if you’re okay with it, can you eavesdrop on their conversation? I want to make sure nothing strange is going on.”
Again, I wonder what sort of creature the woman is, but don’t ask, nodding instead. Then I strain my ears and listen.
“There’s an event going on downstairs, too,” the woman is saying to Asher. “Only validated guests are allowed to attend, so you’ll need to make sure to stay on the main floors.”
“What’s she saying?” East whispers while leaning close to me, his breath fanning across my cheek.
“Something about an event taking place downstairs,” I whisper, glancing at Asher and the woman from out of the corner of my eye. “And that we’re not allowed to attend because we’re not validated guests.”
East trades a wary look with Arrow.
“What sort of event?” Asher asks her, resting his arms on top of the counter.
“I’m not permitted to say,” the woman replies vaguely as she scribbles something down in a thick, leather book. “But most of the entire town is down there, and the event lasts for days, which means many of the shops and stores will be closed for most of the week.”
I know the guys mentioned this world was old-school, but watching someone write something in a book with a quill pen is as weird as watching a gnome tap dance to punk rock music, which is really freakin’ weird, let me tell you.
“Really? You can’t even give me just a little of a hint?” Asher asks, offering her the most charming smile I’ve ever seen grace his face.
Okay, I take back my comment about the dancing gnome. Asher’s flirty smile is the way weirder. Usually, he’s so intense. But charming …? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him use that smile on anyone before, and that makes my stomach sink a smidgeon.
“No, I can’t. And I’d advise not to ask any more questions,” she continues, slamming the book closed then handing Asher a skeleton key. “Your room is the tenth door, down the hallway and to the right.” She points to a hallway while giving Asher a hard look, apparently not impressed by his charm. “Have a nice night.”
“Well, she doesn’t seem too impressed with Asher,” I tell East and Arrow. “He tried to flirt with her to get her to tell him what the event was, and she got pissed off.”
“Considering what she is, he should’ve known better than to even try,” East murmurs, rising to his feet as Asher heads over to us with the key in hand.
“Let’s get to the room,” he tells East and Arrow with a pressing look.
East nods while Arrow gets to his feet, his gadgets humming.
I start to stand up, when East reaches down, snags ahold of my hand, and lifts me to my feet. Then the four of us start toward the hallway, but Asher suddenly pauses and turns around.
“Max, are you coming?” he calls out with his brows furrowed.
I peer over my shoulder at Max, who has remained standing by the window.
He looks at Asher and sighs. “Yeah, I guess,” he mumbles, anxiousness flowing off him.
I wonder if he’s just nervous because all this is new. Or is it something else?
One thing’s for sure, as we pass by the counter and the woman behind it eyes me over with way too much intrigue, I begin to grow anxious myself.
Harlynn
“I don’t like this at all,” Asher declares after the five of us have piled into the room and he shut the door behind us. He tosses the key onto a table then rakes his fingers through his hair. “There’s a succubus running the front desk and some weird-ass days’ long event going on in the basement that we can’t attend.”
“Wait … She’s a succubus?” I gape at Asher.
He nods, shucking off his jacket and tossing it onto the bed.
Wait … One bed?
You have got to be shitting me.
I mean, sure, it’s a huge, four-poster with velvet drapes the size of four normal beds. Mounds of silky blue and silver pillows are propped against the headboard that’s carved with stars and moons. The comforter is grey and matches the mural of what looks like a smoky sky painted on the ceiling. The fireplace is made of blue stone, and the floor is the color of ash. The walls are lined with black beams that spiral toward the ceiling.
“Okay, this so wasn’t what I was expecting,” I mutter in awe as I take in the gorgeous room. “With how plain the seating area was