Lion's Heart (Blood Moon Book 4)

by Natalie Aejaz

  Did he understand the caveat? He’d spent most of last night considering the potential repercussions. “Yes.”

  “And you’ll deal with the outstanding legal issues on the place?”

  “Piece of cake, Will.”

  “Great. I’ll speak to Drake and arrange for the loan to be sold on to you. You’re ready to go ahead?”

  “Yes. In fact, tell Drake to go ahead and plan the construction.” Shaun would deal with the legal stuff later. Wouldn’t be the first time.

  “You’re a wise man, Shaun. This is one hell of a deal, and a good relationship with someone like James works wonders in this business.”

  After ending that call, a shot of impatience hit him. Wanting to get his ass out of here as fast as he could, he took a quick shower in the attached bathroom. He’d just dressed in smart jeans, a blue shirt and black leather jacket when a message arrived on his smartphone: from the sexy cat shifter he’d arranged to meet tonight, all dark sleek hair and green eyes. Sorry, Shaun, but I’m done. It’s rude to keep a lady waiting, especially during the full bloody moon.

  Fucking great. Any other night, not a big deal, but it had been one hell of a job controlling his wolf since darkness fell over Manhattan this evening, and the only thing that kept him going was knowing he’d get laid later. The cat shifter had even arranged a nice place for them, but damn it, she’d be sharing that haven with someone else tonight.

  Eclipse? Probably the only other option. The luxury venue sat on a private island, with dance clubs, bars, VIP areas and its own upmarket hotel. Its pleasure zones were areas where the more heated activities took place, and he opened the club app to reserve a spot in one, only to be reminded that because of the time of the month, those areas had been booked out by last week. He was friends with a few of Eclipse’s owners, but he didn’t fancy calling in a favor for something like this. He could head to Oasis instead, a dance zone in the club which he frequented a few times a month, usually to catch up with friends. But by the time he reached the venue, it would be close to midnight, and with it being a full moon, any supernatural worth picking up would have been taken. Hell, he wouldn’t find anyone of the feline’s standard, but right now, anyone would do. After logging onto the club’s hotel app, he secured a room for the night, because who knew how long it might take to hook up with someone?

  He drove his Porsche out of the underground car park and into the crowded roads of Manhattan. The closer he got to the river crossing, the more congested the traffic was. Finally, he was on the bridge that led to the club.

  Who would he end up with tonight?

  Shaun couldn’t be bothered with anything other than casual fucking, unlike some of his shifter friends, who swore by finding a mate and marking them as their own—through a bite on the neck that left a scent behind and served as a warning for other shifters to stay away. Relationships were too much damn trouble. As for marking someone, even spending a full night with another being was more than he could manage. Eclipse club, where supernaturals and humans met for sex and all sorts of debauchery, was the perfect place for him.

  THE OASIS CLUB WAS SO imposing that Angie had almost made a run for it when she saw it.

  The multi-story building loomed over her, as if warning her to keep away. It was her first time at the venue, and part of her still wanted to escape while she had a chance. She’d stood in the queue for nearly an hour with Shaz, her best friend. Not long before they entered the club now, and the closer they got, the harder her heart thumped. This place…it wasn’t for her. She was always the sensible one, and the people in this queue, high on drugs and anticipation, were anything but.

  She pulled her jacket closer around her, but it wasn’t to keep out the cold. Just as she’d feared, she’d made a stupid choice when it came to her clothing. A red blouse and black pants? She should have picked up that sexy dress that Shaz pointed out in the mall that day. She hadn’t done anything with her dark curls, either, running a comb through her hair after washing it. What the hell was she thinking, coming to a place like this after making little more effort than she usually did for the office? And by now, she was scared to look at anyone in the queue. The women around her were in designer dresses and shiny heels, most of them looking as if they’d accidentally fallen off the covers of fashion magazines. A few of them had even thrown pitying glances at her.

  On the way here, Angie had toyed with the idea of doing something that she’d never even considered before, and going for a one-night stand. It might be what she needed to get over a recent break-up. But as soon as she’d seen the other women in the queue, the idea of competing with them for attention drove that idea straight from her mind. She had never stood out, always blending in with the background, whether she was at school, college or at work. At a place like this, she wouldn’t even be part of the background. She would be invisible.

  “Shaz,” she mumbled. “You go ahead. Maybe I could come another time—”

  “No fucking way.” Her red-haired friend shook a freshly manicured finger in her face. Unlike Angie, she’d gone for a short black dress, strapless. But with her striking looks, she could make heads turn in her direction no matter what she wore. “It’s taken me ages to get you here, and you’re not getting out of it that easy.”

  “But do we have to go to Oasis? What about one of those lounges you mentioned—” The ones where nothing more exciting than dinner and drinks happened. That sounded perfect right about now. Drinks and a chat. And no chance of humiliation when nobody noticed her. It would work, because she had to get to work tomorrow and would be better off not having a late night.

