booth and all of the madness that I once heard was now quiet.
Alarmed, I stood up, feeling a surge of panic take over as I feared for Taylor and Eli’s lives.
“What was that?”
“Athena must have set off the flash grenade. When it goes off, a mist of wolf’s bane pours into the air. It’s one of Violet’s potions. Alright, let’s get her out of here.”
He stood and eased Andie into his arms, and I followed behind him as we walked out of the booth, stepping over the dead bodies that covered every inch of the club. Taylor and Eli stood by the flight of stairs. Taylor had his shirt off, showing the many bruises and cuts that covered his body. His shirt was balled up in his hand as he applied pressure to his bleeding mouth. His glare faltered, slowly turning into shock when he focused on Andie, who squirmed in Kyle’s arms.
“She’s alive,” Kyle said.
Taylor’s eyes closed briefly and his face filled with relief. “I’m glad.” He then turned his focus on me, his face turning stone cold. “I should have known you wouldn’t listen.”
“Hey, I helped out, didn’t I?”
Kyle looked at me then at Taylor, sensing that an argument was coming. “I’ll be at the car.”
“We didn’t need your help. We needed you to stay put, but I guess that’s too damn hard to ask for. You drove here without a license as well, and with your background, Daddy wouldn’t have been able to bail you out this time.”
“Hey, I served my time on house arrest. Plus the guilt I have to live with for the rest of my life!” I screamed at him. The palms of my hands burned as my nails dug into my skin from squeezing my hands too tight.
“Bad decisions and consequences go hand in hand. Think before you do something.” He shook his head with a look of disgust on his face. “I’ve had about enough of you for one night.”
I gave the sweetest smile I could manage. “Aw, just one night.”
He laughed, but it was a frustrated laugh. He was at his wits’ end with me. “Just walk away, Taylor; just walk away,” he said to himself.
So he walked away, storming up the steps to get far away from me.
I sighed, casting my eyes down. Would we ever have a good relationship?
“Don’t sweat it. He’ll get over it. You were actually pretty decent in the battle tonight…for a human, that is. Thanks for helping me—not that it was necessary, but I appreciate it.”
I grinned and patted Eli’s arm. “Oh, you know you needed my help.”
He smirked. “Oh, of course.”
“You’re not angry with me anymore?”
“Not now. I took a lot of my anger out on my attackers. Besides, I do believe I grabbed you up and yelled.” He shrugged. “That’s enough for me.”
“Well good. I need someone on my side.”
“Just don’t do it again. You’re playing with fire.”
“We’ll see. I have an urge to rebel when someone demands me to do something.”
Eli sighed. “This is going to be a very long summer with you here.”
He playfully bumped me on the arm as we made our way out of the club.
I drew in a much needed breath of the fresh night air. My tight muscles relaxed as we walked farther away from that nightmare of a club. Everyone was standing at the end of the alley, waiting for us to arrive.
“You!” Athena yelled.
With her eyes wild and penetrating, she stormed over to me, raising her fist to pop me one when Violet quickly grabbed her wrist at the same time Eli pulled me out of harm’s way. Long, sharp fangs peaked out from behind her lips as she panted.
“Athena, just calm down,” Eli said, his voice stern and demanding.
“No. Let me go, Vi!”
“No way; you’re stronger than she is. You hit her and she could die. You know that.”
I brought my hand up to my face, gently gliding my fingers over the cut by my eye. “But I was hit…I didn’t die,” I said to myself.
“You weakened the succubus when you stabbed it. She wasn’t able to put all of her force in that smack. If she did, she would have
Alarmed, I stood up, feeling a surge of panic take over as I feared for Taylor and Eli’s lives.
“What was that?”
“Athena must have set off the flash grenade. When it goes off, a mist of wolf’s bane pours into the air. It’s one of Violet’s potions. Alright, let’s get her out of here.”
He stood and eased Andie into his arms, and I followed behind him as we walked out of the booth, stepping over the dead bodies that covered every inch of the club. Taylor and Eli stood by the flight of stairs. Taylor had his shirt off, showing the many bruises and cuts that covered his body. His shirt was balled up in his hand as he applied pressure to his bleeding mouth. His glare faltered, slowly turning into shock when he focused on Andie, who squirmed in Kyle’s arms.
“She’s alive,” Kyle said.
Taylor’s eyes closed briefly and his face filled with relief. “I’m glad.” He then turned his focus on me, his face turning stone cold. “I should have known you wouldn’t listen.”
“Hey, I helped out, didn’t I?”
Kyle looked at me then at Taylor, sensing that an argument was coming. “I’ll be at the car.”
“We didn’t need your help. We needed you to stay put, but I guess that’s too damn hard to ask for. You drove here without a license as well, and with your background, Daddy wouldn’t have been able to bail you out this time.”
“Hey, I served my time on house arrest. Plus the guilt I have to live with for the rest of my life!” I screamed at him. The palms of my hands burned as my nails dug into my skin from squeezing my hands too tight.
“Bad decisions and consequences go hand in hand. Think before you do something.” He shook his head with a look of disgust on his face. “I’ve had about enough of you for one night.”
I gave the sweetest smile I could manage. “Aw, just one night.”
He laughed, but it was a frustrated laugh. He was at his wits’ end with me. “Just walk away, Taylor; just walk away,” he said to himself.
So he walked away, storming up the steps to get far away from me.
I sighed, casting my eyes down. Would we ever have a good relationship?
“Don’t sweat it. He’ll get over it. You were actually pretty decent in the battle tonight…for a human, that is. Thanks for helping me—not that it was necessary, but I appreciate it.”
I grinned and patted Eli’s arm. “Oh, you know you needed my help.”
He smirked. “Oh, of course.”
“You’re not angry with me anymore?”
“Not now. I took a lot of my anger out on my attackers. Besides, I do believe I grabbed you up and yelled.” He shrugged. “That’s enough for me.”
“Well good. I need someone on my side.”
“Just don’t do it again. You’re playing with fire.”
“We’ll see. I have an urge to rebel when someone demands me to do something.”
Eli sighed. “This is going to be a very long summer with you here.”
He playfully bumped me on the arm as we made our way out of the club.
I drew in a much needed breath of the fresh night air. My tight muscles relaxed as we walked farther away from that nightmare of a club. Everyone was standing at the end of the alley, waiting for us to arrive.
“You!” Athena yelled.
With her eyes wild and penetrating, she stormed over to me, raising her fist to pop me one when Violet quickly grabbed her wrist at the same time Eli pulled me out of harm’s way. Long, sharp fangs peaked out from behind her lips as she panted.
“Athena, just calm down,” Eli said, his voice stern and demanding.
“No. Let me go, Vi!”
“No way; you’re stronger than she is. You hit her and she could die. You know that.”
I brought my hand up to my face, gently gliding my fingers over the cut by my eye. “But I was hit…I didn’t die,” I said to myself.
“You weakened the succubus when you stabbed it. She wasn’t able to put all of her force in that smack. If she did, she would have
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