Page 52 of Hunted By Darkness

We headed inside with another human leading us. This one was a woman, and her sole focus was the three men I’d come with. She made a big show of bending over so her cleavage was in perfect view of each one. When none of them responded, the cute redhead huffed and pointed to a door where another man in a suit stood guard. It led to the second-floor stairs. After a short inspection, I got the sense it was human security. I didn’t sense any magic.

Fae types weren’t the only ones with magic. Salvator wasn’t a Fae. I learned he was a human whose ancestors gained favor with animal souls and were given the ability to shift into those animal forms. It was those magical forms that gave him a longer lifespan and fast healing even out of them.

Breeding with humans had a lot to do with their kind having access to different types of magic. It manifested sometimes after skipping generations, but other magical types did exist, though some had been eradicated, like Tometi mentioned before. Themost prevalent were Light and Dark Fae. Fae I could sense easier, but others I needed to dig deeper to know for sure.

I hadn’t encountered many myself, but my father kept a detailed accounting of every type he’d crossed paths with. Silas explained that the Brotherhood was known for its versatility, so I should expect to encounter types I never knew existed and powers I’d argue shouldn’t be possible.

That was why I never doubted him when he got like this. He’d lived centuries longer. I couldn’t possibly understand that level of knowledge and skill. Not only was I barely a tenth of his age, but I’d been kept under lock and key in the Dark Fae Society.

With flourish, the human female gestured to the second floor, where glass lined the side and the ambiance was decidedly intimate. “You can feel free to use any table on our second floor. It’s a section for our special guests. Let the waiter up there know what you’d like to drink. First round of cocktails are on us.” Then she disappeared to greet someone else.

“Is that normal for a human club?” I asked Lev.

He hummed and shook his head. “Not typically, no, but I keep telling you that you’re hot, and youneverbelieve me. Hot girls in the human world get special treatment.”

“And in my bed,” Silas added, bending down to bite my neck. I barely held back a gasp. “But not to worry, love. It’s just the one. You keep me plenty busy.”

“Oh, we know. We heard it loud and clear this morning,” Lev complained before getting an elbow from me.

I took in the space with a curious eye. It was much bigger inside than it looked from the outside. It branched out to several areas: a bar, dance floor, and seated booths. I’d expected it to be overly crowded, but it wasn’t. Most of the humans congregated either on the dance floor or around the bar, but the spaces in between were easier to move around in.

The tight little number Lev picked out for me to wear clung to every curve, and Silas didn’t know how to keep his hands to himself. They were always wandering one curve or another, making sure no one mistook me as single. He’d said as much the minute I stepped out wearing it.

“You’re a diabolical bastard to give my bird a dress like that, lad. I’m going to spend the entire bloody night plucking the eyes out of anyone who stares too long.”

Lev had celebrated his victory with a laugh and thumbs up, not the least bit sorry. I wasn’t happy about the dress, either. It barely covered anything. I’d be tugging at it all night. But it wasn’t the first time I’d worn something like it, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last if the way Silas ate me up as I walked by his side had anything to do with it.

He'd complained but didn’t demand I change. He couldn’t. He was enjoying it the most, and the grin Lev snuck the large brute’s way said he knew it, too.

Standing tables lined a half wall as we walked deeper into the building, and I caught humans peeking our way in fascination. I didn’t sense anything other than humans. Magic tickled at the end of my fingers, ready to slither around the area and find anything lurking. But out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glitter of blue before it disappeared.

Silas was already several steps ahead of me.

“What’s got you two on guard?” I asked, searching for something I wasn’t seeing.

“Smell anything?” Silas asked Salvator when we stopped between the bar and dance floor.

Salvator was close to my side, scanning the crowd. “Not anything I recognize, but I’m limited in this form.”

“You think him selecting us wasn’t a coincidence?” I finally gathered.

Silas scanned the crowd, then he leaned down so his mouth was right next to my ear. “It’s possible, but I can’t find anything. Either nothing’s here, or we’re dealing with sneaky bastards.”

Peeking over my shoulder, I eyed the two phantoms. They both shook their heads. “Tometi and Ryker don’t smell anything, either.”

Silas and Salvator didn’t appear convinced. Neither of them let down their guard as we made our way to the entrance leading upstairs. The human guarding the door pressed a finger to his ear, nodded, and then gestured for us to go up. But no one in my group moved.

Silas glared at the security guard the way he had the bouncers, and the large man grew increasingly wary of what he might do.

It was several silent seconds before Lev slapped both men on the back, smirking. “Stay on guard, if you must, but don’t let it ruin our night out. I promised Niks fun, and you guys being all shifty-eyed and serious isn’t it.”

Silas grinned and landed a hand on Lev’s shoulder hard enough to nearly take my friend off his feet. The guy guarding the door flinched but tried to hide it. “You’re right, lad. No sense in ruining a perfectly good night out.” The brute’s hands were already back on my hips, dragging me close. “And I have plans for this one. You two grab a table and drinks.”

Lev waved us away, and I was taken out to the floor where the music overpowered all other sounds.

“Now…” Silas murmured when he’d decided we were in a good spot. “What’s this I hear about dancing, love? Why have I never been shown these nymph of the forest moves in all the months I’ve been your one true love?”

Shaking my head, I let him guide my hands around his shoulders. “One true love, huh?”

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