He followed her gaze to where a man was motioning for her to join him, something about the character made Ronan’s inner beast stir to life. His sixth sense vibrated with intensity. The man on the dance floor definitely wasn’t human.
When the blonde rose out of her chair and into the supposed man’s arms, the beast inside Ronan unfurled to its full height and growled low in its throat as it recognized an opponent. She had no idea. With an urgency born of instinct, he pushed away from the bar’s edge and started out into the crowd.
***
“Mr. Mambo” pulled Cindy the rest of the way onto the dance floor. He was smiling and saying something she couldn’t quite hear over the music but she was pretty sure he was speaking Spanish so it really didn’t matter since she couldn’t understand him anyway. The language barrier couldn’t take away from his charm, if anything it was an enhancement. He was cute in an Enrique Iglesias post mole kind of way. She followed him through a series of twirls and rhythm steps that set the ruffles of her skirt swishing around her legs.
They wound their way through the dance floor with expert precision, stopping only when the puppet head Captain Hook guy halted their progress to offer them jello shots. She decided he was a non-threat and slung one back because, could one really turn down a free jello shot when tendered by the hand of a huge doll-headed cartoon? No, one could not. Besides, Big Head was starting to grow on her.
Her dance partner placed their empty shot glasses back on Big Head’s tray and swung her back into action. He was so good that she started to feel like she might even be looking pretty good out there. Or maybe it was the shot…either way.
He whisked her around the dance floor to the beat and sent her into another dizzying spin that made her head reel, then he pulled her in tight. A little too tight and with more strength than she would have credited his lithe figure. She pulled back against his grip to put some space between them but he held on. Dancing was one thing but she didn’t want him to get any crazy ideas.
As that thought passed through her mind, she felt it. A new element had entered the space, something she’d failed to notice till just then and it made all the fine hairs along the back of her neck stand up.
A chilling zing ripped through the air and sent an electrical current through the club that raised goose bumps on her skin and made her look around, frantic to see what had caused it. Her quick inspection of the club revealed only that everyone else seemed to be oblivious. Feeling like a basket case, she started to shrug off her paranoia as nothing more than her imagination when, from out of the mist of the club’s backyard fountain, she saw men stepping around from behind the water.
Hadn’t there been a solid rock wall there? Where had they come from? She blinked her eyes thinking they might be the manifestations of her tipsy state and too much flouncing around. But, when she looked again, they were still there. Was there something unsavory in that jello shot? Her mind flashed on every CSI episode she’d ever seen involving date rape drug scenarios, but that was crazy. Captain Big Head wouldn’t play her like that.
Her eyes continued to wander over the crowd and she saw that there were about five or six newcomers that had appeared out of thin air. They stood out because they were the most lethal looking group of men she’d ever seen and they didn’t appear to have come for the corny Caribbean theme or the dancing.
They had the look of barbarians from a long lost era and wore weird clothes that made her think of old-time swashbucklers. Sorry Big Head, she thought, you’ve got nothing on these guys. They’re the real deal.
When they started to move through the crowd, it was with a force that made her want to run and hide under the nearest table. No one else seemed to pay them any mind though. Maybe they were just actors off of one of the pirate schooners that gave theme cruises in the bay, Cindy thought. But the fierce intensity that was radiating off of them was anything but lighthearted.
Then her eyes caught on him. Tall, broad shouldered, dark hair swept back from chiseled features and tanned skin. His clear blue eyes scanned the room in an assessing gaze like a deadly assassin honing in on his mark. That shouldn’t be at all hot ─ damn romance novels ─ she needed to get a grip on reality! She blinked as a wave of lightheadedness came over her. Then the man started to move and something flipped way down deep in her stomach. He walked through the crowd with purpose. This guy was no goofy cruise ship performer and he was headed straight for her!
She shook off Enrique’s hold and broke away from him, intent on grabbing Marley and high-tailing it out of there. The look on her dance partner’s face told her that he probably thought she was insane, which confirmed her fear that she was the only one with any misgivings about the group that had just appeared from out of nowhere. But she didn’t care, her feelings were too strong to ignore and she was determined to make her escape before she had the chance to find out why they gave her the creeps so bad.
Weaving through the crowd proved more difficult than she’d hoped though. She ducked and dodged the best she could, but twice, she bumped into a moving body. She was jostled around the dance floor, got her toes crunched and nearly had her eye blackened by a flailing arm mid cha-cha-cha. Luckily, her reflexes kicked in and she ducked just in time.
When she came back up, Big Head was bobbling right in front of her, blocking her exit. She moved to the left then to the right to try and get around him but he mirrored her each time in that age old game of “shall we dance.” Then his costume shook, a dead give-away that its occupant was laughing at her. Oh yeah, freaking hilarious – out of the way Big Head! Finally, she managed to duck around him and her eyes lit on an opening in the crowd, she bolted towards it.
Keeping her head down, Cindy dashed across the dance floor so it wasn’t any wonder when she slammed into something. Something big and really, really hard. The collision rocked her and she flew back, bouncing to the floor. Her purse flew off her shoulder and everything in it scattered everywhere.
