CHAPTER 2
Caylix
The Growl is fucking packed, which is normal for a Friday night, but something seems different. Off. Like there’s something brewing in the air that has my wolf raising its hackles and pacing inside my head. I scan the patrons again, but nothing seems out of the ordinary, and surely no one would be stupid enough to try anything on neutral territory.
My pack owns this club and it’s one of the few places left where any sort of supe can mingle without worry, thanks to the wards that keep out any brave humans stupid enough to venture here. If they get too close, they immediately become confused and forget why they were here. The witches are a thorn in my side, but at least they were gracious enough to give us the privacy we need.
“If your mouth turns any further down, it’s going to get stuck like that,” my packmate, Rhys, comments as he swoops by our booth and a growl escapes me. He winks at me and moves on before I can retort.
He’s not wrong though. I’m grumpier than usual and if I’m not careful, I’ll turn into Kathan, my second in command. I run a hand through my hair and take a deep breath, wiping the frustration from my face. The past few weeks, tension has been high between the witches, shifters, and vampires. Fae are almost always neutral parties, but the three of us bicker like fucking toddlers and I hate it. We all have separate empires to run, can’t we manage them in peace without one of the others trying to encroach on the others’ success?
At least we now have an agreement with the vampires to help tackle the feral problem together, I remind myself. Before that, it seemed like we were the only ones concerned with the feral fuckers wreaking havoc on our societies.
Feral vampires are little more than beasts. Once they turn, they lose every last shred of humanity and are a stain on the rest of the supernatural community. We haven’t exactly figured out what causes them to turn, which is another unknown in this constant puzzle.
Thinking about them instantly darkens my mood again and I shove those thoughts away, swirling the dark liquor in my glass, before downing the rest in a gulp that burns all the way down my throat.
Something draws my attention to the dance floor and the crowd parts like it was meant to at this exact moment. I find myself entranced, staring at the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, dancing in the middle of the floor. Her hands are above her head of gorgeous brown hair woven with threads of gold. She dances like she’s the last woman in the world, ignoring the rest of us with her head angled toward the ceiling.
The sight makes me want to slip in front of her and wrap my hand through said hair before tipping her chin and bringing that gaze to mine, pressing her body firmly against me. The reaction surprises me and I tamp down the feeling, reminding myself I don’t even know this woman.
That begs the question, who is she? I’ve never seen her in our club before, so she’s new. And if she were a shifter, I’d know. Her hair is over her ears so I can’t see them, which means she could be a fae, though I’m not getting those vibes from her. Nor vampire, which leaves a witch, but most of them are too prissy to venture this far outside of New Orleans.
My nostrils flare as I inconspicuously try to catch her scent, but the air is too permeated with sweat for me to single hers out, though I swear there’s a sweet aroma underneath. The crowd closes again, and I lose sight of her, making my wolf rage inside my head. He wants to chase her, but I know women require more finesse than that.
My feet are moving before I can even register it. Rhys shoots me a raised eyebrow as I shove the bourbon glass in my hand at another shifter, knowing he’ll take care of it. The dancers part for me like butter, and thankfully, it’s relatively easy to find her again. She’s drawn the eyes of several supes all watching her dance, yet I still can’t get a read on what she is. There’s a single overhead light shining down on her and she’s a beacon, guiding me toward her.
Before I really even know what I’m doing, I cross the distance between us and place my hand on her hip as she dances, keeping myself at a respectable distance until I know it’s okay with her. The barest hint of my finger’s brush against her bare flesh, and she jolts like I’m having the same effect on her as she is me, leaning into my touch. My dick awakens in my jeans, and I must suppress a groan.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
The mass of bodies and scents around me mess with my sense of smell, but I swear, the barest bit of her sweetness tickles my nostrils, and it takes everything in me not to drop my nose to her neck and inhale further, especially when she arches into me, her ass grinding against my erection. She must be feeling the pull as well because her arms band around my neck, bringing me in closer. I can’t help myself as I lean down, and my stubble brushes her neck. She shudders and it makes the urge to claim this strange woman stronger, like a wave crashing onto a shore.
Her beautiful brown locks brush against me as we sway and her sweet honey scent with a hint of a buzz to it finally reaches me. She’s a witch, and I don’t want to let her go. Her back arches into me again and I see the barest hint of her cleavage. My wolf awakens and my teeth descend, wanting to mark and claim. It confuses me as much as it turns me on.
The music suddenly stops and so do our hips. The world comes into focus again and the moment between us fizzles, though the attraction is still there. Thankfully, it snaps me out of my claiming frenzy.
I open my mouth to introduce myself when she steps away from me, seeming embarrassed with herself. She shouldn’t be, but I also don’t want to come on too strong and scare her off. My thoughts are racing about the possibilities of her. My wolf has never been that close to claiming someone, least of all a stranger. There’s no way I’m letting her out of my sight, but if she needs a minute, I totally understand.
“I’m going to the bar,” she murmurs like she doesn’t care if I hear or not, never once glancing back, and it only serves to further pique my interest over her.
My wolf seems to raise a mental eyebrow at me, challenging me to go after her, but it’s obvious from her flushed skin, she’s flustered. Let’s watch and give her some space. That seems to placate him, and he stops twitching, but he’s still itching to yank her into our arms again like I am.
“I’ll find you again, darling,” I whisper as I watch her delicious hips sway. Her steps falter, telling me she heard me, and she shivers. Oh yes, the little witch likes that idea.
I move to the side where I have a clearer view of the bar, ignoring the people who try to stop and talk to me. I could care less about them right now. Once she finally parts the crowd enough to reach the counter, she releases a huge breath, like she’s expelling all the air in her lungs. “I need another shot. This time make it the strongest one you’ve got.”
That makes me chuckle, and I lean against the wall to wait and watch. Something tells me there’s more than meets the eye to her, and I intend to find out exactly what.