“I play video games, and I…” He laughed shyly again. “I like salsa dancing.”
That could be exciting. Lilith hadn’t been dancing in decades, but this guy’s lack of self-confidence didn’t do much for her in the attraction department. She was all about equality; she didn’t want to dominate a man any more than she wanted one to dominate her. “Lead with that, and have more faith in yourself. There’s someone for everyone.”
Of course, she didn’t believe that last bit for a second, but a little white lie never hurt anyone. The buzzer sounded, and she rose to her feet.
“Do you want to talk later?” Theo asked.
He’d finally dug up some courage, and he seemed like a sweet guy. A cinnamon roll, like Deirdre described, but his center was a bit too mushy for her taste. “Maybe I’ll circle back. Have fun.”
She moved to the next table, and then the next. Half the men she talked to rivaled the demons downstairs in assholery, but some of them were nice. Her chances of finding a man to light a fire in her core were better up here, but so far, no one had even created a spark.
She went through two more dates before her gaze landed on him. The man two tables down had light brown hair, sheared short on the sides and the kind of messy on top that could have taken him twenty minutes to mold into place or could have been the result of him running a hand through his damp locks and walking out the door. It didn’t matter which; the style suited him.
He had kind eyes, dark brown in color, but the most intriguing thing about him was his aura. Magic sparkled around him, though what kind, she couldn’t be sure. He didn’t look like a demon, so he must be a topside being. Not a vampire; she’d recognize one of her own immediately.
She barely paid attention to the man at the table next to him, and when the buzzer sounded, signaling her turn to talk to the most intriguing person in the room, she shot to her feet and sank into the chair in front of him at vampire speed.
Venus cleared her throat from across the room, and Lilith sent an I’m sorry to her mind. She’d already let her guard down, and she hadn’t even spoken to the man yet.
They locked eyes, and an electrical sensation buzzed in her belly before zapping her chest. The man furrowed his brow, giving his head a little shake and straightening his spine. “Hi, I’m Spencer.”
“Lilith.” She offered her hand. “Pleasure to meet you.”
He hesitated, eyeing her fingers like they might electrocute him if he touched her. Thankfully, he didn’t leave her hanging, but when his palm touched hers, another jolt of electricity zapped her chest. He must’ve felt it too, because when he released her, he rubbed his hand on his jeans.
“Why are you up here and not down below?” she asked, lowering her voice so the humans wouldn’t hear. “Most supes do their speed dating downstairs.”
He cut his gaze from side to side. “I’m not here to find a date. I’m supporting my sister.”
“Then why are you participating? The game is short one woman. If you stepped out, things would be even.”
“It’s hard to say no to Venus.”
Lilith suppressed a grin. “Indeed, it is.” Venus had an uncanny ability to predict matches. Whether they were love or sex matches didn’t matter much; she could get her sustenance off either. If she insisted Spencer play the game, she had a reason, and hopefully, that reason was Lilith.
“It won’t hurt to get to know each other in our five minutes, will it?” She lowered her voice again. “What kind of supe are you?”
He leaned toward her. “I’m an owl shifter.”
Her brow shot up, and her heart thumped against her chest. “You’re nocturnal.”
“So are you.” A sexy grin tugged at one corner of his mouth, making her stomach flutter.
“Look at that. We already have something in common.”
He chuckled. “I guess we do.”
“What do you do for a living?”
“I’m a cameraman for an adventure show.”
She sucked in a breath. Now, there was a fascinating career choice. “Which one? Is it Expedition Excitement? I love that show.”
“No.” His eyes darkened briefly, like a storm rolling through that clears just before it can cause a flood. “I’m on The Hunt for Cryptids.”
Lilith laughed. “A shifter hunting for cryptids? You can’t be serious.”
“Who better to put on a show trying to expose us than a group of cryptids ourselves?”
