Feral (Wicked Nights At Lair Book 1)

11. Yannis

By the time we finish going over the computer system, the front doors are open and a DJ is in the booth. Instrumental music, beat heavy and sexy, fills the space and the lights dim. Hale is at the bar speaking with Tiago, who glances in my direction several times as he nods.

“Hey, stranger.”

I turn to the voice, smiling when I see who it is. “Hey. It’s you.”

“Jade.” She offers her hand. “I see you decided to check us out.”

“Thanks for the card. I start working tonight.”

“I know. I’m with you for the first hour. It’s a good time to get your feet wet. The early customers tend to be pretty chill and low maintenance.”

“Oh good.”

“Are you nervous at all?”

“Not really, but I probably should be.”

“Nah.” She musses her bright pink hair with her hand. It was green before I think. “Be confident and act like you own the place. The customers will respect you.” She leans in. “They’ll hit on you too, but as long as you firmly state your boundaries, you’ll be good.”

Exhaling, I nod. “I can handle myself.”

She pats my arm. “I figured you could.”

Hale approaches us, handing me a small notebook and a pen. “Hemsley is opening the doors now.”

“I’m ready.”

He smiles, his gaze lingering on my face. “Have fun with it.”

Hemsley jogs over to us, a frown on his face. “Boss.”

“What’s up?” Hale asks.

“Trouble. It was that guy who was here last night. He was in the parking lot in a car with another dude, but as soon as I started walking in that direction, they took off.”

“Fuck,” Hale murmurs. “I’ll make a call. We may need some backup if those losers have decided to make Lair a target. I really don’t want a murder here tonight.”

A jolt of adrenaline courses through me, making my body heat with nerves. Hale turns his head sharply in my direction.

“Don’t worry, Yannis. The murder will be theirs, not ours.”

“Right. Yeah.”

When I look at Jade, her face is a mask of anger. “Bring it on. If they’re stupid enough to fuck with us they deserve whatever happens. I have no issue making someone bleed.”

Hale nods, blinking slowly. “If it comes to that, we’ll handle it. I’ll be back.”

He leaves us, pulling his cell phone from his pocket as he walks. Jade shakes her shoulders out and the sultry smile returns to her face.

“Okay, the first group just entered,” she says. “Let them choose a table and then approach.”

I consider Hale’s question again, about wanting to know upfront what kind of person…uh, being…I’m dealing with. Maybe I’ll just figure it out over time, or I’ll wait for a sign. I’m sticking with the idea that I’ll have more confidence if I convince myself they’re just regular people.

The three men who entered choose a booth near the dance floor, boisterously talking and laughing together. They must be mortals.

I approach, painting a big smile on my face. “What can I get you gentlemen this evening?”

Their intense energy shifts toward me and I nearly stumble backward. The one in the middle, a tall man with nearly white hair but dark eyes that he drags over my face, down my body, and back to my face again, places his hand on the table. Each finger is adorned with rings covered in gems. His nails are long and painted black. He’s intimidating, but I refuse to cower.

“You’re new,” he says, his voice deep and accented. Possibly Russian, or another country in that area. “What is your name?”

“Yannis, and yes, I’m starting tonight. Can I get you a drink?”

“Mortal,” the man says. “How compelling. We’ll have a pitcher of whatever special Tiago has concocted for the evening. Three glasses, dipped.”

“Got it.” I twist around to see Jade standing not far behind me. “I don’t know what dipped glasses means.”

“Tiago will know.”

“Okay, but what does it mean? Hale didn’t mention it in the training.”

“It’s unusual. The glasses are dipped in blood and sugar.”

Her answer startles me. Blood. Not mortal. “Okay.”

“You okay?” she asks.

“Yeah, totally.” I swallow down the nerves that have kicked up on me and head to the bar, where I enter the order on the computer then make a note for dipped glasses.

In the short time that interaction took, the club has quickly started filling up with people. In a flash, Tiago is loading a tray with my drinks already made. Damn, that was fast.

“Thanks, man,” I say, taking the tray. He salutes me before quickly starting the next order.

I carry the tray back to the table and set the pitcher and glasses down. The man who spoke before sniffs the liquid, then smiles. “Excellent.” He opens his hand and presents me with a hundred-dollar bill.

“Thank you.”

He nods, turning back to his companions. As I walk off with the money in my hand, a smile pulls at my lips. A hundred dollars for five minutes of work? I think this was a smart move.

