Pippa shifted beside me. Her hand touched mine.
'I can't be here. A werewolf can't be here.'
'You're with two humans. They won't say anything.'
'I can't risk it. I'm sorry, Davy. I have to leave. Make up an excuse for me, please?'
'But…'
But she was already gone.
Then Emily looked around, wide eyed. "This was the best idea you've had, Davy. Wait. Where'd Pippa go?"
"Her cousin was sick." It wasn't my best lie.
"Really?" But then Emily was back to basking in the glow of the vampires.
"Excuse me, misses. I have a table ready for you." A server appeared with a black buttoned down shirt tucked in black slacks with two menus in his hand. His hair was slicked back in gel, giving him a smooth Casanova look to him.
A smirk appeared on his face as his eyes shifted from Emily to me. At first he looked at my roommate in anticipation, but then he saw me and read my eyes.
'Back off, buddy.'
He looked away as he led us through the crowd. We kept going upwards, which was surprising. I knew the Shoilster. Customers didn't get preferred seating unless they called ahead for reservations. It was the type of club where VIPs got private boxes, but we went past even those. He took us to a back corner where the music could barely be heard, but we were tucked at an angle where we could still see most of the activity and dance floor.
As we sat, Emily took the offered menu and leaned across the table. "This place is so pretty and we got a great table. It's everything the girls were saying. Oh, thank you so much."
The server took our order and left quietly.
Emily whispered after he'd gone a few steps, "He's cute."
"He's off limits," I growled and opened my own menu.
I hated the Shoilster. The food was made to look pretty on the plate, but the quality wasn't taste-worthy. However, what do you expect from a club/bar/restaurant that's geared towards the vampire customers. They didn't care about the food. As long as it looked pretty, appeased the humans they brought with them, and allowed a lot of drinks to come in dark colored glass, they were satisfied. They could consume their blood in front of any stupid human.
Emily gaped. "What? Why? He's cute."
"You're fragile right now. You need to go out a few more times before dating again. Bennett did a number on you."
"But," she sputtered. "Didn't you say the best thing was to go out and get over him?"
I closed my menu. "No. I said going out, but not going with a guy. It is okay to go out, let yourself soak up the fun, maybe even some attention from some guys, but that's it. Guys are dangerous. You need to get your head on straight in order to handle them."
My roommate made a disgusted face. "You make them sound like they're predators."
If the shoe fits.
Then she added, "What happened to you? You were crazy about Adam before and he wasn't a good guy."
"Adam was a cheater and a douchebag."
"Oh." She fell silent because we both knew she agreed with my sentiments about him. She'd been the first to tell me. Eyeing my roommate, I saw the confusion in her eyes. Maybe if she knew about vampires, about what they could do? Maybe if I told her?
Just then someone appeared at our table and Emily gasped, "Luke?"
My stomach fell and I looked up. Sure enough. There he was, glowering down at me. Emily just smiled at him. I realized she still had her crush for him from before.
"Um, hi."
"Emily, right? You're in one of my classes?" Roane put on a polished façade and seemed happy to see her as he pushed into my side of the booth, shoving me over. As his arm touched mine and I felt how tense he was, I knew he was pissed.
When he continued to chat with my roommate, I tried to sense inside of him. I hadn't gone far before he lashed at me,
'Get out! You shouldn't be here.'
Oh yes. He was pissed.
I hung my head for a moment because he was right. I shouldn't have been there, but I couldn't even deny it. I had wanted to see him. I wanted to go there to maybe see him. When Emily suggested the Shoilster, I hadn't argued, at all. Then I looked back up. My eyes skimmed over his chiseled features that seemed more mysterious from the shadows dancing over his face and I caught a glimpse of Gregory in the background. He'd taken point behind a post with a drink in hand. His eyes met mine for a second before he shifted and looked away. I knew he agreed with Roane, I had been stupid to go there.
I also knew he was our bodyguard for the rest of the night.
It was then that I felt Roane's hand grip mine underneath the booth and he squeezed tight. I didn't know if it was to convey how angry he was with me or if he was trying to warn me about something. Either way, I was fearful of sharing thoughts with him. Other vampires were too close, they might hear them. So I was forced to sit there as Luke talked with Emily because I knew what he was doing. He was making her feel like she was the focal point of his arrival so she wouldn't suspect a thing. I saw how her eyes lit up. She was eating it up and lavishing in it.
I was in hell.
CHAPTER TEN
Roane never spoke to me as he sat with us. And once he left, Emily gave me a dreamy smile and sighed. "He's a great guy. Doesn't seem to like you much, but he's nice."
I cleared my throat and sat up straight, but she stopped me with a wave. "Don't worry. I'm not going to chase Luke Roane. He's way out of my league. I'm not completely stupid. Besides, he's probably already devoted to some beautiful creature."
"What do you mean by that?" What did she know?
Emily shrugged. "That's the fourth time he's ever talked to me, but he never once flirted with me. He's always been nice, polite, and stand-offish. Trust me; he's one of the good ones."
"Right." I breathed easier. I wasn't sure what I was going to say, but our food came at that moment. Roane had been there when our orders were taken so the server was the epitome of professional now. I caught him glancing over his shoulder at Gregory too.
I ordered a salad. Emily ordered chicken. Then our drinks started coming.
Emily's face lit up again. "What is this?"
"They're on the house." And he placed two fruity cocktails in front of us, followed by our own pitchers of the same liquid.
Roane had done this. He sat us where we were and he was paying for everything.
Then the server slipped me a note. I slid it on my lap and opened it to read.
