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“Why not?” Julian peered into a darkened corner, making sure no threat lurked there.
Bryan had done a great job with the place. The club had three floors, with the center opening up to the rooftop. Cages with dancers in various stages of undress hung from the ceiling. Under the cages was a dance floor with tables scattered around.
If a patron wanted company, there were two bars on each floor. If they wanted privacy, there were enough darkened alcoves and booths where no one would bother them. If that wasn’t private enough, Bryan had several rooms that one could rent at the right price.
Leah was in one of those rooms now. Julian had specifically told the bouncer to refuse entry to anyone else on threat of death. There was no telling what he would do if anyone touched her again. Probably stake the vampire and leave him out in the sun to burn.
No one touched what was his.“
If I’m not mistaken, you just went into one of my rooms with your mate. What else am I supposed to think? The fact that you’re out so fast makes me think you’re losing your touch. Is there something I should know about?”
Julian whipped around to snarl at his friend. “First, I don’t care what you think. Second, what happens between Leah and me is none of your business. And if you don’t mind, I’d rather not announce to the world that I found my soulmate.”
Julian said the last word as quietly as possible. The music should hide most of their conversations, but he didn’t want to take any chances. The fewer vampires who knew about Leah, the safer she’d be. Though vampires had mixed with humans, their nature hadn’t changed, nor had their way of life. It was still survival of the fittest in his world. His enemies wouldn’t hesitate to use Leah against him.
“Fuck, I’m not your enemy, Julian. You know I’d keep her safe for you,” Bryan bit out. “Now, instead of killing me, look who just sat down at the bar.”
Julian looked in the direction Bryan pointed and noticed the couple. Well, not really a couple. The two were a few seats away from one another. The human male, dressed in black jeans and a black shirt, chatted up a female vampire. As Bryan had said earlier, it was easy to identify someone with military training, especially Hunters.
Though the guy smiled at the bartender and at the female vampire hitting on him, the smile didn’t reach his eyes. His eyes were alert, not missing anything around him.
As for the woman Hunter, she wasn’t as intimidating as the guy, which was why she attracted the attention of two male vampires. From the way she flirted with them, she was better at pretending. Julian wouldn’t have suspected her if she hadn’t exchanged looks with the male Hunter.
“You take the guy. I’ll take the girl,” Julian said.
“You always take the girl,” Bryan complained jokingly.
“That’s because you might try to sleep with her and get yourself staked.” He grinned as they moved through the crowd. The woman stood up with the vampires. She hadn’t fallen under their spell yet.
“A stake won’t kill me, but I’m not her type, since I don’t have fangs and all.”
They split, Julian going after the woman, who was heading toward the exit with the two vampires, and Bryan after the male.
Once outside, Julian had expected the vampires to spread their wings and take off with their prey. Instead, they followed the female Hunter, who led them farther and farther to the city’s outskirts.
He stayed out of the vampires’ hearing range. They were young vamps, turned after Vegas. They hadn’t had to survive on their own outside of the city, and they were too stupid to realize they were falling into a trap.
He should discuss this with Alistair. The younger vamps needed survival skills. Maybe he should forbid those younger than three hundred to live in Vegas. That’d teach them how to survive.
They were now far away from the entertainment district. Around them were rows of warehouses. During the day, this area would be full of activity. At this hour of the night, all the workers had left. While Vegas was called the City of the Night, most humans preferred to work during the day, unlike the tourists came out at night to gawk at his kind.
As they went deeper into the rows of warehouses, Julian was careful to avoid detection. It wasn’t difficult since the vampires were so much younger than him. Besides, he was familiar with the area. It wasn’t a place he visited often, but he’d been involved in the city’s construction and rebuilding after the Riots and knew the streets like the back of his hand.
“Where’re we going?” One of the vampires finally asked with impatience.
“We’re almost there.” The human squeezed the vampire’s buttocks suggestively.
Julian had to give the human credit. She didn’t sound nervous, just excited, as if she couldn’t wait to satisfy the vampires.
Then he sensed them, about ten hiding on the rooftops. The vampires were too distracted by their hunger and lust to notice the danger, and they walked straight into it. It wasn’t until the figures moved that the two vampires realized they weren’t alone.
They stopped, confused, which cost them. The female whipped out a silver dagger, going straight for one vamp’s heart. The vampire evaded at the last moment, saved by instinct. The dagger stabbed him in the shoulder and he screamed.
Julian darted between the screeching vampire and the Hunter. With one hand, he grabbed her by the throat. With the other, he jerked out the dagger. The vamp’s wound was smoking and bleeding. A few inches lower, and he’d be nothing but dust on the ground.
“Run!” Julian hissed.
The injured one escaped first while his friend froze in shock. Julian heard gunshots, so he gave the other vampire one last chance. “Run or die.”