She quick grabbed up her cell phone and wallet before they were ground into the floor.
“Are you alright miss?” A deep voice asked from directly above her.
She flipped her bangs out of her line of vision and looked up into two of the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. It was him. The barbarian deadly assassin guy from across the room was standing over her! He smiled down at her and her jaw dropped like its hinges had failed. He had one of those smiles. All male ─ the kind that could melt a girl’s panties clean off.
“Allow me to retrieve your items for you,” he said and in one lithe movement, he lowered his large frame down to her level and started handing her tubes of lip gloss and pens and whatever else she’d managed to cram into her bag. He spoke with a funny accent that she couldn’t place but, damn, was it sexy.
“Thanks,” Cindy said as she struggled to fit things back into her purse. She was all thumbs with him looking at her.
“Sorry I rammed into you. I didn’t see you standing there.”
In retrospect, she couldn’t see how she’d missed him. The man was a veritable mountain. He wore black pants and a shirt that was open nearly to his waist, revealing a rippling set of abs like some kind of hero pirate. Was that how guys dressed here in Miami? She’d never leave.
“No harm done, I can assure you,” he said in that strange, smooth voice he had as he helped her to her feet.
He lifted her up, his hands on her arms. The contact sent a shockwave skittering through her, much like the one she’d felt a moment ago when she’d first noticed him. The feeling was even more intense this time though and something inside of her melted like heated honey. The charge left her dazed and she staggered back a step. His hands tightened and he caught her up close to steady her.
Cindy’s breath caught in her throat and her cheeks went hot. He had the air of a man who knew he had a certain effect on women and she was already embarrassed that she’d knocked into him in the first place. A knowing smile swept across his full lips and those impossibly blue eyes lit up.<
br />
“Are you all right then?” he asked, releasing his hold on her arms and making it possible for her to breathe again. He hadn’t stepped away from her yet though so she still had to crane her neck to look up at him when she nodded.
“I-I’m fine,” she said, her voice breathy, “thank you.”
Sounds of commotion from across the dance area made them both turn and look. A fight was breaking out on the other side of the bar. The mysterious pirate Adonis turned back to her and held her gaze for one brief moment. She stood paralyzed in his grasp. The yelling got louder though and, finally, he shook his head and released her.
“Good evening then miss,” he said in another hot rumble that made all the muscles in her lower region tighten, then he nodded a brisk excusal before rushing over to see what was going on.
It looked like his friends were causing some sort of ruckus with a group of college kids. Yeah, barbarian pirate men and college kids ─ probably a bad mix. Cindy stood there for a moment feeling deprived of oxygen as she watched him go. She gave herself a little shake. What was wrong with her? She wasn’t having anymore of Marley’s cocktails tonight. And no more jello shots either.
She went to find her friend so they could leave even though some crazy-girl part of her tugged at her, wanting her to follow the sexy stranger. She ignored it, or tried to.
***
Ronan thundered across the dance floor cutting a swath through the crowd as he went to get a handle on his crew before they were all exposed. The idea of these missions was to be as inconspicuous as possible! He was loath to leave the woman behind even though the demon she’d been dancing with must have run. It amazed him how susceptible people were to the dark ones’ deception while he could see through their glamour from a mile away.
He frowned. Her appearance made her vulnerable to the others, they were drawn to human beauty and the way she shone would be a beacon to them.
“Cease,” Ronan roared at James once he’d made it over to his men.
His crewman had a younger man held up by the front of his shirt and looked like he was a breath away from pummeling him.
“What goes on here?” He demanded.
Cully spoke up for the rest of the crew.
“We were just enjoying the sights Captain. But I don’t think the lads here took too well to their women bidding us welcome to this fine establishment.”
His eyes twinkled with mischief and Ronan knew he’d better put a stop to any ideas his five man crew might have about fighting with the locals tonight. Things had changed in this world far more than he could have imagined since his last “visit.” The men of this era didn’t look all that sturdy from what Ronan could tell.
“Put the child down, James. We don’t want any trouble,” Ronan ordered.
James complied in good humor, even straightened the scrawny man’s shirt front for him.
“Child”, the lad objected. “This is bullshit!”
Smirks on the surrounding females’ faces hinted that they agreed with Ronan’s appraisal of their male company, especially when compared to him and his crew. Looks of hungry feminine appreciation swept over the sailors and their captain. Ronan and his men were all well over six foot and their muscular, seafaring builds, had been preserved through the ages while on Poseidon’s magic island.
The small male’s friends started to grow more agitated. This wasn’t going to end well. Ronan let out an imperceptible sigh of irritation over the fact. At least the non-humans that were in the club were steering clear.
Unfortunately, the trouble attracted the attention of two lumbering buffoons in matching shirts who’d come from inside the building and quickly made their way over to the scene of the disturbance.
“Party’s over!” the first of the two yelled out over the music. “Everybody out, before we throw you out!”
