Freak Show (2 page)

Roscoe took one last perusal of our table. He lingered on Shaz as the two of them had a predatory stare down. When he finally dragged his gaze back to Arys, he said, “If I were you, I’d hop the first flight out of here after sunset.”

“That’s not going to happen.” Crossing his arms, Arys gave a halfhearted shrug.

“If you’re here to move on Harley’s turf—”

Arys cut in. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Roscoe clamped his mouth shut. A glare made his tough features downright scary. He nodded curtly and shoved past Arys, exiting the bar.

I sighed and downed the rest of my drink in one swallow. Might as well keep ’em coming. If this was an indication of how the rest of the trip would go, I might need to stay drunk to get through it without having a nervous breakdown.

I flew fourteen hundred miles to have a few days to myself. So much for that.

Chapter Two

I shoved the door to our suite open, happy to be away from the hotel buzz below. I needed a quiet, safe place to gather my thoughts and interrogate Arys.

Jez had booked us two attached rooms in the Augustus Tower. The first door opened into a small foyer where Jez’s room lay to the left and ours was straight ahead. We walked through both suites, checking out everything from the tubs to the minibar.

Immediately, I noticed a problem. I stood in the center of the living and dining room combo, taking in the warm colors and flat screen TV. Arys took our things to the bedroom while I tried to find a way to give voice to the issue.

“So, um, Jez?” I began awkwardly. “When you booked these rooms, did you realize there is only one bed in our suite?”

She popped back into our room after dropping her bags in her suite. “Uh, shit. I’m sorry, guys. I didn’t think. I just assumed. Wow, I feel like an ass.”

Shaz and I exchanged a look. He shrugged it off, but I knew he was as uncomfortable as I was. “It’s no big deal,” he said. “I can crash on the couch.”

“You don’t have to do that. There are two beds in my room but no separate living room, which is why I gave you guys this room.” Jez helped herself to a beer from the minibar.

“Hey,” I scolded. “You only get twenty seconds to put that back before we get charged for it.”

“Um, what’s your point?” She shot me an incredulous look and popped the top on the beer. “Wanna trade rooms? Or someone can crash in my room with me.”

Arys reappeared wearing a devilish smile that revealed sharp fangs. His gaze slid from me to Shaz. “Or the two of you could get naked and get over this weird shit you’ve got going on.”

“Arys,” I scolded at the same time Jez quipped, “That’s what I said.”

I was mortified. The blood drained from my face. I wanted to drop through the floor to the suite below.

Shaz grabbed his bags and headed for the door. “It’s cool. I’ll take the extra bed in Jez’s room.”

I turned on Arys, shaking a finger at him. “Why the hell did you say that? Shaz and I can do this on our own in our own time. Without your help.”

Arys snickered and grabbed my finger, pretending to bite it. “I guarantee you the wolf pup will be back in our bed by the end of this week.”

I glanced toward the door, knowing damn well Shaz’s wolf ears could hear our every word. Jez busied herself with the view, staring out the picture window at The Strip.

“Are you crazy?” I snapped, jerking my finger from his grasp. “We can’t just all jump into bed together, Arys. It doesn’t work that way. Besides, there can’t be any blood sharing with him around. None.”

Arys feigned a yawn, completely ignoring my irritation. “I’m not going to bleed your wolf, Alexa, but give him some credit. He’s stronger than you think. He wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t.”

I joined Jez at the window, watching the traffic down below. The city was a maze of lights as far as the eye could see. The Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas stood bright against the skyline.

“I’m so sorry,” Jez whispered, reaching to touch my hand. “I shouldn’t have assumed anything.”

“No worries. It’s not your fault. It’s my mess.”

“Wanna go back downstairs to drink and gamble? It’s not even dawn yet.”

“No way,” Arys cut in. “You can’t go running around the hotel without me. It’s not safe.”