As more tables fill up, I get busy covering my section. I only have five tables, but they keep the orders flowing. Jade heads to the bar to assist Tiago, assuring me that I’m doing just fine. I don’t have time to look around for Hale, but I feel like he’s close by for some reason, almost like I can sense him.

As I wait for more drinks, a man saunters across the bar top, drawing my gaze.

“Let’s get this party started,” he says, leaning down to drag his hand up his leg. He’s wearing an iridescent bodysuit with strategic cutouts that show off his skin, and very high black boots. I don’t know if it’s a wig, but his long white hair hangs to his waist, the tips hot pink and shimmering in the light. “Load me up, Ti.”

Tiago chuckles, presenting a tray full of shots. “Mortal appropriate.”

“Excellent.” Then he seems to notice me. “Ooh. Who is this?” He kneels so we’re nearly eye to eye. “I’m Willow. You are?”

“Yannis. I work here now.”

“Oh, the mortal joining us. Fun.” He puts his fingers under my chin. “You’re sexy too. Yum.”

A throat clearing draws Willow’s gaze behind me. I know without looking that it’s Hale. Willow raises his hands in mock surrender.

“Just admiring, boss man.” He leaps effortlessly from the bar, then lifts the tray. “Time to get that bag.”

He’s gone, disappearing into the crowd in a blink. Hale leans on the bar beside me. “Willow is mostly harmless but a huge flirt.”

“To say the least,” Tiago says, dropping my drink order on my tray. “But that’s incubi for you.”

My brow crinkles. “Incubi? I’ve heard that before, in a movie I watched.”

“Sex demon,” Tiago says as Hale frowns. “What did I say wrong?”

“Nothing,” Hale says. “Yannis wanted to avoid knowing what everyone was for a while.”

“Oh, it’s okay.” I smile. “I had a feeling something was up. It’s not like Willow seems like an average guy.”

Tiago laughs. “Not at all.”

“Are you having a good time so far?” Hale asks, rubbing my arm.

“Yeah. The clients have been cool. I think I’m picking up on vampires at least. They’re more… what’s the word?”

“Theatrical?” Tiago offers.

“Yeah, that’s a good description.”

Hale nods with a subtle smile on his lips. “It’s all about the theatrics. They’re tipping well?”

“Definitely. You weren’t exaggerating.”

“I’m glad.”

“I better get these drinks delivered.”

I head back into the crowd, moving around masses of bodies dancing, kissing, and laughing. Sexual energy mixes with the music and moody lighting, teasing my own body and conjuring up my morning Hale fantasies.

I drop the drinks off and turn to check on my other tables, but I’m stopped by a brick house of a man who leaves no doubt as to what he is. His eyes glow bright green, cutting through the darkness, and sharp white fangs dent his bottom lip.

“You smell amazing,” he growls. His voice is low, but I can hear it over the music and other noise. “You’ve not been here before.”

“I’m new. I have to get to work though.”

“I’d rather you stay and entertain me.” He presses his body against me, his arm hooked around my waist. “In fact, I insist.”

“I’m working.”

“I don’t care.” He leans in and rubs his nose on my neck. “I imagine you taste like ambrosia.”

When he grabs my ass, my instincts kick in and I shove his chest. He barely moves as his eyes glow brighter.

“Let me go.”

“Ooh, a feisty mortal. I like it.”

He pulls me into him, and I realize my strength is no match for his, so I do the one thing I hope works on vampires as well as mortals and ram my knee straight into his groin.

“Aaagh!” He bends over, glaring as he holds his dick.

Before anything else can happen, Hale and Rhett are right behind him. Rhett grabs the dude by the neck and hauls him to the front like he weighs nothing.

“You know the fucking rules, Henri,” Rhett growls.

“Are you injured at all?” Hale asks, his face full of concern.

“Not at all. I would’ve punched him, but I realized that wasn’t gonna do anything.”

“No. What did he do?”

“Grabbed my ass and insisted I hang out with him.”

Hale exhales slowly, his eyes hardening. “I knew you’d be popular. You’re really okay?”

“Promise. I was about to call for you if kneeing him didn’t work.”

“Are you okay with Henri returning if he apologizes?”

“That’s up to you.”

“No, it’s up to you. We respect our employees.”

Smiling, I nod. “Yeah, I’m okay with it.”

“Okay. He won’t return tonight. He’s barred for a week to cool down.”

“Sounds good. I need to check on my tables. Thanks for the help though.”

“You’ll always have it.”

As I head off, I glance over my shoulder to find Hale still watching me. My stomach flutters and a mixture of emotions ripples through me. I’m not sure what’s going to happen between us, but I’m sure something is.