The Book of Azrael (Gods & Monsters 1)

I FORMED IN THE MIDDLE OF GABBY’S APARTMENT. The black smoke that came with the teleport dissipated as I dropped my bags onto the floor with a loud thump. It was eight in the morning here, I had checked before I left just to make sure she would be home.

‘Gabby!’ I yelled, throwing my hands upwards. ‘Your favorite and only sister is here!’

Usually, my random show ups resulted in squealing and hugging, but this time, I was greeted by only silence. I looked around, noticing the new white sectional and glass table cluttered with magazines. Several artistic style pictures decorated the white walls. She had revamped her style which wasn’t unusual, she enjoyed decorating. The flowers sitting on her kitchen island caught my attention, and my eyes narrowed as I strode toward the dozen assorted lilies. They were Gabby’s favorite and I didn’t need to read the card to know who gave them to her.

A slow smile curved my lips as I turned and headed toward her room. I opened the door and flipped on the lights, taking in the clothes scattered across the floor. A pair of men’s pants were thrown over the chair and a pair of my heels lay on the fake fur rug against her bed.

‘Well, well, well, this explains why you didn’t answer my text messages!’ I proclaimed loudly, placing my hands on my hips.

That got her attention.

Gabby jolted upright, grabbing the sheet to her chest as her lover turned to stare blearily at me over his shoulder. The toppled shaggy hair told me exactly who shared my sister’s bed.

A grin of delight curved my lips. ‘No way! You finally gave Big-Dick-Rick a chance?’

‘Dianna!’ Gabby grabbed a pillow and threw it at me. ‘Get out of here!’

I batted it away and laughed as I closed the door to her room.

Plaques. There were so many plaques. I stood in the living room staring at the degrees Gabby had earned from The University of Valoel. She had a life now, and I couldn’t be happier. She graduated with the highest degree she could get in healthcare. She had always loved helping people, just like our mother. She was the light and hope in the family where I was the darkness and destruction.

The door to Gabby’s room opened and she stepped out followed closely by Rick. Seeing her happy made everything I’d suffered and endured worth it. She giggled at something that Rick whispered to her and sent him a flirtatious wink over her shoulder as they came down the hallway. Gabby wore a blue robe that was belted tightly around her small frame, her hair still a slightly tangled mess.

‘Nice to see you again Dianna,’ Rick said, a slight blush gracing his cheeks as he waved.

Rick Evergreen. The resident doctor had been after my sister since she moved to sunny Valoel a few years ago. I had met him a handful of times when I visited Gabby at work. My visits had become few and far between, and my heart ached at that fact. How much of her life had I missed this time?

‘Rick. How long has it been? You look well.’ I let the last part linger, my gaze not leaving his. His scent changed and I knew he feared me. He was intimidated by me, his primitive mortal instincts alerting him to danger, although he didn’t know why.

‘A few months, at least.’ He gave me a small smile, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard.

Gabby shook her head at the exchange, used to my overbearing ways by now. She grabbed his arm gently and ushered him to the door. ‘You are going to be late for work.’

I watched them smile at each other like nothing else in the world mattered. He leaned forward, kissing her softly one last time before she opened the door. Her expression was lit with love and joy as he stepped out and she promised to call him later.

A dull ache formed in my chest, my throat tightening as I looked away. I longed to have even the simplest form of that. I ached for even the hint of normalcy, but I’d given up any chance of that eons ago.

I had made a deal, a life for a life.

Gabby’s happy squeal pulled me from those dark memories. She ran to me and practically tackled me in a hug. ‘Oh my God, D! I missed you so much!’ she whispered against my hair as I laughed.

‘I missed you, too.’ I returned her hug tightly. It was nice being embraced and not worrying about my heart getting ripped out.

She pulled back, her eyes shining as she smiled. ‘How long can you stay this time?’

The unspoken truth of my visits. I stayed as long as Kaden allowed.

I shrugged. ‘I’m not sure, but let’s make the best of it?’

‘Sounds good. So, how about breakfast?’

I nodded and gave her a bright smile. Gabby turned and walked toward the kitchen. I followed and jumped up on the nearest bar style chair at the long island. She reached into the fridge, pulling out an assortment of items before turning toward the coffee pot. I placed my hand under my chin as she stood on her tiptoes to take down two mugs.

