Suckers Bite Back (San Francisco Vampires #5) (Vampires of San Francisco series) by Jessica McBrayer

step out of her way I look up and see Aidan dancing with a beautiful African American model named Manda. What the hell? He barely has had two words for Lily this past week. He bailed on her while she was recovering and now he is dancing, and dancing close, I might add with another beautiful woman.
    Wait, maybe I should be glad about this.
    I go to the bar and order a cognac. Leaning against the bar top, I watch the two flirt and lean into each other. When the song is over, they go and sit down at a booth. I immediately flag a waitress and send a bottle of our finest champagne over to them with compliments from the owner.
    When they receive it, Manda claps and Aidan scrutinizes the crowd until he finds me. He whispers in her ear and then comes to talk to me. Bring it fire boy. If he thinks he can hurt Lily like this…
    “Hello, Sebastian. Thank you for the Champagne. Manda will enjoy it,” he says. His face is not giving anything away. He had to know there would be a chance I would see him here.
    “What are you playing at, Aidan?” I ask.
    “I don’t know what you mean, Sebastian.”
    “Yes you do. You haven’t had a moment for Lily but you are out with a hot supermodel. Are you backing down from Lily? I need to know. She needs to know.”
    He sighs, rubs his face and cracks his neck. I’ve never seen him so uptight.
    “I don’t know what I’m doing, Sebastian. I know that while I was gone my head cleared and I didn’t have this obsession over Lily anymore. I love her. I always will. But I think it’s time that I move on. It is the healthy thing to do, don’t you think?” He looks serious. Oh God, let him be serious.
    “You know what I think, Aidan. I would support you moving on. Manda is known for her kind heart. You could do a lot worse, that’s for sure. She’s beautiful, smart, kind…”
    “… funny, flirtatious, amazing, sexy, and she doesn’t even know half of it. That makes her even more alluring,” Aidan says wistfully as he waves to her.
    “Good luck, my friend. Enjoy the champagne. You know you have to tell Lily though, and soon.”
    “I know, I will. Tomorrow when she wakes up,” he says.
    “Good. That will be good. You shouldn’t let any more time go by.”
    “Agreed. Thanks again for the champagne, Sebastian.” And with that he moves back through the crowd to Manda.
    Her whole face lights up when he gets near. He deserves that. To be first in someone’s heart. Not second choice. I wish him well. I just don’t know how Lily is going to take this.
    I decide to hang around after all. Doing paperwork is not my idea of fun but it keeps me connected to the club at its basest level so I dive into it. By the time I am done, the club has closed and I am the last to leave. It’s early morning. Lily will have to sleep soon. Maybe if I hurry I can say goodnight.
    With that on my mind, I hurry to my car parked right in front. I don’t notice the big Demon until it’s almost too late.
    I narrowly avoid an uppercut and kick out with my right foot. Damn Italian loafers. He grunts and recovers fast, throwing a roundhouse that I dodge and two punches that I don’t. Each hit me in the side. I’m thrown against my car, setting the alarm off.
    The Demon bends down to finish me off but I haven’t even started. He got lucky and I act like I’m hurt before swinging a fist up into his nose, rallying on the sharp snap I hear. He stumbles back and I move in for the kill. While he grabs his nose I swing a kick to his knees knocking him down to the pavement. He howls in pain before I grab his head and bring it down hard on my knee, knocking him out.
    He is a brute of a Demon but relies on his size and obvious strength too much. He never learned to fight. I doubt he has taken on too many vampires. I search his pockets and find a card and club I.D. for The Devil With You. Fucking Mark. I know if I tell Lily she won’t believe me. It’s too early in our tentative realignment. I don’t have enough credit