“I’ll pay your cover charge to make up for my odious presence.” I teased her.
She scowled at me. “No, you will not! I can pick up my own tab.”
Her sharp movements tilted her headpiece, and she hastily threw a hand up to catch it and set it right.
“Your feather is askew,” I said, nodding my head at her bedraggled feather. It looked like Zian had gnawed on it.
Mia tried to straighten the feather, muttering under her breath. I was right. It sounded like Zian had thought it was a toy.
I smiled as I took the country roads at a speed not advisable for most species. I was the safest driver I knew. Just because I drove at the speed of light didn’t mean I wasn’t fully in control.
“You look beautiful,” I said softly.
Mia blushed and smoothed her dress. “Thank you.”
Tonight was roaring 20s night at the club, and Mia had dressed to the nines. She had on a gold and black beaded flapper dress that cinched at her waist and ended in beaded tassels. Her hair ornament was a dazzling and glittering headpiece with a gold feather boa. On her neck was a long pearl necklace that was knotted three times down the center of her body and draped to her belly button. Her stockings were fishnet black, and she had on glittery chandelier earrings to complete the outfit.
In short, she was irresistible, and I intended to dance the night away with her and not let anyone else near her. I was feeling a little possessive tonight, which surprised me. I couldn’t ever remember feeling possessive with Charisse.
“Will you dance with me tonight?”
She blushed again, and a splash of warmth infused my chest. “Rhys will want to dance with me as well.”
“I can share, I suppose.” But only with Rhys, I silently told myself.
She gawped at me, and I laughed. If my fangs were down, I’d be flashing them. She always made me laugh with her facial expressions.
“Who are you and what have you done with Draven Leto?” she demanded. “You do realize you’re flirting with me right now?”
I smirked. “Is that what it’s called, cara mia?”
She spluttered and started laughing. “Yes, Draven, welcome to the twenty-first century.” She patted my leg like I was a doddering old man and laughed when I playfully growled at her.
This. This was why I was falling for her. She made me feel alive again. And she was so natural around me! It didn’t seem to matter to her that I was more deadly than her cat; she treated me as if I were just a man, and she was just a girl. And I loved her for that. To be just a man to her. Just a friend. Just a lover. Not a killer. It warmed my heart that she’d seen me at my most deadly today, and she didn’t shy away from me. She hadn’t even missed a beat, she just kept right on treating me like the most ordinary, wonderful thing in the world.
I needed to know if she was still entertaining the idea of us. Which was why I intended to make a move tonight. Her reaction would tell me either way, and I felt an excited thrum deep in my chest at the thought of holding Mia all night long.
Let the night begin!
* * *
It was official.Draven’s long life had finally driven him crazy. He helped me from the car, some expensive sports car that looked like it could get us to space without any problems whatsoever, and paid my cover at the club even though I tried, and failed, to pay my own way. He was way faster with the money hand off.
Vampires!
The club was gorgeous! The chandeliers sparkled a soft white, candles dotted every table, the band was playing an upbeat jazz number, and the big screen had a picture of a moonlit night in New Orleans. Clear balloons were strung and twisted across the club above the crowd, and feathers were everywhere in the decorations. People were lined up in front of the gigantic screen of New Orleans, using it for a photo background. Dancers were swinging and jiving on the dance floor, and Rhys and Dice were manning the bar.
The bar was incredibly busy, but I wanted a sweet tea, and Rhys had just learned how to make it properly for me. I was one of the few customers that ordered it, but he kept it stocked and brewed just for me.
I grabbed Draven’s hand and led him through the throng until we reached the bar. Dice was wearing a miniskirt, spike heels, a tee shirt with a skull on it, and leather fingerless gloves. She had a chain belt around her waist that had feathers dangling down in honor of the theme of the evening. Her hair was an electric silver today.
Rhys was rocking a blue suede suit. I swear, was it impossible for immortals to have bad hair days? To look homely? Even when Rhys wore sweats, he was more good-looking than he had any right to be. And even though I’d never seen Draven in sweats, I had a feeling it would be the same for him.
Rhys kissed me full on the lips when I leaned across the bar for a hug. “Will you stop doing that!?” I hissed as I grabbed a swig of someone’s drink and apologized after I washed the taste of Rhys off my lips. “Seriously, elves are waaaayyyy too affectionate!”
Dice hugged me and flicked Rhys on the ear as she went to fill an order. “Dice, does he do that with you?”
She slid the patron their drink and came back to us. “Nah, he tries to act cool around me.”
