Page 29 of Dragon Boss (Paranormal Delights 2)

"About what exactly?" he asked as he glanced at the vampire.

He shrugged. "I don't know. I got a bad feeling."

"I've already told you, it's nothing."

"But-"

"Leave it alone! Damn, what is it with all of you today?" he grumbled.

Why were all of them pushing him? If it wasn't Spooky, it was Micha or Eldon. He'd give his left arm to have his old hosts back. Yes, they could get under his skin, but not like this. There were no blurred lines, nothing but good work ethic, and for the most part, obedience. His new hosts were as chaotic and headstrong as they came.

Arden led Bash down to the bar and started showing him where things went. He pulled out the inventory list and went over what they had and what needed to be ordered. Eldon had already done it but Arden was anxious. He needed something to occupy his mind.

"You said yesterday you had experience with bartending?"

Bash nodded. "Yes, I slung beer and mixed a few drinks at some biker bars outside of the city until they figured out I wasn't human." He shrugged. "I went to another host bar hoping to be their bartender or do security because of my size, but the guy there... I knew him."

"Which bar did you go to?"

“The PGD in Oxdale."

Recognition clouded Arden’s eyes. "Oh. Who did you know?"

"The leader," Bash said before he twisted a glass back and forth, staring at it as he became lost in thought. "Let's just say he once had a chance to do the right thing and he left me behind."

Arden stared at Bash until the man tore his gaze from the glass and made eye contact. His dark, forest green eyes stared into Arden's and the man almost told him the truth. Porter had told him about Bash in passing, but he hadn't known the man's name. Now he knew what he meant. This was the bear that they'd had to leave behind in that disgusting underground, supernatural auction. Humans had been selling them off like objects, but they couldn’t stop to save anyone but who they’d come for. Bash hadn't seen Arden back then.

Porter must have a guilty conscious. Might as well help him.

"Hmm alright." Arden turned to the drinks and pulled out a menu. "So, this is the current menu that we're working from. Read it over and memorize it. Can you do that?"

Bash grunted.

"I'll take that as a yes. Once you're done with that, we'll set everything up for tonight and if Gamble needs your help, you'll float to security. We're severely short-staffed so doing more than one job is expected of everybody."

"I'm not opposed to hard work. Never have been."

"Good. Then we'll get along fine."

Arden stood back and coached Bash through the drink recipes. While he made them a blur of motion caught his eye. Spooky. The familiar had changed into a pair of jeans and a comfortable t-shirt that slid off of one shoulder. His black ears were down, droopy, and his tail dragged behind him. He walked through the host club quickly, keeping his eyes straight ahead. Arden stared at him as his stomach twisted into knots.Spooky.Even from where he stood he could make out the warmth in his brown eyes and the he admired the way his freshly washed hair stuck out in odd angles. Arden continued to stare him down until the man glanced over his shoulder, paled, and moved more quickly.

Shit. Need to talk to him.

A monster was no longer who he was. He'd left that life behind and Arden refused to go back to it. The past needed to stay dead and buried. No more slip ups. If he had to lock himself away and gain control over his dragon again, that’s what he would do.

"Is this right?" Bash asked, his deep, gravelly voice drawing Arden's attention back to the man.

He picked up the drink and took a sip. "Pretty good. Your ratios are a little off though so try it again."

"Alright."

Arden went back to tracking Spooky. He couldn't avoid the dragon forever, but he was certainly trying. Arden's heart squeezed as Spooky scurried back upstairs and disappeared from sight.

He wasn't meant to be around such soft and sweet people. Arden's life had been fire, blood, and death but these people didn't know what that was like. Centuries of fighting, conquering. And then giving it all up to have something that wasn’t steeped in blood.

"Arden, there's someone on the phone for you," Eldon said as he nodded to the main line. "He asked for you by name."

Sighing, Arden pushed away from the bar he'd been leaning on. "Watch over Bash and help him out if you can. Just show him the measurements of everything." He turned on his heels. "I'll be back shortly."

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