Page 51 of Hunted By Darkness

“Lev, I’m going to obliterate you. That was supposed to stay between us,” I complained with a withering sigh. I’d hoped never to relive that night. I’d been propositioned by more than Devion, and it ended in a fight. “I haven’t danced in thirty years.”

“Which is a damn shame,” Lev clapped back, winking.

Silas leaned down and whispered in my ear, “I’m of the same opinion. You’ve deprived your handsome rogue a part of yourself, little rebel. We can’t have that, now can we?”

“You know what, you’re right,” I agreed a little too quickly, catching my group off guard. Turning my eyes to where Ryker and Tometi stood, I beamed a smile at them. “I’ll dance with you boys first. It’s only right, seeing how neither of you have had a chance to enjoy your new bodies yet.”

Silas’s mood soured in an instant. “That’s bloody diabolical of you, little rebel.”

“Creative punishments for difficult blokes, right?” I crossed my arms and offered the big oaf a saucy wink, imitating his accent in the worst way possible. “You dragged me out here with the help of my best friend, so I’ll be making the most of it.”

Lev tossed his head back and laughed. “She’s got you there.”

“Oi, lad, whose side are you on?” Silas scowled and clung to me as if it’d keep me from doing what I threatened.

Shrugging, my friend watched as one of the bouncers made his way over to our group. “Hers, obviously.”

Before Silas could argue, the bouncer who was ironically shorter and had less muscle than the two giants in our group tapped his shoulder.

22

Nika

It was a sight when Silas pivoted, placing his body between me and the club bouncer as if he expected an attack. Silas was nearly halfway to seven feet, and this guy was several inches shy of six. The people around us quieted, sure a fight was about to break out. A few had their phones aimed at us, and I silently hoped Silas didn’t make a scene that ended up on a human news channel.

Probably not a great way to stay under the radar.

The human took a step back and cleared his throat. “Come with me,” he said in a much too soft voice, visibly uncomfortable with Silas leering down at him.

“For what reason, mate?”

I didn’t see Silas’s expression, but Ryker was behind the dark-haired human giving me a hilarious play-by-play. “Oh, he’s using that grin. You know, that ‘I’ll tear you apart piece by piece, and I’ll enjoy it’ grin he gives before slicing a poor asshole to bits. Real horror movie stuff,” Ryker told me, whistling in appreciation. “Gotta hand it to the overprotective asshole, he’s a scary motherfucker when you cross him. I’d be pissing my pants if I weren’t already dead.”

The bouncer’s eyes shot over to where I stood behind Silas, desperate for help. “I just…I thought you’d want to skip the line, sweetheart. Don’t you? It’s a bit cold, and you’re in that dress… She’s with you, right?”

“Oi, you’re talking to me, mate. Don’t look at her. Don’t talk to her.” Silas’s voice had dropped several octaves. “Talk to me, and you’ll be sound, yeah?”

The man’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “Yes, of course. Sorry about that, sir.”

I almost felt bad for the guy, but I’d intervene if Silas took it a step too far. With a quick glance to my side, it was evident he and Salvator were on the same page. The shifter glared at the bouncer like he’d take his head if he so much as toed out of line.

“Skip the line, you say?” Silas hummed and cradled his jaw, then turned to me. “Seems like we’re getting the VIP treatment thanks to you, love. This bloke here is quite taken with you, seeing how he’s a bit fretful about how cold you’ll be in that dress…”

He might be smiling, but his words made every human around us shift back several steps.

When his head turned, the bouncer shrunk back even farther, knocking into a few people behind him. “No disrespect, sir. We always choose a few ladies to come in ahead of the rest. It’s policy.” He swallowed. “And totally random.”

“Random? Oh, aye.” Silas eased off the poor human and slung his arm around my shoulders with a shit-eating grin. “In that case, lead the way, Hubert.” But his eyes went to Salvator, and the two shared a look that carried weight.

“It’s Harry.”

Silas cackled. “Exactly what I said, Hubert.”

The poor guy didn’t have the hubris to correct my oversized brute a second time, so he simply unhooked the barrier rope and gestured for us to head toward the entrance. The other blonde human guarding the door nodded at Silas as we passed, equally wide-eyed and uncomfortable. Neither seemed eager to talk to him.

Why had we gotten chosen?

Looking up, I waited for Silas to clue me into what he was thinking, but the mercenary dropped a quick kiss on my mouth and pulled me closer without uttering a word.

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