They fell silent, both of them remembering a time before any of the shifters present had lived. Though she was otherwise cool and composed, a dark shadow passed through Sloane’s eyes.
Just when the silence became ridiculously awkward, Jenner swept into the room. His hair was disheveled, but he was dressed, thankfully. Exuding a heavy, sticky sweet energy, he glided through the room as if his feet never touched the ground.
Swiftly, he caught Sloane around the waist and lifted her out of the chair before sitting down himself with her on his lap. An irritated frown creased her brow, but she settled in against him, going so far as to sling an arm around his neck.
“Did you enjoy the show?” Jenner directed his question at Arys. Then his shifty eyes slid over me on the couch. “I know you did.” When I didn’t respond, he added, “Hot damn, those eyes are fascinating.”
With the power raging through me, my eyes had to be Arys’s vampire blue. I relaxed into the couch and brazenly reached out metaphysically to taste Jenner. It was rude, but I didn’t care. Manners didn’t strike me as the kind of thing Jenner cultivated.
His power was vast, impressive. It felt like Harley’s, which was a bit different from how Arys felt. I could only assume that Arys’s link to me gave him a different flavor. The power was deep and alluring, beckoning to me. He was likely the most powerful vampire in the city, as long as Arys wasn’t around.
He sat there watching me as I psychically prodded him, not attempting to shield against me. “Find anything you like?”
“Nothing I haven’t seen before.” I was flippant, wanting him to know he couldn’t play with me. His sire had loved to play. Harley had caused all kinds of hell for me. I wouldn’t allow Jenner to do the same.
Trailing a hand up and down Sloane’s thigh, Jenner grinned. “My turn.”
I raised a hand in invitation, allowing him to feel me out. It wasn’t too invasive since I didn’t resist. Jenner’s metaphysical touch was sensual, bathing me in heat. He lingered longer than necessary, but I remained without reaction.
“I bet you taste as good as you feel.” Jenner’s gaze strayed to my neck, seeking what lay beneath the choker I wore. “You’re dangerous though. I suppose a smart vampire wouldn’t want to tangle with you. They all seem to end up dead.”
I waved a hand dismissively. “Only the ones that hurt me or try to use me as leverage because they’re too weak to earn their power. I’m actually quite a nice person when I’m not being treated like an object.” I swung my foot and ran a hand through my hair, beaming at him as if I knew something he didn’t know.
“I’ll bet you are.”
“Is there a reason for this, Jenner?” Arys cut in, impatient with the way we were sniffing one another out. “The phony chatter, it’s not necessary. I’d hate to think I sat through staring at your bare ass for nothing. Make with the threats so we can get down to business.”
Jenner’s low laugh was like the smooth skin of a snake, wrapping around me in places that could not be touched. “I just wanted to welcome you to my city, and to tell you to hurry up and get the hell out of it.” His expression never changed, but the atmosphere grew heavy with malice.
Sloane stiffened noticeably, her eyes darting from Jenner to Arys. I didn’t move a muscle though I was ready to react. As were Jez and Shaz, I was sure.
“Ah ok,” Arys said with a nod and a smirk. “So this is the part where you parade around like a self-appointed god and try to run me out of town. Predictable, yet entertaining. What else have you got?”
Roscoe snickered but said nothing. Jenner shot him a dark glare.
It wasn’t hard to figure him out. He thought we were here to make a play for Harley’s territory. We weren’t. At least, I hadn’t thought so. The challenge Arys issued made me second-guess that.
“Does it have to come to that?” Jenner captured Sloane’s hand and decorated it with small kisses. She pressed her lips together tightly.
“This isn’t your city, Jenner. It was Harley’s. He was the master vampire. You have no more right to his authority than any of us.” With a slow, calculated gait, Arys came to stand beside my end of the couch.
A dangerous light flashed through Jenner’s ice-cold eyes. “You’re the reason he’s dead. You turned your back on this city and forfeited any right you may have had to it. Get out before I forget that I once called you brother.”
This was going from sketchy to downright deadly fast. Arys’s growing rage echoed within me. He drew on our connection, and my stomach clenched. It took a lot for him to get to the point of tapping our shared power. I knew Harley was still, and maybe always would be, a touchy subject for him. Perhaps it was worse than I thought.
“Can I just state for the record that we came to Vegas as tourists?” I interjected, sliding a glance at Arys. “At least, I did.”