The Hunt (By Kiss and Claw #2) - Melissa Haag Page 0,14
face, apparently still holds a grudge. I think they’re going to try to stir up trouble to bring you home sooner. Mom’s still here. Don’t fall for their bait and become a snack. #MeganisFurynotFood
I waited a bit to see if she’d respond. When she didn’t, I put the phone away and looked at Kelsey, who seemed to have the most sense out of the three humans.
“Watch out for the mermaids,” I said softly. “They’re still mad at Megan for saving Ashlyn.”
All three nodded.
Leaving them, I made my way upstairs where I had a good view of everyone coming and going. While I hoped the druids would make an appearance, I still needed to put my back-up plan into motion.
Dread filled me at the thought of meeting with Tegan, and I blindly stared out over the dancers. Was I willing to make a love slave out of Anne’s brother just to save Ashlyn? No. Guilt ate at me at the thought of not doing everything possible to save her, but I knew making a second mistake wouldn’t fix the first one. Even if Ashlyn was found, I would still be responsible for whatever had happened to her between her disappearance and her rescue. I couldn’t add more to that list.
Maybe appealing to Tegan without a succubus pull would be enough. Even as I had that thought, I knew it was laughable. Ashlyn had told me I lacked the spark that others of my kind had. Yet, despite that lack, I’d still almost lured her in just because of the top I’d worn. No matter how much I tried to hide and suppress it, I had far too much lure.
If I met with him, I’d need to be careful how I enlisted his help.
Nerves twisted my stomach in knots as I finally responded to his text from earlier.
Me: I appreciate the offer. Would you have time to meet with me tomorrow?
Tegan: Just say the place and time, and I’ll be there.
The immediacy of his reply didn’t bode well for his safety.
With a sigh, I put my phone away and watched the dancers. The mass moved to the music in a mesmerizing way. I longed to join them and let myself forget for a while. But I knew better. My peers wouldn’t be laughing and having fun for long if I did. Or rather, they would, but not the same kind. Still, my fingers tapped the beat on the railing.
Fenris took that moment to look up at me. He smiled and waved for me to join them. Jenna glanced my direction and nodded.
I turned away from the railing and went to the bar for a carbonated drink instead. It wasn’t soda. Sugar in mass quantities wasn’t approved by the Council. The light, citrus drink helped distract from the taste in my mouth and gave me a reason to ignore Fenris and Jenna’s invitation.
Avoiding the railing and more eye contact, I leaned against the bar and glanced at Yem, who’d served at the Roost for as long as I could remember. While he was descended from the great Ymir, he wasn’t a frost giant like Adira. I suspected he was the type that had multiple heads because he always seemed to see everything. Yet, despite that ability, he rarely showed any interest in what the youth who frequented the Roost did.
“Aren’t you supposed to be mingling?” he asked, surprising me.
“Keeping tabs for Adira?”
He grunted and went back to washing glasses.
“Didn’t like the question or don’t like the answer?” I pressed.
He sighed and set the glass aside to meet my gaze.
“Both. We all have to do things we don’t like to get by in this world, little succubus. Fighting it just causes more misery.”
He plucked another glass from the suds. I opened my mouth to reply, but a familiar scent tickled my nose and stopped me.
Facing Fenris, I frowned at his playful smile.
“I’m not in the mood.”
“I can see that, which is why I came up here. You look like you could use a dance.” He held out a hand to me. “If you don’t want to join the group down there, dance with me here.”
My gaze flicked to his hand, and my stomach clenched with need. The hunger was so intense it nearly pulled me into that place where I wanted to lash out and tell him to leave as much as I wanted to use everything I had to lure him in. And I hated myself for wanting either.