At the sound of her breathless whisper, my beast growled.
“Those fuckers took off,” I told her. “I heard them while patrolling.”
“So you weren’t following me?” she said and I watched her throat swallow delicately.
“No,” I said, dragging my eyes back up to her own. Those soft blues.
She was still pressed between me and the altar, her lower back easing onto its surface. She eyed me, the darkness shading us in its warmth, and I knew by how her lips trembled, she was afraid to speak. “What do you see me as?”
I frowned at her. “What?”
She licked her lips, not doing anything for my cock straining my slacks against the metal zipper. “Do you see me just as a responsibility? A burden?”
I froze, taking one deep breath. I scanned her, her short skirt had ridden up exposing her upper thigh and a hint of her round perky ass and up her toned stomach, across her supple chest and to her pouty mouth.
She was a fighter and a temptress—but her eyes were too soft, too innocent, too real. I had to remind myself.
I leaned forward, forcing her to fully lay back, my hands on either side of her. “I see you as a temptation. A sinner’s elixir.”
She swallowed visibly again and exchanged a quick glance between my eyes and my mouth. “I can’t stop. My soul—my soul craves yours.”
My cock jerked at her words. “Does it now…”
She nodded slowly, unable to look away. “I’ve heard others saying it’s rare for souleaters to find that one soul that gives them that intense feeling.” She rolled her bottom lip between her teeth and I couldn’t look away. “I think that’s you for me…”
“Fucking hell,” I hissed out, my hands going to her thighs and gripping her there.
“Wait,” she rushed, attempting to stand.
I frowned at her, watching as she straightened and turned to face me.
“Those guys mentioned Diamonds,” she said, her eyes scanning the floor in deep thought. I could see her mind spinning. “I remember a place called Diamonds. It was in Queens. I think…I think she could be there.”
I arched a brow. “Think?”
At my cool tone, her eyes snapped to mine, and they were dark and heated. I had tapped a nerve. “I know. I feel it in my gut.”
“Diamonds is a hunter’s club,” I said, voice strained. She fixed her coat and began walking down the aisle. I met her pace.
“If it’s the one I remember, yes, it is,” she said but didn’t meet my heavy stare.
I gripped her arm and we both came to a stop outside the doors of the chapel. “You’re not going to a fucking hunter’s club.”
She lifted her chin, glaring up at me. “I am, Beau. I have to. If Dolores is there…” She let out a heavy breath, so much in that unsaid statement. Then her eyes sharpened, a violent storm beginning inside of her. “People always left me, but she stayed. I promised Dolores I would never leave her, never abandon her. I need to find her. Because she wouldn’t abandon me.”
Dolores would be safe. Lex wouldn’t spend the entire night tossing and turning in my bed thinking about her friend and if she was okay.
“Fuck,” I hissed under my breath. “If you’re going, I’m coming.”
I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to her. If she was taken…
I’d lose it.
Lex’s eyes brightened at my words and her mouth parted, but I marched forward. She followed beside me and we vanished into the darkness.
LEX
Diamonds had no diamonds on its redbrick structure. Black tinted windows lined the building and it made my stomach drop. What were they trying to hide behind those tinted windows?
It stood on the outskirts of Queens, empty buildings surrounding it on either side.
As we neared the bar, Beau tugged me closer to his side. There was no bouncer at the door, but when we entered the front entrance, several men lounged close by, examining us warily.
I felt naked, sweat building on my upper lip. At the scent of wax and old carpet, memories flashed back.
Dancing for strangers. For human men who wanted to touch a demon.
Beau tightened his hold on my arm and I hadn’t noticed I had stumbled.
“I got you,” he whispered into my ear, his hot breath fanning my cheek.
We entered the dark large room, velvet red couches lining the area and outdated floral wallpaper climbing up the walls. What made my stomach drop was the sight of girls dancing on separate platforms, men watching, tossing money onto the ground they swayed on.
“Look around,” he told me, his eyes focusing on other threats. “Do you see her?”
I glanced around the room, walking slowly, eyeing each girl that passed us, each girl dancing.
The room was crowded with customers, loud and drunk.
“Anything?”
I shook my head, toying with my bottom lip. My heart began to sink.
Maybe she wasn’t here.
Maybe she…was gone.
Maybe I was too late. I hadn’t tried hard enough. I hadn’t been fast enough.
Beau pulled me against his side. “Breathe, Alexandra,” he said softly against my cheek.
I caught my breath and blinked away the tears. Be strong. Be brave. Don’t give up.
And then as we moved closer to one of the high platforms, I saw her hidden behind a curtain, entertaining for one single man, slender and old and a cig pinched between his lips.
Her long chestnut hair had been chopped short to sit underneath her jawline and she swayed, dancing off key to the blaring electric in the back.
My heart climbed up my throat and I gripped Beau’s hand, tightly. “That’s her.”
