chapter Twelve
LANA SLIPPED HER COMMUNICATOR into her bag. “Ready?” she asked. She picked up her leather satchel and draped it across her chest, then adjusted her mini-corset.
“Yup.” I finished applying my kohl liner and fluffed my dark hair around my shoulders. “How are we getting to Cogs? Steam trolley?”
Her reflection in the mirror gawked at me. “No. The guys are on their way. Figured you knew that.” Her lips quirked into a side-grin.
“The guys? Like Jace and Nick?” I turned to face her.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t they come? We always go to Cogs together.” She waved her hand in front of my face. “Man, Dez, did you bump your head during the change? You know Jace wigs if we go anywhere alone. Especially now with the Narcos in town. He’d freak if you went there without protection.”
“You mean he’d freak if you went there without protection,” I corrected her.
She huffed. “Yeah, whatever.” She shook her head. “Come on. Nick just sent a data message. They’ll be here soon.”
I grabbed my pouch, remembering the last time I’d used Lana’s bag to hold my makeup and forgetting it there. Not that I’d have to cover a mark tonight, though. The thought brought heat to my cheeks as I remembered Jace’s lips on my neck. I shook the thought away. So much had changed since that night.
“Bye, girls. Have a fun time,” my mom called out as I opened the front door.
“Thanks, Mom.” I closed the thick mahogany door behind us just as Nick and Jace hovered up to my walkway.
“You’re mom’s different,” Lana said. “She’s not telling us a million ways we could die tonight.”
“Yeah, I guess the change changed her, too.” I smiled to myself.
I caught Jace’s brilliant blue eyes as we walked up to the levibikes. It was the first time I wasn’t wearing eye lenses around him. My heart beat widely as he looked into them, but he only smiled.
“Hey, ready?” he asked, taking my hand and helping me onto the back of the seat. He held my hand a moment longer after I was seated. I’d held his hand many times in that same action, so why did this time feel different?
“Yeah.” I shrugged the weird feeling off, assuring myself it was probably the change. He had his full power now. Maybe a few things were different because of that. He lowered his goggles over his eyes, and I noticed his Kythan ink for the first time. “That’s a pretty cool tatt you got there.”
He laughed. “Yours is pretty hot, too.”
My eyes enlarged, shocked. But words failed me as we sped off. Jace seemed more laid back. Maybe the change was good for him. Maybe we could even go to Cogs and have a fun time without getting violent with the Narcos. I laughed silently to myself. This I have to see.
As we pulled into Cogs, I looked around, searching for Narcos. I knew there had to be some here tonight. If Lana was right, and all the Academy kids were partying, that meant them, too.
I scooted off the seat, and Lana hooked her arm through mine. “I can’t wait to see Devon. It feels like forever since I last saw him.”
“I didn’t know you guys were getting serious,” I said, scoping out the entrance. A line of waiting patrons wrapped around the building. Devon hadn’t opened the doors yet.
“Pfft,” Lana blew through her lips. “Serious? Me? He’s just smoking hot. I’ll have a new fling going on at the Academy by this time next week.”
I nodded, but I knew she was full of it. I’d never seen Lana interested in one guy for this many consecutive months.
Lana entered something into her communicator, then tugged on Nick’s arm. “Hey, Devon said to go around to the side entrance. He’ll open it for us.”
We started toward the side of the building, passing by a group of Narcos. I checked out Jace’s reaction. He was stoic. I breathed a sigh of relief. “So, what’s the mission tonight?” I asked, gauging his response. “Diversion tactic?”
He grinned. “How about Mission Have a Good Time?” My eyebrows shot up in surprise.
As we entered the club, I felt at home. I’d spent so much time at Cogs since we started training, and I realized how much I’d missed it this past week. I smiled as Lana went straight for Devon, wrapping her arms around him. Devon beamed, his dimples deepening as a warm smile slid across his face. This wasn’t just another infatuated guy—he truly cared about her. My heart ached. As happy as I was for my friend, I couldn’t help envying her. She could be with the guy she cared about—no complications.
