Page 42 of Seduced By Moonlight

Kayden reached across the seat and rested his hand on Lance’s shoulder. Getting huffy would only make Lance dig his heels in, so Kayden decided on another approach. “Tell us. Please.”

“Oh geez, you broke out the wordplease. I protest.”

“You keep saying it was nothing, but obviously it was something.” Kayden ignored Lance’s attempts at being funny. It was a delay tactic, and he knew that. “She creeped all three of us out just now with how she acted, so I think you need to tell us exactly what happened the night you met her.”

Lance sighed heavily. “Fine. When I got there, I immediately made my way to the bar. As you know, they’ve got liquor for humans but also for us. I only had one specialty drink, though. So there I was, sipping my drink and checking out the dance floor.”

“So, business as usual,” Kayden said.

“Yeah.” Lance checked the rearview mirror and then took the ramp so he could get on the interstate. “While I was checking out the crowd, I noticed somebody across the way,” Lance said as he merged into traffic. “And she was absolutely gorgeous.”

“Was it her? Mari, I think you said her name was?” Kayden asked.

“I guess that’s the abbreviated version of her name. But yes, it was her. Her hair fascinated me—that deep violet shade—but her eyes were the killers,” Lance said.

“I’ve never seen eyes that gleamed like molten silver,” Kayden admitted.

“The humans probably thought they were contacts, but I’m positive they were not. Anyway, liquid courage carried me toward her. But as I got nearer, I realized she wasn’t just any paranormal.”

“What do you mean by that?” Mika asked.

“Her aura shimmered with a subtle magic that spoke of old power. I remember thinking that perhaps she was a sorceress or an enchantress? Because whatever she was, she was definitely someone not to be trifled with.”

“Your first thought was some kind of magic user?” Kayden asked.

“She had that smell magic users have. And the closer I got, the more I could see not only intelligence in her eyes but also cruelty. Plus, danger practically poured off her. Whatever interest I had withered as my tiger growled a warning in my head.”

“That’s definitely something a shifter would listen to,” Mika agreed.

Lance nodded. “He’s exactly right. Anyway, we chitchatted for a bit, but it was more like verbal fencing. She asked me if I was enjoying the view, and I said that the club was always full of interesting sights.”

“That sounds more like flirting,” Kayden pointed out.

“It might have sounded like that, but it definitely wasn’t,” Lance said.

“What did she say after that?” Mika asked.

“She saidI see, and it was so obvious she was either amused or took what I said as a challenge. So I asked her what she thought she saw. And that’s when she looked at me and said a white tiger among house cats.”

Mika whistled softly.

“Mika gets it,” Lance said, hands tightening on the steering wheel.

“I’m not a shifter, so I don’t get it. Why did Mika whistle like that?”

“Her identifying me as a shifter wasn’t a surprise, but her knowing my precise type, right down to the color, very much was a shock. She shouldn’t have been able to do that, not unless she was extremely powerful. Anyway, she introduced herself, and I did the same.”

“What then?” Kayden asked.

“She asked me why I was there, and I decided honesty was the best policy. I said I was trying to adjust my body clock for some nocturnal work coming up. Then I asked her what she was doing there.”

“What did she say?” Mika asked.

“She just chuckled and said she was searching for someone. And that, unfortunately, I was not who she was looking for. Then the weirdest thing happened. Her eyes suddenly widened, then she leaned in closer and sniffed me.”

Mika groaned from the back seat. “Any shifter knows what she was doing—and before you ask, Kayden, she was either getting his scent or she’d noticed another scent on him.”

“Exactly. Whatever she smelled made her smile, and that was creepy as hell. Then she told me that perhaps we would meet again. Before I could say another word, she disappeared into the crowd, thank fuck.”

---