Page 32 of Captive Hybrid

I was not asking for that!I set down my fork. ‘That’s a real thing? You have people, what, strip for you while you eat them?’

Evelyn purses her lips. ‘You don’t have to be so judgmental about it. But, yes.’ She lifts her shoulder in a delicate shrug. ‘They’re… usually here willingly.’

My cheeks flare. ‘I’m not.’

‘Well, you’re not stripping or being eaten.’ Evelyn points out. ‘Look. You live your life, we live ours. They’re different.’

As though that makes everything they do fine. My jaw works, trying to control my outrage. I level my gaze at her, my vines curling. ‘What happens if you see a—what, a feeder—here against their will? Would you help them?’

Evelyn sucks her teeth. ‘Human or supe?’

I scoff. ‘Does it matter?’

On the table, her fingers slowly curl into fists, a calculated show of her anger. ‘Yes. Zenna, make no mistake, vampires feed on humans. That’s how it is. Now, please don’t forget the company you’re keeping. We are keeping you safe even though you probably look as delicious as mud cake to some of us. Drusilla is our queen, our mother. We are all on our best behaviour for her right now. Our ancestors killed her. She wanted to take us all out, but now she’s had a better idea. I want her to stick with plan B, and believe me, so do you.’

Leaning away, I try to calm my racing heart. ‘Plan B is to be queen of the Origins, right? That’s why she wants me, Mordecai by her side? So all supes will rally to her, thinking we’re one big happy family, while she slaughters whomever she wants?’

A muscle feathers in her cheek. ‘Yes,’ she says tightly. ‘So, I must stress this, play. Nice. Or you, and everyone you care about, will be bloody mist before you ever see daylight again.’

My heart beats loudly. I’m sure she can hear it.

‘Now, then.’ Evelyn rises smoothly. ‘Let’s go for a drink and a dance.’ The vampire is calm, all sense of anger gone, just like that. She moves to the door, her gaze resting on me expectantly.

‘When you say a drink…?’

Evelyn just smiles, leading me out into the dimly-lit hallway.

The Den is just as creepy as I had expected. It’s a large lounge-bar with dozens of people set comfortably out on leather armchairs or sprawled on soft rugs on the floor. A vampire woman behind the bar inclines her head to Evelyn, her gaze snagging on me.

Evelyn shakes her head once, and we keep moving.

‘I can’t help but feel like a deer walking into wolf territory,’ I murmur.

Torchlight glistens off humans, sweaty, writhing in their vampire’s laps, or grinding over their legs. Vampires don’t sweat, but witches (and I), do.

Evelyn smirks at me. ‘I don’t think anyone will go for the little deer.’

I snap my gaze to her for making fun of me, but she just smiles. I wish I could hold a candle to her cold strength without snaking my vines around her. I follow her as we take a seat in a booth a little ways from the main action. ‘If that’s supposed to be comforting, it’s not,’ I snap.

Evelyn ignores me, her gaze sliding hungrily over the crowd.

‘Are you looking for a witch? To… eat? One of your guys?’ I had seen the same three men flit through her mind for a long time, making me wonder just how old Evelyn is. She doesn’t look much older than me, but with vamps, that doesn’t mean much, just when they were turned.

Evelyn rolls her shoulders in answer, her focus clearly on the writhing mass of people before her. ‘Aidan will join us shortly.’ She darts a glance at me, her bright, copper gaze piercing.

‘Why did you bring me here?’ I look around as a woman, a light sheen of sweat on her skin, gives a lap dance to a male vampire, lounging back, slightly amused. In a flash, he wraps his hands around her hips, dragging her onto his lap. A chuckle escapes her lips as she seems to automatically lean back, exposing her neck. I look away before he can bite her. I don’t think I want to see that.

‘Because of that.’ Evelyn nods to where I had just been looking. ‘Look, some vampires don’t care about an alliance, what Drusilla wants, or her plans. Those of us who are smart, do. I want our queen to unite the Clans, under her rule. That way, we live. It’s that simple.’ She turns now, fully facing me. ‘And to do that, we need you. Whether you like it or not, you represent two of the Four Clans, and with your wolf, that makes Four. You and your mate united with Drusilla saves us from being massacred.’ Evelyn dips her head, dropping her voice. ‘If Drusilla doesn’t get what she wants, she will get bored. And that will be bad for everyone.’

I look around again. ‘So, you brought me here to, what, make friends?’

‘Not really. To wear down the edges. To have you… come to accept vampires. Who we are. What we are. My Aidan will help you with that. He’s a witch,’ she adds.

‘Ah, talking about me, are you?’ A handsome man strolls over to our booth. He’s shirtless, showing off flawlessly bumpy abs.

‘Aidan,’ Evelyn smiles, showing her fangs. Creepy. ‘Yes, darling, we were. Aidan, this is Zenna, Zenna, Aidan.’

As he moves to hold out his hand for mine, the light behind him shifts, illuminating a deep bite mark on his neck.

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