hot springs, mountains, and cherry blossoms lined the walls. A long fish tank with coral and bright fish sat in the corner. Soft instrumental music played in the background.
I took Carter's hand and walked over to the tank. I could identify most of the fish. That made me sad because I had no idea why I knew their names.
"Hello," came a soothing feminine voice from behind. A slender, beautiful girl about my age with hair flowing to her waist smiled at us. She gave a slight bow. "I'm Yurika. May I help you?"
Carter nodded. "This is my special guest, Victoria. Anything she wants is hers—and on the house."
Yurika clasped her hands. "My pleasure, Victoria. What can we get you started with?"
"One other thing," Carter said.
"Yes?" Yurika turned to him.
"If she likes it here, she may decide to assist you."
The girl's eyes lit up. "Oh, delightful. Things have been harried since—"
"Yes," Carter interrupted. "For now, she's the most important guest here. After her treatment, feel free to ask her about assisting—only if she's interested."
Yurika bowed. "Yes, Master Jag." She turned to me. "Are you ready, my lady?"
I glanced at Carter. He pressed his palms on either side of my face and his mouth came down on mine. Before I could react, he pulled away. "Enjoy yourself, beautiful. You deserve it."
My breath caught.
He held my gaze for a moment and then spun around and left. I couldn't look away from the closed door.
"What would you like to start with, my lady?" Yurika asked.
I turned to her, unable to answer.
"My suggestion is a facial when you're stressed. Clear your skin and your mind." She smiled sweetly.
"Okay."
She looped her arm through mine. "Follow me."
Chapter 13
Toby
I paced the length of the bar.
Tap shot me an annoyed glance. "You're scaring away my patrons."
"Seriously?" I fanned my arm around the busy room. Not a single customer was paying me an ounce of attention.
"Friend, you're driving me nuts." The troll scowled at me.
"Where is she?" I exclaimed.
"Soleil will be here when she's done. Do you think she can just walk into the Jag and tell your girlfriend to pucker up?"
"That would be nice."
"You and I both know it wouldn't go over well. Go home. I'll send her your way when she gets back. It could be hours." His bushy brows furrowed.
"I doubt my pack will be very excited about a valkyrie showing up."
"You're the alpha. Tell them to get over it."
My skin bristled at the thought. "I'm not a traditional alpha, Tap. I'd think you'd know that by now."
"You mean you're not your father."
A low growl escaped my throat.
"See? That's exactly what you meant."
"Right. I'm not a traditional alpha. I don't treat my guys like dirt or the women like objects." The wolf inside me clawed to get out and attack something. Being that it was so close to the full moon, turning was possible but it would wreak havoc physically. I pushed him down.
"You can still tell your pack to chill when Soleil arrives. They're doing pretty well with that vampire in your home." Tap arched a brow.
I nodded, but didn't want to mention that I had used the alpha card to convince some of them to relax. Anyone following me knew I was against the ancient werewolf-vampire animosity. Hatred, really. Too many wars had been fought, too many lives lost. It was pointless.
Any werewolf who followed me had to agree to act in peace toward all other supernaturals.
"They are doing okay with her, right?" Tap asked, breaking my thoughts.
"Yeah, no one would dare cross either Jet or me." Ziamara was the lone vampire living in my home because she was Jet's wife. They'd met under my watch, years earlier when I'd been training Jet.
"So, they'll be fine with Soleil."
"An angel of death is of a slightly different caliber than a vampire."
"How so?" I asked.
"I'm pretty sure our blood isn't toxic to valkyries."
"Fine. Sit down and have a drink. Just stop your bloody pacing."
"Oh, all right. You win."
Tap wandered over to the liquor.
I took Carter's hand and walked over to the tank. I could identify most of the fish. That made me sad because I had no idea why I knew their names.
"Hello," came a soothing feminine voice from behind. A slender, beautiful girl about my age with hair flowing to her waist smiled at us. She gave a slight bow. "I'm Yurika. May I help you?"
Carter nodded. "This is my special guest, Victoria. Anything she wants is hers—and on the house."
Yurika clasped her hands. "My pleasure, Victoria. What can we get you started with?"
"One other thing," Carter said.
"Yes?" Yurika turned to him.
"If she likes it here, she may decide to assist you."
The girl's eyes lit up. "Oh, delightful. Things have been harried since—"
"Yes," Carter interrupted. "For now, she's the most important guest here. After her treatment, feel free to ask her about assisting—only if she's interested."
Yurika bowed. "Yes, Master Jag." She turned to me. "Are you ready, my lady?"
I glanced at Carter. He pressed his palms on either side of my face and his mouth came down on mine. Before I could react, he pulled away. "Enjoy yourself, beautiful. You deserve it."
My breath caught.
He held my gaze for a moment and then spun around and left. I couldn't look away from the closed door.
"What would you like to start with, my lady?" Yurika asked.
I turned to her, unable to answer.
"My suggestion is a facial when you're stressed. Clear your skin and your mind." She smiled sweetly.
"Okay."
She looped her arm through mine. "Follow me."
Chapter 13
Toby
I paced the length of the bar.
Tap shot me an annoyed glance. "You're scaring away my patrons."
"Seriously?" I fanned my arm around the busy room. Not a single customer was paying me an ounce of attention.
"Friend, you're driving me nuts." The troll scowled at me.
"Where is she?" I exclaimed.
"Soleil will be here when she's done. Do you think she can just walk into the Jag and tell your girlfriend to pucker up?"
"That would be nice."
"You and I both know it wouldn't go over well. Go home. I'll send her your way when she gets back. It could be hours." His bushy brows furrowed.
"I doubt my pack will be very excited about a valkyrie showing up."
"You're the alpha. Tell them to get over it."
My skin bristled at the thought. "I'm not a traditional alpha, Tap. I'd think you'd know that by now."
"You mean you're not your father."
A low growl escaped my throat.
"See? That's exactly what you meant."
"Right. I'm not a traditional alpha. I don't treat my guys like dirt or the women like objects." The wolf inside me clawed to get out and attack something. Being that it was so close to the full moon, turning was possible but it would wreak havoc physically. I pushed him down.
"You can still tell your pack to chill when Soleil arrives. They're doing pretty well with that vampire in your home." Tap arched a brow.
I nodded, but didn't want to mention that I had used the alpha card to convince some of them to relax. Anyone following me knew I was against the ancient werewolf-vampire animosity. Hatred, really. Too many wars had been fought, too many lives lost. It was pointless.
Any werewolf who followed me had to agree to act in peace toward all other supernaturals.
"They are doing okay with her, right?" Tap asked, breaking my thoughts.
"Yeah, no one would dare cross either Jet or me." Ziamara was the lone vampire living in my home because she was Jet's wife. They'd met under my watch, years earlier when I'd been training Jet.
"So, they'll be fine with Soleil."
"An angel of death is of a slightly different caliber than a vampire."
"How so?" I asked.
"I'm pretty sure our blood isn't toxic to valkyries."
"Fine. Sit down and have a drink. Just stop your bloody pacing."
"Oh, all right. You win."
Tap wandered over to the liquor.
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