The Hunt (By Kiss and Claw #2) - Melissa Haag Page 0,20

through this door and just walking around the building to hunt at the human entrance?”

Mom smiled. “Adira thought the same. With the help of a few mystic druids, there are now layers of warding. The humans are protected inside, can only leave by their entrance, and there’s a dead zone on the other side of the barrier where none of our kind can enter. It was a bit cost-prohibitive, but I know how important safety is to you.”

I swallowed my anger and said nothing about how the Council was willing to hire a stronger druid for this but not for one lost human girl.

“Let’s go inside,” Mom said.

Stepping through the door was like stepping into another world. My ears popped slightly, and I was immediately assailed by the chaotic sounds of saws and nail guns as well as music.

“A spell also mutes the sound, which will help keep what we do here private.” She shed her jacket and tossed it onto a chair beside the door. “That’s where our security will sit to ensure only approved patrons enter. I’m interviewing candidates later this week.”

As she spoke, I slowly took in the space. The building was huge, but mostly open, on the lower level. The spaces near the entrance where we stood were being walled off, creating a hallway. Above, thick wooden logs supported the exposed beams of the second floor. Dust fell from between the boards as the workers moved around up there. Stairs to the left ran along a stretch of windowless wall.

“The second floor will be restricted, VIP access only.”

“What will be up there?” I asked, already seeing the bar being built by several men on the other side of the building.

“Rooms, baby. Rooms that will fit every requirement. Including a special room that will be warded against intrusion of the frost giant variety. And my office, of course.”

I turned away from the stairs and noted the four workers setting aside their tools and removing their shirts. They watched Mom with hungry eyes even though she hadn’t yet glanced their way. This scene wasn’t new to me. I’d witnessed it many times during my stay with her in New York.

“Do you replace the workers daily?” I asked, averting my gaze from the approaching men.

“Only the ones I feed from.” She smiled at me. “I coordinate with the project manager regarding when I plan to stop by. He ensures the majority of the workers are upstairs during those times. These men will be reassigned to another job tomorrow.”

Mom made a throaty noise as the first man reached her. She ran her hand over his bare chest, and I was eternally grateful that he’d kept the rest of his clothes in place.

“Are you hungry, baby?”

“Not really.”

“Not even a taste?”

“No, thank you.”

There was a moment of silence, and one of the men groaned. From the corner of my eye, I saw Mom kissing him. Just kissing. Yet, I could feel his sexual energy and knew she was feeding well.

I wandered away from them, knowing I couldn’t be too obvious with how much the display upset me. Instead, I focused on the way my breath fogged with each exhale and tried not to shiver. When I neared the east wall, the tingle of current running over my skin intensified.

“Is this wall outside of the boundary?” I asked.

“It’s exactly on the boundary,” Mom said after a moment. “If you touch it, you’ll feel the energy, but nothing will happen. I wouldn’t recommend trying to step out the door, though.” A husky chuckle echoed in the space, and the men by Mom groaned collectively.

“I’m a little chilly in here,” I said, unable to take anymore. “I think I’ll go wait outside with Dad.”

With flushed cheeks, I hurried past the man-wall surrounding Mom and let myself out.

Dad smiled at me from the car. Beside it, Adira waited. Seeing her almost made me want to go back inside. Almost.

“What do you think of the Man-beef Buffet?” Adira asked when I drew close.

“The what?”

“Your new feeding grounds. Nicolette’s putting a lot of effort into it to make it the perfect place for you.”

“She needs to put more effort into the name, or the only humans she’s going to get are the female variety.” I delivered the words with tone and an eye-roll, hoping it would be enough to mask my panic. I didn’t care about the name or Mom’s intent; I cared that Adira was speaking openly in front of my dad. Based on his worried expression,