Page 41 of Demon Found

Turning sideways, I concentrate on Alarick’s benign chatter. He’s a good distraction. He paws at my arm while he talks, edging close enough to lick me. He better not. He’s done it before. I glare at theidiota’shand before shaking him off. Damn wolves, always so touchy-feely.

Val stalks away from Naeve’s table, her face one giant frown.

“Come back here, little harpy,” says a guy at the table she’s left. “There’s a space for you right here on my lap.”

Stiffening, I make a mental note of the vamp’s face. It won’t be so pretty later tonight. Val’s one of mine. She signed on with the Maveriks, even if she keeps a low profile.

Val turns briefly, flicking the vamp the V before catching my eye and grinning. She shoulders her way through the crowd to the gathering of Maveriks at the exit.

I trust Val, as much as I trust anyone. She knows I don’t tolerate betrayal. Everyone does. I earned my rep. I don’t need friendship, I need loyalty.

Looks like she couldn’t tolerate that bunch of assholes long enough to wait for Lorelei. I don’t blame her. Glancing back to their table, Ijustcatch it—the vampire’s hand is a blur of movement, and Naeve’s drink fizzes quickly.

What the hell?

My anger boils under my skin, and I stare hard at the wall. It shouldn’t bother me. Naeve’s a Cuelebre.It shouldn’t bother me. But it’s wrong. If that was my sister, the puta would be dead already. I’d find a necromancer and bring the asshole back just to kill him again.

Naeve’s oblivious, chattering away, eyes anywhere but where they need to be.Shit.The stupid, naive . . . My gaze slides over the group. Hewie is staring fixedly at Naeve’s glass, chewing on his pinkie nail. Maybe the puny excuse for a banshee has his uses after all. Thank the hells.

Hewie’s narrow face screws up as he reaches for the drink. Before his fingers even touch the glass, the vampire grabs his hand, twisting his arm behind his back and muttering in his ear. The filthy feeder laughs, patting Hewie’s face with his other hand. To anyone else, the two are having a bit of rough banter, but the kid shrinks into himself, eyes darting back and forth. He shakes his head rapidly and the vampire drops his arm, giving it one last wrench before he lets go completely.

I watch for a few minutes more. Nothing. He’s doing nothing? The spineless bastard.Nowwhat do I do? I shuffle a couple of feet forward, then reverse until my ass hits the wall. I’m a black-and-white guy. Ialwaysknow my mind.

Lorelei reappears, stalking toward her friend. Her swaying hips are a wet dream. The woman is perfection. But better, she’ll look after Naeve. But she doesn’t know Naeve’s been spiked.

Hell. I can’t walk away, can I? I’d be no better than the vamp.

The banshee wet wipe wriggles up from the table and shuffles his way to the restroom.

Score.

He’s unwittingly provided me with a solution. One he’s not going to like. I smile.

Pushing myself off the wall, I stalk after him.

Chapter Twenty-one: Chano

“Stop,screamer.”Hewiebacksaway until his shoulders hit the grimy tiled wall. “I saw what the vamp did.”

“Whaaa? Who? Hunter? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Hunter.That’sthe vamp.

The washroom door swings open behind me, and I sniff the air. Alarick. He knows better than to interfere. Without sparing Alarick a glance, I lunge for Hewie. He ducks down the side of the urinals, tripping on his own feet and falling face-first into the urine-stained porcelain. Gross—his terror and the piss.

Stepping quickly forward, I drag him up, twisting his arm behind him and giving a sharp tug for emphasis.

“Feel familiar, coward? Hunter hurt you just like this, threatened you to keep you quiet. Well, now you’re going to squeal. I’m going tomakeyou squeal. That asshole you’re covering for is planning onrapingNaeve. Run along and tell Farrell or Zephyr, or I will drag you to the seventh level of hell and leave you there for my hell hounds to play with.”

“Wh-why w-would you c-care?”

“I trust we have an arrangement.” I drop my voice, ignoring his idiotic question. “I will do far worse to you than Hunter. I will make your life a living, breathing hell,comprende?”

Hewie pales and gulps audibly. A whiff of ammonia hits my nostrils and I fling the little creep away from me. That’s fresh—he’s pissed himself. I didn’t even hurt him. Not much.

“I’ll t-tell them. P-promise.” He scuttles off, out the door, dabbing ineffectually at the damp patch on his pants.

“That wasn’t so hard. Being nice. Was it?” Alarick pats my arm.

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