  “Aaw, come on, girl.” Shaz had brought a group of colleagues with her, and the blond one rolled her eyes, pouting her glossy lips as she spoke. “We’ve been looking forward to this for ages. It’s going to be crazy in there tonight…if we ever get in. And hooking up is not compulsory or something, you know. Just sit in a corner while we have our fun.”

  The full moon was the reason the group had cast aside worries about work and come here during the week. Angie didn’t want to be the one who spoiled the night for everyone else. Not a good look. “I suppose it’ll be all right,” she murmured. There was no reason why she couldn’t get away early, was there? She’d check out the club, see what the fuss was about, and then make her excuses. With any luck, the rest of the group would be otherwise occupied by then—none of them would have problems getting laid—and would be relieved to see her go.

  Shaz gave her a reassuring smile as she threaded her arm through hers. “Once you’re in there, you’ll relax, babe. Promise.”

  At least the experience was not so daunting with her best friend by her side. And like Shaz’s colleague had just mentioned, nobody was going to force Angie into a hookup. In fact, she could pretend she’d never even considered the idea and sat on the sidelines out of choice. And she had always been a bit curious about Oasis, hadn’t she? She’d heard of the club plenty of times, because since Shaz discovered it two years ago, she was obsessed with it. She’d often tried to convince Angie to give it a go—trying to tempt her with one of those lounge areas. Perfect for beginners to the venue, apparently. But Angie had never agreed…because until a few weeks ago, she’d been with Bill…

  Damn, adjusting to the single life was not easy, especially when she’d thought that Bill was the one. Their relationship had dragged on for years but fell apart in an instant. After living with him for over a year, she’d expected him to pop the big question soon, but instead, he announced he’d met someone else. It felt as if this someone else came out of nowhere, but of course, it had been going on for a while, and Angie was too much of an idiot to realize it. That was two months ago and since then, she’d sweltered in self-pity, escaping for drinks with Shaz and other friends…long evenings where they spent most of the time analyzing the signs she missed or trying to guess why Bill went off with another woman. Sometimes, the conversation switched to what the woman might be like. Angie harbored no misconceptions abo
ut her own looks, and it hurt to think he might have dumped her for a looker.

  “Cheer up, Anj. We’re supposed to be partying.” Shaz leaned in closer, lowering her voice. “Look. If we go in there and you don’t like it, we’ll both go to one of those lounges instead. Promise. The girls can enjoy their night how they want.”

  And this was why Shaz was her best friend. She’d proven it plenty of times by being there for her when Bill left. Through the heartbreak, Angie had known she could call her friend at any time. “Thanks, Shaz. And you’re right. I need to get over Bill and live it up a little.” It was the reason she’d agreed to come out tonight.

  Shaz gave her hand a squeeze. “That’s more like it. I’m proud of you, Anj.”

  Despite Angie’s bravado, as they got closer to the entrance, the idea of going inside was still unnerving. Bill had been as sensible as her, and the most adventurous they’d ever got was going to themed restaurants. How long was it since she’d even been inside a club? Too long to remember. And this was a venue where humans and supernaturals got together for sexual encounters…

  Coming here was a mistake. Oasis was the perfect venue for the vibrant, red-haired Shaz, whose striking looks and confidence meant she was often mistaken for a supernatural by other humans, but for someone like Angie? Even if she did meet someone in there who by some miracle noticed her among these gorgeous women, she could not expect an above average experience…she never had.

  JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT, SHAUN ARRIVED at the place—a mini pleasure city, the local media called it. Tall walls ran around the venue, with gates granting entrance to various zones. He drove alongside the wall until he reached the large gates that opened onto Oasis. Inside the gates, he stepped out of the Porsche and then handed his keys to a waiting uniformed valet, along with some cash. He didn’t bother checking the denomination. Typical valet, the attendant was sycophantic, nodding as if he planned to knock his own head off his shoulders. Shaun kept his eyes on his vehicle as the guy drove it away, for long enough to know he wouldn’t smash it into something.

  The bloody queue stretched from the gate to the entrance and confirmed what he suspected. Anyone worth fucking was inside the club and only the bottom of the barrel was left out here. The clubbers, mostly mortal, shrieked as if they’d never been to an upmarket venue. Beer cans, pills and smokes exchanged hands as they waited. Many of them might as well call it a night and head home, because there was no way they’d get in with their desperate body language, bad hairdos and clothing bought off the rack. As a VIP member, there was no need for Shaun to wait, but as he walked past the queue, a human stepped in front of him and he bumped into her. Damn idiot.

  “I’m sorry—” She didn’t finish her apology, turning and then staring at him like a dumbass, all brown eyes and dark hair that curled and fell to her waist. She blinked, and her breath quickened as she ran her gaze over his shirt and fitted jeans, coming back up to land on his huge biceps, visible under the jacket.

