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Troy turned to leave his dance floor upon catching Wilder’s shining eyes. He was pissed and clearly not into the pretty babe on his arm. A shame, the mixed Black and Asian blood looked good on her petite figure and cute face. They were heading his way. Not tonight, Troy thought. Man, I’m not in the mood for this. Not another scene over Velvet.
“What did you do to her?” Wilder demanded of his wide back.
“I didn’t do anything.” Troy sighed and turned. “We talked and got it all clear between us.”
“It’s been three days and she hasn’t even gone to the office.”
“God, Wilder just let the woman breathe on her own!”
“You hurt her feelings, you bastard.”
“She tell you that?”
“She doesn’t have to tell me. I have eyes.”
“Look, we talked and I told her how things are and we left it on a good note. I didn’t mean to hurt her and I’m sure she knows that. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
“Just like you didn’t mean to hurt Jasmine? Your poor lonely devoted wife.”
“Stop right there, Wilder!” He’d had enough. One more ugly word and he was shoving a claw down the vampire’s gullet. He could control himself as long as he wanted to, but once he decided he didn’t want to anymore, regaining control could take some time. “For Velvet’s sake, man, stop the bullshit.”
“Come on, Wilder.” His date pulled on his arm. “Let’s dance.”
“If I ever see you flying with her again,” Wilder began.
“What are you going to do?” Troy didn’t care anymore. Wilder was there to pick a fight. All he could do was retreat in front of his people like a punk or toss Wilder out on his bloody ass.
“I was thinking I’d pick up where I left off that terrible night I caught you practically in the act!”
“Wilder, there is too many of them!” his date cried out, after surveying the party people.
“I’m only going to be kicking Troy’s ass!”
“Wilder.” Jerome spoke from a nearby table. “Troy.” He came forward as bodies gave way, leading up to the pair about to fight. “This is hardly the time or place for a proper squabble over a two timing, slut of a witch.”
“I told you to never set your cold feet in my place again,” Troy said, slowly taking his eyes off Wilder. “I warned you to never come near me again.”
Ignoring the wet snarl in Troy’s voice, Jerome said. “Well, I know you didn’t really mean that.”
“Grrr-” In an instant Troy transformed, tearing off the tatters of his clothes and leaped on Jerome, taking him down with a long swipe of his claws. Blood splattered as he howled and began growling. Jerome lay helpless on the dance floor as Troy bit into his chest with his fangs.
“Boss!” Darnell popped out of nowhere, pulling an automatic. He plugged Troy several times in his hump. Troy stiffened momentarily from the pain, but refused to let Jerome out of his claws. With another quick swipe, he tore Jerome’s flesh from the top of his scalp to underneath his jaw. “Son of a bitch!” Darnell aimed at his head. His gun went flying into the air when a blue light hit his wrist, searing all the way up his elbow. “Shit!” He pulled a silver dagger from his belt with his gloved good hand, and proceeded to attack Troy up close and personal. Before he positioned the dagger to stab him, Troy was up, leaping backward, propelling into Darnell’s chest. He tore the dagger from Darnell’s hand and a claw fist knocked him over and across several tables. “Wilder!” Darnell shouted. “Wilder, help him!”
Troy rounded on Wilder, who simply stood back with shining eyes. Seemed interfering wasn’t on his mind, nor was warning Troy that sword toting vampires had him surrounded. However, Troy was more than aware of every vampire in his club. He growled at each warrior, acknowledging the fight. As he did so, each of their swords disappeared. Unarmed they glanced among themselves, unsure of what to do.
“Personally,” Craig said from behind the bar.” I’d get my scared shitless ass out of here.”
“Protect Jerome,” Darnell ordered, rising. He was holding his elbow, keeping his burning arm up.
“Touch him and you’re all dead!” Wilder’s date moved in front of Craig. Her whole body glowed in raging blue white light. Her pretty little face was set in vicious anger.
“Do as I tell you!” Darnell commanded even as his knees buckled. Grabbing a chair for support, his eyes locked on the young woman. “Who are you?” A pulse of light struck him in the neck. He finally went down and stayed down.
The others went after Troy, two females jumped on his back biting him, using their nails like claws while a big male used his fists and martial arts. The remaining two males rushed to scoop Jerome and Darnell off the floor.
“Get off his back!” The young woman ordered, walking up to Troy with her hands up. The male decided to rush her and she blasted him in the belly. “Move now or the next shot is UV in the heart!”
“Don’t harm them, Suzanne.” Wilder strolled up in front of Troy, offering his body to shield the vampires.
“I told them not to touch him.”
Wilder rushed her, grabbing hold of her wrists. “Stop it!” He forced them over her head. “When I give you an order, you listen to me!”