The second brute put his hands on his hips to add emphasis to his partner’s demands that they all leave. A stir then ensued when the rowdy group of youngsters started to argue with the two guards. Ronan motioned to Finnegan to round the men up so they could extricate themselves from the fray and carry out their mission.
Once Finn had routed James, Bas, Cully and Will around the bickering group, Ronan turned to leave the area as discreetly as possible when he caught sight of the spritely blonde beauty again.
He was drawn to her, he couldn’t deny the attraction and when he’d touched her…he couldn’t explain it.
She waved at him frantically from across the space and something in his chest lurched with the need to reach her. As he looked across the crowd of dancers, one of the more drunken males spun wildly out of control right in front of her and crashed into the small table where she was standing. The look of shock on her face as she jumped out of the way made the curse of the beast inside Ronan roar to life again, not with the need to attack but to protect. His mission for Poseidon forgotten, all he could think of was saving her from the recklessness of this place and the dark spirits here.
Even as he started forward, she brushed at some green froth that had landed on her skirt then she shrugged and smiled up at him. Her short golden curls bobbed in disarray as she waved at him once again. What an enchanting little chit. No wonder he found her so intriguing.
He’d definitely enjoyed the feel of her supple body in his hands a moment ago. Under different circumstances, he wouldn’t mind…his thoughts came up short when he noticed what was in her hand. She was holding up the copper vile that held the elixir he’d brought to earth for the sea god! He must have dropped it when he was helping her collect her things. He’d stood there so spellbound by her that he hadn’t even noticed the charm’s absence. Gods! Could this undertaking get any more botched?
Apparently so, because, at that point, the puny male with the big mouth called out.
“Hey, they’re getting away!”
The statement came fully accompanied with finger pointing and foot stamping as he yelled in the direction of Ronan’s crew. Ronan’s eyes shot skyward in aggravation. There’d be no help from up there though, of that he was sure.
The two brutes from the tavern came pounding across the sand and one of them took it upon himself to grab hold of Bas’ arm, which was astonishingly brave Ronan noted, since Bas was a giant with not an altogether friendly look about him. He barely had time to finish that thought before Bas caught the unsuspecting guard with a fist to the chin that sent him sprawling in the sand.
“Right,” Ronan said under his breath.
From there, the fight was on and he watched in annoyed dismay as the entire crowd around him broke into a brawl. He thought of the woman and searched the area, hoping she was out of harm’s way.
More matching shirts spilled out of the building and set upon him and his crew. Unfortunately for them, the ex-shipmates had a tendency to grow restless, trapped in time as they were and were more than willing to oblige any eager sparring partners. This was no time for fun and games though. As much as he might like to take part in a good row right about now, he had to get the elixir back. If the mission wasn’t a success, he and his crew would answer to Poseidon for it.
He started in the direction he’d last seen the woman to retrieve the vile from her when something slammed across his back and shoulders. He turned to find one of the hooligans from the group that had started all this trouble standing there holding a splintered chair. He straightened to his full height and glared at his attacker right before he hoisted him off the ground and flung him across the floor. From there on, had to fight his way through the crowd ducking flying objects, landing punches and hurling assailants out of his way.
Even though he was out of patience, he made sure he didn’t deal the bar’s patrons any lasting damage. Since being trapped on the sea god’s island, he’d vowed to reserve all real fights for enemies of the supernatural kind. Once he’d cleared a path, he looked back to take stock of how his men were faring the mad scene.
He spotted them across the dance floor by the fountain. They looke
d none the worse for wear and had pretty much laid waste to the entire bar from what he could tell. His main worry was that they’d all be apprehended and detained. Their being locked in shackles here on earth would cause more than just a little suspicion among the humans when they all died by way of instantaneous old age and disintegrated from Thema’s curse.
All of the other occasions he’d “surfaced,” things had gone off without a hitch but the world hadn’t been nearly so crowded then. In this present age, it was proving much harder to fit in with the masses.
The Olympian he was here to meet with must have been finding it equally as difficult because, whoever had been chosen to collect the elixir and bring the amulet Poseidon wanted, had yet to make an appearance. The way things stood at the moment, Ronan had no vile to exchange and no amulet carrying Olympian in sight.
Flashing lights came from outside the front of the tavern then and new voices could be heard. He picked his way across the floor, through slumped bodies and broken articles. When he made it to the fountain, he saw Finn’s scowling face before him.
“We have to get out of here, now, Ronan. I can hear reinforcements coming. We don’t want to be caught in the middle of this mess!”
“You all go,” Ronan said, “I lost the vile.”
Finn’s eyes rounded.
“I don’t know how, but I dropped it and a wench grabbed it. I have to retrieve it from her and make the exchange.”
“We saw no courier,” Will chimed in from the back, “the Olympians haven’t lived up to their side of the bargain.”
“Be that as it may, I can’t leave a trinket of the gods to float about in the mortal world. We don’t know what kind of repercussions that could bring – knowing the gods, nothing good. You all go, before it’s too late. I won’t be far behind.”
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