by Vivian Wood
They stepped into the human half of Bellocq, a dark and intimate lounge room done up in crimson velvet, black silk, and silver accents. Couples and small groups stood around and sat on overstuffed chaises, laughing and talking over the persistent beat of the music. Booths were built into the walls, lined with rich cushions and partially hidden by thick curtains of silver and black beads.
There was a stunning backlit bar to their right, but Cassie swept by it in favor of heading straight through the room. When she neared the back she veered left toward a small corner, stepping through a gap between two of the booths. Here there were two more guards, and they eyed Cassie and the Guardians with a great deal more suspicion. They stood in front of a blank stretch of black-painted wall, and they were armed with both guns and wands.
“Jacques, Redford,” Cassie said, greeting the guards by name.
“Oracle,” Redford replied. He was the bigger of the two men, his suit straining to fit across his massive chest, and he seemed to be in charge.
“My friends and I are looking for some… diversion,” Cassie said, fluttering her eyelashes.
Redford’s brows shot up as he looked between Cassie and the Guardians, obviously drawing some inference at which Cassie couldn’t begin to guess.
“You will vouch for them, Oracle? You know the rules,” Redford said, giving Cassie a meaningful look.
“I do,” Cassie said, giving Redford a rueful smile.
Redford glanced at Jacques, who shrugged.
“All right, Oracle. Enjoy yourself,” Redford said, pulling his wand from his belt and tapping it on the wall.
The wall wavered for a moment, the illusion dispersing to reveal a soaring, cavernous entrance to the Kith club, the doorway covered in a thousand tiny gold spikes that gleamed in the dim light.
“Do not touch these,” Cassie said to the Guardians. Gabriel and Rhys frowned, but Aeric appeared unruffled. For the tenth time that day, Cassie had the distinct feeling that Aeric was not only older than the other Guardians, but perhaps something else entirely. Something… more.
They headed into the Kith side of Bellocq, walking single-file until they emerged into a single massive chamber. Gold shimmered on nearly every surface in the room, candles flickering in a thousand tiny sconces carved in the slick stone ceiling.
There were booths and overstuffed furniture on one side and a dazzling bar on the other, a close imitation of the human side. The main difference was the dance floor set between the booths and the bar, a hundred tightly packed bodies gyrating to a thunderous bass line that Cassie could feel in her very bones.
Gabriel stopped beside her, and Cassie saw him mouth a word of surprise. Bellocq was pretty impressive, after all. It was the most exclusive, expensive, and elite Kith bar in the city, mostly because there was a labyrinth of private rooms leading from a hallway behind the bar, catering to any and every taste.
Or so Alice had told Cassie, at any rate.
The thought of her friend straightened Cassie’s spine, and she touched Gabriel’s arm to get his attention.
“Let’s get a drink first,” she said, raising her voice to be heard over the music.
To her surprise, Rhys and Aeric both left them, Rhys heading for the dance floor and Aeric for the back hallway.
“Don’t worry about them,” Gabriel said, leaning close to murmur in her ear. He was close enough that Cassie could feel his breath on her neck and smell his crisp, masculine scent.
“I—” Cassie started, flustered.
Gabriel took her hand, lacing his fingers with hers as he had before, and led her to the bar. Even in a Kith establishment full of Vampires and every kind of shifter in existence, Gabriel was by far the most handsome man at the bar. One of the tallest, too.
He elbowed his way into a spot at the counter, seeming unaware of the two blonde nymphs who were practically begging for his attention, giggling and thrusting out their chests. Cassie held in a wince as she eyed their thin frames and ethereal features, acutely aware that she was much taller and curvier than the two fairies.
“Cass,” Gabriel said, giving her hand a squeeze.
She looked up at him, nearly melting at the look on his face. He was giving her an overtly appraising, appreciative look, his midnight blue gaze running up and down her frame before returning to her face.
“I almost couldn’t let you out of the Manor in that dress, you know,” Gabriel said, lips twitching with humor. “It’s the definition of sinful.”
