Feral (Wicked Nights At Lair Book 1)

7. Hale

The handsome man with his hand on my thigh is pure temptation. I could compel him, draw him into my thrall and wrap us both in pleasure, but using my power that way doesn’t excite me at all and never has. Not sexually. I’ve learned there’s something far too alluring about gaining consent.

He told me he’s straight, a fact I’m not entirely sure is accurate, but which only proves to me that patience is required if I want to keep him around, and I do. For what reason, I can’t be sure.

He didn’t ask about my own nature, and I didn’t offer. Something held me back. Maybe I’m not sure he’d allow his curiosity and interest in me to bloom if he knew I’m not as human as he is. Or possibly, I fear his reaction if he finds out I’m a monster at my core. Either way, I remain silent on the topic.

“When can I start?” Yannis asks after clearing his throat and, sadly, removing his hand from my thigh.

“You could come tomorrow before we open. It’ll be far easier to train you without the distraction of customers.”

He nods, biting his bottom lip as he looks around. “And the donation program? What’s that about?”

I immediately tense. “I’d prefer you don’t start there.”

He gets a defiant gleam in his eyes. Ah, a bit of fire. I like it. “Why? You think I can’t handle myself?”

“Dear man, there isn’t a mortal alive who can fend off a hungry vampire. My advice has nothing to do with your abilities and everything to do with the nature of vampires. You could be seduced beyond your will, for example.”

“Seduced? Like sex?”

I nod. “Indeed. Many vampires enjoy feasting on the flesh while having a meal. There’s something called compulsion, a trait most vampires have. Consider it like… hypnotism.”

“Oh. Okay. It’s just that Hemsley said you can make a lot of money.”

“It’s true, but there are other ways. We pay generously and our patrons tip well.” I brush my hand against his. “I realize you don’t know me well, but on this topic, I’d ask you to trust me. I wouldn’t want to see you hurt.”

“Physically?”

“It’s happened. Working here requires you to release some of your mortal ethics. The supernatural world doesn’t abide by those rules. Things happen that would be considered immoral or even illegal in the human world. There are no police, no mortal laws, only the etiquette governed by Yves Orpheus.”

“Orpheus…” Yannis repeats. “I think I saw a building with that name on it. House of Orpheus?”

“Yes. I live there. They’re apartments. Yves owns the building and much of the city, including this club.”

Yannis nods, still biting his bottom lip, tempting me to tug it free and kiss the bruise he must be making. Leave it to me to become enraptured by someone who claims to have no romantic interest in men.

“I think being a server is a good entry point. You’ll get to know the atmosphere and learn what you like most.”

“Yeah, okay. I agree.”

“Good. Would you like to dance or have another drink?”

“That sounds?—”

A loud crash reverberates through the club, rattling me out of my seat. I hesitate, concerned about Yannis, but he’s right beside me, tense and alert.

Tiago passes me and I join him, both of us moving swiftly to the front while Yannis jogs behind me. I find Rhett with his talon-tipped fingers clenched around the neck of a mortal, his eyes glowing bright green and his fangs out. Hemsley is holding a gun.

“What the fuck is this about?” Tiago demands, glaring at the man in Rhett’s clutches.

“Fucker thought he could come into this club with a firearm,” Rhett growls, his voice gravelly and almost inhuman. “I want to hear what he planned to do with it.”

“Fuck you,” the man says through gritted teeth before coughing when Rhett tightens his grip. “Do you know who I am?”

“Do you know who I am?” I step forward. “I’m your worst fucking nightmare if you show your face here again. Not only will I find out who you are and where you live, you’ll never shake me. Now what the fuck are you doing here?”

The man clamps his mouth shut, but Rhett squeezes tight enough to draw blood and the man kicks his legs. “Okay, okay.”

I nod at Rhett to loosen up a bit, glancing at Yannis, who stands near me but slightly behind.

“Name,” Tiago demands.

“Vito,” the man says. “The Bianchi’s own this town and won’t be happy when they find out you roughed me up.”

Bianchi. Is that the name Yannis said earlier? I glance at Yannis again, who looks pale now. That must be it.

“I’m afraid you’re mistaken, my friend, but feel free to test the truth. We’ll be happy to prove who actually owns the city.”

“Yeah? What family are you with?”

“Orpheus. We’re not the Mafia. We’re far, far worse. If you and your family know what’s best, I’d stay away from this club and anything else we choose to do. In fact, it’d be wise to pick another city to terrorize. We don’t take kindly to people like you.”

“You have no idea who you’re fucking with,” Vito says.

“I’m not too worried about it. Now, run along.”