‘I like the white and brown theme you have for the place. The kitchen looks amazing.’

‘Thanks, it’s actually new. Rick liked the marble finish even though I told him I didn’t need an upgrade.’

My eyebrow ticked upward as I leaned across the counter, baiting her. ‘Oh, so now he buys you things for your apartment?’

Her eyes met mine over her shoulder as she added the coffee grounds to the pot and turned it on. ‘Well, he has been staying here lately.’

‘What!’ I gasped ‘And you didn’t tell me?’

‘You are not the easiest person to reach.’

A pang went through my chest, stealing the excitement from me. I sank back into my chair and fumbled with my fingers. Gabby looked at me, catching the sudden shift in my mood.

‘It hasn’t been a long time, Rick and me.’ She walked back toward the stove, reaching into a cabinet and pulling a pan out. ‘We had a few dates and then he slowly just started staying over.’

I forced a smile, meeting her gaze as she went about preparing breakfast. ‘I am happy for you. It is just the last time we actually talked, you guys were still playing the whole,’ I paused, making air quotes, ‘We don’t like each other game.’

She broke an egg over the pan and turned the heat up slightly. ‘D, it’s been months since you’ve visited. Things change.’

Those months that Kaden had me and the others searching for the book he was obsessed with. It had been months since I had been allowed to spend time with the only person in the world who actually loved me. Months. The word hung in the air a moment longer before I shook my head.

‘Well it’s good to know that he’s not just sending flowers to get in your pants.’ I smirked but Gabby just gave me a small smile and shook her head. She knew me too well, knew that I used jokes and humor when my feelings got too real.

‘You know, D. Men sometimes do nice things just because they like you. It doesn’t have to be about sex.’ She turned, holding the spatula to her chest, faking a gasp with the back of her free hand held to her forehead as she mocked me. ‘Even flowers.’

‘I wouldn’t know.’ The words left my lips before I realized what I was saying. I hated when Gabby worried about me, and I knew that comment alone would piss her off.

Her shoulders sagged as she scrambled the eggs in the pan before grabbing some bread and starting the toast. She didn’t say anything, but I felt her anger from here.

‘Gabby.’

‘I just…I hate him.’

I stood and went to the fridge, pulling out the bacon. ‘I know, but you don’t have to like him. Regardless, he is the reason I still have you.’

She paused, placing her hands on the nearest countertop before turning toward me. ‘I’m here because you gave up your life for mine.’

‘Which I couldn’t have done without him.’

‘I hate that he holds it over your head. That you have to do everything he says because of me.’

I spun her to face me. My hands were firm on her shoulders as I held her gaze and smiled. ‘I don’t regret it. I never have and I never will. I knew the price when I asked that day. I would rather answer his every call like a dog on a leash than lose you.’

She smiled softly. ‘I know. I just worry about you. What have you even been doing this entire time? Where have you been?’

‘Honestly?’ I asked, stepping back ‘Everywhere. Kaden thinks he found the Book of Azrael.’

‘What?’ Her eyes practically bugged out of her head. ‘As in the book? The one he has been looking for forever?’

‘Yup. But at this point, I don’t think it’s real. I mean, how could it be if he has not found it already? He is ancient, to say the least, and it’s not like the Gods War happened yesterday.’

She stepped back, shaking her head slightly. ‘I always assumed a book such as that would be locked up tight.’

‘So about that.’

She turned the oven on to preheat before turning to look at me. ‘Dianna.’

I pulled out a pan and parchment paper. She watched as I started laying out the slices of bacon on the baking sheet before I spoke. ‘So remember how I told you the Celestials had a sort of ranking system.’

‘Dianna. What did you do?’

‘It’s not what I did, per se, but Alistair—’

She placed one hand on her hip as she brought her other hand up and rubbed her face. ‘Oh gods.’

‘I think we might have found a way into the City of Arariel which means we can get close to The Hand which means closer to this book he thinks exists.’

‘What if it does? What does it do?’

I shrugged, moving past her once more to grab the cups she’d set out. I poured us each some coffee and said, ‘Honestly, I don’t know. Kaden speaks of it opening realms. He wants normalcy for us. He wants us to live in a world where we are no longer burdened by the Celestials or live in fear of The Hand.’

