Page 25 of Hunters and Prey

"Is this order ready?" she yelled above the music.

"It is, but you're off the clock." He pointed to the clock hanging above the bar. "You're done at one."

She was supposed to be. "Do you need me to stay until Veronica turns up?"

Charles beamed. "You're sweet. But get your ass out of here. You need your beauty sleep."

She wasn't going to make him tell her twice. Chloe practically ran to the changing rooms at the back.

Charles let his waitresses wear whatever they wanted as long as the main color was black. She worked in jeans and tees, because they were cheap, easily replaceable, and cute enough for her to go out without having to get changed. Chloe just grabbed her backpack and rushed out of doors.

She took one deep breath, inhaling the sweet and spicy scent of the city.

She tilted her head, hearing a step behind her, and then something hit the back of her head. Hard.

“Ouch! What the fuck, you psy—”

She didn't finish that sentence, because the assailant who hurt her head was dragging her backward with one hand, pulling her hair, and wrapping a piece of fabric around her mouth with the other. Oh, shit. Someone was trying to abduct her. Her. Chloe Miller, twenty-five, seven hundred dollars in her checking account, and under two thousand in her savings. It didn't make any fucking sense. Unless they wanted to sell her. Shit. Chloe lifted her hands, struggling against the muscular arms of the dude tying her mouth. She thought it was a dude. He smelled like one. Thinking fast, she threw her foot back as hard as she could.

"Ow!" Bingo. She'd hit his crotch. "You bitch!"

He loosened his grip, and she yelled as loud as she could, "Help! Somebody help."

She wasn't even done pronouncing the last syllable when a shadow appeared, flying past her and launching itself at her aggressor.

Chloe didn’t have the time to see it. She couldn’t tell who—or what—it was at all.

The next moment, Charles walked close, flanked by Quincy, one of his security guys, and Victor, another bartender. Charles pushed the guy with so much strength his body crashed against the wall. Quincy's hand wrapped tight on the guy's throat, and he held him up effortlessly.

She'd never been so grateful for the inhuman vampire speed of her coworkers.

"Are you all right?"Charles asked, holding her forearm to hold her up.

She was a little shaky.

"Yeah, I… He grabbed me. He just grabbed me, right here, from the back, and tried to gag me. There was someone—something—who pushed him away. I don't…"

"Do you know this man?"

She got a good look at the would-be kidnapper. She saw hundreds, if not thousands of people every day in this line of work, but she was certain she'd never seen him. He was the kind of man people did remember. Incredibly tall, muscular, and very handsome.

"No, I…"

"Victor, contact the Wolf's people. Tell them I need a track. Quincy, call everyone. I want all hands on deck. Your phone."

Charles didn't formulate any of his orders like a question. Quincy handed him his mobile phone without a protest.

"Call with updates. Come on," he said to her now. "I'll take you home."

They walked in silence, Charles still holding her, half carrying her. It took a while for her to regain her senses.

"What the hell? What did he want with me?"

"We'll find out."

Charles's lip was thin.

"Do you think it had something to do with my dad?" she asked weakly.

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