Hemsley squeezes the gun until it’s a ball of metal. Vito looks horrified, seemingly realizing that Rhett could kill him in a heartbeat. Instead, Rhett releases the mafioso, letting him fall to the ground. Tiago growls at the man, who scoots away from us before scrambling to his feet and tearing off toward a black car.

Tiago shakes his head as he folds his arms over his chest. “You gonna let Yves know?”

“Yeah, I’ll call. Thorn will have a field day with that guy.”

Tiago chuckles. “Yeah, he will.”

I turn to Yannis, who’s staring at Rhett while the vampire resumes his mortal appearance. I’m sure from the way his chest is heaving that he’s figured out what Rhett really is. I’m interested in his reaction.

“Bianchi is the same guy you had an interaction with, right?”

Yannis nods. “Yeah, that was the name. Not the same guy though.”

“I’m sure they have soldiers all over the place. Interesting that he found his way to Lair though.”

“Is it safe here?”

“Do we look afraid?”

He huffs a laugh, dropping his shoulders. “No. I guess it helps having men like Rhett and Hemsley at the door.”

“It does.” I squeeze his shoulder. “I hope you weren’t too frightened?”

“No. I was interested in what was gonna happen. Rhett could’ve killed him, right?”

“Absolutely. And likely wanted to. We try to abide by the ‘no killing’ guidance, but sometimes it’s necessary. If he’d aimed that gun at anyone, he’d be dead now.”

“That’s fair.” Yannis nods, swallowing hard.

I can hear his pulse beating more rapidly, the swoosh of blood in his veins. His scent is stronger too—masculine, earthy, enticing.

“Let me get you home. After today’s events and what just happened, I’d feel better about it.”

Yannis opens his mouth, then closes it, then opens it again before blowing out a breath. “Yeah, okay. I think I’d feel better about it too.”

“Great. Give me a few minutes?”

“Sure.”

“You’re not afraid to be with Rhett and Hemsley, are you?”

“Do I need to be?”

“Not at all.”

“Then I’m good.”

A smile tugs at my lips. “Be right back.”

I head to the bar to let Tiago know I’m leaving and to make a quick call to Yves, but I’m nearly bursting with excitement over how Yannis handled that scene. He’s going to be just fine.

“Hey, Ti, I’m gonna get Yannis home safely. He had an encounter with the Bianchi family earlier today as well. They hang out in his neighborhood.”

“Damn. That’s not good.”

“No. I’ll be back soon though.”

“Take your time.” He winks at me, and I laugh.

“It’s not like that.” Not yet, anyway.

“If you say so.” Tiago turns his attention to a woman who just walked up.

Before returning to Yannis, I grab my phone and dial Yves. He answers right away.

“Yves.”

“Hey. Just wanted to let you know about something.” I explain the whole situation and the incident Yannis told me about too. “Looks like we have more organized crime trying to move in.”

“It was only a matter of time, really. Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll let the guys know. You good?”

“Yeah, I’m good. I’ll see you soon.”

After ending the call, I pause for a moment to enjoy the feeling of warmth I get every time I talk to one of the Orpheus guys. Technically, I’m one of them, but it’s different since Yves isn’t my maker. It feels good to have a coven again and to know they care about me though.

Dragging my hand through my hair, I straighten my shoulders and make my way back to Yannis. At least I’ll get to see where he lives and whether he’s truly safe there. Nothing bad will happen to him now that I’m in his life. I can promise that.

When I return to the front, Yannis appears relaxed as he chats with Rhett and Hemsley. All three men look at me as I approach and Yannis’s cheeks turn pink as he drags a hand through his thick hair.

“Can I borrow your car, Rhett?”

He raises an eyebrow. “Sure, boss.” He pulls his keys from his pocket and tosses them to me.

Ignoring his reaction, I continue, “I’m driving Yannis home.”

“How did you get here tonight?” Hemsley asks.

Yannis opens his mouth, then pauses. “Um…” His brow creases. “Weird. I can’t really remember.”

“Did you drive?” Rhett asks.

“No. I don’t have a car. I must have ordered a rideshare. Dang, my memory is weird as fuck since I moved here.”

I chuckle. “Don’t be concerned. Lair has that effect on people.” I turn to the guys. “Be back soon.”

Walking with Yannis to the parking lot, I scan the darkness, looking for trouble and fortunately finding none. Rhett drives a muscle car, as Thorn calls it. All I know is the engine makes a lot of noise and it drives fast.

“I’m not the most comfortable driver, but I won’t crash,” I warn.

Yannis smiles. “Thanks for the warning. I’ve been driving since I was fourteen on the farm.”

