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Chapter 9 Nine

"I am aware of that," Elior replied sternly."Our shared taste in waitresses is one reason I am finding it so hard to keep them.You may go, Lia," he said to her."This is a private conversation between Lucian and I."

She slid the tray off the table.The headache made the noise of the room as the main act came onto stage unbearable and the lights dance in haloes before her eyes as they struggled to focus, the pain making tears track down her cheeks as her eyes watered.

She walked back to the bar drunkenly.She could see that Raiden was standing, watching her, his body language tense.He was the only thing in focus, she thought.Whatever connection there was between them, her body knew that he was the safety it needed to reach.He caught her by the elbow, drawing her against him, as he eased the tray from her grip.

He tilted her chin up."Look at me," he said with the magic of alpha command in his voice.She met his eyes, finding it hard to focus."Look at me, Lia." Focusing on the golden brown of his eyes, the headache began to retreat."Good," he stroked her cheek."Lucian is an arsehole." He was not happy.

"Yes," she agreed.

Whatever Raiden had done, some werewolf trick of replacing Lucian's pull with his alpha command, had countered Lucian's power, but she felt as if she had been drained of energy.He eased her onto the bar stool he had been sitting on and signalled the bartender who slid an orange juice before her.

"Drink it," Raiden commanded."You need the sugar boost to counter the headache."

She lifted it to her lips without resenting that he was using the alpha command on her, feeling it ease further the ache of her head.The orange juice did make her feel better and she drank it all as Raiden stroked her back soothingly, the palm of his hand warm through the fabric of the costume.

"Do we need to have a talk?" Elior had come over to the bar.She looked up in alarm, fearing that she was being told off for not returning to work, but he was speaking over her, to Raiden, his manner stern. Responding, she realised, to Raiden's touch on her back.

"Do we?" Raiden was not intimidated."Lia and Paris are hands off, Elior."

"Hmm," the vampire was not pleased despite having told Lucian the same."We will discuss this further at another time." When they didn't have a human sitting between them, Lia filled in, and they could be open about what they were.

She wondered which was stronger, the werewolf alpha or the centuries old vampire from one of the older bloodlines? She reached out for Raiden's hand, frightened for him.

"Monday," Raiden replied confidently."We will be catching up anyway about the renovations."

"Monday then," Elior strode away.

"Do you feel better?" Raiden asked turning back to her with concern pinching his brows.

"Nasty headache came on," she told him honestly."It is better now.The orange juice was a good idea.Maybe I just had not eaten enough today and needed the sugar? I had better return to work, anyway.Elior does not seem to be in a good mood."

"Elior is alright," Raiden smiled slightly."He is just being Elior, conquering the world one business at a time.He does not like Lucian, so he enjoyed putting him back in his place for bothering you."

"I hope you are right, I need this job," she told him as she lifted the next tray.

She met Paris' concerned look with a shrug as she took her loaded tray to table four.She caught Lucian watching her from across the room as she turned to return to the bar, and when he met her eyes he smiled, a slow curl of lips that exposed his pointed canine and premolar teeth.The smile of a predator.

He had released her, but he had not entirely given up.

Lia's skin crawled with foreboding.Trouble, her instincts told her.Big trouble, to come to the attention of a vampire or man like Lucian.

Orders slowed as the main act was a singer with incredible stage presence, holding the human men in the chesterfields spellbound.Lia saw the flash of red in her eyes when the lights shifted and understood suddenly why there were so many vampires in the VIP booth.They had come to see one of their own perform.

During the act's intermission, she delivered a carafe of wine to Elior's booth.

"Are you recovered?" Elior asked her as she cleared the still full glasses from the last round.She wondered what Paris thought when she cleared tables of untouched drinks whilst delivering the next round.Did she just put it down to the affluence of the patrons?

"Yes.A nasty migraine came on out of nowhere."

"I am glad that it has passed.You are stepping out with Raiden?"

Stepping out, Lia thought.The vampire was showing his age."I guess."

"Mmm.Be careful, Lia.You are a young girl with a long life ahead of yourself.Do not make swift decisions that you might live to regret."

