the movement.
“And you are?”
“Not interested.”
The corner of his mouth curved up in a smile. “Of course you are or you wouldn’t be here.”
He had a point. The people that came through these doors wanted to feed or wanted to be food. Sure some were just here to observe but weren’t they really the ones that just hadn’t worked up the nerve to take that final step? She couldn’t very well admit her true reasons for being here. Ducking her head, she did her best to give the impression she was shy. Maybe he’d lose interest and disappear.
When he trailed his fingers up her arm she realized that she’d miscalculated. If anything, her shyness had only made him more interested. He leaned forward placing his lips next to her ear. “I’ll be gentle.”
She looked up again, meeting his eyes. “No, thank you.”
“Or I can be rough if that is your preference, though you hardly look the type.”
With effort, she resisted the urge to show him just rough she could be. “Like I said before, not interested.”
When she moved to step past him this time, his hand shot out and grasped her wrist. A pulse of power flashed through her tattoo and the vampire jerked his hand back, eyes narrowing on her. Interesting, the protective ward must have kicked in. Was it because Peter meant her harm or was the ward simply reacting to the fact she didn’t want him touching her? “Sorry,” she said and pushed past him, eager to find Nathaniel.
As she moved around the room she glanced back to find Peter still looking at her. A tremor of unease moved through her at his expression. He was furious. She slammed into a wall and gasped in surprise. Warm hands grabbed her arms to steady her and she realized it wasn’t a wall but a person. She tore her eyes from Peter only to find Bobby smiling down at her. “Jennifer? You okay?”
She managed to return his smile and nod her head. “Yeah, sorry. Guess I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
He let go of her but didn’t move away. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before.”
Her eyes darted around the room, finding Nathaniel in the crowd as he wove through them. “First time,” she answered turning her attention back to him. “It’s different. This kind of thing isn’t allowed where I come from.”
“And where’s that?”
“West.” It wasn’t much of an answer but everything west of here was Thomas’s territory, so she supposed it was answer enough.
“I imagine things are much different. Morgan is more…lenient than some of the other masters.” As he looked around the room, a touch of sadness colored his features. “Leniency is not always a good thing. I need to go. I’ll see you around, Jennifer.”
Her eyes followed him as he made his way toward the door. Peter stopped him and Juliana felt a moment of panic. But then again what could Bobby possibly be telling him about her. All Bobby knew was her fake first name and where she worked. If Peter showed up at Lust and tried anything, Cullen or Morgan would promptly remove him from the premises. She hoped anyway. Worst case scenario, she’d have to break character for a bit of ass kicking.
“Problem?” Nathaniel said next to her ear when he appeared beside her.
She glanced at him. “Not sure.” By the time she turned her attention back across the room, both vampires were nowhere to be seen.
***
Juliana sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. They had stuck around the club for another hour or so the night before, not discovering much. No one had been willing to confirm the girls had even been in the building before, never mind verifying who they went home with. It was disappointing, but she really hadn’t expected any different. Not only because vamps tended to look out for their own, but because it was far too simple for someone to just give them a name.
A growl came from across the room and Juliana glanced over to find Nathaniel playing tug of war with
“And you are?”
“Not interested.”
The corner of his mouth curved up in a smile. “Of course you are or you wouldn’t be here.”
He had a point. The people that came through these doors wanted to feed or wanted to be food. Sure some were just here to observe but weren’t they really the ones that just hadn’t worked up the nerve to take that final step? She couldn’t very well admit her true reasons for being here. Ducking her head, she did her best to give the impression she was shy. Maybe he’d lose interest and disappear.
When he trailed his fingers up her arm she realized that she’d miscalculated. If anything, her shyness had only made him more interested. He leaned forward placing his lips next to her ear. “I’ll be gentle.”
She looked up again, meeting his eyes. “No, thank you.”
“Or I can be rough if that is your preference, though you hardly look the type.”
With effort, she resisted the urge to show him just rough she could be. “Like I said before, not interested.”
When she moved to step past him this time, his hand shot out and grasped her wrist. A pulse of power flashed through her tattoo and the vampire jerked his hand back, eyes narrowing on her. Interesting, the protective ward must have kicked in. Was it because Peter meant her harm or was the ward simply reacting to the fact she didn’t want him touching her? “Sorry,” she said and pushed past him, eager to find Nathaniel.
As she moved around the room she glanced back to find Peter still looking at her. A tremor of unease moved through her at his expression. He was furious. She slammed into a wall and gasped in surprise. Warm hands grabbed her arms to steady her and she realized it wasn’t a wall but a person. She tore her eyes from Peter only to find Bobby smiling down at her. “Jennifer? You okay?”
She managed to return his smile and nod her head. “Yeah, sorry. Guess I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
He let go of her but didn’t move away. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before.”
Her eyes darted around the room, finding Nathaniel in the crowd as he wove through them. “First time,” she answered turning her attention back to him. “It’s different. This kind of thing isn’t allowed where I come from.”
“And where’s that?”
“West.” It wasn’t much of an answer but everything west of here was Thomas’s territory, so she supposed it was answer enough.
“I imagine things are much different. Morgan is more…lenient than some of the other masters.” As he looked around the room, a touch of sadness colored his features. “Leniency is not always a good thing. I need to go. I’ll see you around, Jennifer.”
Her eyes followed him as he made his way toward the door. Peter stopped him and Juliana felt a moment of panic. But then again what could Bobby possibly be telling him about her. All Bobby knew was her fake first name and where she worked. If Peter showed up at Lust and tried anything, Cullen or Morgan would promptly remove him from the premises. She hoped anyway. Worst case scenario, she’d have to break character for a bit of ass kicking.
“Problem?” Nathaniel said next to her ear when he appeared beside her.
She glanced at him. “Not sure.” By the time she turned her attention back across the room, both vampires were nowhere to be seen.
***
Juliana sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. They had stuck around the club for another hour or so the night before, not discovering much. No one had been willing to confirm the girls had even been in the building before, never mind verifying who they went home with. It was disappointing, but she really hadn’t expected any different. Not only because vamps tended to look out for their own, but because it was far too simple for someone to just give them a name.
A growl came from across the room and Juliana glanced over to find Nathaniel playing tug of war with
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