‘Burdened?’ I turned and caught her stricken expression. ‘Would people be hurt?’

‘Gabby, you know I would never let anything happen to you.’

‘I know that, but what about everyone else, D? If this book supposedly creates normalcy for him and his kind—’

‘Our kind,’ I interjected, raising a brow. ‘I am just as much of him as you are.’

‘No, I don’t need blood or to eat people for power.’

The words hung between us. She was right. She didn’t need to feed like the rest of us, even if my diet of late was not human. Gabby was different. She was the closest thing to a mortal with an immortal life. I had asked Kaden after he changed us why Gabby didn’t act like Tobias, Alistair, or me. He said she was so close to death that the parts that made us made her but weaker. She would live longer, but she couldn’t change into anything she wanted and didn’t have the urges we did.

Gabby was different, but I knew was so much better than any of us. The only power that she seemed to have was a sort of empathy. That was the only way I could describe it. She could calm someone, heal them in a way. Her voice soothed, her touch brought comfort, and her presence alone seemed to even make the most irate patient quiet down. She wasn’t a monster like us, no she was an angel born out of the most brutal darkness.

‘Gabby, there is nothing to worry about. The book doesn’t exist. It’s been centuries since the Gods War and parts of their world fell. There is nothing left, no matter what Kaden believes.’

She held my gaze for a moment, the look of concern never leaving those amber eyes ‘I hope you’re right, D. I do.’

I smiled softly. ‘Hey I’m the big sister remember? I have always taken care of us and I always will. Besides, I’m always right.’

She snorted, rolled her eyes, and sipped her coffee.

‘So about Rick,’ I said, looking at her through the steam wafting from my cup as I took a sip.

‘Oh gods, here we go,’ she said.

‘I am all for happy naked fun, but you know it’s temporary, right? I mean I’m super happy you’re finally getting laid, but I don’t want this to be like that puppy you adopted years ago. He lived a long happy life and died of old age, but you still cried for almost six years.’

She turned away as the oven beeped, alerting us that it was ready for whatever delicious dish Gabby was about to make for breakfast. She opened the refrigerator door and leaned over to grab a few items.

‘First off, I loved that dog.’ She turned to glare at me over her shoulder. ‘And second, why does it have to be temporary?’

‘Gabby, we talked about this. If you’re going to seriously date, they have to be Otherworldly. Rick is mortal. He will grow old while you stay pretty and annoying forever. What will he do when he sees you never get wrinkles or age spots and your hair stays perfect for eternity?’

She opened the freezer, pulling out what looked like rolls of some sort before turning back toward me. ‘Well, what if I asked Drake to change him?’

I nearly spit out my coffee at the mention of his name. I grabbed a paper towel and wiped my mouth. She continued to move around the kitchen, avoiding eye contact as she pulled a baking pan from the cupboard.

‘Wait, what? You would want Rick to be an Otherworld creature? Gabby, that’s permanent. You can’t just decide to make the guy you’re interested in into a vampire.’

‘Well,’ she paused as she tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear, ‘I kind of want Rick to be a permanent fixture in my life. Maybe even the Mark of Dhihsin.’

My shock must have shown on my face because she started to chew on her lip, a clear sign she was nervous and waiting for my reaction. I didn’t speak because I didn’t know what to say. I knew they’d been flirting for a while, but what Gabby was talking about meant she wanted him in her life forever. Since the Gods War, the rules and customs had changed. Shit, even the technology we had now was different. The Mark of Dhihsin wasn’t a piece of paper you got that said you were bound to one another. It was beyond permanent, and meant you were one in almost every sense of the word. When you got it, if it worked, you became true partners, the bond that of soulmates.

‘Gabby—’ I started as she placed the rolls in the oven and turned back to me. She raised her hand, cutting me off before I could go on.

