Chapter Nine
Grant
Idon’t know what the fuck is going on with Vlad, but I’m not sure I hate it.
Did I really see desire in his eyes earlier? I mean, he chose the outfit I’m wearing, so he should think it’s hot, but still—
I can ask later. After tonight, after we’re not both so worked up about everything that might or might not happen.
The bouncer clearly clocks me as I approach the front of the queue, and I hide my satisfied grin. I have to hope he won’t do the same with Vlad, of course, but the bouncer is human, so he shouldn’t have any way of seeing through Vlad’s glamour.
I slip inside and keep to myself for a few moments as I survey the space.
First, I check out the room I dismissed last night.
It’s a little later this time, so busier, people dancing close together.
Ooh, I want to do that. Not tonight, obviously.
Some other time. Maybe I can ask Quinn, or even Paxton, though Quinn might invite members of his pack, and I think that would be fun.
I shake my head. Focus. I cross into the room Jakob was in last night and notice a few things straight away. One is the bartender—the same vampire as yesterday—who fixes me with a glare. I smile back.
The other is Jakob and his bodyguard, both of whom perk up as soon as I step over the threshold. The bodyguard looks pissed off. Jakob eyes me hungrily, though his intent gaze has nothing on Vlad earlier tonight.
I fight the urge to shake my head again. Imagining things. I’m just imagining it. Vlad doesn’t feel any differently for me today than he did yesterday, and he wasn’t interested in me like that yesterday, either.
I saunter over to the bar, putting a deliberate sway in my hips, and feel eyes on me all the way. I was more than a little concerned about this outfit, considering how much of my skin it covers, but Vlad was right again.
And speaking of… He slips into the room and takes up quiet vigil in a dark corner. His true nature is still hidden by his glamour, which I realise has more magic weaved in, designed to keep anyone from remembering that he was here yesterday, too.
Nice. I need to learn how to do that. In the meantime, I flag down the bartender and order a drink.
The bodyguard is at my shoulder after my first sip. “Boss wants to see you.”
I turn to him with an arched eyebrow. “Phrasing it like that got you nowhere last night.” I glance past him and at Jakob, who is watching me, unabashed. “You’ll have to do better than that.”
He growls and stomps away. I grin into my drink, examining the others at the bar. I can pick the vampires out of the group easily, of course. Only one more of them, not including the bartender. There are no shifters in here, or at least not that I’ve seen yet.
The bodyguard slinks back a few seconds later. “Boss would like you to consider sitting with him while you enjoy your drink. If you’d like.”
I blink up at him, then look over at Jakob. Too easy. Too eager. But I can’t look a gift horse in the mouth; I just need to remember to be careful.
“You should’ve led with that,” I admonish, and the bodyguard grumbles, but he doesn’t say anything I can truly pick up.
Doesn’t matter. I don’t need to fear him.
My power gives me the outline of his, a sketch of a vampire with enough death magic to power his skills to manipulate, but not enough to make him a real threat.
Does Jakob know that, too? Probably.
I take another sip of my drink before following the bodyguard across the room. I don’t bother asking for his name. Don’t need to try to ingratiate myself with him when I’m already trying to rile Jakob up a little.
The vampire in question leans back in the booth as we get close. His smirk is self-satisfied and I don’t offer my own smirk in response. He thinks he has the upper hand? Good. Let him.
“And here I thought you might give me the runaround again,” he says as I set my glass on the table.
The only other thing on it is a decanter full of what I assume is spiked blood.
My mouth doesn’t even water at the sight of it, and I’m glad that Vlad made me feed earlier.
Not that I was hungry, truly, but now there’s no chance of it.
“Doesn’t hurt to be polite,” I reply with a shrug. “I don’t like being bossed about.”
“I’m sure you don’t, little peacock you are.”
Jakob’s eyes linger on my chest, on what he can see through the mesh top I’m wearing under the satin shirt. Everything.
“Was there something you wanted?” I ask, tone one of utter boredom. “Or can I go and actually enjoy myself?”
Okay, now I’m pushing it. The bodyguard’s shoulders tense and Jakob’s smile turns brittle. Make or break time. Does he want me more than he hates my bitchy attitude?
“I just wanted to learn more about you,” he finally says, tone sweet and sickly as syrup. “What’s a pretty young thing like you doing running around without his sire?”
Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner. I force my eyes wide, expression shocked, but only for a second. Just long enough for him to see it and feel good about catching it. I pick up my drink and take a hefty swallow.
