Allure of the Wolf (Seraphine Thomas Book 2) (14 page)

“I need to be first,” he choked out. “I know you will be with Noah, the next him, and others. I know that’s what your siren needs and even a wolf full-moon thing. I
accept
that. I’m not judging you. I’m here, pulling you out of the bathtub, washing you, and tucking you in bed instead of bitching I didn’t get to go to the party with my woman on my arm. I support you
all
the time, Sera. I simply need to be
first
. The one you go to first after you win the fight and get the congratulatory kiss from.

“It
is
us, but I need to feel we’re an us too, not me being one of whoever you’re with. I
love you
and you
like me
. I’m not bitching there will be others or whining for more time with you. You have serious shit going on and I get that. I remember being new and I’m grateful you basically gave me my freedom instead of a Master vampire to report to. I’m not your husband and you didn’t cheat, but I also didn’t
cross your mind
after you won. That’s what killed me. That’s what broke my heart.”

I nodded and slowly turned in his arms, staring up into his eyes. “The moment after I won, I felt shock and then guilt because it was a cheap shot at Noah, legal, but kind of cheap.”

“A move
I
gave you.”

“You did, but I was shocked it worked. I thought I’d end up on my ass because I was
exhausted
,” I explained as I flipped my hair over my shoulder so it was out of my eyes. “Then he was hurt and I called Riley because I thought
medical
. The moment we were out of the ring, there were cameras and people and I freaked, I wanted
out
of there. You know I did.”

“Yeah, I saw the deer-in-headlights look you had on your face,” he muttered, his fingers running over my skirt. I don’t think it was meant to be sexual, more wondering still if it was the last time I’d let him touch me.

“Noah seemed like he was worse, except he was playing it up to give me a reason. His ego was bruised, adrenaline was up, Havers caught us but Noah handled it well… It just
happened
. I went to help him and hide from the cameras and people.”

“I know that—”

“What you don’t seem to know or realize is when the chaos cleared and I wasn’t freaked out or adrenaline-filled,
you
were who I looked for first,” I whispered as my cheeks heated up. “I came back out there and was looking for you. I was actually wondering why you hadn’t come back to the locker room with us. Or I kinda thought you’d have follow after us.”

“I was but then Havers said you guys were fucking in there and no one was
welcome
.”

“
He
wasn’t welcome. Why wouldn’t
you
be?” I blinked up at him, not understanding his thought process.

Tristan’s eyes just about bugged out of his head. “You’re saying I could have just walked into the locker room while you were busy with Noah—and what?”

“I don’t know,” I growled, pushing his arm to move away but he didn’t budge. “I don’t know! I just don’t get why you thought you wouldn’t
be
welcome. When did I say you wouldn’t be? When stuff happened with Riley you joined in. You have since. Why would you be sidelined because it’s
Noah
?”

“Havers—”

“Fuck Havers! I didn’t say shit. We talked about him being my moon mate. You knew I was going to get naked with him. I didn’t say I wanted private alone time with him and only him.” I buried my face in my hands and let out a wordless scream. “I am a slut.
Why didn’t you come fuck me too, Tristan?
God, who asks their lover that?”

“Are you asking me that?” he hedged, and I heard the mirth in his voice.

I smacked him in the chest and shook my head. “No. You’re making it like you were both standing there asking me to come play and I ran to him. That’s not what happened. So I guess I’m asking you why you thought you weren’t invited to
whatever
ended up happening in the locker room the moment I entered it.”

He thought about that a moment and groaned. “Because I’m an idiot and listened to Havers and apparently I’m more insecure than I thought.” He leaned his forehead down to mine and sighed. “I’m sorry. I’ve been trying so hard to not add to your stress it just built up and
blew
up instead I guess.”

“I know the feeling,” I admitted as I shifted my weight, my butt digging into the counter funny and the heels getting uncomfortable. Tristan picked me up and sat me on the sink, moving between my legs. “You are
so
not getting lucky after your
show
earlier. You hurt me.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” he murmured, reaching out and playing with the strap of my shirt. “I honestly don’t even know why I did it. You more than apologized. I just kept thinking how you kissed Noah that night to get me back and it was my turn. It was stupid. I drink from their wrists normally.”

“Vlad told me,” I sighed, since he was being so honest. “He didn’t want us unhappy after your display, thinking we were both so stressed out or whatever. I believe he was worried my siren would retaliate or walk out on you. He’s a good friend and he likes you.”

“I make him a
lot
of money,” he chuckled. Then his eyes went wide as he checked his watch. “Shit, my show is starting. Come on. I gotta go.”

“Show? What fucking
show
now?” I growled as he lifted me off the sink and pulled me after him.

Fuck a duck. What other games were we playing tonight?

8

After some convincing I agreed to guest judge Tristan’s
show
. Basically it was some huge contest known throughout all the hottest spots in Chicago. I wasn’t completely sure about all the ins and outs.

“All right, time for the latest chance to
Beat Off Service
,” Tristan announced as he hopped up on an overturned crate behind the huge main bar. He shot me a wink and I caught the innuendos. Nice. Dirty, laced with double insinuations of violence, catchy. “Contestants, you know the rules, but for those of you new to the games, here’s how this goes. Teams are of at least three but can be up to six people.”

“And have to be human,” Vlad murmured to me, appearing out of nowhere.

I so needed to learn that trick. I nodded that I’d heard him.