My temper flared, and I pinned him with a deadly glare. The angry energy spilled from me. I had to make a conscious effort not to slap him with it. “Don’t start with that shit,” I warned, a growl lacing my words. “I didn’t come here to argue with you. I came for a good time with people I love. Don’t ruin it.”

“I won’t let you put yourself in danger.” Arys was noncommittal, refusing to argue. He held up his hands as if to say he was done and that was the final word.

“Then come with us,” I said. “There’s not a big sunlight risk inside the casino.”

“And on that note,” Jez announced, “I’m going to go to my room and unpack a few things.”

Storming from the living room, I rounded the corner to the bathroom where I splashed some cold water on my face and checked my cell phone for messages. There was a text from Kylarai making sure we’d made it safely. While I typed a quick reply, I sat on the edge of the tub, fuming.

I wasn’t really pissed at Arys but myself. I’d created the situation with Shaz that made me insecure, and I’d secured so much power that I couldn’t even step into a city far from home without trouble from a damn vampire.

Being angry was easier than being afraid, and I realized I was scared, dammit. The last time I’d encountered Harley’s vampires, a dear friend had died, and I’d had to fight to prove I was a force to be reckoned with. I wasn’t sure I could do that here in their home territory.

Returning to the sink, I ran my fingers through my hair and took a few deep breaths. This trip was about having fun. I would not allow either Arys or his Vegas vampire family to ruin it for me. I was going to have a good time, goddammit, even if it killed me. Which it just might.

When I opened the door, Arys was standing in the hall waiting for me. He held out a glass of whiskey, which I gratefully accepted. What could I say? He knew me well.

“Sorry for being an asshole,” he said, pulling me close for a soft kiss. “You can take care of yourself. I know that. It’s just…Jenner doesn’t make empty threats. And he isn’t going to let us out of this city without rubbing my nose in the fact that he’s taken over Harley’s business. I’m sure he’s going to want a look at you.”

“Of course.” I sipped the whiskey and made a face. “I’m really sick of Harley’s vampires looking at me like I’m some kind of fucking carnival prize.”

“They won’t. Not for long anyway. Jenner won’t take it too far. He doesn’t have a personal stake in my connection to you the way Harley did. His biggest concern will be keeping us from taking what is rightfully ours.” Arys held me tight, his embrace possessive.

I pulled back to look into his eyes. “Please tell me that’s not why you came here.”

“It’s not. Not really.” Arys smirked, and I knew he was up to something. “I might let him think so though.”

I groaned and pushed a lock of long, ash-blonde hair back from my face. “I don’t like the sound of that. We need to keep the peace while we’re here. There’s enough trouble waiting for us at home.”

My gaze fell to the black dragon on my forearm. The demon mark ensured I could always be found by the demon that left it there. If I wanted to stay sane, having a few days away from Shya and his ridiculous demands was essential. I wasn’t keen on filling the void with vampire politics and power struggles.

“Don’t worry about anything. You want to go gamble with Jez? Go for it. I’ll take the pup and do a little recon.” Wrapping his hand gently around my forearm to cover the demon mark, Arys guided me back to the living room.

Jez was shoving my shoulder bag at me before I could change my mind. “We won’t be gone long,” I called to the guys as she dragged me toward the door. “Stay out of trouble. I mean it, Arys.”

His laughter followed me out, and I frowned. Maybe I was paranoid, but I never felt good about leaving the two of them alone together. His sudden willingness to let me wander off without him smacked of some suspicious, clandestine activity, but I wasn’t about to question it. Not yet.

“They’ll be fine,” Jez admonished, catching me staring back at the closed hotel door. “They’re grown men. And then some. I’m willing to bet we find more trouble than they do.”

“Good Lord, I hope not. We’ve only been here a few hours.”

“Then I’d say we’re already behind.” Jez linked her arm in mine and all but skipped her way to the elevator. I couldn’t help but smile. Her enthusiasm was infectious.

