Page 32 of Feral

The three men who entered choose a booth near the dance floor, boisterously talking and laughing together. They must be mortals.

I approach, painting a big smile on my face. “What can I get you gentlemen this evening?”

Their intense energy shifts toward me and I nearly stumble backward. The one in the middle, a tall man with nearly white hair but dark eyes that he drags over my face, down my body, and back to my face again, places his hand on the table. Each finger is adorned with rings covered in gems. His nails are long and painted black. He’s intimidating, but I refuse to cower.

“You’re new,” he says, his voice deep and accented. Possibly Russian, or another country in that area. “What is your name?”

“Yannis, and yes, I’m starting tonight. Can I get you a drink?”

“Mortal,” the man says. “How compelling. We’ll have a pitcher of whatever special Tiago has concocted for the evening. Three glasses, dipped.”

“Got it.” I twist around to see Jade standing not far behind me. “I don’t know what dipped glasses means.”

“Tiago will know.”

“Okay, but what does it mean? Hale didn’t mention it in the training.”

“It’s unusual. The glasses are dipped in blood and sugar.”

Her answer startles me. Blood. Not mortal. “Okay.”

“You okay?” she asks.

“Yeah, totally.” I swallow down the nerves that have kicked up on me and head to the bar, where I enter the order on the computer then make a note for dipped glasses.

In the short time that interaction took, the club has quickly started filling up with people. In a flash, Tiago is loading a tray with my drinks already made. Damn, that was fast.

“Thanks, man,” I say, taking the tray. He salutes me before quickly starting the next order.

I carry the tray back to the table and set the pitcher and glasses down. The man who spoke before sniffs the liquid, then smiles. “Excellent.” He opens his hand and presents me with a hundred-dollar bill.

“Thank you.”

He nods, turning back to his companions. As I walk off with the money in my hand, a smile pulls at my lips. A hundred dollars for five minutes of work? I think this was a smart move.

As more tables fill up, I get busy covering my section. I only have five tables, but they keep the orders flowing. Jade heads to the bar to assist Tiago, assuring me that I’m doing just fine. I don’t have time to look around for Hale, but I feel like he’s close by for some reason, almost like I can sense him.

As I wait for more drinks, a man saunters across the bar top, drawing my gaze.

“Let’s get this party started,” he says, leaning down to drag his hand up his leg. He’s wearing an iridescent bodysuit with strategic cutouts that show off his skin, and very high black boots. I don’t know if it’s a wig, but his long white hair hangs to his waist, the tips hot pink and shimmering in the light. “Load me up, Ti.”

Tiago chuckles, presenting a tray full of shots. “Mortal appropriate.”

“Excellent.” Then he seems to notice me. “Ooh. Who is this?” He kneels so we’re nearly eye to eye. “I’m Willow. You are?”

“Yannis. I work here now.”

“Oh, the mortal joining us. Fun.” He puts his fingers under my chin. “You’re sexy too. Yum.”

A throat clearing draws Willow’s gaze behind me. I know without looking that it’s Hale. Willow raises his hands in mock surrender.

“Just admiring, boss man.” He leaps effortlessly from the bar, then lifts the tray. “Time to get that bag.”

He’s gone, disappearing into the crowd in a blink. Hale leans on the bar beside me. “Willow is mostly harmless but a huge flirt.”

“To say the least,” Tiago says, dropping my drink order on my tray. “But that’s incubi for you.”

My brow crinkles. “Incubi? I’ve heard that before, in a movie I watched.”

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