Hauk put his hand on her shoulder, letting her know he was behind her. Literally.
Darling indicated a table with a jerk of his chin. "There's an open table." He cut through the crowd ahead of them to get to it before someone else claimed it.
Once she was seated between Darling and Nykyrian, Kiara breathed a sigh of relief that no one had bothered them.
Yet.
Hopefully it would stay that way. And at least the table section didn't appear nearly as crowded. She cringed as she realized why.
There were illegal transactions taking place all around her. Drugs, prostitution and weapons.
What have I gotten myself into?
But more than that was how at ease Nykyrian, Darling and Hauk were here. This was the world they lived in. No wonder they were so jaded. She'd known these kinds of places existed, but it was entirely different to experience it. It opened her eyes up to them and it made her appreciate why Nykyrian was so withdrawn. Why he had a hard time opening himself up to her.
And why Syn was so angry with her now. This was the world he'd grown up in. On the streets. Completely alone.
She watched as a young man around the age of twenty sold an illegally marked blaster in the corner. Gah, her father would have a stroke if he knew she was here.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over her. Kiara looked up, slightly startled to find a waiter from an unknown species who'd brought the men drinks.
"She's new," the waiter lisped between bubbled lips. "What does she favor?"
Nykyrian indicated Kiara with a tilt of his head. "Grenna."
The server appeared to smile, but Kiara couldn't quite tell with the strangely shaped lips. "It's good to see you again. I'd begun to worry that someone had gotten in a lucky shot with you boys."
Nykyrian smirked. "You know better than that, Vrasna. I go down for no one." He glanced over at Kiara and amended his comment. "At least not when I'm fighting."
Her face flushed at his words, but she knew he wouldn't embarrass her without reason.
Vrasna gave Kiara a once-over that made her want to sink under the table. "Is she yours?"
Nykyrian nodded.
Vrasna adjusted the tray. "I'll make sure to pass that around. No need for unnecessary bloodshed. We just got the window fixed from the last bloody brawl."
Kiara watched the creature leave on four tentacled legs. "What species is our waiter?"
One corner of Nykyrian's mouth lifted. "You can't pronounce it because of the way our palates are formed, but she's female and very nice unless you step on her limbs or call her a male. That'll get you choked out." Nykyrian handed her his drink.
Kiara took a small sip, then gasped as the tart, thick liquid almost burned a hole in her tongue and through her lips. Tears stung her eyes.
"Damn, Nykyrian, you should have warned her." Darling switched his drink with hers.
"What is that?" she gasped when her voice was finally able to work again.
Nykyrian answered. "Tondarian Fire."
She sucked air in to cool her mouth while it continued to burn. "How does Syn drink that crap?"
Darling shrugged. "Hell if I know. I'm told you can use it to strip rust from lead, though. Personally, I believe it."
So did she.
Darling urged her to take his drink.
Skeptical this time, she eyed it warily.
"Relax. It's colored juice so that no one knows I can't stand the shit they serve here."
"Thank you." She took a deep drink to put out the fire on her tastebuds.
Nykyrian ran a gentle hand through her hair. "I'm sorry. I should have warned you."
"It's all right. Just remember in the future that I have the tastebuds of a girl."
Instead of being amused as she'd intended, he tensed before moving away from her and made a hand gesture at Hauk that said to guard her closely.
Hauk nodded, then Nykyrian took off through the crowd.
Worried and upset about his quick departure, Kiara watched as the crowd shrank from his path as if they knew just by looking at him what he was capable of. She didn't know who he was after or why, but she prayed he wasn't running into danger.
Of course that thought ended a few moments later when he cut across the room and met up with an extremely attractive blonde woman. Kiara's gaze narrowed as an unfamiliar wave of jealousy tore through her so fiercely, she was tempted to push her way through the crowd and snatch the woman's hair out by the roots. Then, when Nykyrian led the cheap-looking ho off to the back, she burned even more.
Hauk's rumbling laugh filled her ears as he caught the expression on her face. "Relax. Nykyrian needs information, nothing more."
