hair, threaded with a bit of white, fell to his shoulders. Eerie, bright yellow-green eyes with flecks of amber looked out over the crowd. He wore a worn, grey T-shirt with a pock-marked and peeling Hulk image on it, and baggy jeans. The tips of black cowboy boots peeked out from under his pant legs. His rich, gold skin gleamed, even in the low, intimate light of the stage. His face looked like it had been cut from marble, with chiseled, classic features that made women swoon. He was in his forties, but he had a lean, whip-like body that looked ready to strike at any moment.
Tiberio had an air of mystery and danger about him. Brent felt a sense of unease creep along his spine as he continued to watch the man, unable to take his gaze away. It was like he was being hypnotized just watching the rocker walk around the stage. Even from the back of the pub, he could hear the man’s voice as he hummed to himself. It was low and rough, and the sound sent chills through Brent.
He breathed in and out, slowly and rhythmically, as his heart slowed down. All he could see was Tiberio. Every muscle in his body felt frozen. All of his senses slowed down. Even his dragon was entranced.
What the fuck was going on? What kind of mojo was this? He tried to shake his head, pull his gaze away, and yet nothing worked. Brent stared in wonder—and he was supposed to be the bigger predator here! A dragon being entranced by a snake was like an elephant being scared of a mouse. It seemed ridiculous, and yet it was happening to him right now. Frustration ate him up as he tried to move. He tried to shake his head, to scream—anything—but he couldn’t move a muscle.
The space in his head was becoming smaller and smaller as the world narrowed down to Tiberio. Panic broke out, as sweat slipped over his brow and down his temples, soaked through the back of his shirt. Fear that he would never move again sent a wave of chills through him as his dragon began to scream, a horrible high-pitched keening sound that filled his ears. “I’m going out of my mind. Someone help me!”
Brent’s breath was no longer smooth and relaxed. It came out in choppy huffs as his heart began to pound out a rapid beat against his ribcage, almost as if it was trying to escape its cage. He wanted to escape too. He wanted to run away, far away from this man. He had to get away and yet he couldn’t move. No matter how many commands he sent to his feet, his fingers, or even his eyes, he just stood, transfixed, staring at The Snake. Was he going to die there? What about Carissa?
A light, warm weight settled on his forearm, and for the first time in what seemed like forever he managed to draw in a deep breath, filling his lungs until they were so full he couldn’t take in any more air. His heart continued to race but he felt a bit better. He slowly looked down to see Louisa in front of him. She gave him a small smile. “I felt it too. We all do. Don’t worry. I’ll tell Tiberio to turn off the mojo, okay?”
Brent nodded, as relief whooshed through him. His shoulders sagged as he slumped over. His knees bent, his body close to collapse, like a puppet cut from its strings. The spell was broken and he could move again.
With effort, he went about his tables, all the while aware of Tiberio on the stage, now strumming the guitar and singing “Riders on the Storm.” Brent looked around to see that Tor, Fletch and a few of the new waiters were coming out of the same trance.
Louisa climbed onto the stage and said something in Tiberio’s ear. All he did was nod. The hypnotic power began to recede, like the tide pulling back out to sea. Brent could breathe again. He felt suddenly freer, and his dragon stopped screaming, but he felt they could both use a bit of relaxation. He knew he’d have to change dinner plans with Carissa. His head just wasn’t in a space for seduction.
Chapter Ten
Carissa was in hell. She was sure she’d walked into another dimension and
Tiberio had an air of mystery and danger about him. Brent felt a sense of unease creep along his spine as he continued to watch the man, unable to take his gaze away. It was like he was being hypnotized just watching the rocker walk around the stage. Even from the back of the pub, he could hear the man’s voice as he hummed to himself. It was low and rough, and the sound sent chills through Brent.
He breathed in and out, slowly and rhythmically, as his heart slowed down. All he could see was Tiberio. Every muscle in his body felt frozen. All of his senses slowed down. Even his dragon was entranced.
What the fuck was going on? What kind of mojo was this? He tried to shake his head, pull his gaze away, and yet nothing worked. Brent stared in wonder—and he was supposed to be the bigger predator here! A dragon being entranced by a snake was like an elephant being scared of a mouse. It seemed ridiculous, and yet it was happening to him right now. Frustration ate him up as he tried to move. He tried to shake his head, to scream—anything—but he couldn’t move a muscle.
The space in his head was becoming smaller and smaller as the world narrowed down to Tiberio. Panic broke out, as sweat slipped over his brow and down his temples, soaked through the back of his shirt. Fear that he would never move again sent a wave of chills through him as his dragon began to scream, a horrible high-pitched keening sound that filled his ears. “I’m going out of my mind. Someone help me!”
Brent’s breath was no longer smooth and relaxed. It came out in choppy huffs as his heart began to pound out a rapid beat against his ribcage, almost as if it was trying to escape its cage. He wanted to escape too. He wanted to run away, far away from this man. He had to get away and yet he couldn’t move. No matter how many commands he sent to his feet, his fingers, or even his eyes, he just stood, transfixed, staring at The Snake. Was he going to die there? What about Carissa?
A light, warm weight settled on his forearm, and for the first time in what seemed like forever he managed to draw in a deep breath, filling his lungs until they were so full he couldn’t take in any more air. His heart continued to race but he felt a bit better. He slowly looked down to see Louisa in front of him. She gave him a small smile. “I felt it too. We all do. Don’t worry. I’ll tell Tiberio to turn off the mojo, okay?”
Brent nodded, as relief whooshed through him. His shoulders sagged as he slumped over. His knees bent, his body close to collapse, like a puppet cut from its strings. The spell was broken and he could move again.
With effort, he went about his tables, all the while aware of Tiberio on the stage, now strumming the guitar and singing “Riders on the Storm.” Brent looked around to see that Tor, Fletch and a few of the new waiters were coming out of the same trance.
Louisa climbed onto the stage and said something in Tiberio’s ear. All he did was nod. The hypnotic power began to recede, like the tide pulling back out to sea. Brent could breathe again. He felt suddenly freer, and his dragon stopped screaming, but he felt they could both use a bit of relaxation. He knew he’d have to change dinner plans with Carissa. His head just wasn’t in a space for seduction.
Chapter Ten
Carissa was in hell. She was sure she’d walked into another dimension and
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