Page 3 of Demon's Obsession

“Sir,” he nodded, easing in front of the club.

People looked at them as they exited the car. At nearly seven feet tall, he towered over mostly everyone. Christa, in heels, barely reached his chest.

She took the hand he offered to assist her out of the car and then had to increase his stride when she managed to walk faster in five-inch heels than most men in flat shoes.

It was a talent.

Her hips swayed seductively, enticing those queuing to gawk. Part of the reason he liked to go out with her was men looked at her and avoided looking at him. Most people assumed they were a couple. This also suited him, and Christa, who was a lesbian and didn’t want men hitting on her.

As always, she was right. They were inside and seated right at the front with a bottle of expensive champagne sat in an ice bucket, away from the crowded area behind them.

The band currently on the stage weren’t too bad but were loud enough it made talking impossible. Therefore he heard none of what the manager of Earth Space was saying to Christa. He could easily have used his power to find out, but he didn’t care.

He took a sip of the sparkling wine, letting it sit on his tongue to enjoy the sweetness. He had a sweet tooth in all things, and he approved of his sister's wine selection.

He brooded over whether she would be right about the singer. The band on stage left some minutes later. When the owner of the club appeared with a microphone, smiling at the crowd, they grew unnaturally quiet behind Dakata. The hairs on the back of his neck tingled, and his demon half became alert and watchful.

“We are thrilled to announce that Silas is back tonight. Are you excited?”

The roar set off his demon, and Dakata visibly tensed to prevent him from revealing himself to the crowd.

They calmed quicker than Dakata expected when the owner stepped aside, and a man walked onto the stage.

Every fiber in Dakata’s body woke up. He inhaled, his head moving to capture the scent coming from the man wearing white baggy jeans and a white half fitted top that revealed an abundance of honey golden skin.

Dryad.

He smelled of the forest. Of earth. A rich tangy scent that lightened that of the crowd behind him. Leaves adorned his temples as rich chestnut hair parted in the middle, fell in soft waves to his shoulders.

“Hey,” he murmured, coming closer to the microphone.

Dakata held his breath with a sense of unexpected expectation, shifting forward in his seat without thinking. Their gazes met, and something sparked there in the warm brown eyes. Then his lips gently curved at the edges and his eyelids fluttered, breaking their connection when the first whispers of the song filled the quiet.

Chapter Three

Silas

“Thank you, George. I’ll see you in an hour. We’ll get burgers when I’m done.” Silas closed the door of the taxi quietly, taking care not to damage the hinges. He smiled as George immediately pulled into traffic ahead of a large black SUV that was taking up most of the drop off point in front of Earth Space—the place he called home for just an hour each Friday.

Walking up to the front of the queue because he was expected, Silas shook his head at the crowd. “Is there a reason it’s busierthan normal tonight?” he asked Lucas, the resident security guard.

“I think you’ll find most of them are here for you.” Lucas had a wide-open smile for him as he let Silas pass. “There’s a couple of VIPs here, and I think someone must’ve put the word out about it on social media. It’s all good. Just give me a signal if anyone gives you any trouble.”

“I’m just here sharing a couple of songs. I can’t see why that would cause any trouble, but thank you.” Slipping past, Silas avoided the main part of the club, ducking down the small hallway to the side of the main door. The passageway was perfect for staff who didn’t want to battle their way across the open floor, full of people all out having a good time. The electricity that he’d felt on the drive into the club seemed more intense—it was as if the air was alive.This is going to be a good session.

The band was finishing up the last song of their set as Silas wandered into the dressing room and perched his butt on a stool. He didn’t need to change his clothes, fix his hair, or use makeup like some of the band members did. But he did enjoy taking a moment to get a feel for the vibe of the club before it was his time to perform.

Ever since Branson, the manager of Earth Space had spotted him singing down by the river one evening a couple of months before—another burger run—and spoken to him, they’d come to an arrangement where he would turn up, sing, and then leave again. It was that simple, and Silas liked simple.

“Hey, man, love the top. It suits you.” Crave, the lead singer of the band came in, quickly followed by the others.

Silas mentally groaned.I seriously should’ve taken two more seconds to change into my t-shirt.But since spending time with people, Silas had learned to mimic socially acceptable behavior. “What? This old thing?” He flicked the hem of his top as Crave laughed.Phew. That must’ve been the right response.

“Hey Silas, it was probably a good idea, you wearing such a sexy top tonight. You might want to put a bit of spice in your shimmy when you’re singing.” Morticia, the drummer, plopped onto a stool beside him. “There’s a big time music producer out front tonight, and the buzz around the club is he could be looking for new talent.”

“Oh, I didn’t know.” Silas was confused that Morticia seemed so happy about it. “Would you guys rather sing for him instead? I mean, if I’m taking up your slot, you can go back out there, and I can…”

“No, no, no, Silas.” Crave took a long swig from a beer bottle. “We already have a great gig here, we’re not looking for anything else. My guess is that it’s you he’s come to see.”

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