“When you give me an order?” Suzanne’s color changed from light blue to indigo. “You aren’t my boss!” She struggled, attempting to take her arms down. “Let go!”
“Power down, now!”
“When I’m finished!”
“Power down, or I will snap your wrists.”
“Get off that girl, Wilder.” Craig pushed a sword tip into his back. “Man, I ain’t playing with you.”
Suzanne all at once drew back her light and Wilder let her loose. “I was just protecting him,” she said, rubbing her wrists in turn. “It’s what she’d have done.”
“You girls help your buddy off the dance floor and vamoose,” Craig told the vampire’s still clinging to Troy’s fur.
Suzanne stared at Craig wide eyed, watching him take over the situation. “And that’s it? People come at your boss with swords and you just yell at them?”
“Do you think a handful of vamps with swords are enough to take out an Alpha Werewolf?”
“He was really taking it to them, that’s for sure.”
“Girl, what’s your name? I’m Craig.”
“My name is Suzanne. Craig, are you a werewolf too?”
“What else?” He grinned at her.
Wilder interrupted the little exchange by snatching her back to his side.
“Leave her alone,” Craig mildly advised. “She ain’t a vamp to be treated like a slave.”
“Craig.” Troy walked over to Suzanne, fur covered his lower regions. “Thanks for the help. You probably saved my life, but don’t be shooting to kill in my club. My club, my rules.”
“Okay,” she agreed, smiling.
“You got skills.”
“Thank you,” she beamed, giving Wilder a quick side glance.
“All right, party people!” Troy announced to the club. “Party is over for tonight. Get your things and go!” He went to the bar for a bottle, and a pair of sweatpants he quickly pulled on to cover his private business. Then he chose a nearby table to get off his feet. After knocking back two tumblers of whiskey, he acknowledged Wilder’s presence standing over him.
“This isn’t over,” Wilder told him.
“Yes, it is,” Troy said. “I am not fighting you over Velvet. I told you there was nothing happening between us. Now, if something else about me is bugging you, you need to just say it and we’ll deal with it. For bringing Osaka back to me, I could tear your legs from your little body, but I let it go for her sake, man. I let her go! Why ain’t that enough for you?”
“You haven’t let her go,” Wilder sneered. “You are simply waiting for an opportunity.”
“Craig!”
“Yes, boss.”
“Show this idiot the exit.”
“You heard the man.” Craig gave Wilder a shove. “Get the hell out!”
His task down, Craig joined Troy at the table with two more bottles of Wild Turkey. “So what you think of her?” Troy looked at him at a loss. “The little witch.”
“She’s got skills all right.”
“And?”
“What?”
“She’s sweet, don’t you think?”
“Sweet?” The girl was deadly. She could’ve taken half the club out with that light. He recalled Velvet and her old granny more than ten years ago in the streets killing flying serpents by throwing light. He’d heard it nearly killed them both. “She’s a cute little number,” he said out loud. “But you saw how she was?” Craig saw it all right and that was what had him turned on, all that power in a little cutie pie package. Said her name was Suzanne, where did he hear that name before?
“She was on it!” Craig bragged on her. “Theo had Darnell in his sights, but she was a second quicker!”
“Craig, she’s not a witch!” Now he remembered. She worked close with Velvet. “She’s a sprite. She belongs to Velvet.” That’s why she was going so hard to protect him. She was taking over for Velvet. He poured a big drink and downed it. Did she send the sprite to watch over him?
“What’s a sprite?”
“A little woman you don’t want to piss off.” In this case a petite version of Velvet. Troy got up feeling the effects of the silver bullets in his hump. Gripping the tabletop, he forced them out all at once. “Damn,” he winced.
“Want me to call the doc?”
“I just need some rest.” And a few more bottles of whiskey.
“Troy, you did a number on Jerome. Were you trying to kill him?”
“I was trying to dig his damn heart out. Maybe now he gets the message.”
“Maybe he already did,” Craig said. “Vamps don’t usually come packing, unless they intend to start something they need help finishing. I’m thinking Wilder ain’t the only one saw you and Velvet flying off that day. Man, Jerome came to kill you.”
“Velvet!” Troy straightened his aching back up sharply as an insight suddenly hit him. Jerome planned to kill him and keep Wilder occupied while someone else hit Velvet and her team. No, Jerome wanted Velvet, just Velvet. Everything would have to be for his advantage. “She’s alone, Craig!”
“Man, what you thinking?”
Craig got up transforming and running like Troy. “Damn, let’s call a few fellas.” Troy wasn’t waiting, but running and howling on all fours as if he wasn’t just shot with silver bullets.