As she returned to the bar, she pondered his words.Why had Elior cautioned her against Raiden? It was oddly parental advice.

The rest of the shift passed without incident.They closed down the club, wiping the tables and stacking chairs, and went to change rooms to steam their uniforms.As she hung them on the rack, she noticed that there were three others on the rack.

"There are other waitresses?"

"There were," Paris agreed."But they stopped coming, which is why I had to pull you in.Come on, the guys will be waiting for us."

They turned out the light and stepped out into the dark hallway.The red flash of Other caught the last of the light from the change room, and Lia gasped, fear striking hard beneath her rib cage.

"Lucian."

"Lia," his voice was like velvet wrapping around them in the darkness."I am so pleased that you remember my name."

"Lia?" Paris was nervous, trapped in the dark with a man who was not meant to be there."Excuse us," she said to him."Our boyfriends are waiting in the alley."

"Come for a drink with me, Lia," Lucian murmured.

"Elior said…"

"I know what Elior said," he was amused."But I care little for what Elior says."

"Thank you, but no," Lia moved backwards, pushing Paris towards the door."As Paris said, my boyfriend is waiting in the alleyway."

"I insist," Lucian pushed with his power.

Lia pushed back with hers, and there was a flicker of light that lit the darkness, like the strike of a match as the two powers collided.It was easy this time to resist, as if her magic recognized his, and had developed a defence against it."I said no thank you."

Paris opened the door into the alleyway and they all but fell out into the cold night air.

The lights from the street showed Lucian, his brows drawn together in a puzzled frown, clearly for a moment, before the door swung closed again and clicked as the automatic lock slid into place.

She felt Raiden seize her, and saw that Brock had his arms around Paris, drawing them away from the door.Raiden was growling deep in his chest.They had seen the vampire and knew that he had been up to no good.Raiden pressed his face into her hair inhaling.

"F-king Lucian," he said to Brock."Elior will tear his limbs off.You are alright, Lia," he turned her so that he could kiss her, his mouth hot and demanding.She could taste his rage, feel it in the tension of his muscles, in the heat that his body put off."You are alright." She was not sure if he was reassuring her, or himself.

The two werewolves exchanged a look and Lia knew that trouble lay in Lucian's future.

"Let's get you home," Raiden said and turned to his bike.She mounted with more confidence and wrapped her arms around his waist without hesitation.He lifted his jacket, sliding her hands beneath it."Keep you warm," he said over his shoulder as he started the bike.

It was no hardship, she thought, to press against his back as they flew through the busy city streets, feeling the shift of his stomach muscles beneath the palms of her hands as he breathed and used his body to direct the bike.She lifted the t-shirt he wore beneath the jacket, and felt his chest vibrate with a moan as she stroked her hand over the heated silk of his skin.

Raiden rolled the bike into the driveway of her house jut behind Brock, who turned off the bike and dismounted with Paris.They took the helmets with them, Paris' giggles loud in the otherwise quiet night.

Lia slid off the bike and worked free the buckle beneath her chin.She managed to free herself of the helmet by the time Raiden dismounted and removed his.

"Brock is staying the night," he said, drawing her up against him.

She was not surprised to feel his hard on against her.She put her arms around his shoulders, feeling the chill of the leather slightly damp beneath her palms and tilted her head back to meet his mouth with her own as he leaned over her.He kissed her leisurely, taking his time to warm her lips with his, before stroking his tongue into her mouth.

She felt the craving rise from deep inside and moaned as she melted against him.His grip on her tightened reflexively, pulling her tightly against him as the kiss heated, their combined breath heavy and labored.She threaded her fingers into his hair, holding his mouth against hers and kissed him as if she sought to devour him.

"F-k," he turned his head so that his lips were against her cheek."Lia.I had better go."

She wanted him to stay, but did not want to say the words, clinging and seeking his mouth out again pushing her body against his.His groan was guttural, pulled from deep within him, and the Other set the gold in his eyes to glowing in the darkness.

"Ask me to stay," he pleaded suddenly."I want to sleep with your skin against mine."

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