That'd better be all he's after or he's going to be hurting later tonight. Unlike the people in this club, she didn't live in fear of his moods.
But if he had any sense at all, he'd better live in fear of hers . . .
After a few minutes, Hauk excused himself to chase after an old friend as Vrasna brought them more drinks.
"So what do you think?" Darling asked.
"I think all of you live in a very dangerous place. And now I understand why my father has always been so overprotective of me."
A strange look darkened his features. "I hear you."
She studied the refinement that bled from his pores the same way savagery bled from Nykyrian and tried to understand how it was he'd come to be friends with The Sentella members. "Hauk told me you do explosives."
He nodded. "I live to blow shit up."
"It seems like a strange occupation for an aristocrat."
He took a drink before he answered. "Not really. I loved chemistry in school and got into demolition as a hobby. The skill it takes . . . I don't know, there's nothing like it . . . but my father wanted me to be a politician."
"Would that be so bad?"
He smirked. "I don't like people well enough to play nice with them. It's why I treasure Nyk, Hauk, Syn and Jayne so much. With them you always know exactly where you stand. If you're getting on their nerves, they tell you--granted, sometimes gruffly, but they do tell you. There's no backstabbing bullshit or manipulation. They don't play head games or lie. There's no deception. Believe me, it's a rare thing and I don't want to be nice to someone I can't stand because I have to be politically correct. If I hate you, I want to be able to tell you to get out of my face and go die."
She could more than understand that and she admired him for being able to stand up for himself even when others were trying to knock him down. The bruises still marring his face were a testament to his strength and convictions. "Yeah, I don't like playing those games, either."
He held his drink up to her. "Here's to life without drama."
She smiled and clinked her glass to his. "Amen, my brother. Amen."
She set her drink down and scanned the crowd, noting the members who were still watching them. "Do you think any of the people here know about the bounty on my life?"
"Probably. But the good news is virtually everyone here has a price tag on them. Those who don't are wishing they did."
"And this is a good thing, how?"
He laughed. "They know better than to try and build their reputation with the clientele here. And those like Aksel who are hunting you would never think to look in Club Blood for you. You're hiding in plain sight. No place safer."
She hoped he was right. "And what about the woman Nykyrian's with? Who is she?"
"Aksel's wife."
Kiara's eyes widened. "What?"
He patted her hand. "Relax. She hates him and it's how we know none of his people are here. If they were, she wouldn't have come."
Kiara wasn't so sure about that, but she trusted them. Most of all, she trusted Nykyrian.
"Cruel, you slimy little bastard."
Kiara jumped at the shout in her ear.
A tall, handsome man sat down in the chair on the other side of Darling. He winced as he saw Darling's injuries. "No offense, but you look like hell, buddy. You want me to k
"Thanks, Cai, but I got it."
Kiara studied the newcomer's gorgeous face. Ebony eyebrows slashed above hazel eyes that glowed with intelligence and mischievousness. His dark hair was shoulder-length and worn in a short ponytail. There was an air of playful exuberance that was tempered by an equal aura of "You mess with me and I'll feed you your own liver."
Leaning forward, he whispered something in Darling's ear that made Darling laugh, then he looked over at her. A slow, seductive smile curved his lips. "Greetings, beautiful." He extended his hand to her.
Kiara could just imagine how many females had fallen to that debonaire smile.
Darling tsked at his friend's actions. "Kiara, this is my best friend, Caillen Dagan, smuggler extraordinaire and lady-killer extreme."
"Nice to meet you." She shook Caillen's hand.
He raised her hand to his lips and placed a warm kiss across her knuckles as he wickedly caressed her fingers. One corner of his mouth lifted in a way Kiara was sure would have set most women off into giggles.
"As in the most talented Kiara Zamir?"
At her nod, his smile widened. "It's an even greater privilege to swap drinks with you, princess. I've always been enamored of your beauty and work that no other dancer can touch."
Darling shoved playfully at Caillen's shoulder. "Don't start on her." He faced Kiara. "Caillen's harmless enough, he just thinks every woman breathing is dying to crawl into his bed and stay there."
