AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I can’t believe I interjected into the conversation.
My mind was still reeling from what had happened even after we finished our meal and left the restaurant behind. Every part of my body was humming with nervous energy, except I wasn’t ready to withdraw into myself with the feeble attempt to hide. Hell, I was proud of myself and it flooded me with an ocean of emotions that the prince was pleased with me.
Aydin didn’t attempt to inquire about the mysterious guest or the conversation that might have taken place. He simply pulled out onto the street and started taking us further into the heart of Vegas. While there was a hint of curiosity that haunted his aura, he seemed more than aware that it wasn’t his place to question things.
“Are you avoiding the hotel?” I teased.
“Hm?” Asher raised an eyebrow, taking a moment to finish a text message before those golden eyes swung my way.
Nibbling on my lower lip, I struggled to keep my grin from getting out of control. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I was probably riding from one hell of a unique high after the sudden meeting with an ancient vampire - one that revealed just how much Asher gave a damn about our bond. “We landed in Vegas several hours ago. I suppose I’m just not used to enjoying a nice outing like this.”
The edges of his lips twitched. “You’re going to have to get used to the idea that I intend on showing you off whenever personal business doesn’t prevent me from doing so. I’m not going to keep you holed up in the penthouse, pet. I would much prefer to tease the world with sightings of you while they wonder who you are.”
Aydin released a whistle that had the blush haunting my cheeks grow even more. “Boss did say you’d gotten struck by Cupid’s arrow, sire. I think the statement was pretty damn accurate.”
I flushed as the heat started to spread to other parts of my body. Was I ever going to get used to this kind of treatment where the prince had gone from sealing a collar around my neck to flat-out putting me on a goddamn pedestal to worship? Probably not. I was someone that was used to remaining in the shadows just to survive while my own mother constantly reminded me that I was nothing more than wasted space.
It certainly felt like it by the time Anita successfully kept me out of the house.
I jolted out of my thoughts when the SUV slowed down before taking a sharp turn. My eyes flickered out of the window as the demon guided us down a sharp hill leading under an open garage. While the upper levels were open to the public, the underground level was protected by thick iron gates that were already parting to allow us inside.
Whether it was just that obvious that going into the underground level left me tense as hell or our bond was just that strong, Asher’s golden eyes found their way toward me. He didn’t say a single thing, opting for simply reaching out and squeezing my leg.
It was comforting that he seemed to realize what I needed when it came to my panicked nerves. There was a part of me that simply didn’t like being underground to begin with — which had made my job amongst the APL an everyday struggle. Yet that wasn’t the cause for my impending panic attack. Going underground at all reminded me of all those nights my mother had kept me tucked away in the basement, locked in that damn dog crate.
Closing my eyes, I focused on the physical contact and the warmth seeping from his palm. That alone helped put a firm stop to the panic attack, allowing me to get control over it before it really got out of hand. A few deep breaths and a stopped car later, I had the fear suppressed and my emotions collected. By the time Asher came around to open my door, I had pulled myself together in record time.
“Looks like we’re just in time to catch the first main match of the night.” Aydin waited for us to join him on his side of the vehicle, those dark eyes locked on his cell phone. “Sol has a private booth that is available for you to use, should you want it. There are also front-row seats near the arena.”
“There is no need for the VIP booth. We’ll take the ground floor.”
Tucking my arm around Asher’s, I focused on maintaining deep breaths. I had known this would be his decision even before those words had escaped his mouth, purely based on the brief conversation we’d shared in the car. I couldn’t argue with the fact that there had indeed been a small part of me that had hoped he would opt for the booth simply because I wasn’t accustomed to getting so much attention. The rest was all for the challenge of conquering this part of myself while enjoying being in the spotlight.
Aydin murmured softly under his breath while he passed the message on to the being on the other end. Once it was tucked into his pocket, he gestured for us to follow him toward the elevator off to the side.
A loud ding echoed throughout the garage seconds before the metal door parted and revealed another male demon waiting inside. He reached out to ensure the doors remained open. “Greetings, sire,” he offered with a bow of his head. “We are all quite excited to have you here at the casino tonight.”
Casino?
I threw a puzzled glance at the prince.
Aydin led the way into the elevator, taking great care to plant himself in between the bald demon and us. He clasped his hands together behind his back while the demon pulled his hand away from the doors. “You’re looking well, Vax. Promotion treating you well?”
Vax mimicked him after he smacked the button to take us up to the ground floor, offering a small shrug. “It’s been pleasant, for the most part. There are some nights I do miss having to break up a fight on the casino floor. Although it’s been quite interesting to see which fighter rises in Sol’s hierarchy now that Tank retired.”
“Tank was a beast in the ring,” Aydin mused. “It’s going to be quite difficult for someone else to fill the shoes he left behind. Are there any contenders?”
“Antonio seems to be the next fighter to place your money on. The son of a bitch hasn’t lost a fight yet this year. The only one that he ever lost to was Tank. No one else has come close.”
Asher was content to let the two carry out their conversation while he remained absolutely silent. If it wasn’t for the humming from the elevator, there wouldn’t have been anything else to break up the sudden moments of silence. His body only tensed slightly when it came to a halt and the metal doors parted, exposing a large room filled to the brim with guests.
Two more demons were waiting for us. With Vax joining them, the trio worked together to help clear a path for us to take around the edge of the area hosting the slots while Aydin brought up the rear.
I remained glued to the prince’s side without actually having my hip attached to his. The hair was already rising on the back of my neck as we brushed against all the chaos unfolding in the casino. Not only were there more people than I had ever seen in one room, but the mixture of shouting and loud noises from the machines had every part of me on edge. It was a wave of noises that I could’ve gone without ever hearing. Yet that didn’t seem to be the core cause for my stomach twisting into a painful knot.
I could feel a pair of eyes finding their way toward us and the weight of it brought with it a negative energy that could only be matched by what I’d felt with Lazarus. Gritting my teeth, I surveyed the crowd until I found a single demon hovering off to the side of the room, just outside of the chaos.
This man had the same wireless earbud nestled in his ear that Vax had, although he didn’t seem to be paying attention to it. Those eerie white eyes flickered in my direction, standing out from beneath the long crimson hair pulled back into a bun. The icy expression painting his face certainly seemed to fit his demeanor. He remained motionless as we made our way toward him. “You were not to leave your post on the arena floor, Vax,” he growled.