‘Dianna, I know it’s sudden from your perspective, but you’ve been gone for months. Rick and I have gotten very close, and something changed. Even before I saw him as anything more than a friend, he was there for me. He is there on the days when it’s hard to get out of bed because work is exhausting. He is there on the days when I’m sad or stressed. I think I’m falling in love with him.’ She smiled to herself at her admission. ‘I know it probably sound stupid to you—’

‘It doesn’t,’ I responded, even though a part of me was sad. Sad I missed out on this part of her life. I felt like an intruder at times. I would swoop in in the middle, seeing bits and pieces but never truly here for her. Now my sister was in love and I’d missed her telling me about it. There hadn’t been any phone calls where she gushed about him because I hardly got to speak to her. There were no late night movies or talks where she told me about the joys and struggles of the day because I wasn’t here. ‘If this is what you want, I am happy for you. I’m happy that someone can be here for you when I can’t. I just want you to be happy, you know that.’

She practically squealed as she engulfed me in a sideways hug, swaying with me. ‘I promise he is great and funny and you will love him too.’

‘Yeah, yeah.’ I pulled back to smile at her. ‘If he breaks your heart, I’ll eat his.’

She scrunched her nose, her arms still wrapped around me. ‘Okay, ew.’

‘I’m just saying.’

She shook her head and rolled her eyes. ‘Okay, evisceration aside, do you think Drake would do it? Change him?’

The corners of my mouth turned up as I gave her an innocent smile. ‘So, funny story.’

My time with Gabby was the only time I ever felt human again. The first day we stayed on the beach almost all day. Then that night we went out for drinks before heading back to her apartment. The next day was nothing but lounging around and singing karaoke as we jumped from couch to couch. Our hair was up in lopsided ponytails and our faces covered in some weird face mask Gabby had spent way too much money on.

‘Why do you only have mint ice cream?’ I yelled from the kitchen as I held the freezer door open.

‘Why do you hate things that are delicious?’

I snorted and grabbed the carton from the freezer before closing the door. ‘I am going to buy you the twelve new flavors that came out because this is just sad,’ I said as I scooped two spoons from the nearest kitchen drawer. I sat next to her on the couch and handed her one.

‘Less talking, more sharing.’ She snickered as she opened the large throw blanket and draped it over both of us. I scooped out a heaping spoonful of ice cream before passing her the carton and turning on the tv.

‘What do you want to watch?’ I asked, flipping through channels.

‘Oh, check channel thirty-one, there was a cute movie I wanted to watch.’

I turned to look at her as she shoved a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth. ‘Is this a romance again?’

She shrugged and gave me an angelic smile. ‘Maybe.’

I shook my head and ate my ice cream as I scrolled through the channels toward the show she wanted. I stopped when the words dancing across the bottom of the screen caught my attention. A news anchor was discussing a recent earthquake near Ecanus.

‘The strange thing about this was it wasn’t even a large earthquake for the area. The only real damage was to the three ancient temples.’ The woman went on as images of the ancient ruins flashed up on the screen. They were similar to others that had appeared on Etherworld at the end of the Gods War. My stomach sank, and I stood abruptly, nearly knocking over the coffee table. My phone, where was my phone?

‘Dianna? Is everything okay?’ I heard Gabby’s voice from the living room as I ran toward her bedroom. Fuck, I had to find my phone! What if Kaden had called and I’d missed it? An earthquake in Ecanus? It was rare to say the least, and the temples couldn’t be a coincidence.

I pushed her bedroom door open and stopped just inside, looking around her room. Her bed was made and the bathroom door to my left cracked open. I spotted my phone on the dresser closest to her bed. I breathed out a sigh of relief and grabbed it.

My heart calmed in my chest when I saw that I didn’t have any new messages. Okay, I hadn’t missed a call, but I knew the earthquake wasn’t just a random act of nature. I felt it in my gut. I turned and left the room, taking my phone with me. Gabby stood up and placed her ice cream on the table when I walked back in.

‘Everything okay?’

I nodded and sat back down. Gabby curled up beside me. She waited for me to answer, her eyes filled with confusion and concern. ‘Yes, sorry, I thought I heard my phone.’

Her eyes narrowed, telling me she didn’t truly believe me as she looked from my phone in my hand back to the TV. I didn’t give her a chance to ask another question as I picked up the remote and changed the channel. ‘So, what was that movie you wanted to watch?’