I sighed and pulled a stool up next to Nick at the bar. “Bartender, give me a beer.”
Nick laughed. “Hard times, little lady?” He nudged my shoulder.
“Everything’s changing.” I glanced around, locating Jace. He was talking to Devon as he set up the stage. “Honestly, I feel like we don’t have much to worry about from the Narcos.” I sat up straighter. “I mean, yeah, I want to keep sparring because I love it. But I’m not sure we have much to fear from them anymore.”
“Yeah.” Nick nodded. “I’m not so sure Jace would agree, but I get what you’re saying.” He pressed his palms on the counter and hopped up, swinging himself over to the other side. Then he grabbed two glass mugs and filled them with beer, the brass contraption puffing steam above his head. “I love my little brother, but he gets carried away with his obsessions.” He winked, and handed me a mug. “But between you and me, I think if he had a girlfriend he’d chill the hell out.”
“Jace? A girlfriend?” I laughed. “Right. She’d have to be one pretty badass girl for him to take notice.”
Nick craned an eyebrow. “Yup, she’d have to be.” He set his beer on the other side of the bar and jumped over, then scooted his barstool closer to me. “So, just how badass is your power since the—” He broke off as Jace sat down on the stool before he could. “Oh, hey, bro. What’s up?” he said, taking the seat next to Jace, instead.
“Nick, giving a minor alcohol?” Jace reached for my beer, but I snatched it out of his reach.
“Don’t start, Jace.” I glared at him. “It’s been a long week, and I deserve one.”
Gently placing his hand over mine, he tilted the mug toward his lips and took a sip. I eyed him curiously before taking a sip myself. “So you haven’t even asked about sparring,” I said. “What’s up? Afraid I’ll kick your butt on even terrain?”
Jace spun my barstool so that I faced him. “Nothing’s up. Just want to have a good time tonight.” He lowered his head closer to mine. “Is that cool?”
I stared at him, taking in his smile—the squinty-eyed Jace smile. “Okay. Where’s my friend and what have you done with him?”
He laughed. “Come on. Let’s go open the doors for Devon.”
I leaned against the far wall of the club, watching Lana slow dance with Devon. He’d let Marty take the lead on guitar and vocals so he could spend time with her before she went off to the Academy. Although, it wasn’t like we were really going off. It was right down the street from Cogs, but attending the Academy meant we’d be practically locked away. We’d only leave the grounds on the weekends—and would have a curfew.
The Academy was a rite of passage. Devon had gone. My mom had—all Shythe went. Even Narcos had to go to their own Academy in their haven. It’s where we’d get our work assignments—which humans we’d be placed around to serve, even though they didn’t realize we were helping and protecting them. And it was where most Kythan met their mates.
I hugged my waist and glanced around the club. Narcos danced alongside Shythe, and no one fought. It was completely crazy and exciting. We were on the verge of everything changing. My chest swelled with hope that eventually the races would accept each other. Tonight it seemed like a possibility.
A hand slipped into mine, and I spun around. Reese smiled and tugged me behind the black curtain. “What are you doing?” I craned my neck, making sure no one had seen him.
“You knew I’d be here.” His lips brushed my cheek, tracing downward toward my neck. “Admit it. You were waiting for me to come steal you away.” He drew back slightly, keeping his face close to mine.
Heat rushed my cheeks. “I figured you’d show, but I didn’t think you’d press your luck.” I shrugged. “Okay, I knew you’d press it. But I hoped you wouldn’t.” The corner behind the curtain was near pitch black. Even with the glow of his red eyes, I couldn’t make out his features. “What are you thinking?”
He laughed, deep and sultry. “Thinking about dragging you out of this club. Right now.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck, swaying us to the music. “Where would you take me?”