“Don’t have one,” I mutter. “I mean, it doesn’t matter, does it? I can be out on my own. I can take care of myself.”
Oh, can I. My power pushes at my skin when Jakob slides closer, and I swallow, trying to force it back down.
“I’m sure you can,” Jakob purrs. “But it must be exhausting, no? A young vampire, all on his own…” He reaches out, thumb brushing my chin, and the bond between me and Vlad goes taut.
Fuck. I huff and turn my face away when Jakob goes in for a kiss. His lips glance off my cheek and I try my best to push back against Vlad.
This is fine. This is what we talked about.
Jakob draws back, expression tight and angry. I meet his anger with my own and down the rest of my drink without breaking eye contact.
I need him angry, too. Need him to want to conquer, but to be happy to hand me over to his fae when the time is right.
“I’m not trading one arsehole for another,” I say and go to stand.
Jakob grabs my wrist. Hard. Terror sweeps through me for a moment, but only one. Vlad is here. Even if he weren’t, I’m stronger than Jakob. I can feel that.
He blows out an explosive breath. “My apologies. Tell me what you need from me.”
Even that, an order. I bite back an instinctive response. “A gentleman,” I say instead. “No one’s going to be in charge of me again.”
“I understand,” Jakob says, and when he tugs on my wrist, I settle back in my seat. He gestures to the decanter. “May I?”
I shrug, but he takes it for the affirmation it is as his bodyguard sets down two clean glasses.
Jakob pours us both a drink and sips his first. I take a sip of my own and try not to frown at the taste.
The blood is too tart, alcohol strangely strong.
For a second, it goes to my head, but then my power burns it right out of me.
I give Jakob a soft smile. “Nice.”
“More than,” he replies, and I know he means it’s expensive, but I don’t care. “Tell me about yourself, Quinn. I want to know everything.”
I don’t jump at the name, but only just. He must have been listening in when I spoke to Steve last night. That’s hardly surprising. I take another sip of my drink. “Everything? Do we have enough time for that?”
“Where are you from?”
“A town like this one.” I angle my body towards Jakob’s. I don’t dare look around and try to spot Vlad. I can sense his irritated energy, anyway. “What about you?”
“Nowhere so nice as this.”
Doesn’t matter to me. “When did you get here, then?”
“A few decades ago. I like the sea.”
“So do I.”
He moves closer the more we speak, and I let my smiles get a little looser as time progresses. Jakob’s smile is smug when he pours me another glass. I rest my head on my hand and slow my blinks.
“How are you feeling?” he asks an hour or so later. “That’s a lot for a little thing like you.”
I snort and laugh before I take another drink. My power is keeping me sober, thank fuck, because I haven’t been drunk in fifteen years and tonight is not the night to try that again.
“It’s good,” I say. “You’re trying to impress me.”
Jakob’s smile doesn’t waver, but the corners of his eyes tighten. “What if I am?”
“I told you what I wanted.”
“A gentleman.”
I sway towards him. My hand lands on his thigh, which goes still under my touch. It would be heady, except he’s making my skin crawl, and I don’t want to be this close to him. Jakob touches my chin, tilting my head up.
“So you won’t be coming home with me tonight, I assume?”
And risk being stuck there for the day? A bad move even if he wasn’t a major creep.
“Not tonight.”
The implication makes him smile again and softens his touch on my chin.
“What do I get tonight, then? I shared blood with you, little bird. That’s important.”
Is it? Vlad’s never mentioned it, and neither has Jeremiah or Maurice. Just another ploy, I guess, but I bite my lip like I’m thinking it over. When I gently move my head back, out of Jakob’s grip, he frowns.
I lean closer so my mouth is almost pressed against his ear. My hand hasn’t moved from his thigh, and I brush my thumb over the fabric of his trousers now, listening to the shaky exhale he lets out in response.
“Tonight,” I whisper, “you can think about what it might be like when I’m moaning your name. Begging for it.”
His hand snaps out and grabs my wrist. I huff and lean back.
“I need your permission for that, do I?” His eyes spark dangerously. I grin, still keeping my expressions loose and easy, before I let out a laugh.
“Who else would you get it from?”
It startles him enough that he lets go and I blow him a kiss as I get to my feet. The bodyguard steps aside and I only look back once as I reach the threshold of the room. Jakob is still watching me. He looks hungry. Angry. The shiver I feel in response has nothing to do with desire.