Page 2 of Tempting Her Dragons

As I round the corner, I stop at the top of the stairs and look over the club. It doesn’t look like the smell drove the customers away. The dance floor is packed, and every stool is occupied. A long bar runs along one wall and another across the vast space. The dance floor is between them, and tables and booths line the outer edge. Ryker’s office and several private balcony rooms are on the second floor. The space is all dark colors and gleaming, dark cherry-red wood.

I take my time going down the stairs. Bash’s white hair moves fast through the crowd, stopping at different people momentarily before moving on. Bash is a vampire with white hair and the lightest blue eyes I’ve ever seen. He is four hundred years old and is using his influence on the humans to changetheir memories of the hair incident. He is mated, like Ryker, and is probably not happy to be doing the task I forced him to do instead of sitting with his pretty mate. Marie was human before meeting Bash but has adjusted to vampire life like she was born to it.

The one rule of being a shifter is never to show humans that you are different. I broke that rule, and they could have been very harsh with me, but luckily, they must have a soft spot for me. It could be the fact that both of the fierce vampires have done way worse than I did. The guy deserved it. I don’t like those who think they have the right to abuse women.

Oh, yeah, I torture men for those kinds of acts. Men who do much worse than putting their hand on a strange woman’s ass.

“That was hysterical.”

I stop at the bar and look at my new friend, who was speaking.

Heath is someone I met through my other vampire friend, Micah. Micah is an ancient vampire who practically raised me and taught me all my tortuous ways. Heath is an unknown shifter. Seriously, no one but Micah and Quinn, a bear shifter, know what he is. We’ve been taking bets on what he is.

“Ryker is a little peeved,” I tell him, holding up my fingers.

“I’m sure,” he says dryly.

“You saw everything?” I ask. I didn’t know he was here when it happened.

“I did.” He turns on his stool, facing me. “I wish I would have recorded it. Sally would have loved to see it.”

“Definitely,” I agree. Sally is a rabbit shifter. She is the life of the party and the queen of the group text. I get random texts throughout all hours of the day. “You’ll have to give her a play-by-play.”

“It won’t be the same as witnessing it,” he says and takes a drink.

“True. My brothers are going to give me endless shit,” I pout. I have two brothers, Bishop and Laken. When they met their mate, a fight broke out at a BBQ, and Laken lit a woman’s hair on fire. I have had months of fun mentioning it, but now I have lost my angle of teasing.

“Yes, they will,” he agrees.

“Are you going to tell me what you are?” I ask. I’ve asked him daily since we became friends, and he has refused.

“Nope.”

“No fun.” I prop my elbows on the bar, resting my head on my twined fingers, and turn toward him. “Will you ever?” I’ve never smelled a scent like his. It bugs the shit out of me that I can’t figure it out.

“Maybe,” he quips, grinning.

“I won’t hold my breath,” I glare, but not for long. How can I stay mad at someone that looks so swoon-worthy? His hair is black, with just enough on top to grab. His eyes are an electric blue with long black eyelashes, and staring into them is hypnotic. He’s got muscles he hides behind a crisp dress shirt and slacks.

“We’ll see,” he whispers.

I huff and face forward. “Ryker’s probably going to fire me.”

“Probably,” he says.

“Hey,” I gasp, standing straight.

“Not because of the fire,” he starts, gesturing around the room. “You’ve been standing at the bar, ignoring your tables.”

“Shit,” I groan.

“Later, sexy dragon,” Heath says, empties his cup, and leaves the bar.

Fuck. I better get to work. After I watch Health walk away. Damn.

I am the worst waitress.

My brothers built me a cabin on the far edge of their land, and I love it. I unlock the door and turn on the lights. I let out a breath, grateful to be in my haven. Directly inside the door to the left is the living room, and beyond that, an arch separates the kitchen. To my right is my bedroom, bathroom, and spare bedroom. Everything is bright wood with high ceilings and stained white, making it look rustic.

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