feeling she wasn’t wrong. Something was hurtling toward them at a rapid pace. Something bad. He only hoped he was making the right decision.
*****
Em, Cat, Drei, and Cassandra were sitting at their usual table in the VIP area. The music was thumping, the floor beneath their feet vibrating with the heavy bass. Cassandra, long red hair loose around her shoulders, was shaking her head. Her face was scrunched into a scowl, but her lips were quirked upward.
“It’s pathetic. Tonight’s my night off and yet here I am at –” She stopped abruptly, her head whipping around. Her mouth fell open and her bottle green eyes tracked quickly between Grig and Kall, widening.
Em, one long arm wrapped around Cat’s curvy waist, raised his head from her chestnut locks and grinned. “Well, hey, little brother! I thought you were done for the night.”
Cat tipped her head to the side and bit her lip, studying Grig’s face before sliding to Kall. He saw her start in surprise.
“Who’s your friend?” Drei’s scowl was thunderous as he rubbed one large hand over Cassandra’s rigid spine. Grig ignored the question, eyes locking with Cassandra’s instead.
“We need somewhere to talk. Somewhere private . Your office?”
Em hadn’t caught either of the women’s reactions yet. He chuckled. “Talk? Since when do you talk to pretty women, Grig?”
Cassandra bit her lips, eyes scanning the table. “Might be a bit tight for all of us, but I think we can manage.”
He whirled, pulling Kall with him, and made a beeline for the back hallway and the door to Cassandra’s office. Behind him, he heard Cat’s soft voice ask, “Is that a sword?”
Grig was reaching out to pop the flimsy lock on the office door when Cassandra slid in front of him.
“I got this, little brother.”
Technically, he was actually older than Cass by several years. But it still made him smile when she called him that. She slid her key into the lock and pushed the door open, ushering them inside. Grig watched Cass watch Kall. The human mind reader’s green eyes were intent and wary.
Kall, for her part, seemed rather relaxed now. She crossed to the file cabinet on the far side of the room and hopped up on it with acrobatic grace, perching on the edge and kicking her feet slightly. She leaned back on her hands, elbows turned out, and Grig caught the edge of a tattoo disappearing beneath her t-shirt sleeve on her right arm.
He had the sudden urge to go over to her, tug up the sleeve and follow the thin tendril he glimpsed on her pale, perfect skin with his lips. Maybe peel those snug leather pants down her lean legs and step between her thighs. Finish what they’d started in the darkened basement.
“Ahem.” Cassandra cleared her throat loudly, one ruddy brow curved upward. Grig grimaced and shrugged in apology. When he turned back to Kall, her lush lips were curved in a smile and her dark eyes glittered as if she knew exactly what he’d been thinking. Was she a mind reader too? Some of the vamps, like this Seren asshole, had extra abilities. Maybe that was one of hers. That, and not smelling right.
He didn’t have any more time to dwell on what special abilities Kall might or might not possess. Em, Cat, and Drei all piled into the room them. His brothers wore matching scowls and were staring at him. Cat’s pretty, round cheeked face was intent, her odd purple-blue eyes fixed on Kall. As were Cassandra’s, though her expression, brow slightly furrowed, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth, was more puzzled.
Drei leaned his back against the closed office door, crossing his arms across his broad chest. “Alright, brother. Care to tell us what the fuck is going on?”
“And who your new friend is?” Em added, his pose mirroring their older brother’s. Grig opened his mouth to answer, but Cat spoke first, her voice firm and low, eyes still on Kall.
“You’re Kalla