His accent seemed to thicken when he was flirting, and Cassie could only imagine the effect it had on unknowing women in bars like this one. Hell, that look on his face, that accent, the way his suit jacket defined his tall, muscular frame…
Yeah, it was working on Cassie too, if her ever-dampening panties were any indication. She licked her lips, feeling her face heat as she stared up at Gabriel. Sucking in a breath, she tried to remember her mission.
“We should, um… look for Asangel. As soon as we get this drink, I mean,” she said, jerking her gaze from Gabriel’s.
“All business, are we?” he asked, but he let the matter drop. Gabriel managed to attract the attention of a pretty female bartender, and in short order he offered Cassie her drink. The cocktail came in a dainty gold cup, filled to the brim with crushed ice and garnished with fresh strawberries and mint.
Cassie took a sip and nodded her approval, especially since the drink was both light and strong. Not too girly, despite the intricate fruit garnishes. She noticed that Gabriel had chosen a glass of port for himself and found herself glad he’d spared her the same.
“How’d you know what to order me?” she asked, curious.
A grin burst over Gabriel’s face, his eyes twinkling. Cassie’s lungs seized for a moment at the beauty of him, and she realized this was the first time she’d seen him smile fully.
“Actually, I asked the bartender what the Oracle gets,” he admitted, looking proud of himself. “I didn’t figure you for a port girl.”
“You figured right,” Cassie said, sipping her drink.
She turned her back to the bar and scanned the room, and then had an idea. Leaning up on her tiptoes, she tried to get close enough to Gabriel so that she wouldn’t be overheard by others.
“Order us another drink,” she murmured.
“Already?” he asked, lips twitching.
“When you order it, ask the bartender to send a glass of blood wine to Asangel. If you play it cool, she might make it easy for us,” Cassie explained.
Gabriel nodded, looking impressed, and turned to comply. Cassie pretended to focus on her drink as the blonde bartender poured blood wine into a golden chalice and handed it off to a stunning brunette waitress. Gabriel sipped his port and put a new cocktail into Cassie’s free hand, engaging her in some discussion about the bar’s interior design. Gabriel turned away from the dance floor to seem more casual, but his banter didn’t fool Cassie for a hot second.
Cassie nodded, watching the waitress over the rim of her cup. When the waitress handed the chalice off with a flirty wink, Cassie couldn’t help but stare at the recipient.
“Did it work? Do you see him?” Gabriel asked.
“Uhhh… yeah,” Cassie said, swallowing hard. Ciprian Asangel was six and a half feet of lithe, suave man. He might be a Vampire, but his dirty blonde hair, crinkling blue eyes, and brilliant grin were undeniably attractive. He wore a metallic blue suit that looked tailor-made, and the flock of women encircling him almost seemed like an accessory of sorts, an echo of his attractiveness.
Gabriel reached out and slid an arm around Cassie’s waist, pulling her close and dropping a kiss on the top of her head. He turned her in a smooth movement, but his grin faltered when he spotted Asangel.
“Didn’t expect him to be so bloody… like that,” Gabriel muttered. “Actually, I was sort of hoping he liked men. Would’ve made talking to him a lot easier.”
Cassie rubbed her lips together, knowing Gabriel wasn’t going to like her next words.
“I think we both know that I have to be the one to talk to him,” she said. “You might as well not even argue. You know I’m right.”
Gabriel’s eyes narrowed with annoyance, but Cassie could tell she’d won this round.
“Three minutes,” he said. “And he’d better not touch you, not if he likes having hands.”
“Take a breath,” Cassie sighed. “First of all, I’m not even your mate—”
Gabriel cut her off with a growl, cupping her jaw and giving her a quick, firm kiss. The brief contact sent a shiver down her spine, but Cassie pulled away.
“You’re not making things better,” she told him.
“I didn’t intend to,” Gabriel fired back.
“You don’t get to stake your claim here, buddy,” Cassie said, stepping back. “Now I’m going to go talk to that sexy Vampire, and you are going to stay right here and try not to ruin the bartender’s panties. Got it?”
