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 ass**le,” 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 f**king 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.”