It wasn’t easy for Dex to pull himself away from the woman. The first moment he’d picked up her scent, a deep, powerful desire had assaulted him. He’d wanted to throw her onto her back, to peel her clothing away with his teeth, to sink deep into her and claim her for the whole dark world to witness.

And it was no wonder.

On a purely physical level, she was a beauty. Thick brown hair, styled in a way that told him she kept up with trends. A fitted tweed jacket over a pair of riding trousers. Not the usual attire for a woman, but then, she was no ordinary woman. Something told Dex that she played by her own rules.

Her hazel eyes were surrounded by dark, full lashes. She wore little in the way of makeup; she was a natural beauty, this one. The only feature that had been accented was her lips, painted a deep fuscia that begged to be kissed. It was a wonder that every shifter in the place wasn’t trying to get into her very appealing trousers.

But it wasn’t merely her looks that had attracted him to her. The second he’d inhaled her presence, he’d been struck a bittersweet blow, as if some long-forgotten series of memories had struck him, recollections of a time long past.

The strange thing was, the memories were of events that had not yet unfolded, a prescient foreshadowing of what might yet come to pass. With each step that he took away from her they came at him clearly; visions too graphic to be mere daydreams. It was as though she’d flipped a switch in his mind, awakening the deep reaches and revealing his life as it should become. She was wrapped up in his destiny, that beauty; he could feel it.

Yet like a fool, he’d walked away from her.

He shook his head, trying desperately to loosen the thoughts that were assaulting him, digging their claws into his soul. No time, he told himself. There’s no time for fantasies. He hadn’t come to the Underground Club to seek out the woman of his dreams. He was there for one reason only: to do his duty and then to leave the place behind as though he’d never been there. This night wasn’t about him. It was about protecting his kind from threats such as the man he hunted. The pain in the arse he hunted, to be specific.

Eldrich. Sodding. Smythe.

Slipping his imposing frame as stealthily as he could between Wolf, Bear, even the odd Tiger shifter, Dex moved quickly through the dark space. Most of the room’s inhabitants were male, some almost as large as he was. He could almost make himself blend in, despite the fact that he was as much an anomaly here as he was everywhere else.

His scent would normally have given him away, but he wasn’t overly concerned. He could mask it from his fellow shifters when he needed to. Stealth was a talent bestowed by his gifted ancestors, though he hadn’t employed it when he’d approached the enticing goddess with the perfect lips. Rather, he’d teased her with it. Wrapping his musk around her was like stroking a finger down her breast and feeling her breath catch as he neared a sensitive nipple.

Stop, he told himself as he found his mind dwelling on the thought of her again. No more fantasies. She’s not on the agenda for tonight, whatever your imagination might be telling you. Finish your business and get out of here.

His eyes scanned the room, his annoyance mounting as he searched out his prey. Bloody Eldrich was always causing problems. The wanker thought himself a noble rebel, when the truth was that he was nothing more than a simple fuckwit, trying constantly to draw attention to himself and prove to the world that he was frightfully important. That had always been the bastard’s M.O., trying to let the world know how big and crucial he was, when the truth was that he was an insignificant piece of shite in a world populated by many insignificant pieces of shite.

When Dex finally spotted Eldrich, the twat was leaning back against one of the many bar areas set up at various points in the club, chatting with another man as dim overhead lamps highlighted his fair features. He wore a brown herringbone jacket and a fedora that was about two sizes too large for his head. No doubt the bastard thought his brain was larger than its actual size.

He was smiling, which was never a good sign. No doubt he was regaling the other shifter with dishonest tales of heroism. Seeking praise for his non-accomplishments.

“Eldrich.”

Dex spoke the name deep and loud as he approached, his voice cutting through the ambient racket surrounding them. The other man’s face altered immediately, his features grimacing in a hard frown.

“Dexter,” he replied, the syllables coming out in a grim hiss.

Dex hated hearing his full name, but then he hated pretty well every sound that emerged from the twat’s sodding mouth. The blighter was a waste of oxygen. It was a damned shame that so many good men had died in the war, while this arse had somehow persevered.

The man who’d been speaking with Eldrich, a Wolf shifter, eyed them both nervously before slinking away towards his pack members. No doubt he could sense that this was not a conflict he wanted to involve himself in. Well, at least he had some idea what was good for him.

