The banshee turned around and ground her ass against me in time to the music, and my brows lowered. I should have been enjoying this. I should have been rock-hard and ready to pound her against the wall like I usually was when I was out to enjoy myself, but now that Raine had left, my cock was limper than a fuckin’ uncooked sausage.
It wasn’t just what Raine had said or how my nickname had rolled off her tongue that had me questioning things. It was the memory of her against me, of her body molded to mine, and the insatiable need I had to protect her at every fucking moment. I knew it was the bond that compelled me to protect her, but I wasn’t so sure that it was the bond that made me want her so badly. The female had the beauty of the Devil Sharachi, but it was her heart and spirit that had captured my attention. And I wanted her back in my damn arms where I was now sure she was supposed to be.
I peered over at where a female demon and siren were dancing on either side of Darian and pawing at him as though he was the fucking Devil Halced himself. His blue eyes were dim, and I could tell he was as interested in them as I was in the banshee still shaking her ass against my limp dick.
My siren brother was still at the party because of me. I’d seen the way he’d stared after Raine and Kade, even more obviously than I had. He was letting these females rub themselves all over him for my fucking sake, and while I loved him more for it, it made me sick inside.
What was I doing? Placing a hand on the banshee’s shoulder, I gently moved her away from me and stepped back. She swiveled and tried to shuffle closer again, but when I shook my head at her, she huffed in annoyance. Tipping her nose up at me as if she just remembered I was beneath her, she disappeared into the throng of dancing monsters and soon found a wolf shifter to grind against.
I stepped over to where Darian had a bored expression on his face. “Ready to get out of here, brother?”
His eyes brightened at my question, and his lips twisted to the side. “I thought you’d never ask. What changed your mind?”
Scratching the back of my head, I mumbled, “Somethin’ Raine said is bothering me.”
Darian’s lips curled upward, but he didn’t bother asking me what it was. “Another time, ladies,” he said, stepping away from the siren and demon who gave him sad, pouty faces before they began dancing with each other as though they were trying to allure him back to them.
He didn’t even spare them another glance as I led the way out of the ballroom.
CHAPTER 18
~ Raine ~
Thesoundsofvoiceswoke me from sleep, and I groaned as I pulled myself from the bed. Kade wasn’t in the room, and I rubbed my eyes to wake myself up. Yawning, I walked into the common room wearing nothing but one of Kade’s big shirts.
Asher, Kade, and Locke were already up and dressed, though Asher was missing his shirt. Sweat gleamed on his hard abs and soaked his shaggy brown hair, but I didn’t let myself appreciate the sight. I hadn’t forgotten how he and Darian had stayed at the party to have a good time, and my chest still felt hollow at the thought.
“How long have you been up?” I asked no one in particular as I avoided their gazes and grabbed myself a cup of pink Acaralia water.
Asher flexed his muscles and grinned. “Hours. Darian and I had to work off some energy.”
Hours?Anger coursed through me, and I wasn’t even sure why. “Hm,” I said.
Intent on ignoring him, I peered at where Locke was again staring at the map I’d seen him with nights earlier.I really am going to have to get my hands on that.I wondered what the vampire had been doing the night before. He hadn’t joined us when Darian and the others had introduced me to the alphas, and the last time I’d seen him was when Perene had been leading Lana over to him. I tried not to think about what the thought of Locke and Lana together did to my insides.
A fresh platter of food was laid out on one of the tables, and I piled up a plate and found a spot on an unoccupied settee. When I’d finished the food, Darian exited the washroom, and I took my turn washing my face and changing into one of my red leather outfits. Somehow during the night, my clothes had all been laundered and left neatly for me in the washroom, and I could only assume Locke was behind it.
Taking my time, I braided my hair into a single braid that would keep the hair out of my eyes. When I went back to the common room, all four monsters were waiting for me, and even Locke had tucked away his map.
“What?” I asked with a frown.
“It’s the first fight tonight,” said Locke as his serious dark gaze fixed on my face. “You’ll be up against demons, an ogre, a succubus, sirens, a banshee, a bear shifter, and a vampire. The only rule during the fights is that the newbloods must not kill their opponents. But you’re still human. Or at least, you appear to be. A newblood could kill you without even trying to.”
“I get it,” I retorted dryly. “I’ll try not to die.”
I didn’t miss how he’d said ‘appear to be’like he wasn’t sure if I was human or not.No one had mentioned the fact I’d turned the rocky ceiling to sand during Asher’s first test, and neither had anyone talked about the fact it was likely me who had conjured the unnatural wind while I was under the influence of the Silver Sand. In any case, I hadn’t been able to do anything magical since, so I had to still be human. Right?
“You can’t use magic tonight, Sharachi,” Asher said as if he’d been reading my thoughts, and he stepped closer to me. “Everyone thinks you’re a shifter, and shifters don’t have that kind of power.”
“I don’t think that’ll be a problem. I doubt I could do it again even if I wanted to,” I replied. In truth, Ihadbeen wondering if it was possible because if I found a way to control it that would be badass, but I hadn’t felt anything that resembled the energy I’d felt both times I’d used the magic before.
Moving into my space, Kade lifted my arm and started strapping leather armor to my arms and shoulders. “No one can see the color of your blood, Raine. All it would take is a flash of red and our world would turn to chaos.”
“Yes, I would rather appreciate it if I didn’t have to entrance an entire amphitheater of monsters to protect you,” Darian added.
Asher bumped the siren’s shoulder. “Don’t tell me you wouldn’t love the attention.”
“Wouldyouwant the alphas all clamoring for you?” Darian retorted with a raised brow. “I’d like to keep my lips away from the likes of Zacal and Drustan.”
