Page 6 of Pretty Little Shadow
Dare lifted the bottle, pointing the cap toward me. "You are afabulousbartender. I've been trying to get one of these for nearly a century, and no one gives them out. What do I owe you?"
I glanced at the bartender nearest to me and found her staring. She looked alarmed.
Darius was possibly the best person to accidentally give a lust beer to, since most of the city wanted to fuck him, and it would only affect him. Not them.
But her expression told me I still couldn't let him keep that beer.
I cleared my throat and reached over the bar, trying to grab it.
He lifted it out of my reach. The man was at least a foot taller than me, and there was a bar between us.
I could try to use my shadows, but he'd be just as fast with his magic. I didn't want to get charred with his fire, or hit with the pleasurable magic I hadn't felt before.
"If you want it back now, you're going to have to bargain with me," he said.
Another glance around proved that everyone who could see us was watching. Some of the brewery's patrons were even standing, so they could see us over the booths and other furniture.
Darius didn't care if they watched him.
I did.
My heartbeat picked up again.
God, I hated when people looked at me.
I attempted to look casual as I grabbed two bottles of a more appropriate beer from beneath the counter. Everyone liked the cheer beer, despite its obnoxious name. Or maybe because of its obnoxious name.
I lifted the bottles. "I'm not bargaining, but we can trade. Two bottles of this, for one of that."
"I would accept, but I don't have anyone to drink the second bottle. You'd have to join me."
"I'll do it," one of the women sitting next to him blurted, sliding a hand slowly over his bicep.
I couldn't stop the deadly glare I pinned her with.
She didn't notice.
She was staring up at Darius.
Dare ignored her, giving me a slow, sexy grin that pulled my furious attention away from the woman who wanted the male I'd been obsessed with for ages. "What'll it be, Rae? I keep the lust beer, or you drink one of those with me?"
He tapped the lust beer's neck against the cheery one.
"In here?" My gaze slid over some of the people around us before jerking back to Dare's.
"Nah. I'll drive us somewhere quieter."
A man a few stools away from us growled, "I'll go somewhere quiet with you, Darius."
My shadows lashed out toward him.
Dare leaned causally, blocking my magic with his body. My shadows hit him and sort of... curled around him.
That wasnotnormal. My murderous thoughts prevented me from realizing it, though.
"Fine," I gritted out.
Darius set the lust beer down between us, and I shoved the cheery ones at him so I could put the other bottle away.
