Chapter 23
After dropping Cleo off the day before, I took Krys on a tour of all my favorite hangouts.
First, we visited three places where I used to live and toured the neighborhood to see what had changed.
Most businesses in the Breed district survived for decades because of community support, and buildings were rarely demolished, due to their historical significance.
The human districts were another story. They were always renovating, always tearing down the old and putting up another bank, department store, or chain restaurant.
We also parked by Arrowhead Bridge, and Krys got a kick out of the name. The cheesesteak sandwiches hit the spot while we sat on a bench, watching a dolphin Shifter go for a discreet swim. Never a dull moment.
Afterward, we strolled onto the bridge, and I demonstrated how I could do a handstand on the rail. Krys scared the hell out of me when he pulled me down. He had never done that before, and though I balked at him ruining my fun, I secretly loved his protective nature.
When the heavy clouds unleashed a torrential downpour, we ducked into a coffee shop and sat by the window for a couple of hours, talking about inconsequential things. I filled in the gaps with memories of my life in the area, but it was also fun sitting in silence and people watching.
Showing Krys the city I knew and loved eased his worries about Cleo. Cognito was steeped in history and culture, not to mention excellent food. Despite the dangers, families raised their kids here. City packs often purchased large buildings to convert into a home.
Not once during our conversation did either of us bring up our intimate affair, but I could tell by the way his gaze lingered that it was on his mind.
The fact that there wasn’t any weirdness between us left me hopeful that it hadn’t ruined our friendship, but I still worried. He had a lot to process.
When it grew late, we stopped by my favorite pizza joint and then called it a night. Both of our animals needed out, and since it was a Breed hotel, we shifted in our rooms. The day had been much of the same—wandering the city and hanging out. It was the respite we needed after a long car trip.
I happened to notice that Krys was uncharacteristically nervous about going out.
Perhaps he was curious why I wasn’t dressed in my usual attire.
I wore a skintight black shirt with diagonal rips across my torso and back.
They were strategically cut to show off the best part of my body while covering my nipples.
Black eyeliner brought out the color of my blue-green eyes, and my favorite cologne swirled around me.
“That waitress this morning thought we were crazy,” he remarked while crossing the dark street.
“Are you still thinking about that? Nobody cares.”
“I bet she’s telling all her friends about her crazy customers who sat there eating bacon and pretzels, and then you had to go smearing your jar of peanut butter all over your pancakes.”
“I have zero regrets. People are used to Shifter cravings.”
He snorted. “That old woman was human for sure. She gave me the side-eye when I popped open those pretzels and poured them onto my plate.”
“Since when do you care what people think?” I jumped in front of him and walked backward. “You’ve fallen for that small-town mentality where gossip spreads faster than butter on hot toast. Everyone’s weird in Cognito.”
I pivoted and fell back a step so I could studiously admire his perfect ass and take-no-prisoners strut. Krys had on his leathers. He must’ve owned a dozen, but these were my favorite. Not too loose, not too snug, and his black muscle shirt was doing everything for his shoulders and biceps.
Before dinner earlier, we swung by a bookstore to buy souvenirs for the pack.
Tawdry romances, medical journals, cookbooks—that kind of thing.
But that wasn’t the memorable part of our shopping experience; it was the Chitah who kept hitting on Krys.
I wondered if our encounter had emboldened him to look longer at men and snare their attention.
In any case, Chitahs had an acute sense of smell, and I was curious if he might’ve scented Krys’s desire for him.
Naturally I was jealous.
And I hated myself for it. But I also enjoyed watching it all unfold.
Before we left Cognito, I wanted to take him to a real nightclub—one that attracted a large community of diverse individuals.
Open-minded was a better word.
A neon compass over the door identified the club, so there was no need to advertise the Golden Compass otherwise.
Humans eagerly lined up outside, some flirting with the doorman in hopes he would wave them in.
They had no clue what went on in there, only that they weren’t allowed.
The doorman was likely a Mage, since they could distinguish weak human energy from Breed.
Clubs allowed trusted humans so long as they were on the list or accompanied by Breed.
When we neared the entrance, a bald guy with a compass printed on his black shirt opened the door.
“You said we were going to a bar,” Krys remarked. “This isn’t a bar.”