“Teams line up single file, they bunch up at the bar, they’re disqualified.” Tristan paused to point to the bouncers who’d moved spaced out along the bar and I assumed in between each team to keep from shoving as well. “Three shot glasses are in front of each team. They start with all filled. One team member takes
one
shot and goes back to the end of their team’s line. Next team member takes a shot and goes to the back of the line, and on and on.”

“Smaller team would be better then,” I hedged, glancing at the bigger teams. “Less people, less confusion.”

“Wait for it,” Vlad chuckled. I glanced at him, raising an eyebrow, before focusing back at Tristan.

“Teams pick their poison and they have to finish the bottle,” he continued, gesturing at the
massively
stocked assortment behind Vlad and me. Truth be told, that was one thing I’d noticed about the club and the main bar when we’d arrived. I’d never been to a club that had so many
options
for booze. Seriously, I think they had every liquor available on display to order.

“Ahhh,” I snickered, getting the bigger teams now. And then my eyes bugged out as Tristan listed the
poisons
including Everclear, absinthe, and several others that made me shiver. “I didn’t know some of those were legal in Cook County.”

“Not for sale in liquor stores, but yes,” Vlad assured me.

“Fuck, the
easiest
option is almost fifty proof and Tanqueray is
not
an easy shot.”

“Not a cheap bottle to purchase at a club,” he chuckled. I rolled my eyes. Now I got the game. “Plus the two hundred dollar entry fee for the contest.”

I bumped his shoulder. “Nice.”

“I’ve been around the block a lot, Seraphine. Several different blocks even.” He rolled his head slightly and gave me a fangy grin. Goof.

“Any team that reaches for their next shot and finds their glass empty, not already poured by
me
,” Tristan said into the microphone, taking a bow. “Wins. If the bottle runs out first, I win and the team is out of the running. I will lay the bottle flat when it’s empty to signal that team is done. We all know from the signs the prize is five thousand dollars to any winning team.”

“Holy
shit
,” I hissed, glancing at Vlad. “There’s
ten
teams. How do you make money off this?”

“He’s never lost,” Vlad assured me, lacing his fingers and stretching out. “We’re the only club that’s never lost among all that run the contest
because 
of Tristan. Every time we win, it ups our service speed on review sites and boosts our SEO rankings, marketing, and all kinds of goodies in promotion and social media.” He leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Now you see the favor you did me by allowing him to continue his employment for me.”

“What does he get out of all of this?” I hedged.

“Tristan keeps all the entry fees.”

“Nice,” I chuckled, shaking my head.
Wow
. Two grand just for his
show
was a sweet deal. Then again, I hadn’t seen how hard it was.

“And tonight, we have a very special guest judge,” Tristan introduced as he turned towards me and took my hand. “Division Chief Seraphine Thomas of the FBI and my lady.”

“No way, man,” some guy called out in the front on one of the teams. “If she’s your lady, how come she ain’t wearing your marks?”

“Marks?” I muttered to him, not sure what that meant.

But he didn’t answer me, focusing on the guy and talking into the microphone. “
Boys
mark what they think they own, leaving bite marks. Men know better and who
they
belong to.” He handed Vlad the microphone as he stepped down off the crate and bared his neck to me.

I growled loudly, my wolf riding me the instant she saw the gesture now that we understood what that meant. Glancing at Vlad to make sure I wasn’t about to overstep on his
show
, I smiled when he gave me a nod. The bar and our audience was to the right of me so it was better to use that hand to rub his groin as I wrapped my left leg over his hip. In these heels, we were the same height so there was no issue as I licked along his neck and gave him a bite.

Then I kept licking back down to his collarbone, letting my eyes flash my power as I glanced out at the crowd. I kept up my attentions on Tristan as I lowered my leg and turned us slightly so I could stare down every preternatural being there, anyone who could tell what I was and feel my power.

“Okay, so that’s how you roll,” the guy chuckled when I was done.

“Bites fade, what I just did told
everyone
here like us what I am and what I will do to them if they come near Tristan and try to take him from me,” I explained, my wolf in my voice. I let my siren’s power flow through me, even staring down most of the human females at the bar. “They know I
can
and
will
tear them to shreds if they touch what’s mine.”

“Sera, tone it back,” Tristan groaned, even has he moved his hips against my hand.

“He’s that good? That special?” one chick made the mistake of asking.

“Yes,” I hissed and focused on her, but then I saw in her head
I
was who she wanted. It startled me enough that I snapped back into myself and reeled in my power.

“Dude, I’d belong to her too,” that first guy panted as he stared at me with wide eyes. “Baby, you can tattoo it on my forehead, anywhere you want.”

“Baby, you wouldn’t make it out alive,” I chuckled, rolling my eyes at him. “Besides, I am satis
fied
, thank you.” I turned my face to Tristan and pulled him down for a steamy kiss. Then I smiled against his lips. “It’s mean to leave you hanging.”

“We don’t have time for more and I’m not coming with all these people watching,” he drawled, pulling away. “Though, that would be a
show
and I can’t say I’ve ever done this sporting wood before.”

“Hey, that actually makes me feel better about your job and all the women throwing themselves at you when I’m not around.”

“I’m not at your job either,” he countered.

I snorted, taking his spot on the crate, and then up, sitting on the back counter against the wall when Vlad helped me. “Yeah, same thing. I hunt criminals, check out crime scenes, dead bodies—nothing says pick-up line time like that.”