"Sorry," she said as she started past them.
"Where are you going?" Ravyn asked. Her father would have Ravyn's head if something happened to her while he was in Hawaii.
"Out."
"Out where?"
She sighed heavily. "To the dance floor, if you must know. I want to boogie till I puke."
He gave her a suspicious glare. "Don't you have school tomorrow?"
"Relax, Dad. Leo said that I should stay here until the threat is over. They're afraid I might get nabbed by one of the Doulosi."
"The what?" Susan asked.
Ravyn turned toward her. "It's a term for the humans who help the Apollites or Daimons."
"Oh."
Erika took a step toward the door that led to the club, then paused. "Oh hey, if you guys get hungry, tell the woman in the kitchen, Terra, and she'll make you something. I have to say the burgers here are delish."
"Thanks," Susan said, but Erika was already gone.
Ravyn took the box from Susan's hands. "Why don't you get us something to eat and I'll get this laid out in our room below so we can examine it. "
"Okay."
Susan watched as Ravyn headed down the stairs, then followed the sounds of pans and glasses clanking until she located the kitchen. She wasn't sure if the people working in here were human or not. It was really weird to never know anymore.
"Can I help you?"
She turned to see a tall brunette woman. She reminded Susan of a chic model with extremely intense eyes. Crystal blue, they seemed to glow as they watched her like a predator in the wild.
Susan refused to be intimidated even though the woman was doing her best. "Erika said we could get something to eat."
The woman looked a bit reluctant as she glanced around the room in a very catlike manner. After a minute, she slid her gaze back to Susan. "All right, but don't let Dori know I fed you. The last thing I want is to hear about it from him. "
This must be Terra and she was grateful that Terra had a heart. "Thanks."
"No problem."
Susan stood back as the woman made two plates of burgers and fries for them. "Are you part of the Kontis family?"
She held her palm up to show Susan a really cool geometric sign on her palm. "Dorian's my mate. I'm Terra."
So that's what the sign looked like. It was lovely. "Nice to meet you."
Terra snorted. "Yeah, right. You don't like being here any more than we like your being here-I can smell your emotions bleeding out of your pores. But that's okay. At least we all know where we stand." Terra handed her the plates. "You want a couple of beers?"
"That would be heaven."
Terra brushed her hands off on her apron, then pulled out two bottles from an ice tub behind her. She put them on the tray and indicated for Susan to place the plates there, too.
As soon as Susan did, Terra handed the tray to her. "You got it?"
"Yes, thanks."
Terra nodded before she went back to instructing one of the waiters to take an order of pretzels out to a table.