Page 74 of Demons and Debts
‘I didn’t.’
Maddox sighs. ‘Look, I’m sorry if I had the wrong idea.’
‘For assuming that every human wants to be fed from by a gang of incubi?’
‘For assuming you could be lured away from your clan by us,’ he clarifies.
My lip curls. Why would they want to? Surely they have girls chomping at the bit to be one of their on-call girls.
‘How did you know we were trying to lull you? I’ve never met a human who could fight it before.’
I shrug. I don’t know, but I’m not about to tell him that. ‘I need to go clean up,’ I say instead.
Maddox lets me out of the booth, and I stumble from it, flinching when his hand comes up to steady me just as Vic comes back into the room.
The Iron I President is suddenly the one holding me, somehow crossing the room in an instant, and snarling at Maddox.
‘She’s not yours. Don’t overstep,Friend.’
Maddox raises his hands. ‘Wouldn’t dream of it, Mate. Come, let’s talk.’
As soon as Vic lets me go, he turns away from me. I walk a bit shakily towards the entrance, passing Sie, who’s reappeared and is staring out the window towards the dancefloor, and Korban. He’s still staring at his phone. I slip out of the VIP area, and no one follows me. I don’t even think they register my departure. I probably shouldn’t be wandering around alone, but I just want to go somewhere quiet for a minute.
I find the Ladies’ room down by the side of the bar and I go inside. There are some other girls tidying up their makeup at the vanities, but no one really looks at me. I go into one of the stalls and sit down, heaving a sigh.
What was all that about? What is this whole night about?Why did they make me come with them?
I sit for a while, hearing most of the girls leave before I come back out. The music is muffled in here and it’s nice to be away from all the prying eyes. I glance at myself in the mirror in front of me. I look so out of place, I think now. The feeling that I had before of belonging is gone again. A girl comes and stands next to me, reapplying her lip gloss. She meets my eyes in the mirror.
Shifter of some kind.
‘Cute dress, Human Girl,’ she says.
‘Thanks.’
‘Are you okay?’ she asks. She looks a little bit drunk, and her cheeks are red from dancing. ‘You’re not here by yourself, are you?’
‘Oh, um, I just left my friends for a little while.’
‘Ok, well ...’ She gives me a funny look. ‘Just don’t walk around here for too long by yourself, huh? There’s a bunch of vamps in the basement club and the shiftiest fae lord I’ve ever fucking seen by the bar. No joke. It’s not safe for you here tonight without some serious backup, Babe.’
I give her a genuine smile. ‘I’ll be careful,’ I promise.
She looks dubious, but shrugs and then practically skips out the door and I grin after her.
Tipsy girls in club bathrooms, am I right?
I run my hands through my hair, putting it back in order before I head out into the main club again. I’m making for the VIP area, when I'm pulled through a door and slammed up against a wall.
‘I knew I’d get another chance with you.’
I freeze in fear because I know that voice. It’s the guy from the other night; the one who caught me out on the deck with his friends. My breathing stutters. His fist is already pulled back to finish what he started before.
‘I can't believe they're loaning you out already,’ he mutters.
Instead of hitting me though, his knee forces itself between my legs and I’m suddenly so sick of all these supe assholes just thinking they can touch me whenever they want. I level him with the vilest look I can muster.
‘I’d rather you beat me to fucking death!’ I say, pushing myself hard off the wall and spitting in his face.
