CHAPTER SIX
Sara
My blood was still near boiling from my fight with Ty when I stepped out of the gym into the cool night air. I clamped my thighs together as I walked, cursing inwardly at my body for getting so hot and bothered by yet another fucking Obscuritas Prince. Why did they all have to be so enticing? Was I just a glutton for pain? It was difficult to remain indifferent when all four men now caused my fucking vagina to pant like a lioness in heat. Gods, this was infuriating. Get it together, Mina.
Ty’s hot as sin looks weren’t a surprise. I’d done my research on them all and knew they were all attractive before meeting them. But there were plenty of attractive guys in the world. Even James, his gym manager, was hot. When I sparred with Ty, though, it was like my insides caught fire, and I had to force myself to not crush his lips to mine. I knew he was into it too when his hard and admittedly massive dick pressed into me while I straddled him, holding the knife to his tattoo-covered throat. Fucking hell.
Thankfully, he was nowhere to be found when I slipped out of the gym. I had to sing at Noircoeur tonight, so I’d spent extra time in the locker rooms getting ready before slipping into my faux leather leggings and black jacket for the bike ride and ducking out of the gym in a hurry.
I didn’t know what would happen if I saw him again, what I would say. My mind was jumbled, and I ignored three calls from Tibby before texting her to fuck off. I knew she tapped into his security cameras and saw everything, but I wasn’t ready to talk about it.
I noted the lifted, black Bronco parked next to my streetbike. Of course it was Ty’s. It screamed “bad guy” with the massive tires and blacked-out windows. I rounded the SUV and stopped short. Ty Radnor casually leaned against the hood, his eyes raking over my body, and I forced myself not to shiver under his gaze. His dirty blond hair was still tied up in a bun, and he wore a leather jacket over a fitted black t-shirt and dark jeans, his fully tattooed body now hidden away. His hazel eyes reflected the lights of the gym behind me, and he smirked.
“Hello, pet.” Ty’s mouth lifted slightly, his eyes feral.
I clamped my legs together, forcing my brain to ignore the blood rushing between my thighs at the sound of his deep voice. Fucking shit, why was my pussy such a traitorous slut?
I lifted my chin, meeting his gaze as I walked toward him. “Looking for another beating so soon, Ty?”
His jaw clenched when I said his name, and I could see I affected him as much as he did me. This was insanity. This fucker helped The Obsuritas destroy my family, and I was ready to rip his clothes off in the parking lot. I forced my eyes to narrow angrily, and he chuckled.
“Anytime, pet.” He growled out the words, and I walked toward my bike just to give my legs something to do besides crumple at his feet. “Fancy a drink?”
“Sorry, monster man.” I laughed, feeling better as his lips flattened at my flippant tone. “I’ve got somewhere to be tonight. Perhaps another time.”
He stepped toward me, crowding me against the bike, his hands reaching out to rest on either side of me. I breathed in his leather and tobacco scent, his lips nearly brushing mine.
“And where’s that?” He whispered the words, his eyes holding mine.
I swallowed, keeping my voice casual. “Noircoeur. I work there.”
Ty arched an eyebrow. “You’re a burlesque dancer?”
I smiled tauntingly. “That a problem?”
He shrugged, even as his eyes narrowed. “No.”
Alright then, liar.“Well, I’m going to be late so, kindly back the fuck up.”
Ty barked a laugh, and I smiled sweetly as he stood, towering over me. “I think I’ll come see you dance then, little pet.”
I rolled my eyes and looked away, not wanting him to see how much my body responded to his words. “I am not your pet, and do whatever the fuck you want.”
He chuckled, and the gravelly sound of his voice had me biting down on my lip. “Whatever I want? You might want to choose your words more carefully, pet.”
I turned away, pretending to be unaffected even as Mina screamed for me to fuck this dark and delicious creature. Images of my naked flesh pressed against his Bronco as he pounded into me flashed through my mind. Before he could see my flushed cheeks, I pulled the helmet over my face.
