“Aileen, I’m not kidding. Hunters are dangerous and tricky.” Natalia’s expression was serious. “Be careful.”
“Always.”
Natalia pushed to her feet with a shake of her head that made it clear she didn’t believe me. “I wish you luck.”
Connor waited until she ambled over to the bar and the other two before leaning forward. “What are you doing?”
“Just a little information gathering.”
He sent me a warning frown that said I wasn’t fooling him. “You’re not hunting the hunters.”
I tried for my best innocent look. “I never said I planned to.”
Connor looked unconvinced.
“But—” I folded my arms on the table and shot him a sly smile. “A little reconnaissance never hurt anyone.”
Before he could respond, movement near the bar jolted me out of my playful mood.
I climbed to my feet. “Bad Caroline—no giving Jenna a boost.”
Caroline froze in the act of lifting my sister onto the bar top. The two gave me a guilty look while Natalia gazed on in amusement.
“Climb faster,” Caroline hissed as I stalked toward them.
I rushed forward. “Don’t you dare.”
Jenna clambered onto the bar, landing on all fours. She scuttled away, knocking over several beer bottles and glasses in an attempt to avoid me.
Her human speed wasn’t a match for my vampire one as I reached for her waist.
Caroline wrapped me in a hug and pulled me away from the bar before I could grab her. “Go, Jenna! Be free and young!”
I fought for my own freedom, yanking at Caroline’s arms as I twisted. The werewolf didn’t budge.
Music turned on somewhere.
“Not you too,” I moaned, finding Dahlia with one hand on the volume button and a microphone in her other.
She shrugged. “My customers are in the mood for some entertainment.”
Jenna finally succeeded in making it to her feet. Dahlia tossed her the microphone.
“See—look how much fun we’re having,” Caroline crooned.
I elbowed her in the stomach, a fierce gratification filling me at her pained grunt. “You put my drunk-off-her-ass sister on display in a room full of people who can eat her. I wouldn’t call this fun.”
Stressful was more like it.
Caroline’s answering squeeze nearly crushed my ribs, drawing a faint gasp of protest from me. She startled, her grip relaxing.
Connor was there in the next second, extracting me from her grasp and depositing me on his opposite side. He sent her a cool look that made guilt appear on her face.
“Sorry, Lena,” she said. “I’m still trying to get used to my strength.”
Connor’s nod was forgiving. “That’s understandable given your age. If Aileen was stronger, it wouldn’t be a concern.”
“Hey!”
