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Romano’s deep voice cuts through my reverie. “I said, you got it?”
Silver twirls his cup. “Loud and clear. I’m sorry, but I had to say what’s on my mind. I won’t mention it again, though.” He turns to me. “That goes for Willow too. Your business is your business. I’ll focus on trying to find the ones we’re looking for from now on.”
I don’t respond, my mind swirling in a multitude of directions and alarm bells going off that I shouldn’t ignore. Willow isn’t part of some elaborate plan to infiltrate the vampires. I saw how scared she was, felt her heartbeat and blood racing with fear, and then I felt her passion beneath me. Those feelings were all real, but yet none of those eliminate the possibility of her being the enemy.
But I went looking for her, not the other way around. I found her, chose her out of all the others to help us. Her and her friends were packing up to get out of town after we found them. They weren’t part of a plan to best the vampires, no matter what anyone else says.
Descallia looks far away, his jet-black eyes sparking with red rims. He doesn’t address the matter, in fact avoids the subject all together. “We should split up. I don’t like the fact that just as we’re getting ready to go after the shifters, the warriors jump ship. It could be a ploy to get us off the shifters trail and have us follow them.”
I hadn’t thought of that, but it does make sense. It would allow the rogues to gain time to get wherever they are going. If the shifters are going to the rogues, that’s where I want to be. Making an example of the warriors can wait another day.”
I take the last bit of my coffee and pocket a muffin for the road. “That’s a good idea. Why don’t I go with you and help with the shifters since Silver needs to pick up stuff at the warriors.”
Descallia nods. “Good. Romano, Clay, and Lucas come with us; Silver and Terrence can head to the warrior’s unit and check in on everyone left. See if you can learn anything from them or get a scent on their trail. Campania, you know this area better than anyone. We need to find the shifters with magic; they’re the ones who will lead us back to the rogues. I’d put everything I own on it. We’ll follow your lead.”
A smile breaks the plane of my face. “Instead of chasing after the fucks, let’s set bait and wait. The shifters, at one time or another, all go to one club in the city. If you want to learn something or catch up with one of the shifters, that’s the place to be. We’ll catch them with their defenses down. They’ll come back to Club Dwellers. Everyone is welcome, but in that club, they seem to be the big dog. They like to hang out there and try to impress the others with their power. I can’t believe they wouldn’t want to show off any magic they’ve acquired to the other patrons.”
I glance at my watch. “If memory serves me, it should be getting interesting just about now.” I don’t tell them the lovely Layla is performing and that they will be getting a treat of a lifetime, or that I’ve already bedded the little seductress myself. She may be hot, but rules are rules. Nothing but one-night stands, and that held true with everyone, until a mesmerizing little enchantress entered my world.
The crew splits up. Descallia, Romano, and Clay transport with me to just around the corner of Club Dwellers. Just as I thought, packs of shifters, vampires, witches, and others are all comingled to watch the show that people come for miles around to see. The lights go down just as we’re entering, and Layla takes the stage affording us an unexpected diversion as we make our way to a vacant table in the back. “Layla dances here once a month. Not many of the club frequenting males would miss a night with her in attendance.”
Clay’s eyes flash red. “Damn. Can you blame them? I’d follow that redhead to hell and back.”
I grin. “If you want a piece of her, you might just have to. I hear she’s well connected with Lucifer and the entire crowd down there if you know what I mean.”
Clay pours a glass of water from the freshly placed pitcher on the table. “I like a challenge,” he says to no one in particular, too engrossed in the long-haired beauty who begins to sway her hips and start her performance. All eyes are on the dancer, which gives Descallia, Romano, and me a chance to survey the room.
Just as I thought, the mangy wolves make up the majority of customers with the others probably just here for the show. One group in particular catches my eye. A leader in the pack at the table who keeps talking low to his men and then raising his glass as though celebrating a victory or the like.
Descallia catches my chin nod in their direction, and his eyes grow dark. He leans in. “One of the friends of the shifter brothers we killed. He’s definitely on their side.”
That entire long ass table full of shifters must be his crew. We’re going to need to either get the information from about twenty shifters or follow them to the rogues. I leave the call to our overmaster as a sign of respect. “How do you want to handle things?”
Descallia doesn’t hesitate. “Let’s do what you suggested. See what they do and where they go. Hopefully they’ll lead us right to the magic-infused shifters and fucking rogue vampire traitors, and we can call in for backup.”
The beat of the music changes, and so does the dance. Layla begins strutting in time to the sultry beat, teasing the crowd, and taunting every red-blooded male with her moves. Clay’s eyes don’t leave the beauty, so enthralled with her that he doesn’t see the large shadow moving across the club with his cronies in tow.
Descallia, Romano, and I already have our hands on our weapons before I give Clay a nudge. The minute he realizes what’s happening his hand slides over his sword, on the ready in a minute. The pack leader’s yellow eyes are bloodshot, and he smells like he’s been celebrating way too hard. He stands in between me and Descallia who are still seated, but his eyes are on the boss. “What are you doing in our club, pureblood?”
Descallia is cool and calm. He’s not going to be intimidated by these mangy bastards. He gestures toward the stage. “Just enjoying the show, with all of the others. Dwellers is a club for all, no?” He gestures to the rest of us. We were in the area and heard about the show. Layla’s well known for miles around. Perhaps I came to scout out some new talent for the Descallia clubs? The lower-level dungeons are expanding.”
The music peaks right before Layla begins to peel her clothes amid the shouts and whistles from all over the club. The shifter narrows his eyes. “Leave now, Descallia. You’re not welcome here. Not after what you and yours did to our brothers. I have half a mind just to run you through for showing your face anywhere near our kind.”
Descallia’s fangs descend, and his eyes light up bright flaming red. “Watch your tone, wolf. Your leader will tell you the real story behind that day. It was in self-defense. Your so-called brothers were lured away by the rogues. Were you and your crew lured away too, or do you remain loyal to Sheba? That’s the question my men and I want to know before we decide your fate today.”
The wolf’s eyes glow yellow. He looks behind him at his crew of about nineteen other brothers to our four. “Vampire, overmaster or not, you get ahead of yourself. You’re in our territory now.” He spreads his arms out, gesturing around the room with one. All of these wolves, they will not hesitate to put you in your place after the death and destruction of ours that you’ve caused.”
Descallia pushes his water glass away. “You still haven’t answered my question. Are you loyal to Sheba or not? If so, I may let you live only out of a mutual partnership that is centuries old.” He shrugs. “If not, I will run you through and leave your blood spilling all over this floor.”
The music stops as more shifters join the others, gathering in numbers all around us. It would be easy to transport out of the mess, but that’s not Descallia’s way, and it sure as hell isn’t mine. Descallia stands. “Answer the question, wolf. Are you a traitor to my friend, as were your brothers?”
The group of shifters behind the leader begins pawing at the wooden floor of the club. The others who came to watch Layla have now reverted their attention to the show around our table. The wolf’s growls are low and deep, on the ready for an attack and leap. The redness of Descallia’s eyes and the fangs that have fully descended tell me everything that I need to know. We’re going head-to-head with the mangy bastards, right here and fucking now.
Chapter18
Willow
Lucianna takes my arm.“She’ll transport with me. Embry, take Raven.” There’s no time to hear a response from Embry as a cloak of darkness settles over us, and we move from place to place. Lucianna doesn’t not worry about what others will see; instead, she lands us right in the middle of an all-out shifter and vampire battle, gnashing teeth against swords and all. “Stay out of the fight unless they come after you,” she says to me and Raven.