Gabby didn’t invite Rick over once while I was there. She wanted time with me which I appreciated. On the days she had to work I mostly stayed inside, raiding her cabinets for food and just relaxing. It was nice not being on call for a change, but I kept checking my phone afraid I’d missed a call or text. The random earthquake had me on high alert. I knew Kaden wasn’t just sitting on his hands while I was away, but wondering what they were up to left me with a sense of unease. I had even rushed out of the shower, my hair full of soap and dripping wet, thinking I heard the phone ring and afraid I would miss it. I was terrified Kaden would show up and take me back, but as the days bled into a week, I grew more comfortable, less on edge. That’s what Gabby did for me. She grounded me. Her proximity kept the beast that lurked inside of me at bay. It never truly went away. It was just resting and waiting.

On her next day off we hopped in the car so Gabby could show me around. As she drove I left my hand out of the open window, making waves on the wind as I watched the rippling hills pass by. The summer air held a hint of chill, telling me fall was soon around the corner.

‘I want to take you to a couple of shops. You will love them I promise,’ Gabby said as she turned the radio down.

I nodded as she slowed, the traffic going heavier the closer we got to downtown. The cars were all sleek and sharp, everything was similar to that style now. It was another reminder of the creatures that had fallen from the sky centuries ago. They had changed the very fabric of our world.

‘What do you think the world will look like in ten years?’

‘Huh?’ She glanced at me. ‘What do you mean?’

I shifted in my seat, folding my arms as I looked at her. ‘The Celestials. They have impacted Etherworld so much, I wonder how much more they will change our world.’

‘You really hate them, don’t you?’

I snorted. ‘Don’t you? They are the reason Mom and Dad are gone, and why our home is practically non-existent.’

‘D, they didn’t kill Mom and Dad, the plague did.’

‘The plague was caused by whatever bacteria they brought down with them.’

She sighed. ‘That was just a coincidence. There is no proof that was the cause. Besides, I work with a few Celestials. They are nice.’

‘What?’ I sat up so fast the seatbelt practically choked me. I adjusted the sudden grip it had across my chest. ‘Gabby, you can’t be friends with them. If they know what you are, they will try to hurt you.’

She glanced at me and shrugged. ‘I’m not, and they don’t. I have just spoken to them a few times in passing. They seem normal.’

‘They’re not normal and they’re not friends. Please tell me you will stay away. If they know what you are or if Kaden finds out—’

‘He’ll what? Kill them?’ She side-eyed me with a fake laugh.

I didn’t respond.

‘Oh, my gods. He would, wouldn’t he?’

‘You know he would.’ I placed my arm underneath my chin and turned to stare out the open window. Neither of us said anything else.

We parked and wandered through the market areas she was obsessed with. After a few hours of buying things we didn’t need, we worked up an appetite, and stopped at a small restaurant.

The place was packed but we didn’t care. We asked for a table toward the back because I liked to keep an eye on every exit. Call it a habit of my lifestyle but I never liked my back exposed in any room. We were laughing and eating as we fought over the last bite of dessert when she said, ‘This has been nice. I have missed you.’

I smiled at her, genuinely smiled. ‘It has. I missed you too. Now on the count of three we open them?’

She grabbed for one of the crushable red and pink style candies that held the year’s fortune. I knew they weren’t real fortunes but Gabby loved the mystery of what if. ‘You know you are going to open before three. You have no impulse control.’

‘Pfft.’ I rolled my eyes, leaning back in my chair. ‘I have all the control.’

She just shook her head as she waited for my countdown. I began, and on three we ripped them open and broke them in half. I took the paper out of mine and read,

‘A big change is coming your way.’

‘Well, that’s stupid.’ I sighed and popped the candy into my mouth. I looked up at Gabby ‘What does yours say?’

She shrugged and handed it to me. ‘Well, it didn’t tell me I won a large lump sum of money, so that’s a bummer.’

I giggled and took the small paper, reading out loud, ‘A single act can change the world.’

I shrugged, handing it back to her. ‘Either I am old, or these fortunes don’t make sense anymore.’

‘Well you do look like you are starting to get wrinkles.’ She lifted her hands patting around her eyes. ‘Especially right here.’

I crumpled my napkin and tossed it at her. ‘Shut up.’

She laughed at me before taking another bite of her food.

Not wanting to stay in that night, I convinced Gabby to go out. I told her to invite Rick, but she said he was working late. Our game plan was to hit as many places as we could before the sun rose.

