Page 26 of A Song in the Night

“You good?” Sylvia mutters, noticing one of my particularly expressive winces as I reach for the top filing cabinet drawer.

“Yeah,” I say automatically. “Just a little stiff.”

If either of them detect the lie in my answer, neither of the vampires comment on it. They’re not aware that Henry tried to kill me last night… and I don’t plan to tell them. We already knew that he was on a murderous rampage. All they could do, if they found out, is put even more restrictions on me. Keep me here at all times, like a bird in a wooden cage. I’ll be more careful, I tell myself silently. Henry wouldn’t dare come to the office, and when I do leave, I won’t walk along any quiet streets.

Not that having an audience would deter a vampire bent on revenge who has nothing to lose.

“I know just the thing to loosen you up,” Sylvia announces. Grateful for the distraction, I arch a questioning brow at her.

“This sounds like something I can get behind,” Noah interjects. He’s grinning like a cat.

Sylvia rolls her eyes. “Ignore him. I mean alcohol. Let’s get the fuck out of here and go to Rowan’s.”

“Not as fun as what I was picturing, but okay,” Noah grumbles.

His partner closes her laptop and takes her black leather jacket off the chair as she stands. I close the filing cabinet, trying to come up with an excuse to avoid going. I could use a strong drink, but being out in public so soon after Henry’s assault makes my stomach coil with nerves. Today I would love nothing more than to curl up with a book or a reality show.

“Did we lose her?” Noah asks Sylvia.

“Charlie,” she says, snagging my attention. “Come on. You definitely need that drink.”

I sigh, knowing she’s right, and I can’t live in fear anyway. With Sylvia and Noah around, I’m probably safer than I would be anywhere else, even here.

“Okay,” I finally say. “Let’s go.”

I reach for my bag and lift it, slinging the strap over my shoulder gently so as not to disturb the conch inside.

We all leave together, and Noah locks the door before following us downstairs.

Ten minutes later, we arrive at Rowan’s. There’s a line around the block, which Sylvia and Noah simply ignore, and the bouncer lets us in without a word. I suppose there are some perks to running with the bounty hunters.

Music, voices, and the smell of sweat pounds at my senses as I follow them toward the bar. We order drinks and glide through the crowd. Eyes follow us everywhere, and I struggle to ignore the sound of rushing blood as the humans in the room stare—mostly at Noah and Sylvia, though some do watch me. It has my skin crawling, and I wish I could hide in one of the shadow-filled corners.

We settle into a booth in the back corner, and I watch the bounty hunters as they watch the crowd. I sip my drink, keeping to myself as Sylvia leans over to whisper in Noah’s ear. His lips twitch at whatever she says, and he reaches for his drink.

“Charlie!”

The three of us turn our heads at the same time to find Dorian approaching the booth. My stomach immediately becomes a mess of nerves, and I push my drink away.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, feeling the urge to flee even more strongly now.

The shapeshifter offers an easy grin, revealing that dimple in his cheek, and his eyes move toward Sylvia and Noah before returning to me. His beard is longer than the last time I saw him, but his coppery hair is trimmed short.

“I’m with some friends.” He jerks his thumb in the general direction of the bar. “I noticed you over here, so I figured I’d come say hey.”

“Oh.”

“You look good,” he says, speaking to me as if we’re the only ones here. His tone is friendly, though it was friendly while his family kept me captive leading up to the auction, as well. It means nothing.

“Thanks?” My response sounds more like a question, and I ignore Noah’s faint snicker from across the table.

“I was actually hoping to run into you,” Dorian adds, seemingly oblivious to the tension thrumming through me or the fact that we have an audience.

“Why?”

He laughs awkwardly.Not so oblivious after all, I think. “Is it possible that we could talk somewhere else?” the shapeshifter asks.

I shift my gaze toward Sylvia and Noah, silently begging them to help me. “Probably not. What’s up?”

---