happened as she led the satyr out of the nightclub. He trotted happily behind her, his horse-tail switching with anticipation.
I followed them to the door. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”
“Of course.” Lurine shot me an amused look before settling her sunglasses into place with her free hand. “I can absorb a lot of vitality, cupcake. Just get those goddamn ghouls out of here before they start ravening. And stay out of trouble for a few days, will you?” She glanced down at her throbbing door prize. “I’m going to be busy.”
“Deal,” I said gratefully. “Thanks, Lurine.”
She blew me a kiss. “Go home and take a cold shower.”
I watched Lurine lead the satyr into the parking lot, where her unflappable driver stood waiting to open the door to the Town Car. They disappeared into its depths. I couldn’t help but think about it, at least a little bit. Lurine would wait to get him home before she shifted, probably into the swimming pool, wrapping him in those shimmering, rainbow-hued serpent coils. . . .
“Daisy.” Stefan’s taut voice made me jump. “The situation appears to be under control. Your intervention was timely, and I do not sense that anyone here sustained great harm tonight. But I think it best we leave now.”
Oh, right. I took one look at him and made a shooing gesture. “Go, go! And, Stefan . . . um, thanks. I appreciate it.”
With an obvious effort, he gave me one of his courtly nods. “You did well, Hel’s liaison. I thank you for your trust.”
Stefan beckoned, and one by one, his ghouls trooped past me and out the door, clad in denim and leather. His two-hundred-year-old teenaged lieutenant, the one he’d called Cooper, was the last to pass. He gave me a broad wink with one glittering eye, tipping an imaginary hat in my direction with an engaging, crooked grin. He had a narrow face with a spray of freckles over the bridge of his nose.
Hell, I hadn’t even known there was an Irish Rebellion of 1798.
For the next forty-five minutes or so, Cody and I dealt with the aftermath, Cody having sent a shell-shocked Bart Mallick back out on patrol, which may or may not have been a good idea.
An EMS vehicle sat in the parking lot. A few of the participants got themselves checked out for minor cuts and bruises, but as Stefan had said, no one seemed to have been seriously injured. Most were content to gather their clothes and slink into the darkness. No one was especially eager to give a statement, which was fine, since we weren’t especially eager to take one. Under the circumstances, it wasn’t like we were going to be charging anyone with public indecency. Obviously, Rainbow’s End would be closing early this Friday.
Okay, so, crisis averted.
That left the unspoken.
After the last patron had departed, I glanced sidelong at Cody. “So . . . about what happened between us?”
A muscle in his jaw twitched. “Nothing happened, Daisy.”
“About what almost happened?”
He lifted his head, phosphorescent green flashing behind his eyes. “What about it?”
I looked away. “Nothing. It’s just . . . you know genuine desire can’t be compelled, right?”
Cody was silent for a long moment. When he spoke, his voice was gentle. “Daisy, I never said I didn’t find you attractive. But attraction’s easy.” He gestured toward the nightclub. “You saw what happened in there. Most of those people were strangers. And I have an obligation to my own clan, to my own people. You . . . you’re not a potential mate. You know that. And I care about you too much to mislead you, okay?”
My eyes stung. Goddamn werewolves.
“Daise?”
My phone rang. I fished it out of the pocket of my skirt. It was Sinclair. I let the call go to voice mail and then listened to it. “Hey, girl!” He sounded affectionate, only a little worried. “Hope everything’s okay. Stop by, all right?”
Cody may have wanted me, but he didn’t want to want me. And that made all the difference in the world.
“The fake Jamaican?” he asked, a slight edge to his voice. Well, too bad.
“Ha ha.” I put my phone away. “Look, if we’re done here, I have a date to get back to.”
“After this?” Cody raised his brows. “Do you really think that’s a good idea?”
No, of course it wasn’t. I’d just been dowsed with satyr-funk and had a brief, intense make-out session with my lifelong crush, who was standing in the parking lot eyeing