Caillen finally released her hand to reach for Darling's drink. "In case it's missed your attention, Darling, most are." He took a sip and grinned. "You're moving up in the world. When did you start drinking the hard shit?"
"Hi, Caillen." An attractive redhead leaned over Caillen's shoulder to kiss his cheek.
Caillen wrinkled his nose and sent the woman away.
Kiara looked at Darling, who was giving Caillen an incredulous stare.
He shook his head in disbelief. "I think that may be the fist time since you hit puberty you've let a beautiful woman get away unmolested."
Caillen shrugged as he downed his whisky in one gulp. "Yeah, well, Lila's a ubiquitous slut. Someone should paint an X on her back and mark it 'This side down.' "
Kiara's eyes widened at his crude response.
Caillen returned his attention to her, his irresistible smile back in place. "I'm sorry if I shocked you, princess, but I tend to let my manners slip at the damnedest times."
He swapped his empty glass for Darling's other drink, then leaned across the table and gave her a seductive grin. "I hope you're not here on Darling's arm."
"She's Nykyrian's," Darling answered for her.
Caillen's face blanched as he withdrew so fast, he left a vapor trail. "I'm out of here." He bolted to his feet, then turned around and glared at Darling. "Why didn't you tell me he was here? That I was making passes at his female? Geez, Darling, what're you trying to do, get me disemboweled?"
Darling shrugged innocently. "Actually, I enjoyed watching you embarrass yourself. It was kind of fun."
"Hah, hah." Caillen gave Kiara a sheepish look. His face turned serious. "By the way, some of Arturo's men came by Kasen's place a little while ago asking about you. I told them you were visiting Ryn last I heard. I don't think they believed me, so watch your back."
"I will."
With a nod to them, Caillen drifted off into the crowd.
Kiara watched him go and pick up a woman off the dance floor and carry her through the crowd. "That was an interesting human."
"You've no idea. But he's worth his weight in comic relief and he's a hell of a man to have at your back in a fight."
Kiara twisted the straw in Nykyrian's glass with her fingers. "I thought Nykyrian was your best friend?"
He leaned back in his chair and studied her face. "Nykyrian protects me and I love him for it, but he's too serious. Caillen, on the other hand, takes life in stride, always with a joke about it." He reached for his juice that Caillen had been drinking. "I don't know, he just makes me laugh when no one else can."
She nodded, understanding all too well the importance of laughter. "Are you and Caillen lovers?"
Darling laughed. "No, Caillen is strictly heterosexual." He glanced around the crowd. "You still nervous?"
She took a deep breath. "A little."
He picked her hand up off the table and traced the line of her fingers. "Don't worry. Nothing's going to happen to you."
"Touching," a malevolent voice snarled between them.
Darling went rigid as he turned to face three men dressed in Caronese uniforms. "What are you doing here?"
The man who'd spoken was glaring in rage. A handsome, older man, he had a few faint lines flanking his cruel mouth. His graying, sandy-brown hair was cropped short and steely blue eyes raked her with a cold stare.
"We were told to fetch you home . . . highness." Could there have been any more loathing in that one word?
Panicking for Darling, Kiara scanned the crowd, trying to find Nykyrian, Hauk, or Caillen, but she didn't see anyone who looked familiar.
Darling lobbed several coins at him. "Pretend you didn't see me."
The guard looked at his companions and smirked. "Well, we know what our orders were should you resist us." His next response was a vicious backhand.
Darling fell against the table, upturning it. Without thinking, Kiara ran forward and shoved the guard away from Darling.
She barely budged him.
With a ringing curse, he slapped her hard, knocking her backward into a group of men. Ignoring her stinging cheek, Kiara pushed herself off them, intending to return to the fight, but found herself surrounded by the ones she'd bumped into.
"Excuse me." She tried to break through them.
They refused to part or move in any way.
"Just where do you think you're going, lovely?"
"I don't think she's going anywhere," another answered before grabbing her by the waist and pulling her back into the center of the group.
Terror engulfed her. She had to do something.