“See ya around, monster man.”
My body was reacting too often to these dark princes, and I needed some space from this beast of a man. I forced myself not to look back as I spun out of the lot and away from Ty Radnor and his stupid, gorgeous, evil face.
I turned up my music, blasting out some boss bitch tune. Grace’s version of “You Don’t Own Me” filled my ears, and I belted out the lyrics into my helmet as I zipped down the highway into the city. Fuck these guys and their sexy smiles and piercing eyes and rough hands and just—fuck all of it. Okay, no, don’t. Because apparently I was way too keen to fuck all of them.
I nearly upended my bike when I slammed to a halt in the parking lot, arriving at the club in a matter of minutes. I grabbed my backpack and pushed into the back entrance of Noircoeur. Tibby usually came to my performances, but I didn’t feel like talking about any of my feelings about Ty, so I ducked directly into my dressing room instead of meeting her at the bar first.
There was a bottle of champagne and a single rose on my vanity. I looked around, but there was no note. Who sent this? It couldn’t be Ty. He wasn’t the type. I racked my brain until it clicked and I smiled. Devon. He’d brought me champagne last time. But how did he know I was working? I’d also ignored his texts today. After the bomb of my father and sister being in the hands of the monsters I was hunting dropped, I couldn’t fake feelings of happiness or pleasure with that on my mind. Apparently, beating the shit out of Ty had helped, though. Whatever. I poured a glass of champagne and gulped it down. I couldn’t get shitfaced before singing, but a couple glasses wouldn’t hurt. I picked up my phone and texted our stage manager. Tonight, I was switching things up, something a little less retro and a little more intune with my current feelings.
A variety of dresses hung in my closet, but the black bodycon dress would fit my song of choice perfectly. The sweetheart neckline and soft fabric hugged my curves like a second skin. To complete the outfit, I pulled on a pair of black, leather, knee-high boots, then walked around the room, letting my feet adjust to the four-inch stiletto heels. The braid in my hair left it all kinky, and I used a two-inch curling iron to add some styled waves to the mess. It looked freshly fucked, which worked well with the outfit. Lastly, I chose bright-red matte lipstick over my usual burgundy pout and black eyeshadow for an extra smokey, badass look. I stared at my reflection.
This would be the first time I’d be on stage without a wig. Everyone would recognize me after this. It was pretty impossible to forget the icy blue hair. Well, fuck it. This performance deserved a little more of the girl hiding in the shadows. Let them see. I poured a second glass of champagne and walked out of the dressing room, toward the stage. Josie rounded the corner, her brown eyes going wide.
“Holy shit, Sara. No wig?” She smiled broadly as she flipped my hair, her body shimmering in glitter.
“Nope.” I shook my head and rolled my shoulders back. “Switching things up tonight.”
Josie clapped excitedly. “Hell yeah, girl. I’ll be sure to grab a seat out there.”
I saluted her with my glass and headed to stage left, waiting for my cue. The other girls on stage finished to a rowdy round of applause. The house was packed for a Wednesday night. My eyes closed as I took a deep breath, feeling the anxiety rushing out of me. This was my happy place. On stage, singing like the world could end at any moment. And I knew it could.
I heard my cue, smirking at the name I gave for tonight’s introduction, Harley Quinn. I never used my real name, it was more fun this way, to be someone new each night. Not Sara Braun or Seraphina or the lonely girl with nothing and no one, but a character people could love and adore. I sauntered on stage with a smirk on my red lips and fire in my eyes. The catcalls came quickly, and I gave a little turn, resting a hand on my hip as I stopped in front of the microphone.
“This one goes out to all my ladies waiting for a real man to step the fuck up. Don’t settle for less, bitches,” I crooned into the microphone before downing the champagne. I tossed it to a table in front, and some guy surprisingly caught it. I kept my eyes up, not looking into the crowd. I didn’t want to know who was watching, didn’t care.
