Page 18 of Legion
Naomi slid out of the car and let her eyes skim her surroundings.Several cars were parked nearby, but no people stood around.The club wasn’t yet open for business, so there wasn’t a queue of clubgoers waiting for entrance either.
Making a beeline for the building, she felt the spot between her shoulder blades begin to burn.Halting abruptly, she glanced over her shoulder.No one.There was no one.But ...she couldswearshe was being watched.
After giving her surroundings one last visual sweep, she again headed for the club.Maybe Iain was following her from a distance so as to avoid being noticed.Dammit, she’d hoped that Luka’s warning would do the trick.
Luka.
Snippets of their conversation last night still ran riot around her brain.She couldn’t lie: being pursued by such a scorching-hot motherfucker who embodied a massively amplified bad-boy vibe ...well, it was something of a turn-on.Call her weird, but she liked that he’d thrown out a declaration of intent.He hadn’t put out feelers to check if she’d be receptive first; he’d quite explicitly and confidently told her that he wanted her.
Her demon liked his boldness; liked that he wouldn’t be prepared to share her—the entity wasn’t a fan of flings that didn’t entail exclusivity.Not because it was possessive but because it felt that Naomi deserved to be the sole focus of whatever male sought her out.
While her demon wouldn’t fight her on allowing Luka into her bed, Tobe sure would.After the legion had left her home last night, her anchor had whirled on her and said, “He wants to nail you.You know that, right?”
“So aptly put,” she’d quipped.
“You don’t want to get involved with him, Nome.You’ve heard the rumors.It ain’t a secret that he’s an ice-cold motherfucker.He won’t be good for you.”
But she didn’t need Luka to be good for her—she wasn’t looking for anything serious or permanent.Better still, neither was he.She’d met plenty of people who held themselves apart from others, but most did it subconsciously.With Luka, it was deliberate.They could enjoy a brief fling—and she had the feeling that she trulywouldenjoy it—and then each go their own way.It was a far too appealing thought.
Well, a girl had to eat.
Inside the club, Naomi headed to the basement.The demons manning the elevator let her pass, at which point she began a long-ass downward ride.The contraption slowed to a stop, and the doors opened.
Stepping out, she was hit by an abundance of street sounds.Voices talking.Distant music.Muffled laughter.Phones ringing.Heels clacking as people walked back and forth along the strip and filed in and out of the various premises.
There were bakeries, coffee houses, delis, bars, specialty stores.You name it; the Underground would have it.
She walked in the direction of the tattoo shop, shrugging past the many pedestrians.The Underground was as busy as always.Cart vendors were around.The occasional busker could be seen.Street sweepers did a good job of keeping the strip as litter-free as possible.
Finally arriving at her destination, Naomi stepped into the exceptionally neat reception area.The scents of ink, paint, coffee, and citrus disinfectant surrounded her.
Urban Ink was the epitome of cool.Sketches, metal art, and decals decorated the white walls, which were a contrast to the dark hardwood flooring.Muffled chatter mingled with the buzzing of tattoo guns and the rock music video playing on the wall-mounted TV in the reception area.
She spotted Harper straight off.The sphinx was wiping down the leather recliner at her station while talking into her cell phone.The other three tattooists—Raini, Devon, and Piper, who’d all been part of Naomi’s lair until they mated—were at their own stations, their focus on their respective clients.At the rear of the studio were some doors, a sink, autoclave, and tracing table.
Crossing to the reception desk, Naomi waved at Khloë.
The imp’s gray eyes lit up.“Hey, you’re here.And late.”
“This surprises you?”
“Not in the slightest.”
And so it shouldn’t.“Can you let Harper know I’m here?”
“Sure.Harper, your next client is here!”
Naomi sighed.“As always, you are pure class and grace.”
Khloë grinned, gently patting her messy dark bun as if it were a perfectly styled updo.“Aren’t I just?”
Her gaze on Naomi, Harper held up her index finger as she spoke into her phone.
Naomi gave her a nod.
“Hey, Naomi,” a stunning blonde succubae greeted from her station.
Naomi felt her lips curve.“Hi, Raini.How’re things?”