Kiara fought against the man's hold, clawing at his hands. With a heated curse, he slung her over his shoulder and headed for the door. She shrieked and screamed as she fought as hard as she could against his hold.
He didn't relent at all.
Infuriated and frustrated, she watched as the guards dragged Darling through a rear door. She renewed her struggle with vigor. She had to get free to help him.
The man holding her laughed at her attempts and bounced her hard against his shoulder. Her breath left her with a loud, painful woof. Pulling at his hair, she clawed at his exposed neck.
He took her outside to the landing bay and threw her onto the filthy ground where she landed with a solid thud. She moaned at the pain pounding through her body. Her ribs and back ached to the point where she feared they were broken.
"You'll pay for that, harita." He drew a huge dagger out of his boot.
She shook all over, her mind seeing Chenz coming after her again with his cruel blade.
The others in his group surrounded her so that she had no way to freedom.
What was it Nykyrian had taught her?
Eyes, head . . .
No . . . throat.
Nose.
Go for his nose . . .
No, the groin.
Clenching her teeth, she did exactly what Nykyrian had taught her. She landed a hard kick straight in his groin.
He cursed as he doubled over. "Get that little bitch!"
The others moved in on her. Kiara spun around, trying to catch them like Nykyrian had said, but he hadn't told her what to do when she was so outnumbered.
They were going to kill her.
Suddenly, they started hitting the ground around her feet. One by one, they dropped until she saw Nykyrian standing there, his face a mask of fury.
The one she'd kicked made the mistake of running at him.
Nykyrian caught him and spun him about. Out of nowhere he manifested a knife and held it tight to the man's jaw. "What do you think you're doing?"
A bead of sweat ran down the man's temple. "This is human business, Andarion."
The cold look on Nykyrian's face sent a shiver down Kiara's throbbing spine. "She's my mate, asshole. What you do with her is my business."
The man started shaking uncontrollably. He looked to her, to Nykyrian, then back at her. "You're his mate?" he squeaked.
"Yes," Kiara answered with conviction.
Nykyrian dragged the knife under the man's chin, leaving a small trail of blood before shoving him away. He extended his hand to Kiara. Grabbing it like a lifeline, she allowed him to pull her to her feet.
The man gulped as he wiped the blood from his face with the back of his hand. "I'm really sorry. She crashed into us. I had no idea. I mean . . . we--"
"I suggest you leave. Now." Nykyrian bared his fangs threateningly.
The group ran faster than Kiara would have given them credit for being able to. Shaking with her relief, she buried her head in Nykyrian's shoulder. "Had you said 'boo,' I think they would have wet themselves."
He held her against him, his arms soothing her completely. "What happened?"
"Arturo's guards grabbed Darling and I tried to stop them."
His body went rigid. "Where'd they go?"
"Out the back door."
Nykyrian led her back into the club and through the crowd. As they passed Hauk, Nykyrian grabbed him by his shirt and, with a furious curse, hauled him behind them. They burst through the back door into an empty street. There were a few people hanging out, two who looked like they were doing something illegal. But no sign of Darling or the guards.
Nykyrian paced around, scanning the area. He paused to glare at Hauk. "Remind me later to kill you."
Hauk frowned in confusion. "What's happened?"
Nykyrian curled his lip. "Nothing of any great importance. Kiara was grabbed by a rape gang and Arturo's men have Darling."
"Shit!" Hauk raked his hands through his braids. "Where do you think they went?"
"Most likely back to Caron." Nykyrian pulled his link out and tried to call Darling. When that failed, he snatched it out of his ear, then punched coordinates into his wrist computer. After a few seconds, he cursed again. "They must have removed his tracer and link. Damn it to hell."
Caillen came running through the back door. He pulled to a stop as he caught sight of them. "Where's Darling?"
Nykyrian cast a look of disgust at Hauk. "Arturo's men have him."
Caillen let out a curse so foul it brought heat to Kiara's cheeks. "Kasen just told me she saw him being taken out of here a few minutes ago. So help me, I'm going to kill my sister for waiting to speak up. Idiot!"
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