Page 32 of The Firebrand
“Huh? Sure.” When he’d looked around for Chay, he had spied Rein with the human female.
What is her name? Braelyn. Why the fuck did the vampire mix bring her here? That’s so not right.
Galena poured another round. “Come on, give. What’s with the scowl? Your usual MO is to take multiple females into the backroom. You’re scaring me. What do you think, Tyr?”
“Somethin’ is up, but it’s not gonna be his dick.”
“You two are a bag of tricks.” He tried to keep up with hisfrerons’rapid banter, but his gaze drifted. Rein’s tight control hid a mean streak. Tonight, unwanted memories made Ram pissy enough to poke the beast.
His teeth ground together, clenching his jaw. He unfolded from the couch, arching his spine, stretching his shoulder muscles while he rolled his neck.What the hell.Did he want to be this female’s hero, or did he want someone to beat the shit out of him tonight?
Does it matter?
****
Reinspotted Jez hitching up her sleek leathers when she prowled out of the backroom. Behind her trailed an incubus who pulled up his zipper, a smile lighting his face. Sex was heavy in the Shed. A fight had broken out—a preview of coming attractions—and the night was young. He should book it with the human while she was still in one piece. That in mind, he twisted toward Braelyn to suggest they drink up.
Before he could open his mouth, Ram sauntered up with I’m-an-idiot written on his face.
This will not go well.
The satyr was poison ivy. Rein was a dram of hemlock. On an average day, the two were snarly, cock-sure assholes. On a bad one, they were bastards spoiling for a fight. From Ram’s puss, this looked like a bad day. Trouble was, most of the Firebrands were fond of the guy. He was in the good column.
Braelyn’s eyes rode the satyr from his fancy-ass loafers to his wide shoulders to his sissy hair. Rein smirked, his fury about to swing into overdrive.
Ram returned the favor by shifting his translucent irises to Braelyn. He winked.
His lids semi-hooded, Chay removed a nymph’s hand from his groin, stopping her from massaging his dick through his leathers. “Hey, Ram.”
Rein threw a loose arm across Braelyn’s shoulders. “Get lost, satyr.”
“Thanks. I will join you.” He crowded in on the other side of Braelyn, their thighs almost touching. When she scooted closer to Rein, he said, “Don’t worry, doll. You’re cock-blocked.”
“I’m afraid to ask, but what does that mean?” She looked to Rein for an answer.
“It’s the satyr’s smooth way of saying I put a protective spell on you. He can look, but he’ll get one helluva jolt if he touches.”
Ram slumped into the couch, rotating his upper body toward Braelyn while she gave Rein the full view of her spine to chat up hisfreron.
He tamped down the urge to yank her around in his direction. The response was irrational. Of course, he’d been losing control since he first saw her in that alley. On the outside, he was ice water. Inside, his blood could boil potatoes. Eavesdropping, he caught the tail end of their convo.
“You’re a Firebrand like Rein?” she asked.
“Yep. Been in the biz about sixty years. Look. Though I love your company, you oughtta get out of here. The Shed isn’t for tasty Earthers.”
“I’m fine. It was my idea to stop for a drink.”
Rein leaned forward, stabbing Ram with a glare. “And it’s not your fucking concern, satyr.”
Ram popped off the cushions, balled his fists, and planted his boots in front of Rein. “It may not be. I’m butting in anyway. Is this how you protect a human female? You sure as fuck shouldn’t have brought her into this no-Homo-sapienszone.”
With a snarl curling his lips, Rein hauled Braelyn closer. “Move out. Time’s up. Don’t you have something important to do? Something that won’t make me fuck you over?”
“Get her out of here. Last warning.”
Rein slipped his arm from Braelyn’s shoulders, rolling up from the sofa. His fangs broke from his gums when he stepped nose-to-nose with Ram. “Then what?”
From the corner of his eye, he saw Braelyn scoot deeper into the safety of the couch, her gaze locked on the two warriors.
