Page 32 of Night Prey
The foursome group heads toward the exit, and Daniel, the one whose father is the head of the Guild of Rogue Mages, veers for the bar. I doubt he’ll be in the mood to spill more secrets, and I can’t risk blowing my cover.
“Who do you think this Hector guy was?” Tish asks.
“He’s the mage my father hired,” I whisper.
“Oh shit. The one you drank dry?”
“The very same.”
“Oh man. Tough break.”
“That Daniel guy wasn’t wrong. It was a risky assignment. I wish Father had taken precautions.”
“You’re not feeling remorse, are you?”
For some reason, I glance at the stage again. More specifically, I stare at the bass player. “No, but I think I should.”
“Why feel guilty over something you couldn’t control? Everyone knows vampires in bloodlust can’t help themselves. If anyone is to blame, it’s your father. He should have brought reinforcements. I don’t know why Igor wasn’t there with those arms that translate as trees.”
“I don’t know either,” I reply, distracted.
“Do you want to go home or…?”
My stomach grumbles, catching me by surprise. I fed recently, but denying the hunger when it strikes isn’t smart. “No, let’s stay for a bit more. I need a snack.”
Twelve
VAUGHN
We play for about an hour, and by the end of the set, I feel like my old self again. All my self-doubt and sense of failure has disappeared. I didn’t realize how much I missed playing until I had the chance to do it again.
As we exit the stage, Nathan throws his arm over my shoulder. “You were bloody brilliant, mate. If you’re looking to join a new band, say no more.”
My stomach coils tightly. As much as playing with Nathan’s band filled my motivation cup, it isn’t something I can even contemplate.
“What about Hub?”
“Screw that wanker. This isn’t the first time he’s left us to hang dry.”
“I’ll think about it,” I say, knowing that if I flat-out say no, he’ll keep bugging me the whole evening.
“Excellent. Now let’s get shit-faced.”
“You go ahead. I have to pee.” I step away from him and get lost in the crowd, having every intention to bail. It’s a pity I didn’t really spend a lot of time with Annabelle, but it’d be hard to pretend to drink in front of everyone.
I need to take the long way to the exit to avoid being seen by them. Halfway there, I catch sight of the pretty girl I saved earlier. Her bright blue-and-teal hair is hard to miss even in the dark. Or maybe it’s just my enhanced vampiric sight that allows me to see her clearly. There’s a guy all over her space, and I become annoyed out of the blue.
Settle down, Vaughn. It’s probably her boyfriend.
Instead of moving, I stay rooted to the spot, observing them. She has a drink in her hand, but she places it on the high table for a moment and looks for something in her purse. That’s when the douche drops something into her drink.
Son of a bitch.
There’s no settling down now. I head straight to them, but my way gets blocked by a large group of people that moves like a school of fish. By the time I manage to cross the room, the mystery girl and the asshole are no longer in the same spot. Fuck. Where did they go?
Use your senses, dumbass.
I take a deep breath and catch the girl’s scent, a mix of lavender and honey. I follow it, and it leads me to a narrow corridor meant for employees only. They aren’t in any of the rooms along the way. Her scent and his take me to the back exit. I rush out the door, not caring about stealth, and see them not too far from me. Her back is flat against the wall, and he’s leaning into her, holding her by the arms. She seems to be struggling. I don’t think, just run at supersonic speed and yank the man away from her, sending him to the ground.
