the man to her right did not have

t he was always heard and obeyed by the person he intended to hear him, whether the

he tattoos that curled up his neck gave him a dangerous edge. He filled his t-shirt exceptionally well, the fabric stretched over broad shoulders and fabulous biceps. His long, m

an impressive wolf. He

had a strong animal magnetism. Reading it and experiencing it, however, were very dif

dden urge to taste them. Instinct told her he would kiss well, and the image of his mo

d felt a flush crawl up her neck. His aftershave, with notes of citrus and lavender, had her stom

d of your

withdraw hoping that the layers of aftershave, alcohol, and the

was audible to his wolf-keen ears above the music of the show on stage, the soun

aged to serve another table, or, even worse, she might succumb to the demands of her

and then selected a beer a

. Animal magnetism was an understatement. The man was like her own personal walking fantasy made flesh and blood. She would be run

full tray, saying out loud what Lia was thinking. “Ra

r. She picked it up. Table one. Her path took her past table four, and Raiden, who

he passed and half expected him to stop her again from the way that he was watching her, but he let her

larm and embarrassment, because their sense of smell was just as strong as a werewolves’ and she knew s

ded looking at them, knowing that a blush was creeping up her cheeks as she placed the tray onto the tab

’re

man that had spoken was another s

have, his grey eyes striking against the dark hair that he had pulled back into a p

that he had been born a vampire, from one of the older lines and it fit, she thought, there was something aristocratic in

aring for more than a normal human would do. His well-crafted and taste

is you

to require a persona

he owner,” the

t him again. “Hello. P

sing her, which, she supposed, he was in a way. “I am grateful you were a

than

oo

Paris raised her eyebrows. Lia shrugged as she retrieved the next tray. She delivered it to the table a

. Raiden, on the other hand, probably watched her as a result of her betraying physical reaction. She wondered what the w

she passed with her next tray. S

his grip instinctually reacting to the expression o

ne smirk of a man used to taking advantage of

e where a pole dancer currently proved her upp

chool? There were many people of his kind that sponsored her dance academy and hel

that denial was

ocking as he tugged her towards him, his hand quickly moving from stocking to higher. His friends bu

pill the drinks on the tray, escape his grip, a

as if he weighed nothing. The twenty-dollar bill drifted to the floor. “You do not touch the girls.” He growled the words out, the

the truth of what he faced, but he knew enough to recognize an alpha

ere suddenly

back into his seat. He leaned over, scooping up the twe

lf standing so close to her that she imagined that she could feel the heat of his body on her ski

is grey eyes holding hers. The Other f

t, she had somehow drawn the attention of both. Her grandmother would have told her to leave, right away, and not to come

. She needed the work. She needed to supplement her trust fund with an income. Unlike her grand

ine, th

he table of men and say something quietly. The men rose with shame-faced meekness and filed out, leaving a g

etray her. What was wrong with me? She scolded herself. Nineteen years and no interest in men, and i

her reaction to him. “Wel

hythm in her chest, and she knew that the werewolves and vampires would be able to hear it, as well as smell the fear and desire o

new what Elior was, Lia thought, and was alert in response. Was the werewolf protective of her? Because Paris was dating Brock, perhaps? Or because… Lia ha

ris murmured as she j

e shook. “I will be alright,” she sighed it out. Predator

likes

w he looked and smelt - a little too much. What did the book say about Vampires, again? Nothing about anima

s off you all evening,” she added

ter keep moving.” There was no clock in the room, and she had left her mobil

Other was distorting her sense of reality

smiled with sympathy

the time passed however, and her confidence improved, until she landed a tray for

as she slid the beers onto the table. His voice made her knees want to give way and brought to mind de

inst the alpha command.

to go home alone,” he repl

rning by public transport wasn’t the safest thing to do. But neither was acce

round her eyes fuzzing slightly into the eyeshadow, and her lips stained in the creases with lipst

nagers decided to get inventive in the back seat. If the werewolf used his alpha command on her, she would not be able to resist. Hell, if the man so much as lo

is laughed. “As it

immediately, and then felt like burying her face into h

perhaps because Lia was now torn between

e club closed and the other guests were shown out, and Paris and Lia wiped down the table

o the dark hallway. He smiled in a reassuring way, his eyes warm an

er meant. Her mind slid into the decadent gleam of bronzed skin and muscle moving in se

r uniforms. Paris was excited about her date with Brock and ch

f the lights in the change room and made their

hree months now. They’re good guys. It

ps,” Lia muttered as they

e and dangerous about these growling mechanical beasts patiently biding their time until the

under her breath, before smiling and running up to Brock. She put on the hel

m its ponytail and sliding the tie around her wrist, feeling as if this lift home had far more significance th

the strap. He was being very careful, she thought and wondered if she looked as if she would bolt

biously, smiling despite

e easily. “Footrest,” he showed

ls and a skirt,” she la

u’re a ballerina, right? This is nothin

nto the footrest and swung he

th approval. “Hand

did so, the situation was designed to spike her pulse and drive her body to the edge of its tolerances. The leather of his jacke

body shake

were against his stomach. The jacket was open, and there was only the thin fabric of his top bet

edate pace, the bike bumping beneath her as it rolled over the pavement and

n the cars, and she clung on, before lau

he hurtled forward at speeds a human body had no way of achieving on its own. S

veway. She was almost certain that he had been the biker who had seemed to stare back at her through her windo

of the helmet. He took his helmet off easily, hanging

e a mess from the helmet. He untied the helmet fr

helmet onto the rear seat and reached out, smooth

is eyes changed from laughter to desire, and the air w

ng into her mouth, the lingering flavor of beer giving way to something that was just him and made her pulse rac

so that she could feel his hard on pushing through his jeans. Her pulse raced, and she moaned, her body knowing very

mmand in it. He was not coercing her into it. But he did not need to. She wanted

ered reluctantly fig

god, she thought, arching into him, as if lifting her breasts in invitation. “You want me,” he said it with absolute certainty, as he had e

st,” someone said from her f