forbidden pleasure. He looked like a force of nature with obsidian wings arched behind him and shadows trailing him.
Yet after a blink, he didn’t have wings.
I gawked at his dark glory, then suddenly remembered the humiliation from yesterday. My admiration became a glare in a nanosecond, and a sound I usually didn’t make tore from my throat amid the sudden quietness.
He darted his gaze away, but I didn’t miss the faint amused smirk on his face before he walked away. He didn’t say hello or nod to anyone, as if he were truly a king.
Then Indira appeared beside me. Shouldn’t she tend the bar? She tugged my sleeve and pulled me behind the crowd as if trying to make me invisible. I craned my neck to see where Rydstrom was going and if he had anything to say to me. I’d accept an apology if he was sincere.
He traipsed to the stairs, his power rippling around him, and then he was out of sight. The club resumed its normal sounds and activity.
Indira shoved me behind the bar. “You hissed at Rydstrom. Seriously?”
I blinked. “I did? I didn’t realize it. Maybe it was a reaction toward him throwing me out through the back door yesterday?”
“No one hisses at Rydstrom and still stands, girl,” she said, regarding me from my head to my breasts. “Maybe there’s something about you that caught his eyes. But mark my word. Don’t count on your luck. He’s gorgeous, rich, and powerful, but don’t let it get into your head that he might truly fancy you, or you’ll end up just like the other girls. He and we are in a different category. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Of course, I knew he was out of my league. Even though Rydstrom had been interested enough to ask me to strip dance for him, I was but a passing fad, and I’d never let any man, especially a very powerful one, use me and then discard me. I might not have much in life, but I wouldn’t allow anyone to tromp on my last dignity. At least, that’s what I told myself.
“What happened to the other girls?” I said.
Indira smirked. “Now you’re curious about the mysterious, formidable, and fuck-worthy boss.”
“Who said he’s that worthy?” I rolled my eyes. “Fine, don’t tell me, or tell me something I don’t know.”
“I don’t know much about our boss either,” Indira admitted. “No one does. Rydstrom hasn’t frequented the Claws until recently.”
“How recent?”
“About a week ago.”
My heart skipped a beat. That would have been right before my parents had gone missing.
Indira ordered me to the kitchen to get more limes and ice. I went and introduced myself as the new girl to the kitchen stuff and the chef. Even at first glance, I knew none of them were humans, though I didn’t know what their species were. I was so green to this world, yet I hid my ignorance except to Indira. If I didn’t, the monsters would eat me alive.
Somehow, my instincts told me that I could trust Indira. She was damn mean to everyone, but she’d supported me, and I’d for sure watch her six.
I returned with a basket of cut limes and ice and a bottle of expensive Martini among other expensive bottles of hard drinks.
“Why did it take you so long?” Indira asked, rolling her amber-brown eyes. “You aren’t a model employee even in your first few hours. Within five minutes here, you picked a fight, not counting that you got into a spectacular brawl yesterday before your interview. You’re mouthy and you like to stick your nose where you have no business. You even hissed at the boss like a bad feline. Girl, I don’t know how long you’ll last here. I might not waste my time and energy training you. I’ll just wait until you either quit or they get rid of you.”
What she said about getting rid of me sounded more like killing me. I steeled my shoulders and dropped my armful of supplies on the counter next to her.
“That’s very encouraging and inspiring when you listed so many of my flaws I’ve never heard of,” I said. “Which means you either have a twisted power of observation, or you care. You got quite a few fanboys in the kitchen, so I had an earful of you being the legendary lesbian barmaid in the supernatural world. And I brought you the ingredients for you to make Faery Legacy. I didn’t even know what the fuck