Page 7 of Princess of Hell

I’m all right again.

River and the other guy follow in silence. Jacks pushes the door open and I’m hit with the strong scent of leather, beer, and bodies. I almost feel the need to take a step back. Warm blood is all around me, too much of it, more than I’m used to smelling. I push through it and take a few steps inside.

There are primarily men around. Their eyes caress my body. How long will it take until one of them feels the need to walk over and try to explain to me that he has the longest and thickest cock and can’t wait to show me a good time? The sad thing is, I’d be inclined to allow one of these blokes to show me a good time, but he would burn and burst into flames.

A short man with a stocky, muscular build comes over to us. He has long hair, greasy and pulled back in a ponytail. One golden tooth glittered between his lips.

“Jacks,” he calls out and hugs the hot wolf shifter.

They greet each other the way old friends would, going through this weird male ritual of fist bumps, handshakes, and another fist bump. Ugh.

River and Drae greet the owner, who introduced himself to me as Razor with the same joy and warmth, probably expecting me to reciprocate. All I could manage was a half-grin.

“You don’t look like Razor. He had a long tail.” I let the affirmation hang in the air.

Razor smiled a full, toothy smile, showing off a few more gold teeth.

“I’d be anything you like, princess.” He moved too close to me. As I moved my head, my hair touched his upper arm, and I could see small red wells forming.

River interfered between Razor and me. “You should stay away from her. We have something that needs serious recycling back there. Make sure to send your guys. And we’ll take the usual at our table.”

Razor studied the burn marks on his arm. They had already started to heal.

Jacks put his open palm on the small of my back and, weirdly enough, it didn’t bother me. No one ever touched me casually. The shield dropped only for dad, but the Ruler of Hell was not the hugging, touchy-feely type of guy. Uncle Chris touched me. I’ve had a few fantasies about him. He’s good-looking and, as I often reminded myself, he’s not my uncle.

“Let’s sit.”

We walked to a table in the corner of the bar. I understood why. It was close to the emergency exit and far enough away to offer privacy, yet near enough to allow them to participate in the fun.

A mechanical bull in the middle of the room shook a woman with long red hair and a short skirt. A few men stood around it, cheering her on. She smiled and flirted with them.

“This is a shifter bar,” Jacks whispered. He sat close enough for us to talk and still far enough not to invade my space.

I had no chance to answer before a beautiful woman with flowing blonde hair and tits that practically flowed out her low-cut t-shirt showed up. She draped herself around River’s neck and kissed him. He answered the kiss. His hands slid down her body, and she moaned.

Drae cleared his throat, and River stopped this make-out session with the blonde Boobarella.

“Hi, River. I missed you,” she purred. She was some sort of shifter, but not a strong shifter. I could barely pick up the energy off her.

“Hey, Sadie. Will you take our orders?” Jacks interrupted.

A waitress.

River leaned into her, whispered something that made her smile and, with a smile, ordered a shot of vodka.

“Silver, what would you like?”

River put me on the spot. I have little experience with human food.

“Allow me,” said Jacks.

I nodded and smiled. Sadie threw me a poisonous look, but I wasn’t concerned with her.

“Sadie, bring us stew and beers. Thanks.”

“Okay.” She wrote down our order and walked away with a half-smile.

“I don’t have experience with your kind of food,” I whispered, my mouth close to his ear but still far enough away to make sure that I didn’t touch him.

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