“I was starting to think we’d lost you. No more splitting up.” Jez shook a finger at me, her words slightly slurred. The empty cocktail glasses piled up in front of her were shocking. Just how long had we been in the den of debauchery?
“Yeah, I’m thinking that’s a good plan.” I gave her a critical once over. This friggin’ place was eating us all alive. “How many have you had, Jez?”
She tipped her head back and laughed uproariously as if I’d just told the world’s funniest joke. It stopped as fast as it had started. “This is Vegas, Alexa. Counting drinks is not allowed. You just keep ’em coming until you hit the floor.”
“Let’s start counting, ok? I don’t want to drag your unconscious ass out of here.” I reached across the table to slide the last full cocktail away from Jez. She moved fast, intercepting the motion with her cat reflexes. Nice to see she was still alert and reactive.
She shook a finger at me and took a large sip of booze. “I want to get my dance on. This crap is really not my idea of a good time.” She gestured erratically to the poker table with a grimace. “Come dance with me.”
I wasn’t leaving. I needed to see this poker game for myself. This kind of thing could be prone to shenanigans.
Arys gripped the back of the chair next to me. Instead of sitting down, he stood rigid, watching Jenner and Sloane’s approach. They sauntered over, beaming with self-satisfaction.
“Finished so soon?” Jenner asked with a sly grin. “I don’t recall your appetite being so easily sated, Arys.”
“No more games.” Arys shook his head, and his eyes blazed. “No more snide f**king comments. I’m done with it.”
“Oh, I see.” Jenner nodded knowingly. “You love the changes I’ve made to the place. And you hate that, huh? Figures. You always were the spoiled brother, unable to let me have my moment to shine.”
Arys huffed and shoved a hand through his hair. He stared at the floor as if unable to bring himself to look at the taunting vampire. A muscle in his jaw twitched. “Let’s just get this over with.”
With a snap of his fingers and a few orders barked at the nearest waitress, Jenner quickly had the table cleared and readied for a poker game. He took a seat and gestured for Arys to sit across from him, leaving the rest of us crowded around the side opposite the dealer.
I sat stiffly, studying each vampire in turn. They bickered over the trustworthiness of a dealer employed by Jenner. A snappy reminder from Shaz that shifters could smell a lie brought that argument to an end.
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know a whole hell of a lot about poker. However, I did know enough to understand why Arys was so damn good at it. But was he better than a Las Vegas vampire who had as many years of experience playing the game?
Taking a sip, the whiskey burned, but it was smooth. Focusing on that, I tried not to entertain the fearful thought that whispered in the back of my mind, What did Jenner have planned for me if Arys lost?
No matter what happened, my friends had my back. Shaz was hovering on the edge of wolf, ready to lose it the moment the time was right. Jez’s feline gaze was narrowed, watchful of the activity around us. Of course, that would have been a tad more reassuring if she hadn’t been well on her way to Margaritaville.
I struggled to focus. My head swam as I rode the blood high. A strange giggle escaped me. The power flowed through me, a constant force that drew my gaze hungrily to the mortal occupants of the table.
Then there was Jenner. With two cards in hand, he met my gaze and winked. Didn’t he know I could have him if I wanted to? The urge to lure him in was strong. It was a damn good thing that I’d left Kale back home. I would never have been able to stop myself from playing with him.
“This is like watching late night poker on TV, but better because I have a never ending supply of cocktails.” Jez cackled, throwing more liquor down her throat.
“You so need to be cut off,” I murmured softly, but her wildcat ears easily heard me.
“And you need to join the party. By the end of the night, this place will be yours.” She shoved a shooter across the table and raised one to match in cheers.
Jenner tossed his cards down, folding. The dealer gathered the cards while Arys slid the small pot close. So far so good, but this was still just the beginning.
“Are you hens going to cluck the whole time we’re playing?” Jenner asked, tossing more chips into the center. “Why don’t you go find a way to entertain yourselves?”
Arys bet a frightfully large amount as I tried not to choke on my whiskey. “Show the ladies some respect. They’ll be the ones kicking your ass when you lose this joke of a game.”
Cards were dealt, and bets were raised. The dealer revealed the first few cards, and I held my breath. Neither vampire folded. I grabbed the shot glass before me and downed it. Tequila. Immediately I thought of Willow. It was his favorite.