Don't Hex and Drive (Stay a Spell #2) - Juliette Cross Page 0,69

lower back and sheltered her close to my side as a rowdy group of young men jostled by.

Once we rounded the group, we moved back into our companionable walk, crossing Magazine as we drew closer to The Green Light.

“Are you going to tell me the plan or keep me in suspense?” she asked.

“We’d like you to be the next kidnapping victim,” I said through gritted teeth. “Ruben convinced me that you wouldn’t be in danger, but…”

My heart hammered at the idea of her playing bait, but I understood the advantages of having someone in on the scheme rather than us finding some poor innocent.

She nudged my arm with her elbow. “But you think there is?”

I pulled her to a stop right outside the alley leading to The Green Light. I squeezed her upper arm gently, my thumb brushing a slow circle. “Ruben has a guy who can track vampires when they’re tracing, so I’m positive we could follow and find you within minutes of the capture. That’s if they take the bait. One reason I need to know now is so I can plant the persuasion glamour in Darren’s mind. But…” I glanced down the alley, tightening my grip on her arm before I slid my hand down, engulfing hers in a comforting grip. “There’s always a chance something could go wrong. That small percentage of unexpected error is killing me.”

She swallowed hard, perusing my face. I’m sure she could see the concern written on my face, but it was nothing compared to the tumultuous storm brewing at the thought of her coming to harm in this scheme of ours.

Her eyes brightened as she gave me a reassuring smile. “Well, someone has to be the bait, right? Better me who would be prepared and in on the plan than some poor girl who could be scarred for life by the experience.”

I released a shaky breath. “Somehow, I knew that would be your reaction.” My gaze drifted over her hair, neck, and mouth, remembering the silken warmth of her. “We’d need someone else to come with you. It would look too strange for you to be hanging out by yourself,” I added. “Maybe one of your sisters?”

“Yeah. Maybe Livvy. Blake Bellingrath saw my sisters at the last Summit cocktail party and would know them on sight.”

I dipped my chin then ushered her back down the alley where customers headed for the entrance to The Green Light.

I stepped ahead of us up to the nondescript door. The only marking to show this wasn’t just an alleyway entrance to a kitchen was the gaslit lantern flickering with green flame. And the six-and-a-half foot tall, well-dressed vampire guarding it. Though his face was shadowed, his eyes glinted silver, his vampire instincts on alert as the bouncer.

“Good evening, Roland,” I said.

“Devraj,” he said, nodding and pushing the door open, then holding it for us.

Most vampire dens were dark and covered in red velvet and black satin, some metal band screaming in the background. But Ruben’s place reflected the man himself. Sophisticated and seductive.

The décor reminded me of something you might find in a posh lounge in the 1920s, the booths and chairs luxurious and oversized like you’d expect in a mansion, not a nightclub. The glow from warm gas lanterns and candles shimmered on the faces of the humans and vampires enjoying each other’s company. Small chandeliers added an opulent touch to a dancefloor centered before a small stage where a few couples danced.

The bubble of laughter and murmur of happy patrons filled the room, and the music came from the stage where a man played an acoustic guitar, his warm voice singing a masculine rendition of “I Know You” by Skylar Grey. A werewolf actually, not a man.

“Hey, there’s Nico,” Isadora murmured. “Evie’s boyfriend Mateo’s cousin. He works at the Cauldron sometimes.”

I acknowledged with a nod, and then a woman stood before us.

“Mr. Kumar, I have your table right over here.”

The hostess, a statuesque blonde in a white latex dress led the way through the tables in her red stiletto heels. Though the club was posh and the employees dressed formally, people milled about in casual clusters.

The hostess stopped before a booth and lifted the Reserved placard. It was a nicely situated booth in the middle of the room where you could see the bar and the stage and anyone walking in the door with perfect ease.

I nudged Isadora into the booth then leaned down to her ear. “I’ll grab us something at the