The music pounded out through the club’s speakers, and I pressed my lips close to the microphone as I sang out the first line of the song. The words were desperate, begging for a man who could handle a woman with a dark side.
I heard Josie’s wolf whistle in the crowd and grinned wickedly as I sang, feeling the words of the song in my bones. My fingers stroked the mic stand, and my hips swayed to the music as the words tumbled out of me. My voice belted out the last lyrics, forcing the audience to feel some type of way. The final notes rang out over a mesmerized crowd, and I blew a kiss and flipped off the audience as it ended.
The audience erupted into applause, men and women standing, whistling and yowling excitedly. I continued to stand there for a solid sixty seconds, my chin high and my hands on my hips, taking it in like a fucking queen. Intermission music began to play, and my heels clicked as I sauntered to the stairs in front of the stage. Several men jumped up to offer their arms as I descended into the crowd. None moved to touch me, as if I was above them all, though I felt their hungry gazes on every inch of my body. I spotted hot-pink hair at the bar and walked casually toward Tibby. Ryan, the bartender, slid a glass of champagne to me as I leaned next to her.
She sipped her drink with a smile. “That was fucking brilliant. You should dress like this always.”
I laughed. “It felt fucking brilliant. I needed that.”
Tibby nodded. “I know. Ty is here.”
I snorted, rolling my eyes. “Not surprised. Dev?”
Tibby shook her head. “Actually, I haven’t seen him. He was still working at the bar last I checked.”
I slid my empty champagne glass back to the bartender, and he instantly moved to fill it.
“That was badass, Sara.” Ryan winked, topping up the glass.
I grinned. “Thanks, Ryan. Glad you liked the show.”
“Digging the blue hair too.” His eyes roamed over my face. “It suits you.”
A shadow appeared behind me, and I felt his muscular frame closing in as Ryan’s eyes widened and he backed away.
“Hello, pet.”
Tibby kept her body angled toward the bar, her face buried in her martini. I turned around and leaned back on the bar, my arms resting on the edge, and looked up into Ty’s face. He wasn’t exactly scowling, and I noted the curve of his lips and the glint of mischief in his hazel eyes. Strands of hair framed his face, and his bun was messy, like he’d stuck his head out the window on the highway.
“Hello, Ty,” I said, giving him a smirk.
I licked my lips and enjoyed the hunger in his eyes as he tracked the movement of my tongue. His eyes dipped lower, taking in my curves on display in the tiny dress. I looked away, scanning the crowd as if his attention meant nothing. He stepped closer, and his rough hands grasped my chin, turning my face up to look into his own. My skin heated where his hand lingered.
“Not the performance I was expecting. You’re looking every bit the vixen on that stage. Sing like one too. I like it.”
I gave him a wink and leaned into his touch. “So did everybody else. Get in line, monster man.”
Ty’s hand trailed down my throat, and he squeezed gently, his lips turned up into a devilish grin. “You have no idea who you’re taunting right now, little vixen. You should be very, very careful.”
I pushed off the bar and further into the hand gripping my throat. His grip tightened, and, fuck me, did I like the feeling settling between my legs. I tilted my head to the side as I stared up into his fiery gaze.
“Or what? I’m not afraid of you, Typhon Radnor.”
Ty’s eyes flared at the use of his full name on my lips. I slid my hand over his dick, rubbing slightly at the hard length beneath his jeans.
“Besides. I think you like it rough.”
Ty growled, letting me know I was, in fact, correct, and I grinned in triumph. Maybe I liked that too. I stepped back, and he released my throat, his fingers brushing against my cleavage. I was so hot and bothered I barely heard Ryan calling my name from behind the bar. Ty’s head snapped up.
“What do you want?” he snapped at Ryan, stepping closer to me and leaning one arm against the bar. I turned toward Ryan, and felt Ty’s free hand pressing into my lower back, showing his dominance. Ryan’s wide eyes drifted down to mine.
I rolled my eyes and smiled. “Ignore the brute. What’s up, Ryan?”
