Page 6 of The Vampire's Hunter

Corbin swalloweddown a thinly veiled sneer. As far as he was concerned, there was only one asshole in this situation, and for once, it wasn’t him.

Huffing, he quickly pocketed his phone again.

“Sir?” The interior designer to his left probed, drawing his attention once more.

She was a heavy-set lesbian artist with a flair for fashion and color. Not uninteresting for a human, if a bit droll.

Corbin lifted a brow. “Pardon?”

“I said, are the lights not to your liking?” she repeated.

Of course. Professional as ever. All his people were.

Even if hewas feeling far from it.

Corbin drew another sip of his whiskey, scanning over the club once more as he contemplated the question at hand. Tonight, the atmosphere inside The Blood Rose’s Chicago location was hot and stuffy, filled to the brim with one-too-many sweaty bodies, though not enough to break fire codes, but the red neon lightsdidadd a subtle erotic touch.

“The lights are lovely. Thank you,” he said, flashing a charming smile he didn’t at all feel, though one he knew, no doubt, would appease.

“Don’t mind him, Alex. He just has blue balls, because he’s dumped his latest plaything, that’s all.” A large hand suddenly clapped him on the shoulder.

Corbin scowled, his eyes darting to Kharis, his so-called friend. “Can wepleasenot talk about my balls in polite company,orCassandra for that matter?” He turned to the designer once more. “That’ll be all for now, Alex. Thank you.”

The designer nodded, accepting her cue to leave.

Once they were alone, Kharis shot him an incredulous look. “Why come in tonight, if all you’re going to do is sulk?”

“Does it look like I’m sulking?” Corbin lifted a brow, before he turned back toward the dance floor, watching the controlled chaos on the level below. A new song had come on, some electronic beat or another that the humans inside the club went wild for.

Kharis waved a hand in dismissal. “You’re always sulking these days. Normally, you drink me under the table.”

Corbin lifted his glass of whisky to his lips, the amber catching like fire in the light of the club’s crimson glow. “Normally, I don’t have plans in the morning.” He took another generous sip. “And I’m not sulking. I’mworking. You should try it sometime.”

Kharis frowned, clearly unconvinced. “Is this really all over that bloody siren then?”

Corbin didn’t bother to look at the other vampire, rubbing his brow, before he took another sip. “For what it’s worth, Cassandra was a mutual decision.” Not that his sex life was anyone’s else’s business. Underboss or otherwise.

“In other words, you got bored with her?” Kharis let out a harsh bark of a laugh, easily distinguishable despite the thumping music.

The ancient Greek knew him all too well.

A round of shrieks sounded from a drunken bachelorette party, shrill and raucous.

“Wouldn’t you?” An unamused smirk crossed Corbin’s lips.

Cassandra had been fun while she lasted, but while sex with the fiery siren had been… adequate, her constant demands that he drape her in finery like she was his mistress had quickly become tedious. Sirens were greedy, tiresome things. Hungry for adulation and little more.

He should have learned his lesson from Odysseus.

Still chuckling his amusement, Kharis joined him overlooking the balcony of the club’s second floor. The human bachelorette was throwing back a neon green shot now, swaying.

“All I’m saying is, for a man about to have everything he wants, you seem awfully melancholy.”

Corbin shrugged, swirling his drink. “I find myself increasingly bored these days,” he admitted.

Kharis let out an undignified snort. “Of course, you do. You’re about to lose your favorite pastime.”

“Which is?” Corbin grumbled.

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