  Did she really think he might be interested in someone as mousy as her?

  She took a step back, her brow furrowed and eyes wide. That dull pressure in his head told him that his eyes had flashed amber. She was with a group of women, and they giggled and whispered behind their hands like idiots, finding the light fascinating, but her face paled. Her first time here? Would explain why she stood out…for all the wrong reasons. She was lucky she was plain and so poorly dressed that there was no danger of any supernatural convincing her into an experience that might catapult her into some form of PTSD. If she was fortunate, she’d end up with a befuddled human.

  Gods, please let there be something better than her inside.

  He didn’t miss the envious glances of other customers as he sauntered toward the club entrance. The guards, tall and bulky in their black uniforms, acknowledged him with a nod before one of them hit the security panel at the side of the doors to open them. As he entered the premises, there was a loud beep, followed by a flash, indicating he had been scanned. The scanners didn’t only check for hidden weapons, drugs and the like; they also ensured that clubgoers were clean of any STDs and had taken a contraceptive implant that covered them for at least 24 hours. The scanners were active at various points throughout the zones, and few customers tried to elude the rules, because it could result in a lifetime ban.

  A VIP member, Shaun didn’t purchase tickets; the workers behind the ticket counter, a cute little witch and a dragon shifter, did not even blink as he walked past them and into the dark and moody corridor, lit with a few LED glows. How the hell did mortals, with their inferior sight, not break a bone or two before they got inside? By the time he entered Oasis through an upper landing, loud noise, music and the scent of raging hormones rushed around the place. Beneath this landing was another that stretched around the space, lined with bars and restaurants. Below, the three dance floors—two suspended and one on the ground floor—were packed, bodies writhing and slithering against each other. The zone was so massive that it would take anyone the best part of a night to navigate it. The mood was of downright fun and debauchery, emphasized by the moans and gasps that were blasted over the crowd with the EDM. There were three DJs on the suspended stages attached to the walls—one of them controlled the main track, the second provided backup with drum beats created on the spot, and the third DJ did little more than bang his head on the rail that prevented him from falling from the stage and onto the dance floor below.

  Eclipse…it was where he had started out in Manhattan, and since he first arrived here, the club just kept expanding. There were now over thirty zones in the club complex. Alongside some of Manhattan’s most exclusive restaurants were lounge bars for the more conservative. The adventurous customers could spend days on end in pleasure zones reserved for only sex—and where orgies took place on special occasions. There were also the private suites set up according to individuals’ requirements as well as bars where the most beautiful men and women danced and did God knew what else for the right amount.

  His gaze automatically searched for Blade and the other partners—a group of supernaturals who owned the club and were good friends of his—but no luck. No idea which zones they were in, and as it was a full moon, they would be busy as hell. In any case, he was not here for them. Not tonight. Using his shifter instinct, he narrowed his eyes and scanned the zone for potential. But barring a few non-starters, the venue was packed with couples and groups. Shit. Nearly everyone had hooked up—apparently he was not the only one in need of a full moon fucking—and that raised the tension a few notches. The club’s hookup app it was. He opened the Hooked software on his mobile and then clicked on the supernaturals tab to check who was still available. What the hell? Nobody was, because damn it, the full moon was a time they got into full-on party mode. And the shifters’ diaries filled up first, because his species could fuck long and hard during this period, and the supernaturals after a rough experience got in there straight away.

  His shifter senses were suddenly on alert. The cat he had wanted to meet was here on the dance floor, pressed between two male shifters and a female, their hands and bodies all over the place as they dry humped whatever part of each other’s limbs they could. He would have joined their party but his damn ego wouldn’t allow it, not after she sent him that message. He glanced at his phone instead. A fae, blond hair and blue eyes, popped up as available, but before he hit the button to send her a request, her image faded. One hell of a fast match. He swiped the screen, but every supernatural who appeared as available disappeared as suddenly. If he wanted to get laid tonight, he might have to settle for a damn human. It would not be his first time hooking up with one, but he had hoped for some supernatural action so his wolf could go out of control.

  What a waste of a bloody full moon.

  He adjusted the settings on Hooked so it switched to the available humans. What the hell was going on? Many of them had hooked up, too. Quite a turnaround in attitude from when the idea of supernaturals scared the shit out of
mortals. A few years later, and mortals flocked to this club to get their taste of the supernatural, and judging by the low availability on the app tonight, humans were also getting into the full moon vibe. Had he left it too late? His phone vibrated, and a request came through from a human female called Angie, a few years younger than him at twenty-eight. At this point, he didn’t give a damn and accepted without clicking on her image. One good fuck was usually enough for him, and during a full moon, two or three times did the trick. He had booked the room for the whole night but as usual, he would get out of there once he was done.

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  MARKED BY THE ALPHA is now available for purchase. This paranormal romance is intended for mature audiences, with steamy sex scenes, a happily ever after and no cliffhangers.