“Wow. I bet that was a nice, peaceful existence.”

“Not at all. We were a working farm producing corn, so there were always tons of chores to do. We had some animals too when I was younger. I couldn’t wait to get out of there.”

“You prefer the city?”

He nods, waiting as I unlock the doors. “So far. Even with Mafia dudes causing trouble.”

I walk around to the other side, climbing into the driver’s seat while he joins me in the passenger seat. “I suppose the city does hold a certain allure. What’s your address?”

“Seven-fifty Graylock Avenue.”

“Graylock and seventh?”

“Yep.”

Not a great part of town. A sudden urge to take him to my apartment instead hits me, but we’re hardly at that stage. I start the car and it jerks forward as I scan my memory for how to operate the damn thing. Yannis laughs, relaxing me instantly. I pull out of the parking lot and onto the street, finding a rhythm that works for me.

“How old are you?” he asks.

“Forty.” That’s the age I’ve decided to go with.

“Forty? You look way younger. You look like you’re in your twenties.”

Technically, I’m forever twenty-six. “Just lucky, I guess.”

“I guess that makes sense though. You’re too mature to be a kid.” He glances out the window. “I feel mature and grown sometimes, like when I made the decision to move here in spite of what everyone back home said, but sometimes I also feel naive and just dumb too.”

“You’re not dumb, Yannis. You’re inexperienced. That’s different. I can tell you’re intelligent.”

“Thanks. I did okay in school, and I only did two years of college before going to trade school instead. Welding.” He chuckles, but there’s a bitter edge to it. “My stepdad made me go. I worked in the field for a couple of years, but it wasn’t for me. After that, I got an office job, but it still wasn’t enough. I wanted to see the world, not just move to Cleveland or Columbus, you know?”

“I’m not familiar with Ohio.”

“I’m not bashing it. For some people, it’s great, but I never felt like I fit there. Like I was wearing clothes that were too small or something.”

Glancing at him, I say, “I’m glad your wanderlust led you to New Onyx.”

He smiles. “Me too.”

A few minutes later, I turn onto Seventh Street, noting the marked change in our surroundings. It’s not the absolute worst part of town, but it’s far from the best. We pass by at least two drug deals taking place and several sex workers. When he points out his building, I relax slightly. It’s well lit and looks a little newer than most around here.

“Do you have security here?”

“No, but I’m not scared. People mostly left me alone until today.”

“Put my number in your phone, just in case you need me. Don’t hesitate to call.”

“Okay.”

He takes his phone from his pocket and enters the number as I recite it.

“I’m often awake late too, so don’t worry about that.”

“Thanks, Hale. What time should I come to Lair tomorrow?”

“Four is good.”

He nods, lingering.

“Would you like me to come inside with you after what happened today?”

Yannis clears his throat. “Nah, that’s okay. I’m good. They don’t know where I live.”

“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“Yeah. Thanks for the ride.”

“My pleasure.”

He glances out the window and chuckles before finally opening the door. I watch him walk up the steps to his building, then turn to wave at me before disappearing inside. I inhale slowly, my eyelids fluttering at his lingering scent.

A moment later, I step out of the car and look around a bit. It’s pretty quiet on this block, which is good. I’m about to leave when I catch a new, familiar scent. I tilt my head back in time to see Thorn drop down from the rooftop of the building to the left. He lands softly before standing to his full height and barreling into me with one of his bear hugs.

“Oof.” I laugh at the aggressive affection.

“Hale. What are you doing out here?”

“Hey, Thorn. Dropping off a new friend. He’ll be working at Lair.”

“Yeah? What’s his name?”

“Yannis.” I glance at the building. “I’m a little concerned. He’s from a small town and just moved here, and he had an unpleasant encounter today.”

“The Mafia dudes?”

I nod.

“Yves called me since I’m out hunting tonight.”

“Have you seen anything?”

“Not yet, but I’m on it. Want me to keep an eye on this building?”

“That’d be great.”

Thorn gets a huge grin on his face. “Is your new friend a love interest?”

“To be determined.”

“Alright, my guy. Getting back on the horse. I like it.”

“I didn’t say that.”

He shrugs. “It’s the first time you’ve even kind of talked about it, so it’s a start.” He claps my arm. “It’s okay to be happy, dude.”

“I’ll try to remember that.”

“You know what we should do right now?”

“Tell me.”

“Hunt. A fresh kill will do you good.”

I consider it for a moment. “You’re not wrong.”

“Sweet. I know just the place. A few blocks over is a known pimp hangout. You in?”

My gums throb with anticipation. “I’m in.”