adventurous lady did a beautiful job of working the pole, while at another raised platform, the young Adonis holding court was down to a tiny scrap of fabric over his dick that couldn’t be comfortable, because the thong in his ass left his muscled cheeks on display.
Aesthetically pleasing, but far too oiled for my taste.
Elias said nothing as we weaved our way through the crowd. I took a table near the pole dancer. She had the most patrons sitting close, more than half of them focused solely on her, and the lust perfuming the air was intoxicating.
Or better put, it should’ve been. I found it a little cloying and sticky. When the waitress came by, she bumped Elias’ shoulder with her hip. “You show up after a month with some chick on your arm? What am I going to do with you?”
“Take me home and screw my brains out?” Elias suggested. “I’ll even promise you the first four orgasms.”
She snorted. “Henry would not be pleased.”
“Then toss him over and run away with me.”
I ignored the banter. The flirtation was open and sweet, and didn’t include an ounce of real interest. Though Elias was clearly fond of her.
“What can I get you to drink…?” The waitress faltered a second when I met her gaze. Her wolf flashed in her eyes, and Elias wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him.
“Beer for both of us, Mellie, and keep your cool.” The direct command in his voice was a contrast to his sweet tone.
“She’s a vampire,” Mellie hissed out between her teeth. “Why are you fucking around with a bloodsucking leech?”
You know, I felt that in my bones.
“I’ll be back,” Elias told me as he rose and tugged Mellie with him. “Stay here.” I didn’t comment on the order or give him my agreement as he hustled Mellie to the other side of the bar.
Wolf politics. Not my business.
Elias hadn’t even been gone a full minute when a vampire dropped into the seat across from me. I didn’t recognize him. I also didn’t have a drink to sip and ignore him with, so I flicked my gaze back to the bar. I had no interest in making friends.
Or new enemies. My dance card was a little full.
Unfortunately, my guest didn’t get the memo.
“David wants to see you, Fiona.”
Oh yay, he knew my name. “And I give a fuck what ‘David’ wants why?” Who the hell was David?
“Because when the Prince of Dallas demands your attention, you give it.”
I spared him a look. Two more vampires had moved into my line of sight. That suggested the others present in the bar were covering behind me. Or perhaps coming at me from that angle. I couldn’t see Elias at the moment, but I believed him when he said he was coming back.
“The Prince of Dallas is Isaac,” I said idly.
“Was,” the vampire answered with a smirk. “Things change. Now come before your mongrel comes back. I don’t have to put him down, not that I’d mind.”
I studied the vampire opposite me. He was tall, lanky, and in desperate need of a haircut. Vampires were often portrayed as the absolute best of the best. Sexy gods and goddesses, all with impeccable grooming and looks to die for. Apparently, someone skipped hitting him with the sexy stick during creation. His nose was a little too crooked, like it had been broken so many times it couldn’t possibly heal straight. He had a kind of blunt jaw, not square but not oval either. His lips were too full when compared to his eyes, and he really lacked any kind of symmetry.
“Did you get beat up a lot when you were a kid?”
The vampire blinked at me. “What?”
I motioned to him. “Just wondering if you came that way or if someone took a board to your face one too many times. I’m leaning on the latter.”
His eyes narrowed, and he reached across the table to snag my wrist. His grip was bruising.
Okay, well, his grip would have been bruising, except I wrenched my arm out of his grip without trying.
Oh. That was nice.
Surprise flickered in his face. What? Did he think I was going to roll over for the new Prince of Dallas any more than I had for the last one?
Fuck. That.
“You will come with me now,” he ordered, his eyes going murderous.
“Or what?” I raised my brows. Did he want to start a fight right here? I was willing. In fact, I was almost