Titus’s body tightened to granite.
“Maybe deal with your own problems rather than trying to control mine. I’m not your parents, you don’t have to beg for my love and fucking attention.”
“Fuck you.” Titus’s face smoothed to lethal calm. “You’re at these crossroads, and only you can choose the right way.”
Axel punched the wall. His chest hurt, his breathing coming in rapid pants as he struggled to catch it.
Titus laughed, the sound dark and hollow. “I found your car by the way, tracked it to The Bricks. I'm not even going to bother asking you why it was left all the way out there because I don’t think you would tell me anyway. Three tires were stolen, and the back window was smashed so anything inside is probably missing too.”
Without another word he turned, closing the door quietly behind him. Axel waited a single heartbeat before he took his anger out on his room. Picking up his laptop he threw it across the space, watching it crumple against the wall before he repeated the action with a book. Kicking out, he knocked over the bedside table, the sound of it crashing to the floor fuelling his rage as he attacked the desk next. His knuckles bled as he punched the wall once more, leaving a dent. The pain gave him a second of clarity, his pulse racing as he scrambled to what remained of the bed, pulling up the mattress to check his emergency stash. He found a single clear bag with a few pills and a hypodermic, the needle capped.
“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” Axel’s hands shook as he pulled the pills out, holding them in his palm to count.
Chapter14
Sam
“Whose idea was this again?” Alice mumbled as Lucifer pushed through the already busy crowd, the lead singer belting out a heavy rock song along with her band.
“Mine,” Sam said with a grin. “I thought we needed a night out.”And somewhere to hide from my problems like the grown-arse adult I fucking am,he mentally added.
Alice shot him a concerned look as if she could read his mind, which was a possibility knowing how well she knew him. Being at a concert was better than sitting at home, waiting for something to happen. Because he wouldn’t be helping his father. Ever.
“Ofcoursewe need a night out,” Lucifer added with an equally wide grin. “It’s been months since we last went out.”
“Didn’t you recently play poker with the other guys?” Eva said, frowning up at Lucy.
Lucifer found a table at the back, snarling at the men who were currently sitting at it. They scrambled out the way, and Lucifer pumped his fist in victory. “That doesn’t count because I lost.” A thick dog chain wrapped around his throat, the bone-shaped tag a bright pink that read‘fluffy.’A matching bum bag was strapped diagonally across his chest, and Sam wasn’t stupid enough to ask what he kept inside, because knowing Lucy it was something ridiculous. Or dangerous. Or both.
He swept his arm towards the table, careful to not lose any of the liquid from the cocktails he held. “Ladies,” Sam purred, waiting for both Alice and Eva to take their seats before he sat at the end. The music was trembling the floor beneath his feet, his body already starting to sway to the beat. He found Eva moving the same way, and he knew he picked the right place to take her.
His leopard could sense her apprehension of the crowd, which wasn’t unexpected for a vampire of not even a year. His hearing was heightened, so he couldn’t imagine what it would be like if all of his senses were enhanced. Overwhelming. But he knew she not only loved to dance, she needed it like her next breath. It was in the way she moved, in the way she expressed herself.
And she hadn’t been able to do what she loved, her spirit diminishing with each passing week. Her confidence had been hit, and Sam couldn’t help the need to fix things that were such an integrated part of her spirit. It was his nature, a compulsion to help, and Eva needed the freedom. To dance amongst a crowd and not feel trapped. She probably wasn’t even aware, not really. Not until she got on that dance floor and let herself go without fear.
She was new to the Guardians dynamic, recently mating with the hot-head Kace. He wasn’t exactly sure about the circumstances in which they’d mated, and it wasn’t his business to pry. She wasn’t a shifter, so he couldn’t influence her with his calming nature, but taking her to a concert, where live bands played a wide variety of music was the next best thing.
So there they were, excitement brightening everyone’s eyes as they all cheered, sipping their chosen drinks while the band rocked behind them.
“Where’s Kyra?” Sam shouted to his left, where Alice was brushing her fingertip around the rim of her sex on the beach.
It was Lucifer who answered, his mojito already finished as he slammed it against the sticky table. “Had to finish a spell or something, said she may meet us here later.” The stem of the glass cracked, and he stared at it for a few seconds before letting out a full belly-laugh. “Who wants another?” He didn’t wait for a reply, standing up to march back across the large room to the bar. He paused to smile at a woman, who quickly looked away in fear.
“He’s going to be pissed if he doesn’t slow down,” Eva said with a chuckle, sipping her own drink. “Ah, to be able to get drunk. Those were the days.” She rolled her eyes, a smile tugging up her full lips.
Sam echoed the smile, knowing vampires couldn’t become intoxicated no matter how much alcohol they consumed unless it was mixed with fresh blood. Unfortunately, not many places provided it, except Blood Bar, and he wasn’t stupid enough to offer his wrist knowing her mate would probably create a necklace with his ribs if he even tried. Which would actually go quite well with the vampire fangs that currently hung elegantly from Eva’s ears.
“How are you feeling?” he asked her, noting the tension along her bare shoulders.
Eva’s smile widened as she took another sip, relaxing a fraction. “Like I’m almost ready to dance.”
“Then drink up!” Lucifer shouted above Sam’s head, a tray of tequila shots landing heavily on the table. “Then you dance while I find someone to play with.” He wiggled his eyebrows, and when no one commented he added, “you know? I want someone to fuc –”
“Lucy!” Alice squeaked. “We get it,” she laughed.
“I didn’t think this would be your scene,” Eva said, grabbing the shot from the centre of the table while Sam reached for his own.
Lucifer downed his drink, frowning at the glass. “I always go clubbing with Sam,” he said, his teeth sharper than usual. Which, Sam knew from experience meant he wasn’t consciously controlling his glamour. Probably because that was his fourth shot and they had been there less than thirty minutes. “I'm his... what's the word?” He turned to look at Sam expectantly, red eyes glowing.
