into Durness. If he had, about a hundred wolves would have instantly scented him and torn him to pieces. But he’d been waiting for me. I knew it in my bones. Why?
“You scared?” Archer asked. We made our way to the top of the hill. We got close enough that two bouncers near the front entrance saw us approach. One of them gave a knowing glance to Archer and tapped on his earpiece. It was then I noticed Archer was wearing one as well.
The boss. Shit. Archer was telling the truth. I had made a big impression the other night.
Something made me stop just before we went in the front doors.
“Wait,” I said, breathless. I gathered my strength around me. This was it. I was all in.
“Now or never, tough girl,” Archer said. He held his hand out. Thousands of years of instinct swirled inside of me. All of it transmitted the very same message.
Threat. Danger. Defend. I felt the fire within me struggling to rise. I pushed it down, letting my dragon side take control.
Cloak. Hide. You cannot see the magic that is me.
Smiling, I took Archer’s hand and stepped across the threshold.
4
Archer
She’d come from the Durness Oasis. Two days ago, I’d tracked her right to the edge of it, but that’s as far as I could go. What the hell was she doing here?
Tonight, she wore a clinging red dress and those fuck-me boots with the heels again. I tried not to stare. But with the way that dress hugged her curves, I knew she wasn’t wearing any underwear.
Down wolf, I told myself. She walked with a confident air. If taking my hand gave her pause, she didn’t act on it. She kept her head high and waltzed through the club as if she knew where we were going.
“Bring her up to my suite,” J.C. practically purred in my ear. I felt my fangs drop.
Phaedra finally did pause, just at the edge of the dancefloor. She got noticed. Rye stood near the bar. He had his sights on a young kid with greasy, brown hair. Track marks up and down his arms and a vacant smile on his face. I wondered why Rye wasted his time on him; he was clearly already hooked. He licked his lips as he saw Phaedra. I gestured for him to back off as he pushed off the bar. A few other of J.C.’s mage suppliers hung out near the dance cages. If I left Phaedra’s side for a second, they would descend on her. J.C. offered bounties for girls like her. The rich, pretty ones brought in the biggest commissions.
Phaedra turned to me. “I can make my own way,” she said.
“You’re not here for that,” I said, pointing my chin toward the floor. “You’re wanted upstairs. But you don’t have to go if you aren’t ready. Nobody will force you.”
Her cheeks flushed. “I’ve heard the good stuff is upstairs. I told you before, I can pay.”
I gripped her arm. “And I’d advise you to quit saying that. You’re fresh. You don’t think everyone in here already knows that? If I weren’t standing here, you’d have about six different mages looking to shoot you up.”
“Then take me upstairs,” she said, defiant. How the hell had she gotten that way? Most humans couldn’t hide their fear and awe in places like this. This damn woman seemed to invite trouble.
“Let’s go,” I said, switching off my earpiece. J.C. had made his wishes quite clear. Phaedra followed me up into the hall and up the winding stairs. Every instinct in me wanted to throw her ass over my shoulder and just get her the hell out of here.
Not this girl. Tell J.C. to find somebody else. I had a feeling about her.
But I was so close. Having me go after her meant J.C. had come to rely on me. I needed him to trust me all the way. An hour. One hour alone in his suite and I could finally get what I was after. My personnel file. Then I could leave the Golden Taurus, J.C. and the fucking Ring behind me forever if I wanted.
Unless…
The door at the end of the hall swung open. J.C. stood there wearing a white suit with a black dress shirt. He’d glamoured himself, making his skin seem more tan, his eyes a normal blue instead of the opal-like kaleidoscope they usually were.
Fucking fae magic. I wondered if someone like Phaedra could sense it.
“Ah,” J.C. said. “Miss...Phaedra? Is it? Welcome