Page 68 of The Hunt
I lifted my head to look at Adira. The urge to hiss at her like I did the mermaids was strong.
“I’d hoped that I would find you using this room as it was designed.”
“How did your conversation go with my mom?” I asked sweetly.
“Perhaps you should ask her yourself.” Before I knew what she intended, Adira reached out and set her hand on me.
With a gut-wrenching twist, I landed on a sawdust strewn floor. The pulsing beat of punk music assailed my ears as I struggled to my feet without getting sick. My vision swam, and I wished I’d stayed on the ground. Inhaling through my nose to settle my stomach proved a mistake, though. Lust, thick and mouthwatering, clogged the air.
My sight cleared with laser precision, and I took in the changes the inside of Mom’s club had undergone in the forty-eight hours since my first visit. The walls had been insulated and drywall hung. New lights illuminated the work area and the workers as they laid hardwood flooring.
Naked.
Mom stood behind them, wearing her favorite dominatrix costume and holding a whip, which she used.
Her mouth moved, but I couldn’t hear her. Whatever she said had the man in front of her working faster while intermittently grabbing himself. An act that earned his backside another lashing.
It was like watching Piepen try not to touch himself. Yet, the scent of the combined lust of the men on their knees was far from the offensive stench of Piepen’s lust.
Hunger clawed at me.
I closed my eyes and yelled as loud as I could to be heard over the pulsing beat of music.
“Mom!”
The music immediately stopped, and I wanted to beg for her to turn it back on so I wouldn’t hear the panting moans.
“Baby, what are you doing here? I thought you were at school. Did Adira do something?”
“Yes, she did something. I was with Fenris, and she portaled me here.”
A soft, cool hand brushed over my cheek.
“Why are your eyes closed?”
I opened them to glare at my mom. Her worried expression turned to surprise.
“Because I will not be forced. No matter what she does or who she threatens, I will feed my way on my terms.”
“Of course.” She gave my cheek another gentle stroke. “She sent me a message a bit ago, saying that you lied about feeding on the dryads. I didn’t tell her that, so what happened at school.”
“She overheard me talking to Eugene and tried to blackmail me into feeding on him, which is why I texted you. Just now, she overheard me talking to Fenris about what you said about not eating and needing to acknowledge it. She didn’t like hearing me say that I was going to figure out my own way to feed and zapped me here. Do you see the theme? Adira needs to butt out of my life.”
“I do like that wolf boy. Adira is another issue entirely. You made a valid point this morning that I can’t outright kill her or you’d be alone to deal with her crap.”
I smiled at Mom’s use of crap. She believed in swearing but knew I didn’t like it and refrained around me when she remembered. That she remembered now meant she really was focused on me, despite the noise still emerging from the workers.
“I’ll need to find another way to deal with her that doesn’t involve permanent death.”
While she contemplated that, I grabbed for my buzzing phone.
Fenris: Where did she take you?
Me: I’m at Mom’s club.
Fenris: Need a ride back?
Me: Yes, please.