Before Gabriel could say another word, Cassie left him and strode across the dance floor, weaving between bodies on the crowded dance floor. Cassie caught Asangel’s attention immediately, and it was everything she could do to keep from blushing as the handsome Vampire raked his ice-blue gaze up and down her body. His appraisal seemed as honest as it was frank, and when Cassie’s eyes locked onto Asangel’s she found herself flattered at the curious hunger she found there.
Cassie played her cards for all they were worth, swaying her hips as she strode up to the Vampire, a knowing smirk on her lips. Her confident attitude must have worked, because two of Asangel’s admirers backed up as Cassie approached, giving her space to stop less than a foot in front of him.
“Enjoying the drink?” she asked, settling a hand on her hip and giving him an appraising glance of her own.
Asangel’s brows arched a little, a smile lifting the corners of his lips.
“Very much so,” he said, his Eastern European accent thick. “This blend is a favorite of mine, thank you.”
Cassie gave him a suggestive smirk and then held her hand out as she introduced herself.
“Cassandra,” she said.
“I know who you are, Oracle,” he said, his smile broadening as he took her hand, pressing his thumb against her gloved wrist to caress her pulse point. “I am Ciprian.”
“I know who you are, too,” Cassie bluffed, giving him a forced grin in return. The Oracle rose within her, giving her a flash of a softer, kinder-looking Ciprian offering his neck to a gorgeous brunette with dark coloring. The woman in the vision raised a brow and bared her fangs, then sunk her teeth into Ciprian’s neck, making them both moan in ecstasy.
Cassie sucked in a breath as she blinked the vision away. She couldn’t be certain, but she thought she’d just witnessed Ciprian’s transformation from human to Vampire. Ciprian didn’t so much as blink, but Cassie noticed an unmistakable hint of fang in his smile now.
“Ladies, go get a drink. I think the Oracle — Cassandra, that is, I think she deserves some privacy,” Ciprian said, waving his flock away.
They slunk off, shooting Cassie nasty looks, and Ciprian led her around the dance floor to what appeared to be his private booth. Ciprian directed her into one side of the high-walled leather booth, waiting until she’d slid around the table to the far side before joining her from the other side.
When Ciprian settled beside her, he was so close that his knee brushed Cassie’s. She summoned all her strength and kept her face blank, giving him nothing more than an expectant expression. She’d be damned if she was going to let some strange Vampire ruffle her feathers, especially if he was just testing her mettle.
“You want something, Oracle. I can smell it,” Ciprian said, leaning in to inhale her scent.
“Everyone wants something,” Cassie said, twining her fingers together in her lap and squeezing until her knuckles went white.
“Mmm,” Ciprian murmured, reaching out and brushing a lock of Cassie’s hair back from her temple, tucking it behind her ear in a tender gesture. He grazed her neck with the back of two fingers, making her jump. “I suppose they do. Tell me, Oracle, what would happen if I were to taste you? Do you think I would be able to glimpse my future?”
Cassie acted on reflex, bringing her hand up to knock his away. Ciprian favored her with a frown, but he pulled back a few inches.
“You’d better learn manners, little seer,” he informed her.
“Look over at the bar,” Cassie said, flying on blind hope. “The three big, brooding guys that are staring at us. You know who they are, I presume.”
Ciprian’s smile dimmed.
“I did wonder at the Guardians’ interest,” he said with a sigh. “Not to mention the fact that you reek of bear.”
Cassie started to argue with him, then shook her head. It was better not to play along with him.
“I want to know where Pere Mal is keeping his assets now,” Cassie said, going straight to the heart of the matter.
Ciprian’s eyebrows shot up and he gave a bark of laughter.
“Do you, now? What is the saying? I think people in hell want ice water,” he told her with an amused smile. “You’re a fool if you think I’ll give you information for free.”
Cassie narrowed her eyes, but she knew Ciprian was right.
“A trade, then,” she suggested.
Ciprian gave her another devilish grin.
“A taste of the Oracle?” he asked, wiggling his brows.
Cassie snorted.
“Not a chance,” she said. “I was thinking something along the lines of a prophecy. A single prophecy, something I can draw on without a blood sacrifice.”
To her surprise, Ciprian sobered. He gave her a considering glance, then slowly nodded.