Gabby’s ombre brown and blonde hair was curled, the waves dancing against the back of her white fitted dress. It stopped mid-thigh and I had to practically beg her to wear it tonight. I told her that if Rick did stop by, he would love it. I even convinced her to take some sexy selfies and send them to him on the car ride to the club. I’d opted for a short, soft green dress. The top tied around my neck leaving my arms, shoulders, and back exposed. I’d let Gabby curl my hair and pull it into a half up half down style

The club was already packed when we arrived. It had three levels, and people packed every floor, dancing, laughing, and flirting. The memory of the destruction I had inflicted on Drake and his club in Tirin threatened to overwhelm me with grief. I closed my eyes tightly, trying to shut it out.

‘You good?’ Gabby yelled, pulling me further inside. I opened my eyes, nodding and forcing a smile. I wasn’t there. I was with her. I am okay. We shuffled further inside and I pushed thoughts of Drake aside.

We danced for what felt like hours, pausing only to take a shot before going back to the dance floor. You couldn’t move without bumping into someone. A large chandelier took up the ceiling from the front of the club to the back door. Colored lights danced over the crowd as everyone laughed and sang along with the music. It had been so long since I’d felt so free. I’d forgotten what it was like to just let go for a night. We danced with anyone who approached, men or women, it didn’t matter, we just had fun.

After the next song, Gabby snagged me and pointed toward the back and the bathroom. A flashing neon sign signaled our target as we made our way through the crowd, bumping into people and apologizing mid-laugh like fools.

Our amusement fled when we saw the line. We sighed, knowing we didn’t have much choice in the matter. Gabby sagged against the wall, reaching down to massage her ankles while we waited.

‘I haven’t done this in so long I forgot how much my feet usually hurt in the morning.’ She snickered as she straightened. ‘Well, except that you practically live in heels.’

I smiled back as the music behind us thumped loudly. ‘Yeah, but that’s also because I’m a masochist.’

She swatted my arm and she giggled. ‘Gross.’

‘I’m kidding. I’m kidding.’ I smiled back at her. ‘Mostly.’

She shook her head and grinned back at me. ‘I am having fun, though. We should definitely do this more often.’ She paused. ‘Well, when we can.’

I nodded, knowing that once I had to leave, we probably wouldn’t be together again for months. The line moved forward and we moved up a few paces. Gabby leaned against the wall as I rocked back and forth on my heels. Several women passed as they exited the bathroom but only one stood out to me. I stopped rocking and stood straight, my every instinct going on alert. Her skin was darker than mine, a deeper shade of brown, the purple sparkly dress she wore accentuating curves that would make any living creature take notice. She was tall, her unbound jet-black hair cascading in thick curls down her back.

She reminded me of a goddess given mortal life. The women in line stared, their comments and whispers tinting the air with jealousy. She made eye contact with me, smiling softly as she waved. The set of silver rings decorating the fingers of both her hands caught the flashing lights and seemed to glow. She continued down the hall and back into the club. My gaze followed her as she disappeared in a wave of dancing people. I turned back to Gabby, a weird sensation flushing my body. The hairs on my arms bristled and a chill caused me to shudder. Celestial? I pushed off the wall slightly, waiting to feel that static like tingle they give off, but nothing.

‘She’s so pretty, unnaturally pretty,’ Gabby said, nodding toward where she had disappeared. ‘Do you want to go talk to her?’

I shook my head at her and smiled, but the pit in my stomach told me something was wrong. ‘No, I’m good, besides I really have to pee.’ We shuffled forward, the hairs on my arms still raised in alert and my heart pounding as if a threat lingered nearby.

Had Kaden called and I did not answer? Was he here now? I held my hand out. ‘Gabby, I need my phone.’ She reached into her small clutch and handed it to me without saying anything. I checked and breathed out a silent sigh of relief. I had no missed calls or texts.

‘Everything okay?’ Gabby asked as I turned to stare at where the woman had disappeared into the writhing crowd of dancers.

I nodded as the line moved forward again. ‘Yeah, everything is fine.’

