Dark Desire by Lauren Dawes Page A

Galen looked at Rhys and stepped back. The human’s shoulders slumped, his whole body relaxing at his newfound sense of freedom. Allesi had thought his “deal” was enough to change Craine’s order to kill him.
    But he was wrong.
    Rhys struck like lightning, driving his blade into Allesi’s side.
    Allesi screamed out wordlessly, dropping to the ground, clutching his side. Blood gushed from the wound, soaking the threadbare carpet beneath their feet. Galen rolled him over until he was on his back and stared down at him.
    “Consider this your one and only warning from Craine.” The words were slow and deliberate, meant to taunt him. Galen stood back up and brought the blade of his machete down across the man’s throat. Allesi’s head rolled beneath the desk, a bloody trail following its path.
    Galen met Rhys’s greedy yellow eyes. “Let’s make sure we send the right message.”

Chapter 11
    Taer ignored the yells from the line of humans, gods and demigods waiting to get out of the cold and into the Eye as she stepped past Mav and into the club. The Valkyrie’s midnight and cornflower blue eyes remained cold and detached as they watched her. Not once had Taer seen Mav display any emotion other than cool indifference.
    Mav’s black sword sat starkly against the skin of her neck, naturally drawing the eye to the thick scar marring the Valkyrie’s otherwise perfect skin on her throat. Taer had never been told what had happened to Mav, but as she touched her own scarred throat, she understood why Mav wouldn’t want to discuss it very often.
    The wall-length bar on her right was crowded with people already, Mist and another young woman, a human, serving the five-deep line of clamoring gods, demigods and humans. Taer pushed her way past them all, brushing off the casual pats to her ass as she did.
    She was halfway through the crowd when she heard a crash and a loud shout. Her head spun around toward the bar, and she saw the young human woman grimace and clutch at her forearm with a white-knuckle grip.
    “What the fuck happened?” Mason barked from behind Taer. He pushed forward, scattering the patrons at the bar waiting to be served. Taer followed in his wake, taking up her position beside him.
    “I broke a goddamn bottle and cut myself, that’s what’s happened,” the woman yelled, pressing the towel Mist passed to her against her forearm.
    “You’re out,” Mist said the instant she got a good look at the wound.
    “But—” the woman protested.
    “Elli, you’re out. Go to the hospital. Get that wound treated and come back tomorrow.”
    Taer watched as Elli’s eyes hardened, her shoulders bunching up in anger.
    “Elli,” Mason said. “You heard Mist. Go get that cut seen to.”
    Elli’s brown eyes swung to Mason, holding his stare for a long moment before she ducked under the end of the bar and pushed through the “Staff Only” door.
    When Taer looked back, Mist was staring at her. “You know how to pour a drink?”
    Taer shrugged.
    Mist sighed. “Guess that’ll have to do.” Throwing a shirt at Taer, she said, “Go get changed, then come and help me out. We’re swamped tonight.”
    Taer didn’t want to be there—it was too damn noisy and her nerves couldn’t really take it—but before she could back out, Mason took her by the elbow and led her away.
    “You need to help out. Your nerves will be fine. Just keep your head down and do as Mist tells you, okay?” His words were spoken quietly—gently—and when she looked into his hazel eyes she wondered how he’d known. Was she wearing her wariness so openly on her face?
    He sighed. “It’s a long story.” Opening the door Elli had just disappeared through, Mason gave Taer a little shove. “Go on now. You’re wasting time.”
    Taer wandered—slightly dazed—down the hallway and into the changing rooms. The tang of blood hit her senses first, followed by anger, then tears. She found Elli angrily stuffing her apron and a bar shirt