Netherworld II: Blood Potion No. 9 by Tracy St.John

asked.
    I perched on the desk corner. “I have
tons of news, but since Tristan will be here any moment, I’ll
wait.”

    He brightened, something he rarely does
when Tristan’s name leaves my lips. “Really? I can’t wait to hear
what you found out.”
    He stood and kissed me with such
sweetness that my toes ached. Oh jeez, did I really have to come
clean with him?
    Yes, I did. I am many things, many
not-so-good things, but one thing I can claim not to be is a liar.
Especially with someone who means as much to me as Dan.
    I took a deep breath. “Hey, did you
hear about the undercover ATF agent with the Beasts?”
    “Tristan told me. Good work finding
that out about Bane.”
    I kicked the desk, one foot at a time.
“Yeah, well he got himself in a tough spot last night. C.K. was
ready to do some damage.”
    “Is he okay?”
    “I had to help him out. If I hadn’t
jumped in, he might have gotten himself killed.”
    Dan’s mood darkened just a hair. I
think he heard the worried defensiveness in my voice. “Jumped in?
How?”
    I looked down at my kicking feet.
“Literally. I took over one of the women who hangs out with the
Beasts. Fizz? You know which one she is? Spiky blond hair,
skinny?”
    He knew. “Stripper. C.K. gave her to
Bane as his personal property.”
    “Bane hasn’t been doing the wild thing
with her, and she called his manhood into question. It got ugly
because C.K. thought he was gay.”
    I dared to look up at Dan. Uh oh. He’d
gone real still, his expression openly suspicious.
    He asked, “And you did
what?”
    Carefully I answered, “C.K. wanted Bane
to boff her right then and there in front of everyone. But Bane
couldn’t, um, perform.” I hated the plaintive tone rising in my
voice, but I couldn’t quiet it. “I was afraid they’d hurt him, Dan.
I had to do something.”
    Fury sparked in his chocolate brown
eyes, and his jaw clenched. His voice just this side of a full
storm, he growled, “No, you didn’t. You didn’t have to do a damned
thing, Brandilynn.”
    Crap. He was cursing and not
apologizing for it. I was in big trouble.
    I lowered my head. “I’m sorry. You know
I wouldn’t do this lightly.”
    “I already have to share you with
Tristan, and that’s more than I can stomach. What, two men isn’t
enough for you?” His gravelly voice was almost a shout.
    My insides churned. Tears welled up in
my eyes, and I blinked them back with all the effort I could
muster. I faced him because he deserved the respect. “You know
better. It wasn’t my body, and I was really scared for Bane. That’s
the only reason I did it.”

    His tone was scathing, and I cringed at
every word he spat out. “That’s nice and convenient, Brandilynn.
Using someone else’s body keeps you clean? And you didn’t enjoy it,
right?”
    I couldn’t answer him. I’d liked
screwing the werewolf, all right. God, I wish I could lie, if only
to spare Dan’s feelings.
    As I sat there mute, my silence telling
Dan what he didn’t want to know, he gave me a look of absolute
disgust. I wanted to shrink into myself and hide from him at that
moment. I’d been an escort in life, one that sold sex to my regular
customers. But until now, Dan had never given me a look that made
me feel dirty.
    I don’t how much uglier it would have
gotten had Tristan and Patricia not chosen that moment to arrive.
Materializing next to me, Tristan didn’t take time to notice the
heavy atmosphere of the room.
    “Good morning,” he said, kissing me
right off the bat.
    “Hi Tristan. Good morning, Patricia,” I
said, marveling at how steady my voice came out.
    Patricia picked up on the tension right
away. She gave me a quick nod. “Brandilynn.” Then she eyed
Boyfriend Number One with an arched brow. “Dan, you look like
someone licked all the red off your candy.”
    He turned away, pretended to busy
himself with something on the desk. “Brandilynn has something to
report.”
    Tristan looked from me to Dan to me to
Dan again