Desire Untamed (Feral Warriors #1)(15)

Beside her, both Tighe's and Foxx's heads rose in unison. When she lifted her own, she saw three people walking in the door, two more of the large men and an auburn-haired woman who looked like she'd stepped out of the pages of a fashion magazine, her slinky, emerald green dress slit nearly to the top of her thigh. In her black stilettos, she carried herself with a seductive grace that left Kara feeling like the country bumpkin she probably was. She wished she'd dressed in something nicer than her khakis and cotton sweater. She wished she had something nicer.

"Any food left?" one of the men said. "Or did you animals wolf it all down?" The man was bald in a sexy-pirate kind of way, though he was dressed more like a lean, muscular biker. A belt hung low on his waist, carrying an impressive, if somewhat disturbing, collection of knives. His black leather vest hung open, revealing a chest as devoid of hair as his head and a short row of scars on his neck that looked oddly familiar. Like the mark on her breast, she realized. Did they all have them?

The man on the other side of the woman had a seriously sinister look to him with his mustache, goatee, and pale, pale eyes. Eyes as cold as they were curious. She realized the newcomers were eyeing her with as much curiosity as she was them. As they approached the table, the men around her rose.

Kara was suddenly uncertain what to do. What was the proper protocol? Should she stand, too? Or was that something only the men did? Her mother had taught her basic table manners, but considering the fanciest restaurant she'd ever eaten at was Bill Barton's Steakhouse, this was way out of her realm of experience.

Tighe exchanged greetings with the bald man in the same way she'd seen him do with Lyon. Almost a handshake, but more, While their free hands clasped the other's shoulder. When they separated, Tighe took the woman in his arms and kissed her full on the mouth. But all he exchanged was a glance and a brief nod of the head with the scary-looking man.

To Kara's bemusement, every one of the men went through the same ritual, greeting each in exactly the same way Tighe had. Except for Foxx, who took the woman aside and gave her a kiss befitting long-lost lovers.

Were these three visitors, or just the stragglers coming in to dinner late? Did they really do this all the time?

Foxx released the woman, and Kara felt the woman's cool, assessing gaze turn to her. Kara rose, disliking the feeling of everyone towering over her.

"Could this be our new Radiant?" the bald man asked, releasing Wulfe to turn to her, His gaze was sharp and assessing.

"Kara, Vhyper. Vhyper, Kara," Tighe said with a wave of his hand. "Sit, Kara. Don't make her quit eating, Vhype. The poor woman's starving."

But Kara stayed where she was. She'd sit when the rest of them sat.

Vhyper started around the table, but Tighe called him off.

"You can all greet her properly later. She wasn't raised Therian and isn't used to our physicality." Tighe touched her shoulder briefly, drawing her attention to the other man. "This is Kougar and Zaphene, who is soon to be Foxx's mate. His wife."

Kara swallowed, then nodded and smiled, encompassing the newcomers in a single, quick gaze. "It's nice to meet you."

"Charmed," Zaphene murmured, but something in her tone made Kara feel like the woman was laughing at her.

If Kara could have slunk away without being noticed, she would have.

Tighe urged Kara back in her chair. As soon as she sat, the others took their seats. Foxx grabbed his plate from across the table and placed it beside Zaphene as the three newcomers took seats at the far end of the table.

Kara took a bite, then felt Zaphene's gaze on her and began to grow even more uncomfortable than before. The woman's eyes, filled with an amused pity, stripped her of her quickly waning supply of confidence. She didn't know the first thing about this culture or this world. With growing mortification, she wondered how many mistakes she'd already made without knowing it.

Her discomfort grew until her fork slipped from her fingers with a clatter, jerking all gazes her way. Her cheeks flooded with heat as unwanted tears pricked the backs of her eyes. She just wanted to go home.

"Oops," she murmured, and picked up her glass of water as casually as she could manage, desperately trying to ignore the woman at the other end of the table with her too-sharp eyes.

"Can I get you anything else?" a pleasant, though oddly pitched feminine voice said behind her.

Beside her, Tighe groaned. "Pink…"

Kara glanced over her shoulder and froze, her heart shooting into her throat. The woman was… the creature was… a bird! She was the size of a person, but her legs…were those of a flamingo, and her human-looking hands and face were covered in pink feathers. Feathers instead of skin.

Her glass slipped from her numb fingers and shattered on the plate in a spray of water that soaked her shirt.

Kara jumped up and backed away from the mess… and the bird… her entire body shaking, her scalp tingling as if the hair on her head were trying to stand on end.

"Kara." Tighe said.

"I'm sorry," she murmured at the stricken look on the creature's face.

The sound of Zaphene's low laughter only sealed her humiliation.

"Kara, I'm sorry. I should have…"

As Tighe started to stand, she shoved her palms toward him. "Don't." To her mortification, she felt tears starting to leak from her eyes. "I'm fine. Excuse me."