After our bathroom break we went back to the dance floor, laughing and twirling to the next few songs. I still had an uneasy feeling creeping up my spine that I couldn’t focus or explain. It was like my brain was trying to tell me something but I didn’t have the words for it. We were mid song when Gabby broke away and started squealing. I turned to see what had caused her excitement and saw Rick pushing through the crowd as best he could. She shifted around me and ran into his arms. Her delight in seeing him was obvious in her smile and the kisses she pressed to his face as he lifted her against him. I just smiled and gestured toward the bar, leaving them to dance while I went to get more shots. I leaned over the bar to get the bartender’s attention. He did a double take and finished the drinks he was making before coming over.

‘Two tequila shots,’ I practically shouted over the music. He nodded and tossed a small towel over his shoulder before turning to get the drinks. When he set them in front of me, I slammed the first one back, not even a burn tickling my throat. I sighed and turned back toward the dance floor. I could see Gabby’s smile from here as she peered up at Rick. A warm bubble wrapped my heart. I loved seeing her happy.

‘Your friend looks happy.’

The words caught me off guard. I was so distracted watching Gabby that I hadn’t felt him approach. I turned to face the stranger, angling my body in a more defensible pose. His hair was cut close to the sides of his head in a fade, deep waves layering the top. He was leaning against the bar next to me, his muscular build, watching where Gabby and Rick had been swallowed up by the crowd. He glanced at me as he turned back toward the bar and took a sip of his drink. How long had he been here and I had not noticed?

‘Not my friend,’ I replied coolly. ‘My sister.’

He smiled, the shine of his perfect teeth sending goosebumps along my arms. ‘Sister? My apologies.’

I smiled back, focusing intently on him, all of my instinct roused and on alert. He was handsome in that bad boy kind of way. His beard was perfectly trimmed and neat. The tattoos that graced the back of his left hand and arm were etched against his dark complexion. They disappeared beneath the rolled up sleeve of his shirt and made him look even sexier and more dangerous. My eyes caught on the thick silver rings that decorated a few of his fingers. They had a strange assortment of twists and turns, the solid metal seeming to glow and radiate an unfamiliar power.

He wiggled his fingers. ‘Family heirlooms.’

I met his eyes, realizing I must have been staring and gave him a small smile. ‘Cool.’

Something about him felt off, wrong. The goosebumps still decorated my arms as I focused on filtering out the blaring music and smells of every human here. The sweat, lust, vomit, and alcohol faded. I heard the beat of his heart, the rhythm slow and steady. He smelled human, his scent one of cologne and a hint of citrus but nothing Otherworldly.

The music came back in an instant, his voice flooding my ears once more. ‘You alright?’ His eyebrow ticked as he took another drink.

‘Fine.’ I nodded back, smiling softly.

‘So,’ he lifted his glass, taking a sip, ‘are you just here with your sister or…?’

He let the words trail off and I knew what he was implying. Normally, I would be more than happy to indulge in what he was offering. I would have been tempted had it been any other time, but I was here with my sister, the sister I rarely got to see.

I took my last shot, slamming it back before placing the empty glass on the bar in front of me. I stepped forward and he straightened to his full height as I invaded his space. It annoyed me on some level to discover that he was indeed taller than I. Many men could not claim the same.

‘Look, I get it. You have this whole bad boy thing going for you and I am sure plenty of women here would love for you to bend them over this very bar itself, but it’s not going to be me. Trust me, I am actually doing you a favor because I mean it when I say,’ I paused, a slow smile curving my lips, ‘I would eat you alive.’

I patted him on the arm and walked away, leaving him at the bar. I shoved through the crowd, trying to make a path toward my sister. Rick and she were still laughing as they danced around each other. As soon as she saw my face she stopped, Rick bumping into her.

‘What’s wrong?’ she yelled over the music.

‘Nothing,’ I responded, cupping my hand near my mouth. ‘I’m just a little tired. Give me my phone and I’ll meet you back at the apartment.’

Gabby’s eyes scanned mine but she nodded and handed me my phone. I leaned forward, kissing her on her cheek and waving goodbye to Rick before making my way out of the club.

I shoved past the growing crowd of newcomers and out the door where the cool night air greeted me. People milled about on the boardwalk, laughing and joking in the pools of light created by the streetlamps. I raised my phone to check once more for any missed calls or texts but the screen remained clear. My unease didn’t lessen as I lowered it to my side and willed my body into black shadowy mist.