Page 22

I mean, I really hoped not, but… maybe we were.

Fuck.

I glanced over my shoulder to look back at him. He was gazing out the window thoughtfully, eyes looking almost wistful, and my chest tightened with a tiny pang. Was he thinking about me? About what we could become? That was pretty romantic too.

Maybe I should give him more of a chance…

Then I noticed that he was actually staring at the ass of a guy standing on the sidewalk just on the other side of the window.

Oh. Okay. Slightly less romantic.

Sighing, I turned back to face the bar and rested my chin on my fist. It was busy, so I knew I’d be waiting a little while, and I didn’t mind in the slightest. To pass the time, I absently tuned in to the conversation taking place beside me between two guys in business suits. They looked like vampires and they sounded like rich snobs.

“…she’d stake me herself if she knew we were going to Cratos tonight,” one of them drawled before the pair of them guffawed.

“Didn’t she send you to the guest coffin the last time she found out?”

“Oh yes. In the Saturn Wing, no less. I was really slumming it.” The first vampire chuckled into his drink. “She said it was all I was good for if I wanted to hang around in places like that with such degenerates.”

I perked up a little, paying more attention to the conversation. Places like where? What was Cratos? And who were the degenerates?

“Playing a degenerate can be a bit of fun, can’t it?” the second vampire said smugly. “Betting on them is even more fun, though.”

“Exactly.” Vampire One pointed at his friend with his drink. “Marianne is just getting moody because I’m technically betting with her family’s money. We get it, Marianne,” he added in an exasperated drawl, “your father has been running the largest coffin manufacturer in Eastern Europe for the last two hundred years. That doesn’t make you better than me. I’m a fucking lawyer, for fuck’s sake.”

“Well, what Marianne doesn’t know can’t stake her in the chest, right?” Vampire Two tapped his glass against Vampire One’s. “What’s she doing tonight?”

“Ugh, some midnight luncheon with the women in her bloodwine club. They’re across town, so no chance we’ll run into her near the club, don’t worry.”

Club? What club?

“Oh, and Gil has already sent me the password for tonight.” Vampire One lowered his voice a little, but I could still hear him. “It’s ‘Ragnarök.’”

Vampire Two went still, his drink raised halfway to his mouth. I peeked over to see his eyes gleam ruby in the bar’s low lighting as he muttered, “Does that mean Fenrir’s on?”

I realised I’d inched closer to them, listening eagerly. A secret club that you needed a password to get into? That sounded so cool. Like the kind of place Nat and I only ever dreamed of getting invited to.

“That’s what I’ve heard,” Vampire One muttered back with a smirk. “Which means the betting will be big tonight.”

“Excuse me,” I said, unable to stop myself. Both vampires stiffened before Vampire One slowly turned to peer down at me, lip already curling with disdain at being interrupted.

When he saw my face, his expression changed instantly, his mouth curving into a crooked, sinful smile and his eyes growing more hooded as they trailed down my frame.

“Hello,” he murmured as his friend sidled closer, watching me with a predatory gleam just over the other guy’s shoulder. Like a pair of hungry vultures.

“Sorry to interrupt.” I made sure to keep my tone bubbly, friendly, nice and light. “But I overheard you mention some kind of club…?”

“That’s right.” Vampire One leaned an elbow on the bar and lowered his voice. “Special club for supernaturals. Very exclusive.”

“It can get wild,” Vampire Two added huskily, sipping his drink as he watched me. “Bet it’s a great place for an incubus to let loose…”

“Oh, I don’t know about letting loose.” I laughed lightly, making sure to keep some distance between us out of respect for Clarence.

I’d jerked someone else off on our last date, so it was the least I could do.

“It just sounded like a fun place to spend a date,” I continued, gesturing at Clarence sitting at our table. He was now leering at the ass of a guy leaning over the next table to talk to his friend.

I could either dip out now, cutting this date extremely short, or I could do something to try and liven it up a bit. Maybe Clarence would seem better in a more energetic setting. Where it was loud. And we didn’t have to talk as much.