We made our way to the casino where my senses were immediately overwhelmed. The noise hurt my sensitive wolf ears. Raised voices mingled with the clink of bottles and glasses, all topped off with the clang and ding of so many slot machines. I wasn’t sure what was worse, the sound or the smell. So many people crammed into one large windowless room gave off the pungent aroma of sweat, perfume and booze. Among other things.

It took several minutes for me to adjust to the assault on my senses. Vegas may be a vampire’s city, but it was not wolf friendly. The beast inside rebelled at the thought of staying in this place. It was harsh and raw, too much for my forest-loving, earth-bound wolf.

A glance at Jez revealed a wound up woman ready to gamble. For a werecat, she was completely unfazed in this environment. Perhaps it was the demon blood in her veins.

“How exciting,” she gushed. “This city never sleeps. I missed it. I could totally live here.”

“Not me. I couldn’t survive in a city like this.” I gazed about in wonder, finding each person more intriguing than the last. Vegas was many things, but you couldn’t say it wasn’t entertaining.

My gaze closed in on a lady seated at a nearby slot machine. Dark circles lined her eyes. Her hair was in disarray, and her outfit was far from laundry fresh. A few machines over, an older couple, dressed to the nines in fancy evening wear, laughed and joked as they pumped coin after coin into a machine. Contrasting them with the other lady, I realized this place was an enigma.

“What do you think, Lex? Are we high rollers tonight or what?” Jez eyed a small group of women giggling with drinks in hand, as she led me along.

Raoul, my former lover and the wolf who turned me, had left me more than enough money in his will. It had taken me a long time to bring myself to touch any of it. However, I did not have enough to call myself a high roller, nor was I the type to take that kind of risk. I regularly faced vampires and demons that wanted to kill me; gambling with all the money in the world couldn’t replicate that level of danger.

“Hell no.” I decided. “I’m a slot machine girl, myself.”

“Seriously? Your man is a poker master, and you only play slots?” Jez shook her head and tsked at me. “Sad.”

I followed her through the place, content to let her lead the way. A people-watcher could stay in this place round the clock and never run out of interesting things to see. The deeper we went into the casino, the more I felt like I was plunging into a human abyss. I scanned the crowd, feeling for anything present that wasn’t human. The energy in the casino was incredibly scattered, creating a loud noise inside my head. I struggled to shut it out to save my sanity.

The demon seated at a nearby table was unexpected. He looked up as we passed, our eyes connected. For a split second, I saw through his human façade to the black-winged, black-eyed creature beneath. He looked us over, lingering on Jez. Then his gaze fell to the demon mark on my wrist, and he turned away.

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that demons enjoy this city,” I muttered.

“Goes without saying, I’d think,” Jez quipped, pulling me along.

Once we got caught up in the buzz of playing and even won a few small jackpots, my tension eased, and I began to enjoy myself. Giggling like teenagers as we tossed back shooters; we became part of the room, just two more gamblers out to lose a crap load of dough. Despite our welcome wagon earlier, it felt damn good to unwind and leave my worries behind for a while.

“If you’d like some time alone with Shaz this week, I’m sure I can lure your vampire down here to play some poker.” Jez pumped quarters into the machine, waiting while I pushed the button. Nothing. Another quarter.

“Actually, that would be great. We haven’t had much time alone since he got home. It’s been awkward. Makes me wonder if it will ever feel right again.”

“He’s had your back from the start, long before you and Arys made your connection. You just need some time together, a chance to remember what made you fall in love.” Jez handed me another shooter and smiled. “You’re damn lucky, you know, to have them both.”

“Yeah,” I nodded, taking the shot and grimacing as it burned its way down to my stomach. “I know. But how realistic is it?”

“What do you mean?” Pausing to gather our meager winnings, Jez gave me a critical once over.

I shouldn’t say it, shouldn’t even think it. But she was one of my best friends, a girlfriend, the one person I could say it to. “Is it selfish of me to want them both? Because it feels like it is. It feels like—” I stopped short, struggling to get the words out. “It feels like it’s wrong. For Shaz. He deserves better. He deserves to be set free. Like Kale.”