Darker (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #6)(36)

“Fine. You’re on your own. When you lose your f**king mind and drown in a sea of blood, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Chapter Ten

Music poured down the street from The Spirit Room. Hard rock serenaded the night. It put a little extra oomph in my step. I never could resist the sound of electric guitars.

I perused the line up at the door for Brogan and swaggered past a small group of leather clad, long-haired guys sharing a joint. Their whistles and catcalls brought a blush to my cheeks. Not one to normally seek out male attention, I couldn’t help but be flattered. It wasn’t often I had human men reacting to me that way. It was nice to know it had nothing to do with power or supernatural hungers.

“Alexa,” Brogan called from near the front of the line. “Over here.”

Her dirty blonde hair lay on her shoulders in soft waves. In tight blue jeans and an Aerosmith t-shirt, she was casual but hot. The guy in front of us kept tossing glances back her way while she pretended not to notice.

“Is Gabriel here? Have you seen him yet?” I asked after exchanging pleasantries.

“No. I’m sure he’ll be here. His best friend’s in the battle of the bands tonight. He wouldn’t miss it.” She leaned close and her tone dropped low. “Unless something happened to him.”

“Stay positive,” I replied, scanning the vicinity for anything unusual. “He’s inexperienced but he’s not helpless.”

The queue inched forward until we finally got inside. The place was packed with rock n’ rollers. It was a fair size, bigger than The Wicked Kiss, excluding the back rooms. A smoke machine filled the air with a haze that covered the crowd gathered near the stage.

Right away I recognized the all-girl band Crimson Sin. They’d played in my club recently. The lead singer was a werewolf. I could feel her wolf’s energy, hot as fire and burning with passion for her craft. With her purple hair flying and a sexy growl into the mic, she had no problem holding the audience’s attention.

We approached the bar where the bartender was a flurry of activity. As we waited for our turn to order, I scanned the building, feeling for anyone or anything supernatural. So far, it was just the werewolf on stage and us. Of course, when it came to demons and angels, they could lurk without being seen or felt, and the bastards could pop in out of nowhere. I hated that.

“I can’t shake this bad feeling I have,” Brogan shouted over the music. “Gabriel is young, and he probably feels invincible. I don’t think he realizes how dangerous our world is.”

I paid for our drinks, passed Brogan her beer and took a sip from my whiskey. “Hell, I’m still figuring that out myself.”

The liquor burned as I swallowed. I couldn’t help but think of Arys and the tangy scarlet nectar he was hunting down. Without me. All of a sudden, I became painfully aware of the scent of human blood. All around me were hundreds of beating hearts, pumping blood through the veins of so many would-be victims.

I took another drink, concentrating hard on the way it smelled and tasted. I hoped the alcohol would wipe away the thoughts of blood and prove Arys wrong. Instead, I had to control my urges with effort. I could master the bloodlust, I knew I could.

A commotion broke out in front of the stage. A heckler had messed with the wrong woman. A purple blur was all I could see of the Crimson Sin singer as she leaped into the crowd and began pummeling the guy. It didn’t take much to set off that wolf temper. I craned my neck to get a better look. As long as she wasn’t unleashing the fangs and claws, a little ass kicking wouldn’t hurt the lippy jerk much in the long run.

A bouncer broke up the fight, and the show continued. The energy rolled off the crowd, an excitement-driven force that caused my skin to prickle. I pulled it into me, savoring the raw human essence. It was a rush.

As long as we were there, we might as well have a good time. We blended into the throng of people in front of the stage. The band was great, likely the only all-female group in this contest. I didn’t need to hear the competition to know I wanted these ladies to win.

Though Brogan was unable to relax completely, I had no problem riding the high of the music and the crowd. I moved to the beat, but my gaze continuously swept the building. I kept expecting Falon to appear, and I wanted to be ready for it.

However, I didn’t anticipate Juliet striding through the door in snug blue jeans and a cute little one-sleeved top. Red lipstick and long brown curls added to her badass appearance. I blinked a few times, unable to believe she had been the little girl I remembered from my childhood.

“What the f**k is she doing here?” I muttered. I was willing to bet the casually dressed man at Juliet’s side was also FPA. Leaning into Brogan I said, “Maybe you should check outside for Gabriel while I talk to my sister. Something is up here, and I don’t feel good about it.”

It didn’t take long for Juliet to spot me. I headed in her direction, and she leaned in to speak to her companion who quickly disappeared near the bar. She had a perfectly plastic looking smile plastered onto place when I approached.

“I didn’t think this was your scene,” I said lightly, attempting small talk.

She didn’t bother to play along. “A little out of your element, too, wouldn’t you say? Everyone here is human.”

“What are you doing here, Juliet?” Fine. No small talk. We’d do it her way.