Gwen snorted as she came back out and handed him a small first aid kit.
"Werewolf, you have no idea of the world we walk in."
Maybe not. But he knew werewolves, and despite all their experience, these two obviously had no idea just how dangerous a berserker could be. And Kat was out there, facing one alone. He picked up his car keys and walked out the door.
And knew with certainty as he jumped into the car that he was not going to be in time to stop her from getting hurt.
* * * *
Kat glanced at her watch for the umpteenth time. It was close to eight, and still she had no sense of the werewolf's presence in the crowded room.
She sipped her drink and let her gaze drift across the dance floor. There were plenty of women here, plenty of men. All of them dancing and flirting and generally having a good time. She had no doubt that to a sensitive nose the smell of lust would hang heavily in the air. And maybe that was the reason the werewolf intended to hunt here tonight. The pickings would probably be easy for a wolf in the midst of moon heat.
A chill raced a warning across her skin. She looked toward the door as it opened, and her stomach dropped to the vicinity of her toes.
The man who entered was tall and powerfully built, with chiseled features and dark blonde hair. The sheer sexual energy radiating off him told her this was the werewolf she sought. But he was not the reason for the sudden rush of fear. That honor went to the petite, somewhat gaunt oriental woman who stopped beside him. The soul sucker.
The other woman scanned the room, and Kat dropped her gaze. Though she now wore a blonde wig and colored contact lenses, she wasn't about to risk the mara recognizing her. The heat of the soul sucker's gaze lingered for a moment then moved on.
Relief surged through her. She looked up again. The mara headed left, the werewolf to the right. Kat hesitated, half thinking about going after the soul sucker. But in reality, she knew that was a move best kept until they knew more about what would kill it. For now, it was better to chip away at the mara's defenses by getting rid of her lieutenants.
She finished her drink in one gulp, then walked to the bar and ordered two more. Once back in the shadows, she slipped the herbs into one glass and watched the werewolf prowl around the room. The force of his aura rolled before him like a wave, hitting men and women alike. Obviously, this particular wolf wasn't too choosy as to what sex he mated with. Their sighs and stares followed in his wake, but he didn't stop, his gaze continuing to hunt the room.
Her stomach began to churn. She checked to make sure the herbs had disintegrated, and then she walked toward him.
The heat of his aura hit her like a punch to the stomach. It left her breathless, hot, and yet oddly uneasy. Because while this werewolf's aura was every bit as powerful as Ethan's, there was an undercurrent of violence in his energy that shook her to the core. Sex with this man would not be pleasant ... maybe not even survivable.
She stepped in front of him, forcing him to stop. His gaze collided with hers, and deep in the blue depths she saw madness and hunger. A chill ran down her spine, but she forced a smile and offered him a glass. "You look like a man in search of a drink."
His smile was high wattage, sexy, yet one that left her cold.
"Thank you." His voice, like his smile, was designed to seduce.
He took the drink, the brief touch of his fingers hot and somehow needy. She resisted the urge to wipe her hand and raised her glass, taking a sip. The sweet liquid only succeeded in further agitating her stomach. "Do you come here often?"
"Yes. And I haven't seen you here before."
His gaze slid casually down her body then rose to meet hers again. The desire so evident in his eyes made her throat go dry. Heat surged between them, caressing her skin with its intensity. And while she reacted physically, it left her numb deep inside. Which was odd, given how susceptible she was to Ethan the minute he came within arm's length.
"No," she murmured. "I'm just passing through."
Something surged in his eyes. Relief. Perhaps even triumph. He swallowed the last of his champagne then placed the glass on the nearby table. "Shall we dance?"
She hesitated briefly, but knew she had no choice. She had to let him think his aura was doing its job, that she was indeed struck with desire for him. She downed her drink in a gulp that left her head buzzing, and placed her glass beside his. He pressed a hand against her back as he guided her down to the dance floor, his fingers caressing her spine, sending chills skating across her skin. The music swirled around them, its beat heavy, languid. The floor was crowded with sweating, needy people, and she could almost smell their lust. He pulled her close, his body hard and smelling faintly of pine and death. His touch slid down to caress her rear. Had it been Ethan, she would have ached. With this wolf, the only true sensation she had was fear.
She lifted her gaze to his again. "Doesn't your girlfriend mind you dancing this
... intimately ... with others?"
Tension flowed briefly through his limbs, and the hand holding her side dug deep. Pain slithered through her, and she bit down on a yelp.
He raised a pale eyebrow, his gaze all cold heat. "Girlfriend?"
She nodded. "I saw you come in and was disappointed to see you weren't alone."
His grip relaxed a little. "Ah, you mean Ming. She's my employer, not my lover."
"She's very pretty."