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Chapter 3
My heart hit the back of my throat. The six-foot-two stranger glided toward me like someone who knew the fine qualities of not making a sound. His long, unbuttoned coat, dark as a winter night, reached his knees. Underneath he wore black. Though his hood covered the top half of his face, I caught his prominent jaw and the muscles of his neck. His lips parted as if he mightsnarl.
With a deep inhale, I turned my back on him to show him I had no intention of confronting him, whatever his issue. Ted wiped down a wet glass and didn’t seem to bat an eye at the man behind me, but then again, he served all kinds of clientele here. On my last visit, I’d seen a man I swore could have been a lion shifter with his wild golden hair, and the fact that a growl had hung at the end of each of his words only cemented that theory in my mind. So what was hooded stranger’sdeal?
He slammed a hand on the counter inches from my elbow and pulled back, leaving behind several goldcoins.
I shouldn't have trembled, but heck, something about his presence had my nerves on edge. I blamed being unable to see his face.Show who the hell you are, otherwise no one will trustyou.
As much as I wanted to twist around, I refused. Ted wasn't acting strange. So the fraying anxiety was in my head, along with the screaming urge to leave the tavern, but for once, the prickles down my flesh weren’t there. No warning from the goddess. Talk about whiplashemotions.
"Why’s a little girl like you alone in the bar today?” His question drifted over my shoulder, a deep, cultured voice reverberating throughme.
I swallowed back agroan.
“Didn’t your mother tell you it’s rude to act all creepy?” I had no time for someone trying to belittle me, regardless of whether or not his voice tickled mylibido.
“Besides, who said I was alone?” I continued. “And calling me ‘little’ implies I'm helpless. That's where you're dead wrong.” I took a gulp of my cider and licked the last drops off mylips.
He swallowed loudly, and the hairs on my arms shifted. His breath washed across the back of my neck when he whispered, “Don’t be so sure aboutthat.”
What!? Yeah right.I tensed, my hand flinching to my waist, brushing the knife’s hilt, and I spun on my swiveling chair to confront him. Instead, I spotted the last wisps of his long coat as he stormed out of the bar, the door slapping shut behindhim.
“Asshole. He’s lucky heleft.”
I shook my head and finished my drink when Ted placed a plate of chicken fingers with roasted potato wedges in front of me. Their salty and greasy aroma left mesalivating.
“Damn, who cares about some loser when there's food involved,” Isaid.
Ted laughed, reminding me of my dad. What was he doing now? Enjoying dinner with Santos while mesmerized by Ariella’stales?
“You sound like my daughter,” Ted joked. “Food comes first, even before me." He set the dish down in front of me. Goddess, if Ted moved to Terra, he’d make a killing. Except he’d once told me he was a quarter bear shifter and three-quarters human, which was why he’d set up shop at the foot of the White Peak Mountains. He didn’t quite fit into either world, so he’d carved his own haven. Smart man, and being out of Terra meant no trouble from the priestess or her guards finding out he wasn’t a pure human. Bear shifters didn’t have such rules in White Peak. Or least so I’d heard… but who the hell knew the truth since they kept tothemselves?
Figuring I might as well get comfortable as I waited and prayed Elliana would arrive soon, I grabbed my dish and hoisted my bag in my other hand, then headed to the back table, where the hooded man had nursed hisdrink.
Ted followed me with a fresh glass of cider. “Enjoy.”
“Thanks.” I glanced out the window to an empty dirt road. Returning to my meal, I sat and dugin.
* * *
Trepidation wormedits way up my legs and coiled in my gut like a goddamn punch. The tavern buzzed with activity, people standing there as if it were a festival. Had to be close to fifty patrons crowding the room. The chatter was like cicadas in my ears, and I shifted in my seat, feeling as if I was wearing a dress two sizes too small. I hated crowds. And despite all these people, there was no Elliana. Would she arrive later? Goddess, I hopedso.
Night claimed the world outside, and considering I wasn’t going anywhere tonight, I threw back my fifth cider and picked at the second plate of chickenfingers.
A loud chuckle drew my eye to the bar, where two friends hugged, slapping each other’s backs. They wore thigh-length tunics and matching sand-colored pants. Were they from Utaara, the desert realm where a sultan lived in his enormouspalace?
Someone else pulled the chair out across from me and plonked himself down, grinning. “Hey,beautiful.”
I rolled my eyes. “Not interested.Leave.”
Surprise crossed his face, which told me everything, like girls rarely turned him down. Not that I could blame them. I mean, with his golden hair, strong cheekbones, and sun-kissed skin, he was cute. Didn’t make him any less of anass.
I scanned the room when Blondie snatched my hand, squeezing. I wrenched myself away from him, but he didn’t budge or releaseme.
“Listen, little girl,” he began, causing rage to sear through my veins, sick and tired of being referred to as anything but a lady or woman. Come on, I was nineteen, sure only five-foot-two, but that made no difference. That was why heels had been invented. Not only did they give me height, but they came in handy as weapons whentrapped.
“No, you listen, sugarplum.” I smirked. “Unless you plan on giving me a spiritual palm reading, let me go before I break yournose.”
