Page 25 of Shadow City: Silver Wolf

"So, while you two figure out your plans, Dove and I are heading inside." Killian wrapped an arm around my waist and nudged me toward the entrance.

A low growl emanated from behind me, and I forced myself to keep my eyes forward and not look back to see what Griffin was upset about. If I confirmed he felt whatever thistugwas between us, it would only make it harder for me to keep my distance.

"Don't you dare walk away from me," Luna yelled as her heels click-clacked after him. "You're going to talk to me. What the hell is your problem?"

"Hurry, let's get out of here," Killian whispered close to my ear.

Griffin sighed. "Can you stop being a drama queen?"

Oh, that wasn't smart. Calling a woman a drama queen was equivalent to calling a crazy person... well... crazy.

"I'll show you drama queen," Luna whispered threateningly.

Killian and I entered the building. The bar was one large open square with a cherry wood bar in the middle of the wall to the right. Three people were working behind the counter, and it looked like they had several beers on tap along with a cabinet full of wines and liquors. Cups of varying sizes were shelved below the cabinets. Stools lined the bar, and about twenty round tables were scattered around the main floor. The walls were made of varying neutral colors of brick with booths set against them. Televisions hung in every corner of the room, but they weren't blaring.

"I can actually hear myself think." This wasn't as bad as I'd expected. Between the tolerable noise level and lack of smoke, eating here wouldn't be that bad. Well, if Griffin and Luna weren't going to be joining us.

"This is a bar owned by wolf shifters in a mostly supernatural town." Killian bumped his shoulder into mine. "None of us like loud noises."

Fair point.

A beautiful sandy-blonde-haired girl headed in our direction. She wore a white button-down shirt and gray slacks that matched her eyes. She was a few inches shorter than me, but she walked with such poise that she appeared taller. Her hair was pulled back into a low ponytail with tendrils framing her face. "Hey, Killian." She smirked when her attention landed on me. "Who's this?"

"Sierra, this is Dove." He kissed my cheek and pulled back, gesturing to the girl. "Dove, this is Sierra. One of the few girls in town who knows how to handle both Griffin’s and my asses."

"Handle?" She laughed. "I don't know if I would go that far, but I gotta say, you've never been one to take a girl out the day after a night of passion."

"She's different." He wrapped an arm around my waist. "She's tamed my wild ways."

"A girl after my own heart." Sierra leaned toward me. "You'll have to tell me your secret skills later, but for now, is it just the two of you?"

"No, unfortunately, Griffin and the devil incarnate will be joining us momentarily." Killian shivered. "Did you bring the holy water?"

"Between her and her dad, I always have extra on hand."

"Is her dad as bad as she is?" I couldn't imagine that.

Sierra grabbed four laminated menus and rolled her eyes. "He's worse in a different way. He wants everything to be perfect, but he's super nice. Luna demands all the attention. She’s had her sights set on Griffin since she was a kid."

"That long?" I could kind of see it.

"Yes, that long." She waved for us to follow her. "Where are you from? I haven't seen you around."

"Oh, that's because I'm new." I had no clue what else to say. I didn't want to tell her how I got here, and I couldn’t lie, mainly because she'd know. "Killian found me, and the rest is history."

"He tries to be a player like Griffin, but he could never quite pull it off." She stopped at a booth and turned to Killian, squishing his cheeks. "And now he has a girlfriend. My little buddy is growing up."

"You two act like brother and sister." I slid into the booth and scooted over to the wall.

Killian got in beside me and took my hand, placing it on the table. "We pretty much are. She was my sister's best friend. Sierra is my age, but she clicked with my younger sister because they had the same maturity level."

“Yup, Olive was way more mature than Killian.” Sierra jutted her hip. “If she was here, she’d be kicking his ass into gear. Maybe you could do that job since he won’t listen to anyone else.”

“Olive had a way,” Killian said with longing.

Thetugpulled at me once again, and my attention went to the front door as it opened and Luna and Griffin marched inside. They radiated tension and avoided looking in each other's direction.

A man entered and walked around them, taking a seat at the end of the bar near a small hallway that had an exit sign.

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