“I am looking for someone, too,” he said, his tone confidential. He grasped her wrist and pulled her close, whispering into her ear, “Kieran the Grey”.
A prickle of foreboding spread out across Cassie’s skin at the sound of the name. She tugged her wrist from Ciprian’s grasp, frowning. She didn’t know why, but when she closed her eyes and focused on the strange name, she felt uneasy, tense.
She saw a pair of green and gold eyes. A figure wrapped in shadow and mist… A busy street at night, filled with revelers and a brass band…
Her eyes flew open and she gasped.
“He’s in the city!” she said.
“Do you know where?” Ciprian said, licking his lips as he leaned in.
“Give me an address first,” Cassie said, shaking her head.
“He’s got a bunch of properties,” Ciprian said, holding up a hand when Cassie started to complain. “Look, I don’t know which one he’s keeping girls in, but if I had to guess, he’s moved them to someplace heavily protected. I can’t tell you which one, but I can get you a list of some of his more valued holdings. I’ll have one of the girls write down the addresses and deliver them to the handsome blond Guardian lurking in the corner over there.”
Ciprian nodded, drawing Cassie’s attention to Aeric, who was indeed watching her from the corner of the room, his expression steely.
“Fine,” Cassie said, turning back to the Vampire. “Your man is on Frenchmen Street right now, watching the crowds.”
“Hunting, more like,” Ciprian said. He gave Cassie another ghoulish smile and then shocked her by leaning forward to press his lips to hers.
“Mmf!” Cassie protested against his lips.
“Consider it a personal favor,” Ciprian said as he pulled back, then winked at her.
Cassie opened her mouth to protest, but half a second later she was roughly yanked out of the booth. Before she really understood what was going on, Ciprian was headed for the exit and she was in Gabriel’s arms.
“Are you okay?” Gabriel demanded, taking her to the far side of the bar and setting her down in a dimly lit corner. “Did he hurt you?”
“I’m fine,” Cassie said, staring up at Gabriel as he caged her against the wall with his arms. “Gabriel, I’m fine. I promise.�
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“Good,” he said.
The next thing Cassie knew, Gabriel’s kiss consumed her every thought.
6
The moment his lips touched Cassie’s, Gabriel knew he was lost. She seemed so small and fragile as he crowded her with his big body, advancing until his hips and chest pinned hers to the wall. Gabriel cradled her jaw with one hand, using his thumb to raise her chin, giving him greater access to her sweet mouth.
Cassie’s lips parted under Gabriel’s tongue and teeth, her tongue meeting his in timid strokes. She came alive at his touch, twining her arms around his neck and sinking her fingers into his thick chin-length hair, Gabriel’s bear growled with satisfaction.
His bear, usually a silent partner in their shared existence, was notably vocal about his appreciation for Cassie. His bear loved her scent, vanilla and spice layered over the musk of her arousal. His bear loved her body, curvy and strong, and the flashy clothes she dressed those curves in. Most of all, his bear loved her fiery locks. Gabriel and his bear shared an intense desire to find out what it would look like spread out over Gabriel’s pillow while he made her scream with ecstasy.
He devoured her with his teeth and lips, his free hand sliding up from her waist to weigh one of her supple breasts. His fingers found her nipple through the scant material of her golden dress, pulling a gasp of surprise from Cassie’s lips when he pinched the pebbled tip.
He watched her face intently, trying to gauge what she liked and how much she could handle. His cock hardened at the flare of desire in her eyes at his playfully rough touch. If she liked that, they would indeed be well suited.
Pushing aside the thoughts of mating and suitability, Gabriel decided to see just how far Cassie would let him take things. If she liked a little spice, Gabriel would do his utmost to thrill her.
The music pounded all around them, the room growing dimmer while the dancers writhed to the pulsing beat. Gabriel tipped Cassie’s head back further and nipped a line from her shoulder up to her jaw, then sucked on her earlobe until she moaned, chest heaving temptingly. He skated his hands over her breasts, sliding his fingers under the low neckline of her dress, teasing the bare flesh he found there.