Through the Fire (Daughter of Fire, #1)(57)

The end result would have to be up to fate.

Once I’d left the bathroom, my eyes darted around the room quickly to locate Clay. Instead, I saw his father still seated at the bar glancing in my direction with an unreadable expression on his face. Regardless of Clay’s plan, whatever it might be, I couldn’t wait any longer to find out. Every instinct told me to flee; I was way too close to the very danger he’d helped me escape from years ago.

I stepped out of the ladies’ room and saw a man who looked just a little older than me waiting by the stairs that led up from The Library. A plan blossomed to life in my head. I couldn’t simply walk out of the hotel alone, not after what I’d told Clay’s father. It would be far too suspicious, and I had no doubt he’d follow me to see if his original assumption was correct. There was a way to cement my story in his head, but I would need to use that man by the stairs to carry out my ruse.

Walking as quickly as I dared, I approached him. “Can you please help me?” I asked, infusing my voice with desperation. I had learned that few men could resist helping a damsel in distress.

“What’s wrong?”

“There’s a man at the bar, he keeps hitting on me, and he won’t take no for an answer. I told him I was meeting my boyfriend, but I’m not. I’m here by myself, and I’m worried about what he might do if I leave alone.”

“I’m waiting for . . .”

“Please?” I begged. “Just walk me outside.”

Turning to look at the bar, I plastered a smile on my face when I saw Clay’s dad watching me and the stranger interact. As I faced my potential savior again, I forced my features into a look of horror.

“Please?”

The man looked around me to look at the bar. “Is that him?”

I nodded.

“Maybe I should just talk to him,” the guy said. “Tell him to back off a bit.”

“No, please, I don’t want to cause a scene. I just really want to get out of here.”

The man’s eyebrows knitted together as he examined my face. I held my breath and tried not to crumble under his scrutiny.

“Okay,” he said eventually.

I exhaled heavily in relief. “Thank you.”

He held out an arm, and I linked mine with it. As we walked to the doors outside, I turned quickly to Clay’s dad, giving him a wink and a thumbs-up.

“You’re really warm,” my savior said as we hit the crisp air. “Are you coming down with something?”

“It’s just the alcohol,” I said, hoping that was a valid reason for being a little warmer than most people. Usually I avoided touching people at all costs and would use the illness excuse. I didn’t want my savior to mention my heat to anyone else though, which was always a risk when fevers were discussed.

He nodded as if it was actually a thing, and I thanked him for helping me. Once I was away from the bright lights of the entrance to the hotel, I ducked around the corner and headed for the receiving bay where Clay had dropped my bag earlier.

As much as I wanted to flee as far and as fast as I could, I wasn’t ready to leave Clay. He’d warned me that there would be others from the Rain there—it just happened to include his family. I had no real reason to doubt him; he’d proven that he was different time and time again.

The cool night air helped me clear my head, and I gained control away of my heat from the confined space of the bar. If I was attacked in my hiding place, I would easily be able to defend myself.

Leaving my bag where it was for the moment, I headed back toward the corner and peered around to see the hotel entrance. As I watched, the door opened again. The light of the hotel entrance highlighted Clay’s face as he quickly looked left and right. He ducked away quickly and moved toward my side of the hotel. He just reached the corner when a man rushed up behind him. I watched from the limited shadows, not daring to peek my head out from around the corner, as Clay moved to greet him.

Straining my ears, I was just able to make out their conversation.

The man clapped Clay on the shoulder. Risking one quick glance, I could just make out Ethan. With the image of his Hummer barreling down on me in my mind, my heart beat so loudly that I was certain they’d both hear it.

“Hey bro, what’re you doing out here?” Ethan asked. “The party’s inside.”

“Just taking a breather. Lou’s being her usual self in there tonight, and I needed a minute.”

“You can’t blame her for being enthusiastic about tonight. I mean the last time we encountered witches—”

“I know, Eth, but I just can’t take it. Her constant smugness and the way she looks down on me for wanting to be certain that they pose a threat. Ever since . . .” Clay’s voice trailed off.

His brother sighed. “Yeah, ever since you betrayed the Rain for a piece of tail.”

“It’s not—” Clay cut himself off. “It wasn’t like that.”

“I know, I know, you were in love,” he dragged the word, and his voice was dripping with disdain. “And she wasn’t like the others.”

Risking another quick peek, I saw Clay’s whole body begin to shake with tiny tremors, and even with the distance between us, I could see the tiny muscles along his jaw tensing.

“Take a moment if you need to, bro, but we’ll need you in there. Dad said he’s expecting at least three dozen tonight, and you know they’ll put up a good fight.”