Page 17 of Feral

“Tell me more.”

Hale nods, glancing out at the club for just a second. “The things you’ll see are not like any you’ve seen before. The patrons here are not like you.”

“Meaning?”

He motions for me to take another sip of my drink, so I do, smiling at the giddy feeling spreading through me. Dang, this is good.

“What if I told you, Yannis, that you’re surrounded by the supernatural? All around you are demons and fae and witches and vampires. There are dragons and wolves and sirens within your reach. Would you believe me?”

I pull my head back slightly, my eyes darting around the club. Everything looks normal until I really focus on what I’m seeing. A few feet in front of me, a woman presses another woman against one of the marble columns flanking the dance floor. I thought they were making out, but now I see the crimson liquid dripping down one woman’s neck, the other swallowing greedily as she holds on with sharp nails.

I turn my head to the left where there’s a man dancing in a cage, but he has wings and his feet aren’t touching the bottom as he swirls around, releasing glitter dust in the air. Swallowing hard, I look towards the bar where a man is perched on a stool. He seems to be singing, and people gather around him, entranced. Nothing unusual until I focus on the gold and teal scales rippling up and down his arms.

Slowly, I find myself leaning back into Hale’s strong arms. His presence grounds me, soothing me enough that I exhale slowly, releasing the chaos building within me.

“You see now?” Hale whispers in my ear, his warm breath fanning across my face. It smells good—like fruit, but more subtle—then as he presses his chest to my back, I catch a deep, sensual scent that must be his cologne. “You’re safe though. You belong here.”

“H-how?”

“I don’t know. Your spirit, perhaps. An open-mindedness that extends to the supernatural? All I know is that those who mean to do us harm will never enter through those doors. This is a sanctuary.”

I wonder for a moment whether I’m under the influence of something. Do they add stuff to our drinks? Am I imagining all of this? Will I wake up tomorrow and laugh it off? Or… is it possible this is really happening?

“What questions do you have?”

“Some of the people here are…regular?”

“Mortal? Yes. Many are, and just like you, they have a spirit that drew them here. Everyone is consenting.”

I nod, still taking in everything around me. Three men are on a velvet couch, getting pretty hot and heavy until one of them lifts his arm and they disappear right before my eyes.

“What the fuck?”

“Oh.” Hale chuckles. “Invisibility ward. They’re still here, just hiding from our sight.”

“How is that possible?”

“Witchcraft. The world is full of mysteries most people don’t care to see. Supernatural beings live and work in plain sight, appearing just like everyone else. That’s why Lair is so important. Here, the world beyond the veil exists openly. It keeps unsuspecting mortals safe.”

I turn my head, finding his face mere inches from mine. This close, I can see the golden flecks in his brown eyes and the way the club lights catch them. He’s holding me with his hands on my biceps, squeezing gently, and I couldn’t explain why, but not only do I believe him, I feel safe, even excited.

“I could work here?”

Hale nods. “If you’d like. We’ll teach you all about interacting with the various species who frequent Lair.” He brushes his fingers under my chin. “A face like yours will be very popular here.”

“Really?”

“Really. All you have to do is say yes.”

Taking a moment, I glance around once more, letting the energy of the place seep into me. I wanted excitement and opportunity, and there’s no way I won’t find that here. My goal in moving to this city was to say yes to as many adventures as possible, no matter how foreign or intimidating. Now this is right in front of me. All I have to do is take it.

“I’m in. I want to work here.”

A big smile spreads across Hale’s face. “Perfect. I can’t wait to get to know you better.” He leans close to my ear again so that his cheek is touching mine. “But be warned, fair mortal. Lair is not for the weak.”

A shiver runs through me, and my stomach does flips. I pull back enough to meet Hale’s eyes, and as he drags his tongue across his bottom lip, I sway slightly toward him before catching myself by placing my hand on his thigh.

“I’m strong enough,” I manage to say.

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