Consume (The Devoured Series) by Shelly Crane

the middle of the dance floor the whole time.
     
    I didn't want to dance, but didn't see a way out of it. So I let Eli sling my arm around his neck and kept the other one attached to his. He tilted my head back, kissing my throat and then biting my skin in playful teasing for all to see.
     
    A girl with green hair and cat eyes was suddenly pressing herself to Eli's back. Her arms snaked around his back to his front and she licked his ear. I waited for him to push her off, but he actually grinned at her over his shoulder. I felt a stab of not just anger, but red hot, boiling jealousy blare through me.
     
    Then I felt an extra set of hands on my hips and a face nuzzling my hair from behind. I tried to turn to see who or what it was, but it was too crowded and he was behind me. But he was dancing in rhythm to me and if Eli wanted to play along, then fine. I started moving with him and felt a smidge of triumph when Eli glared at the man over my shoulder. What was good for the gander was good for the goose, wasn't it?
     
    Apparently not.
     
    "Beat it," Eli growled.
     
    I turned as he turned away without another word and saw that he was a half man-half beast…thing. He had animal legs. I quickly set my gaze back on Eli, who was now alone with me and the gyrating bodies around us. Green hair was gone and it was a good thing; I was in no mood to be polite anymore.
     
    "What? Upset that my hands are the only ones left now?" he asked hotly.
     
    "No. Are you upset that I'm the only one pressed against you?"
     
    "No," he growled and leaned close so no one could hear us. "I thought I explained all of this-"
     
    "You didn't explain that you were going to let other girls lick you," I shot back in a hiss.
     
    "We do things like that, Clara. We all dance together."
     
    "That's what I was doing, too, but you sent him away."
     
    "Mates don't flirt with anyone else."
     
    I huffed. "But it's ok for Devourers?"
     
    He shrugged. "Yes. It is. I told you that this wasn't going to be fun. I told you that this was a mission for us, not a party."
     
    "You didn't tell me that you were going to have Finn kiss me, testing me, and then parade me through all of these supernatural things while you let other girls kiss you!" My breaths rushed in and out loudly as I waited for him to start explaining it away again, but instead he stood stunned.
     
    And then he dragged me across the room, through the crowd and all the way to the back bathrooms. They were both busy, so he shoved me into a cleaning closet. The murderous look on Eli's face was enough of an indicator that he wasn't to be toyed with right now.
     
    "Now," he growled and slammed the door, throwing the bolt into place, "you explain what you said to me out there."
     
    "This is ridiculous," I said back and paced around the small room. "Don't even pretend that you didn't let that girl-"
     
    "Pixie!" he yelled. "She was a Pixie!"
     
    "Pixie. Whatever. Don't pretend that you didn't let her kiss you! And then you smiled at her!"
     
    "I was playing a part, I've explained that. What I want is for you to tell me," he came forward and stopped me with his hands on my arms, "in great detail what you meant by saying that I had Finn kiss you." His jaw was taut and angry.
     
    "Finn said-"
     
    "There's mistake number one: Finn said."
     
    "And Enoch said!" I countered. "They both said that you told Finn to kiss me, to test me."
     
    "Test you for what?" he asked in exasperation. "Answer me," he said angrily as I stayed quiet.
     
    "I don't know!"
     
    "Clara," he said and took a deep breath. "Clara, I want to punch something for just listening to you say the words. I would never, ever, ever, tell someone else, especially a Devourer, to put his lips on you." He paused and shook his head. "Please tell me he didn’t put his lips on you."
     
    "He kissed me," I said, not sure what to believe anymore. "You didn't tell him to test me? You promise?"
     
    "Clara, would you describe me as