Page 20 of Ancient Magic

Chapter 5

Skye wasn’t sure how she managed to stroll casually back into the formal salon. Inside she was a seething stew of... Actually she didn’t know what was stewing inside. What she was certain of was that she’d never felt anything like it.

Micha.

She’d glimpsed him at a distance, of course. When she’d come out of Peri’s private rooms and joined the party, she’d seen the vampires dotted around the salon like aloof statues, surveying the crowd with a hint of disdain. Or maybe they’d been pretending to survey the crowd as they kept a wary eye on each other. Whatever the case, she’d been focused on calming her friend, not paying attention to the unwelcome intruders.

It wasn’t until Micha had followed her from the salon and she found herself up close and personal with the leech that she experienced the full impact of his presence. And what an impact it was.

Like all vampires, he was gorgeous. But it wasn’t the elegant beauty of Valen or the dignified perfection of Gabriel. Micha’s presence was like a punch to the gut, demanding a stunned sense of awe. In ancient days he had no doubt been worshipped. And even now she suspected he would cause riots on the street if he wasn’t a recluse.

Barely remembering to breathe, she had allowed her gaze to roam over the angular lines of his features. The proud thrust of his nose, the full, sensuous lips, the chiseled cheekbones, the wide brow, and the golden eyes that studied her with a terrifying intensity.

This was the face of a warrior. A predator. A hunter who’d discovered his prey and was patiently waiting to pounce.

She should have been frightened. Vampires might pretend to be civilized, but they considered themselves above laws and basic morality. As far as they were concerned, they were the chosen species and everyone must bow to their will.

But it wasn’t fear that scoured through her, stripping her nerves until they felt raw. It was fierce, brutal awareness.

Thankfully, she’d spent her whole life hiding her emotions. First from her father and then from the demons who’d held her hostage. That experience allowed her to share a conversation with the magnificent male that had included more than dumbfounded grunts and sighs of pleasure.

She was taking that as a win.

Heading directly toward Peri, Skye ignored the demons who chatted in loud voices and shoved one another aside in an effort to get closer to the vampires. Their antics were understandable since they depended on the goodwill of the leeches to maintain their ancient homes in the Gyre. And of course, many of them were hoping for a chance to become a meal for one of the vampires. Becoming a blood donor meant large amounts of cash and added social status. Or at least, that was what Skye had always heard.

With a grimace, she halted next to her friend. She’d been honest with Micha when she said that it usually wasn’t this hard to shield herself. But then she usually wasn’t squished in a relatively small space with dozens of royal demons and five members of the Vampire Cabal, who sent out pulse waves of thunderous power. It was no wonder she was on edge.

“You look pale,” Peri said, lifting her hand toward a uniformed servant standing across the room. The male with dark eyes and a brilliant red aura nodded before he promptly disappeared. “Valen promised to start clearing out the guests within the hour,” she assured Skye. “You should get home.”

“What about you?” Skye demanded, trying not to reveal her relief at the thought of escaping from the party. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.” Peri swept a resigned glance over the mingling crowd. “Would you define okay as fantasizing about jumping out the nearest window and finding a sunny beach where no leech could ever find me?”

“Just another Friday night in the big city,” Skye murmured.

“Something like that.” Peri paused as the demon servant shoved his way through the crowd and handed Skye her long white cape that matched her gown. “Mercado can drive you home.”

“No need.” Skye hastily declined the offer, unable to bear the thought of spending any more time in a confined space. “I need the fresh air and open sky.”

“But—”

“I can take care of myself,” Skye interrupted, leaning forward to sweep a kiss over her friend’s cheek before Peri could argue.

Then, with grim determination, she battled her way to the door.

She would return tomorrow to make sure Peri wasn’t being bullied, but first she needed a good night’s sleep. And maybe one of Maya’s calming potions, better known as a margarita...heavy on the tequila.

Once at the door, Skye retrieved the phone she’d dropped in the pocket of her cape. She wanted to pull up her transit app before leaving the building. She preferred to take a leisurely stroll to Penn Station, but she was willing to dash through the backstreets if there was a chance of getting an earlier train to Jersey. Her thumb hovered over the screen when she realized that she’d missed a dozen texts. All from an unfamiliar number.

With a frown she pressed the top message, a chill running down her spine as she read the words.

I’m in the city. Need to see you. Come to the pub Under the Bridge ASAP.

Love, Dad

Dread crawled through Skye, leaving behind a nasty taste in her mouth. It didn’t matter that it’d been fifteen years since she’d last laid eyes on Howard Claremont. Or that she was no longer the vulnerable young girl that he’d bartered off like a piece of property. Just the thought of him was enough to make her nauseous.

An icy awareness abruptly shattered the suffocating sense of doom. Skye lifted her head to discover Micha studying her with an unwavering intensity from across the room. Her breath tangled in her throat as she allowed herself to sink into the hypnotic power of his eyes. A portion of her unease faded and she brushed her fingers over the charms she’d coated with potent spells before leaving the Witch’s Brew.

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