Succubus Unchained - Heather Long Page 0,25

never been fond of me.”

“Red, you banged him, rocked his world, then walked away without looking back. The man might be good, but he’s no saint and he does have an ego.”

I laughed, and that earned a real smile from Elias. His alpha, Varick, was a big bruiser of a guy, darkly bronzed skin etched with sexy tattoos, and a firm grip on wanting to please a woman. I hadn’t even realized he was Elias’ alpha the night I met him, or I’d never have done it.

“He got attached. Too fast, too much.” I shook my head. “But I can write him an endorsement if he wants it. I had no complaints that night.”

My best friend stared at me a beat, then grinned this slow, evil, and wicked smile. “Please write the letter. Just write up all your ratings and leave it with me.”

Yep. See, this was why Elias and I got along. “I would like him to still let me speak to you in the future. The fact that he took me dumping him—though I object to that categorization, because a one-night stand does not a relationship make—well enough the first time is not a reason to test him even if it would be funny.”

“Buzzkill.”

I laughed again, and Elias leaned back, a satisfied look on his face before that smile fell away.

“I’m worried about you, Red.”

“I’m worried about me, too.” The moment the words slipped out, I wanted to cram them back in and swallow them. I grimaced. “But you’re right. It’s probably time for me to go.” I’d lingered here for over a week. If they did come looking for me, they might come here. Fin had wanted to know who Elias was, but I’d never told them. I’d tried to section that part of myself off.

I didn’t know if the asshole who didn’t deserve to be named managed to pull it from me or not, but if he did, I didn’t want to lead them to him.

What would they do if they came looking for me and I was gone already? Would they leave him alone? Or was that wishful thinking on my part?

Fuck, why was I thinking about them? I gave myself a hard shake. “You know, maybe I do need to go feed.”

Something akin to relief crept through his expression. “Where do you want to go? I’ll come with.”

“You hate when I feed.”

“No, I hate the assholes who think they’re winning the lottery because you deign to look in their direction. I hate that they treat you like a piece of meat.”

“Exactly.”

“But you need to feed, and you need someone to watch your back. If I’d been there that night you met that fucker…”

Dimitri. “I still need to find him.” That had actually been at the top of my list when I left the keep, right below get the fuck away from them and reclaim my life, and slightly below gut Isaac like a fish.

“I’ve got a few of mine out looking for him. He’s gone to ground.” A growl threaded the words, and Maddox’s face flashed before my eyes. Dammit. “He’s a well-known player. I put the word out to some other packs. They know to contact me if he’s spotted. Then we can go pay him a not so social call.”

I chuckled. “This happening to me wasn’t your fault, Elias.”

“Yeah, but you should have called me the moment you woke up.”

“In my defense? I was a little out of sorts. Dying isn’t fun.”

Lust for blood rolled off him in a heady wave, and I let it keep going. “Trust me, I’ll make sure it isn’t fun for him, too. I can make it last a long time.”

I did trust him. “I still don’t think you should go with me.” It was a lot to ask from someone I’d already asked so much of.

He glared at me.

Two hours later, he was my shadow as we walked into the Bon Vivant. If a speakeasy, a strip club, and a burlesque joint got together and had a mafia den’s baby, you’d get the Bon Vivant. The club had opened a couple of years earlier and gained traction with the nightlife in the area. Particularly with other supes, but also humans out for a kinky good time. It wasn’t big with the vampires, though.

Or it hadn’t been.

Maybe I just hadn’t noticed them before. Easily half a dozen were scattered amongst the crowd. The dancers on the various platforms rolled their hips and swayed to the beat. One