Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
“You really respect him, huh?” she said as his hand shot out, catching a man who was just about to back into her. He gave the man a shove away.
“Absolutely.”
“And being beta to Jessie?”
His exhale dusted her face as they slowed again, trying to work through a crowded bar area. He watched the path ahead, catching someone else before they could bump into her and then directing the woman away. The woman turned with a scowl, but her eyes widened at the sight of him. Red infused her cheeks, and it was clear she didn’t know whether to be anxious or desirous.
“I’m not a beta to Jessie,” he said as Niamh shouldered people out of the way and yanked Aurora after her. Sue kept pace. “Jessie doesn’t work like that. I’m family. I would follow her into hell, but she would do everything in her power to keep me from trying. She’s the glue that keeps the pack together, and I will help Alpha Steele protect her at all costs.”
“Hey!” Jasper came out of nowhere, a girl on each arm and lipstick on his jaw. He smiled when he saw them and pulled his arms away from the women, pointing at Aurora. “They found you! Great. Come on, we’re this way.” He spoke to each of the women in turn. “Sorry, but I need to take them in. I’ll talk to you in a while, okay? See ya.”
He worked them through the crowd faster than Niamh had, probably because of his size, before leading them up a set of stairs and into an area with a lot of red ropes. Their crew had taken over the back corner, sitting or standing and looking over the balcony with drinks in hand, many of them swaying to the music.
Just inside the rope, Aurora saw that they had their own small but private bar, with a bartender who was currently serving Tristan and a couple other gargoyles. Sue headed that way, and Aurora followed as though caught in his undertow. She wasn’t quite ready to be cut loose just yet. Her past desire to dance seemed a little too daunting in the insanity in this place.
Tristan turned as they got close, his pretty, glowing gaze taking in Sue and then darting down to her. His half-smile dwindled.
“What is it?” Tristan asked.
“You need to speak to Niamh about a revenant she met at the bar we just came from,” Sue replied.
A hard edge lit those glowing amber eyes. Tristan’s gaze almost seemed to flash, and power leaked from his person. “A revenant? You’re sure?”
“That’s what she said. She knew him. He walked into the bar and sat beside her. We gave her space.”
Aurora couldn’t hide the smirk at “we gave her space.” It wasn’t a lie…
Her subtle tell was too subtle for Tristan to pick up on, thankfully. He was learning fast, but he had a ways to go. He wouldn’t know they’d been cowering in the back.
Sue looked down at her, though, catching it. His eyes glittered for a brief moment before he went back to business.
“You should probably talk to her before you two take this to the alphas,” Sue said, and it was clear that he was passing off an ultimatum. You’d better take it to the alphas, or I will.
“Are those things bad news?” Aurora asked Tristan, and Sue adjusted his body to give her a bit of space.
“If you’ve wronged them, yes,” he replied, looking at nothing. “I assume this one beat the grave? It captured its vengeance already?”
“Long past, I’m given to understand,” Sue replied. “Niamh didn’t seem comfortable around it. Said it would be hard to kill.”
Tristan took a deep breath and held it for a moment. Oh yeah, this was bad news. Or good news, if it could be brought around to their benefit. “They’re wily, above all,” Tristan said. “It isn’t their power that is the problem, or their magic. It’s how they prey on their targets. They have a supernatural ability to seek out their enemy, blend in, and then kill when least expected. If you were to engage one with any kind of aggression, you’d better kill it then and there, because if you didn’t, your chances of survival would be dismal. Eyes in the back of your head wouldn’t be enough.”
“You sound like you’re talking from experience,” Aurora said.
His posture screamed, Danger: tread lightly.
“I was a mark once,” he replied slowly, beating his gaze into her. “I killed it in its life, and then I killed it in its afterlife. Not many people are that lucky.”
“Let’s hope we don’t have to be,” Sue said, angling a bit closer to Aurora. He was still playing protector, probably because of her affiliation to her auntie and uncle. She needed to cut him loose. Babysitting wasn’t part of his job.