Ryan cleared his throat as Ty pinched my waist and snarled possessively, as if he had any claim to my attention.
“Uh. Otis asked if you’d sing again tonight. The crowd went nuts for you, and he said you can sing whatever you want.”
My cheeks flushed with pleasure. I knew I had a decent voice, but it was still nice to receive high praises like that. I nodded. “Of course. I’d love to. Just give me like thirty to change costumes.”
Ty leaned in behind me, his lips brushing against my ear and making me shiver. “What will you sing for me now, pet?”
I turned my head toward him, our lips nearly touching. “Who says the song will be for you?”
Ty gripped my waist, turning my body toward his, and gripped my chin tightly so I couldn’t look away. “If you want to sing for another man, little vixen, point him out. He’ll be dead before you finish the chorus.”
I huffed a laugh even as my thighs clenched. “Well, that’s not very nice.”
He grinned, his muscles taut and his grip tight on my chin. “I don’t play nice with others. And I don’t like to share.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t belong to you, monster man. Or anyone else.”
“Yes you do, pet. You’ll figure that out soon enough.” Ty shoved off the bar. “Better get backstage and ready for your next song, little vixen.”
I chugged my champagne and flipped him off before turning my back to him and heading backstage. I heard his growl and felt his angry eyes following me as I walked away. I smiled and winked at several men and women along my path, just to piss him off a little extra. This was too much fun. The only problem was, I desperately wanted to get laid now, and no way in hell could I give in to Ty Radnor. I suppose I could go back to Dev, but wasn’t that just trading one devil for another? My vibrator wasn’t going to cut it after the orgasm Dev wrung from my body. Fuck, this was annoying. Maybe I could find a nice boy to screw? I could practically feel Mina laughing at me. No, a nice boy wasn’t going to work either.
I shoved into my dressing room and stripped out of my boots and dress, rummaging through my costumes. What to wear? What to sing? Something provocative and very “damn the man.” I pulled out a black, leather catsuit with a thick, gold zipper leading straight down to my navel. I slipped into it, tugging the supple leather up my legs. I pulled my arms through the sleeves and left the zipper undone to show off my kick-ass cleavage. The catsuit was skintight, and my lacy red bra matched my lips perfectly. I stepped back into my knee-high boots and zipped them up tight. The outfit was surprisingly comfy to move in. I slid tiny black cat ears into my hair, a nod to the OG Catwoman, my idol, Michelle Pfeiffer. Anyone who thinks she wasn’t the fucking shit in Batman Returns should be shot on sight.
As I walked out of the dressing room, several dancers and performers commented on my first performance and rushed to find open seats for my next act. I stopped at the end of the stage and gave the stage manager a thumbs up. She winked and gave me a thumbs up in return. I chose a handheld mic for this song and stepped onto the stage, grinning like the cat who caught the canary. Tibby’s wolf whistle cut through the silence and the crowd quickly joined her. The music queued up for Elle King’s bad bitch anthem, “Baby Outlaw.” I shimmied to the sound of the guitar and started into the song with fire in my veins.
I began to dance, using the entire stage and moving with the rhythm of the music. I leaned down and winked at the men and women sitting close to the stage, luring them in with my voice. At that moment, everyone in the club belonged to me. I couldn’t see Ty, but I could feel his eyes locked on my body, following my moves like a stalker in the shadows. I scanned the heads of the crowd and found his hulking frame sitting at the bar. He was leaning forward, his arms resting on his knees while he tracked me across the stage like a predator. I gave him a pointed look as I sang out the chorus. Elle King’s message rang out in defiance; she was a woman who didn’t need a man to save her, she was strong enough to save herself. And so was I.
His mouth twitched as I sang out the words. I slid my eyes away from him and caught Tibby’s gaze with a grin. She toasted me with her martini, and I tipped a salute. The crowd faded into the shadows as I got swept up in the song, letting the world know I was nobody’s baby, and in the end, they’d be the poor souls dead at my feet. Fuck, I loved this song. I barely finished the final lyrics before the audience jumped to their feet, clapping and tossing money onto the stage. The stage manager jumped into action, picking up all the bills. I kicked up a heel and winked, blowing a kiss again before heading backstage, instead of into the crowd.