I let go before he could speak and moved to stand just below the platform. Her outfit was a tight neon pink dress that looked made out of plastic and her shoes looked too tall for her to stand properly.
“Dolores,” I shouted, reaching out to touch her ankle.
“Hey!” the old man snapped, waving a finger at me. “She’s mine right now.”
A hand gripped my wrist and I turned to see a man dressed in a tailored suit staring back at me.
“If you want to touch you need to pay,” he said, and after his words left his mouth, he paused, glancing at me, and then behind me.
I knew Beau stood a few feet back.
I didn’t care. I would break this monster’s wrist if I had to. Dolores was coming back with me.
The man furrowed his brow, his hand still gripping my wrist, and then realization seemed to dawn on him.
Beau’s hands moved to the man’s neck, and by the way he pinched his fingers, I knew he had hit a nerve and knocked him out. Beau tossed him onto one of the couches.
The old man shook as he stood, but he didn’t have time to run. I plowed my fist into his head and knocked him out cold.
I climbed up onto the platform and gripped Dolores by her arms.
Her brown eyes were glazed over and when she looked at me, she looked right through me. They had drugged her.
“Dolores, I’m here, it’s okay,” I said, combing her hair off her face. I shrugged out of my coat and draped it over her shoulders. When we got outside, she’d be freezing in the cold wind.
I wrapped an arm underneath her armpits and helped her down. She wobbled in her heels, but I let her lean against me as she tried to form sentences that didn’t make sense.
“Let’s go,” I told Beau whose mouth had been twisted into a frown I didn’t understand.
He led the way, our heads lowered, trying not to bring attention to ourselves.
It was as we passed into the entrance of the building someone stepped in front of Beau.
“You,” a young guy hissed, his head bald. He jabbed a stubby finger into Beau’s chest, sizing him up. “You’re…Beau Knight.”
A shiver ran down my spine.
At the mere mention of his name, the entire group of men that had been drunkenly laughing sobered up.
A few stood, gawking at us.
“Where do you think you’re going with her?” one asked, his fingers touching Dolores’ hair.
I jerked us back, glaring at him, placing Dolores behind me for protection. “Don’t touch her.”
Dolores leaned against my back, murmuring, her hands clenching my t-shirt. I was her only protector. I wasn’t going to let anyone hurt her again.
A few laughed at my aggressive gesture. A few sneered.
“She’s my property,” the man answered back. “I own this place.”
“You may own the place, but you don’t own the people,” I snapped.
He chuckled and stepped closer.
Beau moved in front of me and the man paused, glancing at him. “I never thought I’d see a Knight in my club. Especially not Beau Knight.” He let his mouth hang open, his tongue sliding across the tops of his teeth. “You came here, to a place that sells demons, and you expect to leave for free?”
“You don’t want to anger him,” I said, lowly and the men glanced past Beau at me.
“No?”
I shook my head and moved my hand back to grip Dolores’.
Beau struck—fast, like a god, like a lightning bolt and the man didn’t stand a chance. He went down, his back colliding with the floor. Another man lunged forward, but Beau, born in darkness, born in chaos and blood, took each of them down.
Then one man pulled out a handgun and pointed it at him.
Beau paused, glaring at him, his chest heaving fast. “You will let us go.”
The owner cocked a brow. “You think so?”
Beau glanced at the entrance and then back to the group of hunters. “Scorpios has already surrounded the building.”
I gave him a look, shocked.
“Demons wanting the fresh blood of hunters,” Beau spat. “You can shoot me, but that won’t stop me. You’ll have to behead me.”
Beau lunged, gripping the man’s wrist and snapping it, the sound echoing in the silence, and then pushed him down so his head bashed against his kneecap.
One of the hunters marched toward us, his eyes bright with rage, swinging a chain at his side.
My stomach twisted, but when he reached us, I jerked forward, only for the chain to hit across my side. My bones ached, and I held back a cry, but I didn’t move, I didn’t let go of Dolores as she hid behind me.
I slammed my fist into his cheekbone and he wavered. I spun, gripping the chain and wrapping it around his neck. He choked, his fingers clawing at my grip. I waited until I felt his movements grow weak and sluggish and I let go, watching him collapse, gasping for air.
A few men backed away at the sight of their comrades unconscious on the floor or groaning in pain.
Beau, breathing heavily, glanced back at me.
I smiled weakly and helped Dolores out of the building. I noted the few black cars parked outside and Beau jerked his hand at them, sending them away. He had far too much power in his control.
The cool night air hit us hard and before I took another step, Beau had lifted Dolores into his arms and cradled her to his chest. She snuggled in, clinging to him.
My chest grew warm and tight at the sight and my eyes drifted up to his features. His eyes were dark and distant, but he was showing me his kindness, his tender underbelly that he rarely showed anyone.
I wanted to kiss him then.
I wanted to hold him.
We walked silently back in the night.