He lowered his head, resting his forehead against mine. “To my airship.” His hands slowly felt their way along my waist and down to my thighs, sending tendrils of shivers over my skin. “I’d take you out flying. Then…I’d probably try and cop a feel.”
I laughed. “How come I’m not surprised?” I tightened my hold around his neck. “But, I’d love to fly with you.”
He lifted his head, his eyes glowing deep red. “Come on, let’s go dance.”
“Out there?”
Reese huffed. “Yes, out there, Dez. Everyone’s dancing. I think we can get away with it.” He pulled me behind him as he parted the curtain and stepped into the club.
I searched the crowd. I didn’t see Jace or Nick, but Lana was still dancing with Devon. As I followed Reese, I jerked my hand from his grip. He glanced back once, making sure I was still behind him.
When we found a spot, he grasped my waist and pulled me to him. My heart drummed against my breast bone, aching. Slowly lifting my arms, I wrapped them around his neck, and he buried his head in my hair.
I was losing myself in the feel of his body pressed to mine when I peeked around his shoulder. Lana stared at me. She didn’t look angry or even upset, just confused—her eyebrows knit close together. I gave her a strained half-smile, and she returned it.
Reveling in Reese’s embrace, I fought the urge to glance around—see if anyone else watched us. Reese suddenly pulled away. Jace stood beside us. My face tingled, cold and pinpricking, as the blood drained from my face.
“I’m cutting in,” Jace told Reese, stepping up to him. “And I thought I told you not to even look at her.”
Reese’s jaw worked, grinding. His eyes shot toward me, and I gave him a pleading look, reminding him of his promise to take it easy on Jace. Reese held up his hands and backed away.
“Was just dancing, man,” Reese said. Then he stormed off the dance floor.
Jace took me in his arms. “Why didn’t you come get me if he was bothering you?”
“I didn’t want to start a scene. And besides”—I rolled my eyes—“he wasn’t bothering me. The other night was a misunderstanding. He didn’t mean me any harm.”
“Dez, you’re way too forgiving.” He pulled me closer. “I know you don’t want war. I get how you feel about that, but we can’t give into them—”
“Jace,” I breathed his name. “Can we not? You said you just wanted to have fun tonight. Remember?”
His lips tugged into a hard line, his brow furrowed. “All right. But I couldn’t stomach his dirty Narco hands on you.” Then the tension in his face relaxed. “I’m sorry. Forgive me?”
“Yes. Just chill, okay?”
He nodded and pressed his forehead to mine, swaying us back and forth. His breath caressed my lips, its heat making me quiver. We’d never been this close—during training, maybe, when we were knocking each other around—but not like this. Not holding me so intimately, as he did now.
I closed my eyes as my stomach twisted, knotted. Jace’s hand glided up my arm, moving slowly to my face. He cupped just under my jaw—his fingers resting on the back of my neck as his thumb caressed my cheek. I kept my eyes clamped shut. My lids twitched as I resisted the urge to look into his eyes, scared of what I’d see.
“Dez,” Jace whispered, pulling me from my thoughts.
I relaxed my lids, allowing my eyes to open. He stared at me, his blue eyes glowing fiercely. Then he brushed his lips lightly across mine. I froze. My heart stopped beating. He pressed his lips firmly, parting my lips, as he deepened the kiss.
I was in shock. I could feel Jace’s lips—taste him—as my lips moved against his, but my mind had shut down. All I felt was sensory. His lips were soft, yet commanding. They asked a question, but didn’t wait for the answer. I held still, and he pulled me closer.
The music switched tempo, and the sudden change of beat woke me from my trance. I jolted and broke the kiss.
People bounced and gyrated on the dance floor, crashing into us. I shook my head and looked into Jace’s eyes. They beamed bright blue as he smiled.
My mind reeled, and I tore my eyes from Jace, searching the crowd. Reese stood just feet away, his eyes burning fire red, his jaw clenched tight. Then his hands lit up, blazing, as he headed straight for us.