With the lights dimmed, I ran to my dressing room and grabbed my backpack before heading out the back door toward my bike. I zipped up the catsuit so my tits didn’t fall out when I rode down the highway. The incredible high from that performance was too fucking awesome and this outfit was too hot not to show off. My bike jumped to life, and I kicked off the gravel, flying into the night and away from the club. Adrenaline rushed through me, and I sped down the side streets, feeling smug as fuck leaving Ty behind. I pulled up to a stop light next to a newer Camaro. The driver and his frat boy friend turned, and their mouths dropped when they took in my catsuit.
The frat boy in the passenger seat leaned toward me, and I flipped up my visor.
“Am I dreaming? Because holy shit you look like my favorite wet dream, baby.” The guy driving laughed, licking his lips.
“Sorry, little boys,” I taunted, loud enough for them to hear. “I don’t think you could handle me.”
When the light turned green, I flipped the visor back down and zoomed onto the highway. The Camaro followed, speeding between cars to keep up with me. I laughed again. What a fucking night. I weaved between cars and was mildly impressed when they were able to keep up.
I felt a shadow come over me and turned, trying to look up and around, but nothing was there except for the endless night sky. A sharp wind slipped down beneath my catsuit and made me shiver. An uneasy feeling came over me, like something—or someone—was watching me. The Camaro zoomed next to me, and I gave the boys a little wave before taking off, deciding to lose them well before they could see my exit and follow me home. I quickly outpaced them and made it back to my dingy apartment. I parked in the back, as usual, and climbed the fire escape up to my place, carefully avoiding the holes in the grated steps. The window shoved open slowly, the track rusted and uneven, obviously decades old. I slipped inside and dropped my backpack onto the kitchen table. I flopped onto my bed and lifted my legs to remove the boots.
The adrenaline was slowly wearing off, and thoughts of my younger sister flooded into my head. Next Friday, I would get them back. At least two of the Princes would be at the party. Dev would be working at the bar. To make sure Ty was at the gym, I planned to offer him a rematch. With the four Princes occupied, I could sneak into Vespertine Hall, dispatch the low level guards, and free my father and sister. We could be together. And I could finally be reunited with the only family I had left.
The idea of seeing my father after so many years brought mixed emotions. The ache of his abandonment still stung after all these years. He said it was for our protection, but he took Michaela and he just…left. I didn’t even get to say goodbye to my sister. Why? Why did I have to stay behind?
I went over the events leading up to that day. Lailah was so strangely calm. She played with me and Michaela, which was rare. Our mother was trying to hide her fear, but I could feel it. And our father followed her around the house, whispering and agitated until the day we packed up the car and left our home.
After Lailah and our mother were killed, my father drove us away without looking back. We drove for hours and hours until we finally stopped. And he left me all alone. I needed to know why. Why was my Lailah murdered? Why did The Obscuritas think murdering my sister was going to do something for them? Magical sacrifice to a higher power? Give me a fucking break.
I was an atheist and a skeptic of anything I couldn’t prove with my own eyes, even in my younger years. So the idea of this cult murdering people for some magical power was insane and just made me want to kill them all quicker. Tibby still couldn’t find exactly what The Obscuritas were trying to achieve. I couldn’t remember much, having been hidden away for most of it. And until we had eyes or ears inside their little wicked rooms of magic, we were basically going in blind. Tibby found the blueprints for Vespertine Hall, though, so I at least had that for the party.
After a quick shower, I crawled into bed and curled up with my pillow. My heart beat slowly, and the silence felt heavy. Music helped me drown out the bad memories, so I grabbed my headphones and chose a soothing playlist. Even with all of the adrenaline spent and the semi-good night, the nightmares still came. They always came for me in the dark.