Page 70 of The Vampire's Thirst
He twisted his head toward her, seeming puzzled by her mood. “Stop with the self-pity. You saw what those males can do. Besides, you already agreed to go this route. What’s wrong now?”
What was wrong? Dax was wrong. He didn’t caress her thigh or pat her ass. Denying any connection between them, any spark of attraction, he treated her like a millstone he couldn’t wait to pass on to someone else. Face it, he hurt her feelings without even knowing he was doing it. He chipped away at her memories of him as her hero, her ideal man. If he wasn’t more careful, all his knightly armor would be tarnished.
But he was right. Besides, maybe on Scath she would also get answers about herself. Answers she needed. “Nothing. Just a momentary slip. Of course, I’m going.”
****
Onceinside, Jace yelled over the loud music. “This is the famous Blood Shed?”
“Yep.” While Galena strutted into the bar, wearing an ass-high skirt, Jace assessed her own figure along with her conservative wardrobe. The long-legged Amazon had it all. Beautiful face. No flab on a body that turned men’s heads. Andbeaucouppersonality.
The only thing Jace had going for her was long strawberry-blonde hair. It had highlights and shine if she soaked it in conditioner and brushed the hell out of it every night.
Celene used to do that.
To pass the time, the two captive women also gave each other manicures and pedicures, having negotiated with Lort to order stuff from a beauty supply catalogue. Her friend chose wild polish colors, as wild as her daredevil spirit. Orgasm Blue. First Kiss Red. Lickable Lavender.
Jace chose Sweet Coral. Pink Dreams. Mundane Mauve.Boring.
Together, they exercised, brushed each other’s hair, read aloud, shared stories, and planned an escape. She had to find Celene. The Firebrands and Skyler were working on it, but no progress yet.
Her thoughts turned back to the Amazon Firebrand who smoothed out the lines of a tight sweater which called attention to her large breasts. Jace glanced down at her own meager chest. No wonder Tyr never looked at her as if she were a piece of candy. She was still too skinny, needing to put on more weight after her imprisonment and escape.
“This is where we usually sit.” Galena pointed to three couches and a high table with stools off to the side where Chay, Margo, Rein, and Braelyn were chatting. Acknowledging the others, the Amazon lowered her shapely self onto one of the sofas, tugging Jace’s arm. She signaled for a waitress and held up two fingers. “I know just what you need, girl.”
“I’m not much of a drinker.” Jace crossed her legs, hoping they looked good with her full skirt. “When I do drink, I go for red wine. Something like a Pinot.”
Galena had other plans, though. “Uh-huh. Not tonight.”
The bar quieted. Heads turned. Ram swaggered through the door with a possessive arm looped over Denim’s shoulder, his long caramel-streaked hair flowing down his back. Women heaved breathy sighs at the handsome, sexy satyr Firebrand. After he sank his gorgeous ass onto the opposite couch with his mate tucked against his side, talk in the Shed picked up again.
Jace wondered if it bothered Denim when everyone ogled her man. His eyes, however, were on his mate. His eyes, his hands, and his lips now that they were seated.
“Where’s the kid, girlfriend?” asked Galena.
“It’s date night.” Denim broke from Ram’s kiss. “Jonquil is with her grandpa.”
The satyr didn’t look happy to be interrupted. In fact, the minute Denim finished talking, he got back to business.
Another buzz disrupted the bar. Tyr and Brak strode in with two other males on their heels. All in black, they moved like storm clouds. The crowd, sensing danger, cleared a path as the males carved their way toward the Firebrands’ section.
The warlock with a silver piercing through his brow, spiked black hair, and face tat took her breath. His don’t-mess-with-me swagger screamed sex on a popsicle stick. But the man was totally wrong for her.
Tell that to her racing heart. It was currently doing a 100-meter sprint.Thump, thump, thump. She palmed her cheek.Hot.Her body also moistened in the most embarrassing place as she envisioned him throwing her onto a bed and pressing down on her with his solid weight.
“What’s wrong?” Galena followed her line of sight. “Brak or Tyr? Surely not their tails, Sig or Bade. They’re just too immature. Now Brak’s a big guy. He acts young sometimes, but I hear he’s a beast in bed. Carnal demon. If you get my drift. Tyr, rumor has it, is all wild warlock. He used to be kind of a naive kid, but then his life took a left turn. When he was a rookie Firebrand, he lost a friend. That’s his story to tell, but around the same time, Rein’s sister, Elisabeta, dumped him. The change was overnight. No more Mr. Nice Guy. The feral kill-em-with-a-dick-and-a-dagger vibe gets him lots of action.”
“Oh. I’m not…”
“It’s the warlock.” Galena eyed Jace from head to toe. “You are so not his type, girl.”
Jace picked up the glass of dark and dangerous the waitress delivered. “I agree, but when I see him my Hyde becomes Jekyll. I become another person. I like structure, predictability. I get up at the same time each morning and go to bed at the same time each night. I avoid taking risks and like men who wear suits, not bike leathers. When I see Tyr, I feel like I’m jumping out of a plane without a parachute.” Taking a sip of the drink, she coughed.
Galena smacked a palm on her back. “Good stuff, huh? Demon Rum. Hell, girl, if we only went for what’s right, sex would get old fast. Expand your horizons.”
Leaning closer to Galena, Jace whispered in her ear. “If I wanted his attention, how would I get it?”
The Amazon twisted in her seat to unbutton Jace’s sensible cardigan until the plump tops of her breasts and her lacy push-up bra showed. “Be aggressive. Lesson one, a male’s eyes are connected to his penis.” Leaning closer, Galena shared other pertinent info about men, the bar, and Aeternals in general.
