hold of me, leaving no space for coherent thoughts or mercy. The creature under me was twisting to get out, but there was no stopping the beast he’d unleashed with pulling that trigger.
I turned my head slowly toward the pitiful figure, a deep growl of madness my only warning. My fist connected with his jaw, the crumbling of bone and the spraying of blood comforting sounds, but barely fulfilling my bloodlust. One swipe was enough to crush his skull, but it was not enough to satisfy the raging beast. My heart banged loudly in my chest, boosting renewed energy and making me unstoppable.
No one would hurt my Jenna.
I couldn’t make out faces, only swirling contours and red auras where human hearts were pumping, showing me my next targets. Everything was a blur, and the distinction between friend and foe became nonexistent.
Someone was rushing toward me, and I cracked my knuckles in anticipation. Then, something connected with my abdomen, but no pain registered. Whoever was attacking me would pay for it, but before I could kick out, something caught my eye.
A golden glimmer, similar to a shooting star falling from the skies.
Jaylior eyes. Jenna. Her fire red hair caught up in flames.
I needed to save her. It was all that mattered.
The jaylior eyes were coming closer until they were right in front of me. I needed to protect her. I wouldn’t let Jenna die. Jenna was everything.
All of a sudden, an enormous force thrust me backward, and I sailed through the air until my back smashed against a solid barrier.
Something slapped my cheek.
Once. Twice.
I didn’t feel it—my body was numb.
The jaylior eyes came closer to my face until something unexpected invaded me, a familiar scent so sweet and unique and simply impossible to resist. It teased my senses, clouded my mind, and I inhaled deeply, quickly getting addicted. Luscious fragrances infiltrated my lungs and intensified, and suddenly, I could also taste it. I savored the sweet aromas spreading over my lips and tongue, exploding in my mouth like the most delicious dessert. It heightened my senses, kicking me into overdrive and making my heart pump faster.
I wanted more. Needed more.
Noises filled my ears. A voice. Screams. Chris?
Where was Jenna? No, Jenna was in front of me. Jenna was safe. I protected her. I brought her to safety. Jenna was…
Not the girl I held in my arms.
It was Haylie.
Her hands were pressed on either side of my head, her body flush with mine, her lips hovering over my own where they’d just kissed me. When she realized I was regaining my sanity, she pulled back, but I wouldn’t let her. My brain was still too overloaded to think rationally. I needed to taste her again and crushed her to me once more, exploring her mouth one last time.
Her lips were soft, her tongue teasing, her taste heavenly. The Connection hit me like a lightning strike electrocuting my nerves in a way I’d never felt before. My hands fisted in her hair, pulling her as close as possible. I couldn’t get enough. I needed…
But no, this was wrong, wasn’t it? This was the girl I swore never to touch. Clearly fighting with myself, I pushed her away, finally coming back to my senses as the red veil over my eyes slowly dissolved.
Haylie had kissed me to get me out of the Bluster, I realized with utter shock.
Was she insane?
Fear layered her eyes. Fear of the monster she’d just helped to cage in or fear of how I would react to what she’d done, now that I was sane again?
I could still feel the sweet aroma on my lips, but I wouldn’t get time to process what had just happened because Haylie’s knees suddenly buckled, her legs giving out under her. I quickly stepped forward, catching her with one hand around her waist.
Blood. There had been blood on her hands. Oh my God, she got shot! How long had I been out of it?
My gaze snapped downward, desperate to find the injury, only to see the bullet had hit her thigh. Thank God, nothing vital…
I held her by her back, lowering her gently to the ground.
“Dylan!” I recognized Sarah’s voice and saw the others rushing toward us. The two remaining attackers lay unconscious on the ground where Chris had left them.
“She got shot.” My voice trembled, my hands still shaking from the aftereffects of the Bluster. Sarah fell on her knees beside her.
“It’s not that bad,” Haylie huffed, wincing through her teeth.
“I can’t heal her with the bullet still inside.”
“I’ll call the ambulance!” Lauren shouted.
“We don’t need a hospital,” Chris interjected.
“What are you—”
“I promise to explain later, but right now, we need to get her to the compound,” Chris ordered, and I scooped Haylie up.
Phil drove as fast as he could.