I took his hand and pulled him inside. “No, it’s not. Come on, Dorothy. Time to visit Oz.”
The Golden Compass had a basement, but Krys wasn’t ready for that experience.
It wasn’t my scene either. Vampires laid their victims on tables and drank from them, people stripped naked, and the music was so loud you couldn’t think.
Upstairs, the music was thumping but not to a deafening degree.
Seating wrapped around the dance floor, which was roughly ten feet below. Everyone called it the pit.
VIPs were higher up, the exclusive section accessible only by a flight of stairs guarded by two Vampires.
Behind the seating area to the right were mirrored walls.
They were two-way, and people rented the private rooms behind them to conduct business meetings, people watch, and enjoy other nocturnal activities.
While I led him to a table, Krys scanned the dance area as we walked by a low wall.
It came up only a few feet, so you could sit on it or watch the dancers.
Once seated, I glanced across my left shoulder.
A row of couches faced each other, but they were spaced apart so the servers could easily pass through.
A few men were gathered in pockets while scanning the establishment in search of a love connection.
A brunette waitress sidled up to our table, her sparkly halter top catching the light. “What’ll it be, gentlemen?”
Krys regarded her with a tight smile. “A vodka neat.”
She turned her green eyes to me and squinted. “You look familiar.”
“I’m an old regular from way back.” I was tempted to order a spiked drink but not because of Darcy. There were a few other spooks in the place I didn’t want to meet eyes with.
“Do you need a minute?” she asked.
Krys eased back in his chair. “Get whatever you want. Nobody’s driving, and it’s our last night here.”
“Is your house drink still the Golden Arrow?” I asked her.
“You bet. Guaranteed to lower your inhibitions. Fifty per shot, but that’s all you need.”
Krys raised his finger. “Make it two. Vodka on the side.”
My eyebrows popped up in surprise.
After the waitress left, Krys rested his arms on the table and flashed a sexy smile. “What the hell do you need to lose your inhibitions for? I didn’t know you had any left.”
Our knees were touching beneath the table, and that was the only thing I could think about. I waggled my eyebrows in reply.
He stroked his goatee while scoping out the place. “Where’s your ghost?”
I ignored Darcy, who was dancing on an empty table. “Closer than you think.”
“Fucking hell. She needs to get a life.”
I laughed at his unintended joke.
The server finally returned with our drinks.
“You only get one alcoholic beverage after the shots, and here’s yours.
” After setting Krys’s vodka next to his shot glass, she gave me the usual robotic speech.
“The bartender has a photographic memory, so he knows your faces. I’ll be your server for the rest of the evening.
When you’re ready for another beverage, give me a shout. ”
“This’ll do it for me,” I told her.
Krys took out his wallet and slid cash her way. “Thanks.”
“Enjoy. If you get hungry, let me know.”
We raised our glasses and clicked them together in a toast. I held the glass to my lips and watched Krys, since I couldn’t remember seeing him order a sensory drink before.
He knocked back the shot. I preferred sipping to make the experience last. When it came to sensory drinks, a little went a long way.
An array of sapphire and indigo lights illuminated the dance floor. I could only see the dancers at the far end, and the bass from the music vibrated against my ass.
Krys raised his eyes to mine. “Have you ever had a serious relationship?”
I set down my drink before I spilled it. Somehow I’d successfully dodged that question for years. “Once.”
“No shit?” He wiped his hand over his goatee in that sexy way. “Who was the guy?”
I turned my glass in a circle. “He was a she, and her pack didn’t want me.”
He folded his arms and leaned in. “Why not?”
“Because I’m not a full-blooded wolf. You said I was afraid to love because I’ve never done it before, but I’ve already been on that ride.”
He lowered his eyes. “Did you run off together?”
Feeling that sting of rejection all over again, I lifted my glass. “She didn’t want to leave.” I finished the drink, and it burned all the way down before warming my belly. “She chose her pack over me.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? That was it? She didn’t even give it a chance?”
“She sat with it and realized if she ran off with me, we might never get accepted into a decent pack. That’s a lot to give up. Nobody wants to be a rogue forever.”
“What a bummer,” Darcy said, injecting herself into the conversation by sitting on the table. She was already fading, her edges duller, her color muted.