'If you're going out, stay here where I can protect you. Enjoy. Don't come back here again. Why are you keeping company with a werewolf?'
Talk about being blunt and hurtful at the same time. I ripped it to shreds and dropped the pieces in our candle through the rest of the evening. Anybody with magic could've put them back together, but I made sure each piece was destroyed when Emily went into dreamland or to the bathroom.
A few hours later, I learned that alcohol had no effect on me and that Emily was the same giggling drunk as before.
Still giggling, she slapped a hand on the table. "Thank you for this. It means a lot. I don't have a lot of friends. My close friends are all home but then I met you. You're a close friend now too, Davy. You were right. I needed to get out. I needed to this."
"I did."
"You're right. I feel like a new woman. I feel like I can go to all my classes alone now. Maybe I'll even tackle this feeling of grief I have. I know—" She snapped her fingers. "I'll go to a grief counseling group. That's what I'll do. It'll help me get Bennett out of my system."
I froze with my straw in my mouth.
"What do you think?"
What did I think? She'd have a place to talk and an outlet for her emotions. A smile spread on my face. "I think that's a great idea."
"It's decided. Tomorrow I'm looking for one on campus." She bent over, giggling. "How in the world are we going to get home? I can barely sit up."
"Ladies." Gregory materialized at our table. "There is a car ready for you downstairs. We will give you a ride home."
"Oh!" Emily was taken aback. "That's so nice of you. Is there money you need? I mean, do we pay? How much is it? I'm sorry. I'm a little drunk." Then she giggled a bit more, blushing behind a hand over her mouth.
Gregory swept his detached eyes over us both. "It's free of charge. It's a part of the service."
"That's wonderful." She clapped and then frowned. "This isn't normal? We're getting such great service. Why? Davy, do you know?"
I smiled and patted her hand. "The owner is a friend of Kates. I dropped her name before."
"Oh!" Then her eyes narrowed and disgust flared over her face. "I think I'm going to throw up." And then she scrambled out of the booth and to the bathroom.
Gregory's face twitched and then cleared again. He sat in her seat. "I don't think she'll be coming back soon. Her levels of intoxication are massive for a human."
I sighed and threw the last piece of Roane's note in the candle. Gregory studied me as I watched it go up in smoke and a small smile appeared on his face. He looked softer for a second. "You came to see him."
My heart sank and I shook my head. "Emily suggested this place. I couldn't say no. This night was about her."
"His office overlooks this table."
My head shot up. "What?"
He nodded and gestured upwards. "You can't see through the glass, but he hasn't moved from that spot all night since you'd been here."
Hope flared in me for a moment, but I shook my head and turned it off. I couldn't get excited at the idea he might have feelings for me. Talia still remained in his heart. He was just confused.
I looked where he had pointed and saw glass mirrors. At one section of the wall, they jetted out and around, framing an office above the entire club. I could tell Roane stood on the other side of them. Able to make out his silhouette, I pushed through and it opened
up to my eyes. Gregory was wrong; I was able to see through them. My eyes met Roane's, his narrowed as he mouthed the word, "Stop."
I narrowed mine in defiance and sensed into him. It was so easy to slip in him now and I was met by his same boiling anger. He snarled at me in his head,
'What are you doing? You're not supposed to use your powers.'
'I'm in your head, your head only. No one can hear our thoughts here.'
'My shields are too hard. You're right. No one can read my mind, except you.'
And I felt how he hated that.
I sparked back at him,
'Sucks, doesn't it? When someone might be more powerful than you.'
'Shut up. Return to your table. Gregory is annoyed that you're ignoring him.'
'He'll get over it.'
'He's grown a soft spot
for
you. He wanted to be the one to take you home tonight.'
'I like Gregory. He's nicer than Wren.'
Roane bit back a laugh.
'Go, Davy. Emily is returning to the table.'
I looked and saw her approaching.
'I'm sorry for bringing her here. I wanted to see you. I'm sorry again.'
Then I slipped out of him and saw that Gregory had a perturbed look on his face. I was afraid to ask what that meant, but Emily had arrived.
She was pale with a green tinge and held a hand to her stomach. "I just threw up eight times. I don't ever want to drink again. Davy, don't let me drink again."
I stood and held a hand to her back. "You can still drink, just not that much next time?"
Gregory led the way out the club. As we followed behind, Emily groaned and clutched her stomach. I saw how the other customers turned and stared as we passed. Some of them were interested because we were humans. They knew Gregory protected us. A few others smelled Emily's nausea and turned away in disgust. Still others watched and their eyes lingered on the right hand of Lucas Roane.
As we climbed into the backseat of a car, I caught sight of my own car parked not far away. I could've driven, but Emily thought I was drunk. I had as much as her. I should've been affected. If I told her the truth, that I was stone cold sober, she would've wondered why. So I burrowed in to my seat and waited as Gregory drove us back home. When we got to the dorm, she stumbled out first and headed in without a second look.
I remained in the car and looked out my window.
Gregory got out and closed Emily's door, but then returned to his seat behind the steering wheel. He tilted the rearview mirror, but then turned in his seat.
A wave of sadness swept over me. "I finally realized and accepted tonight that I am completely alone. I've been fighting it, but I have to accept it now."
I didn't see his reaction, but I felt his acceptance. It was okay to speak to him about this.
I stared out the window, but I wasn't seeing anything. Saren told me to stay away from Blue, so I did. Roane told me to stay away and I tried. My roommate thought I was something I wasn't. The witch was too alarming and new and Pippa couldn't ever know.
I was supposed to be normal, do normal things, and that's what I had wanted in the first place.