“Funny, I remember you were all the ones putting me in less-than-desirable situations,” I said.
“Yeah, but you wouldn’t have died,” Asher pointed out. “You just thought you would.”
Unbelievable.I refused to argue with him any longer and turned my attention back to the flowers. There were dozens of vases with the roses around the room, all of them propped on high tables and short stone pillars. Even though I guessed the monsters all knew they were poisonous, none of them seemed to care about getting close to them so long as they weren’t touching the delicate decorations.Ballsy.
I remembered what Asher had said about them being there because monsters had a sick sense of humor. “How often do monsters accidentally touch them?”
Darian pulled his own goblet away from his lips. “I dare say, almost never.”
“Except when they’re given a helpin’ hand,” Asher said with a mischievous grin, and he started moving to a group of monsters not too far away.
A male troll stood talking to three female goblins, and it was clear from his flirtatious grin that he was trying to get more out of them than just friendly conversation. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but the females shifted uncomfortably and looked as though they were trying to move away from him. Seeming not to get the hint, or perhaps he didn’t care, the troll kept stepping toward them, encroaching into their personal space. The huge monster swayed on his feet, liquid sloshing from the cup in his left hand. Some of his drink landed on the chest of the goblin in the middle, and she stared down in horror at her soiled dress. The troll was so focused on the goblin closest to him that he didn’t notice the other female’s distress, and neither did he sense Asher approaching. At least, not until the gazes of the females darted toward Asher, but by then, it was too late.
“He wouldn’t,” I whispered, clapping a hand over my mouth as I stared on in amusement.
“He would,” Kade answered seriously.
As if to confirm Kade’s point, Asher grinned back at us and then pretended to slip. His shoulder slammed into the troll’s, and the other male couldn’t stop himself. The goblins cried out in shock as the troll stumbled to the side and his head became buried in the bouquet of roses.
The troll shouted and quickly lifted himself, but before his massive fist could swipe at Asher, his body locked up and his hands fell limp at his sides, his goblet clattering to the floor. The troll’s legs buckled, and he toppled away from the table, his body falling heavily to the ground.
The goblins blinked as they stared at the paralyzed troll, and Asher gave them that lopsided smile of his. “Ladies,” he said, and he strode back to us with the stupidest grin on his face.
I stifled my laughter as the goblins, who had regained their composure, prodded at the troll with their heeled feet. When they were sure he wouldn’t move, they all poured the remainder of their drinks onto him before disappearing into the crowd.
“Was that really necessary?” Darian asked Asher with a reprimanding tone when the demon had joined us again.
“I was just givin’ Raine a demonstration,” Asher replied innocently, taking his spot beside us.
I grinned at Asher, somehow certain that he’d just used me as an excuse to help the goblins out. Asher cared more than he would admit. The monsters of Katakin definitely didn’t deserve him.
“Is anyone going to carry him away?” I asked thoughtfully as I eyed the troll, who was still prone on the floor. Monsters were passing by him as if he was nothing but another piece of furniture.
Asher shrugged. “That guy would weigh a ton, and I get the feelin’ he doesn’t have many friends. Either someone from his house will collect him soon, or he’ll move when the paralysis wears off.”
“And won’t he be mad at you when he can move again?” I asked.
He nodded. “Yep.”
“And you’re not worried?”
“Nope.”
Huh.I wasn’t sure if Asher’s lack of concern was because he thought he could easily best the troll or because there was a reason he knew the troll wouldn’t be able to attack him, but I didn’t prod any further.
By now, the three goblets of wine I’d consumed had made my head blissfully light, and the pounding of the music was making my body move involuntarily. Aside from when I’d danced with Darian, I hadn’t danced since before Cara had been taken. Ididn’tdance, but Darian had shown me how expressive it could be. It was like fighting, just without any weapons involved. My fingers twitched as I wished I was practicing knife throwing or moving around an obstacle course, though I knew I’d probably be abysmal at those activities in my current state. In any case, right then I couldn’t do either of those, so dancing it was.
Understanding what I was doing, Darian, Kade, and Asher followed me to a more open space closer to the band, where countless other monsters were moving their bodies to the music. Smoke curled around the dancers, and the scent of ash and the sweet smell of roses hung in the air. I stared back at the three males, who were eyeing me curiously.
If I’d been in a rational state of mind, I would have known it was a bad idea to tease them, but right then I didn’t care. I hadn’t seen Warrick or Jarin all night, and I couldn’t help but feel like it was a bad sign. As the hours passed, I grew more on edge, and I didn’t need any of the alphas thinking I was acting suspiciously. So, I had downed the wine. I had no plans for later that night, and dancing with the monsters wasn’t going to change anything. Closing my eyes, I moved my body to the beat and let the music flow through me, the deep notes sinking into my bones.
At first, I danced on my own, swaying my hips from side to side and reaching my arms into the air as if I was trying to touch invisible stars above me, but then three hard bodies crowded around me, moving in time to the thudding beat as they flowed with me.
I breathed in Kade’s scents of sandalwood and coffee, Darian’s sea salt and patchouli, and Asher’s musk and leather, and my body loosened even more. Deep in my heart, I couldn’t help feeling I was right where I needed to be, but there was an odd, niggling thought in my mind. As thoughsomeonewas missing.
Opening my eyes, I peered out through the gap between Darian’s and Kade’s broad chests to where Locke stood leaning against a far wall, his dark gaze watching us intently. I had the sudden urge to beckon him over to us, but I didn’t. He knew where I was. Dismissing the vampire, I focused on the sound of the music.
By the time the next song started, with the alcohol in my system and the heady scents of Kade, Darian, and Asher around me, I forgot all about why it was a good idea for me to keep my distance from the monsters. The urge to get close to them made my body tingle, and I stopped fighting it.
