Page 63 of The Wolf She Shouldn't Desire

Soon, I walk through the doors of the club, and despite the time of day, there is still a considerably large crowd. I obtain a seat at the bar and order a drink.

“What’s got you looking all down, Talia?” the bartender inquires as he wipes down the bar top.

“Life,” I murmur before downing my drink and signaling to him for another.The laughable cheesiness of the encounter of a bartender asking a patron what’s wrong as said patron attempts to drink their sorrows away is not lost on me.

“Anything any of us here can do?”

I find his question a bit suspicious, but then again, the staff here are always on hand for whatever vice or distraction the patrons seek when they come through the club doors. They definitely have earned the name Depraved. Nothing is really off limits here and that is why so many vampires and werewolves come here at all hours of the day and for the most part tolerate being in each other’s company.

“Just keep the drinks coming. That will help.”

“You got it,” he says with a chippy voice I can’t relate to before he places a second glass down in front of me. I give him a half-hearted smile in acknowledgement.

Drinking alone, my mind once again turns to wallowing and trying to plan in case Danny’s plan doesn’t quite work out how I hope it will. Usually, I don’t wallow because if I did, I would be a blubbering mess that would lay in the fetal position in bed under the covers, never moving. Life is never easy for anyone from what I’ve noticed over the many years I’ve been alive, but it always seems hardest from your own point of view of your own life. Not to try to one up everyone, but mine is pretty shitty with the shit I have to do for my coven and what said coven, particularly my father, puts me through. There’s nothing I can do though at the moment but to allow myself to wallow a little temporarily. Then, I have to pull up my big girl panties and kick ass in my leather pants and high heel boots.

The burn of my drink goes down quickly as I slam another one back aa a commotion breaks out behind me.

“Mangy mutt! Fuck off and leave here before I turn your ass into a fur rug to wipe my boots on. This is my club, and you aren’t welcome here.” The voice sounds vaguely familiar, but I’m not interested enough to turn and see who it is. Sounds like the typical fights you can encounter at least once a week here with vampires and werewolves sharing the same space no matter theclub rules. Like I said, we tolerate each other in herefor the most part. Not completely though.

An explosion of wood cracks through the room, which is impressive considering the volume of the music. “This isn’t your club you fucking blood sucking leech.”

I roll my eyes. Fucking children.

A hiss and a growl hit my ears before I hear the distinct thud of flesh making contact that indicates the two idiots have started beating on each other. More wood cracks, mixed with the sound of glass shattering this time. As I bring my second drink up to my lips, I hear glass shatter and feel a burning sting in the middle of my back.

I see red and whirl around to hiss at the idiots as I realize one of them caused a glass to hit me in the back. “Enough!”

They both stop and look at me with pure rage distorting their faces. As I get a good look at them, I don’t recognize the wolf who is on the smaller side, but the vampire I recognize. Of fucking course it would be one of Zander’s goons starting a fight with a wolf in here. Of fucking course.

“You fucking idiots take that shit outside, or I’ll rip both of your heads off for interrupting my drinking time. And it isn’t your fucking club Nikolai nor is it a vampire exclusive club. You want that shit go somewhere else and shut your damn mouth.”

He hisses at me. “You cunt. I—”

His words are cut off as my blade embeds into his throat causing him to choke on blood. A split second ago it was sheathed on my hip and hidden, but there is one word I hate that men like to call me and he said the magic word to make me snap. It’s efficient in shutting him up but won’t kill him. He’ll need a few extra blood bags tonight if anything. Pure rage, stronger than what he threw at the wolf, stares back at me before he walks out the door. I stare at the wolf with a raised eyebrow. I wish he would pick a fight with me. As he stares at me, he realizes helikely won’t win. He nods and walks toward a group of wolves standing in a corner.

I glance around the club so everyone gets a good look at me and knows not to fuck with me and let me drink in peace. Slowly, they all return to what they were doing prior to the drama between Nikolai and the wolf. I turn back to the bar and find my glass refilled and nod a thank you to the bartender. He nods back in acknowledgment before giving his attention to the next customer.

A few hours later, I decide I’ve had enough of the self-wallowing and decide to suck it up and head home. I chug down the last of my…I don’t even know what number drink I’m on. Placing a few dollar bills on the bar top to cover the tab and tip the bartender who always made sure I didn’t have an empty glass in front of me, I push back from the bar. Soon, I’m outside, and the sun is lower than I expected. I definitely lost track of time.

I’m lost in my thoughts while walking down the alley towards the main road that I don’t notice anything off until there is a slight shift in the air against my right arm. Every muscle tightens in preparation for a fight and doesn’t change when I see who has passed me to block my way.

Zander stands in front of me, staring me down with a glare and a hard, icy look in his eyes. My face adjusts to match his with my own look of anger and consternation. He’s the last person I wanted to see tonight, let alone have to talk to. By the look on his face, he has a bone to pick with me.

“Where have you been?” His voice is calm and level, but I’m not fooled.

“Out,” I say with a bite.

His eyes narrow. There is no damn way he knows where I have been other than Depraved since that’s where I was coming from and one of his coven members was there earlier today.There’s also no way he knows who I have been with since leaving the “engagement party.” “You disappearing without telling your whereabouts isn’t going to fly when we are married.”

“I’m sorry,” I respond with a condescending tone. “I didn’t realize I was marrying you willingly to where I would give a damn about what will or will not ‘fly’ with you. You really are delusional about how this marriage is going to go between us and who you’re marrying.”

“I have no problem breaking you like a wild animal that needs taming. In fact, I’m counting on it. I get turned on thinking about all the ways I can do just that. So, please keep fighting me.”

I hiss at him. “You’re disgusting.”

“Nowyousound delusional in who you think you are marrying.”

I hope he rots in hell, and soon, I think as my lip lifts in disgust at him.

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