“You’re not supposed to come here,” said Dex, leaning on the bar next to his foe and speaking low. “You fucking knew that.”

“Yes, well, neither are you, so I suppose we’re equally naughty, aren’t we?”

“I wouldn’t have come, not if I didn’t have to. You know perfectly well that I’m only here to find you. You need to leave before you do our kind any harm with your idiocy.”

Eldrich leaned back against the bar, elbows bent and resting on the surface as he grinned wide. The arrogant bastard was all but claiming the damned place as his own.“I don’t want to leave,” he said. “I like it here. I think I’ll stay.”

“You can like it here all you want,” Dex replied, unperturbed. “It doesn’t change a thing. You know the damned rules. We are to keep our existence concealed from everyone, including other shifters.” He could smell the rage on the other man’s skin, despite Eldrich’s attempt to remain cool and calm. Dex looked him in the eye for a moment, waiting. Like clockwork, Eldrich’s irises began to turn a bright shade of yellow-green, his brows knitting in anger.

And there it is, Dex thought. The miserable, pathetic beast within.

Eldrich swirled his drink and took a long swig before letting out a disrespectful belch. “It’s high time we let the others know of our existence. High fucking time we asserted ourselves, took the power we deserve in this city. You know that as well as I do.”

“No. The time has not yet come.” Dex backed off and narrowed his eyes, black hair falling over his forehead, creating a menacing veil. “And even if it had, it’s not for you to decide when to announce our presence. There are others to consider. You have five minutes to leave. If I find you after that, I’ll bring you to the sky and show you my fangs and fire.”

Eldrich sneered at him, narrowing his eyes, and took another swig. But he didn’t protest.

“Fine,” he said. “Five minutes, you cocky pillock. As if you’re my sodding lord and master.”

With that, Dex turned his back and walked away. Eldrich was afraid, as he should have been. He was many things, but he wasn’t entirely stupid; he knew, at least, that Dex had the advantage in any fight. Whatever the case, Dex would make the rounds in five minutes to ensure that the other man had kept his word. In the meantime, part of him wanted nothing more than to sniff out Flick’s delicious scent again.

But that was probably a bad idea. A minute would be enough time to grow even more attached to such a creature, to render Dex mad with desire. When it came to his kind, lust was accelerated, particularly when someone like him encountered a potential mate. There was no period of courtship. No sustained, ridiculous series of “dates,” as humans called them. For his ilk, instinct was all that was required to choose a permanent lover.

His instinct had already spoken.

Still, he fought it back, leaning against the wall, watching the others interact amongst themselves. Bloody shifters were always good for a few minutes’ distraction. The Wolves hung about in a circle, always looking ready to shift at a moment’s notice. The Bears lurched about in ones and twos, looking like they might pound their fist through someone’s skull if they heard the wrong punchline to a joke.

But as Dex contemplated the club’s denizens, a brown-haired, beautiful shadow caught his eye. She was moving through the sea of bodies, slipping her slim form fearlessly between shifters who could easily have killed her with a blow. Flick was brave as well as lovely, apparently.

Too brave.

Dex’s breath caught in his chest as he realized that she was walking towards the very spot where he’d left Eldrich. In a flash he darted after her, pushing his way through the crowd. He caught sight of her again only when she’d pressed against the bar to signal the bartender over. Only a few seconds passed before Eldrich noticed the young woman and shot towards her like a man on a mission, positioning himself close but not too close, a sly smile tightening his lips.

“Bastard,” Dex muttered as he advanced, preparing to dash over and grab the plonker by the collar. Clearly Eldrich had never really planned on leaving the club, and now that he’d laid eyes on Flick, he had all the more excuse to stay.

Dex stopped to watch for a moment, curious to see what the beauty would do to that particular beast. Curious to see if she’d reject him or find him alluring, as some women doubtless did.

But Flick didn’t disappoint. The moment she registered Eldrich’s presence she gave him her back, angling away to wait for her drink. Dex thought he read Bugger off, you pig on her lips, but he might have imagined it. He smiled to himself, proud of her for refusing to fall victim to such a piece of rubbish. Clearly she wasn’t interested in the big lumbering arse of a man.

But Eldrich had never been one to take rejection well.