A small cool hand grabbed his wrist and the blood pounding in his groin eased.
`Nikki, hi.' He rubbed where she touched him, sharpened his senses, feeling out those not human in the club.
`Come on,' she said, taking his hand. `Sorry about the music thing.' Mason followed her, almost relieved, into the booth. The music snapped off as the door closed.
`I use the music to try to disarm any conflict between the different houses of Darkells here.'
`Well, it worked on Mason,' Ruth said, taking a seat on a lounge.
`I just thought he liked me,' Miekia said, grinning at him from her seat. She trailed a finger around a pierced nipple. `And now we all know that a little bit of this makes him much better behaved.'
`That'll do, Miekia.' Nikki said. `Go watch the door, please.'
`Oh, relax,' she said, patting Mason on the arm. `Just teasing. Tashia bet me I wouldn't do it.'
`Out!' Nikki waved her through.
`Are all your kind like her?' Mason sat down across from Ruth, feeling off centre. Miekia's humour had been real.
`No, Miekia is very open about who she is. Tashia was the one that saved her. She brought her back from the brink when the Bloodells tried to take her.'
Nikki checked the door and looked back at him. `Love does not discriminate against sexes and the longer you live the less it cares whether you're male or female.' She sat down beside Ruth but smiled at Mason. `You could be one of the few men who would understand this.'
`It's not easy.' He let his eyes wander over her; her small flimsy dress and the whiteness of her thighs, highlighted by Ruth's hand. It was Ruth he desired, not Nikki.
`So, where's the brat?' He had to change the subject, but was unsure why he asked about Renee.
`Renee is young and has problems socialising, so she will slip in a bit later on.' Nikki looked at Ruth. `I like your dress.'
Mason sighed. A flash of red in the club caught his eye, giving him an excuse to look away, craning his neck.
`Thanks,' Ruth said.
Mason watched Ruth, as she focused on Nikki. Then, again out of the corner of his eye, he caught movement, a flash of red that stopped on the far side of the club. His vision widened. He stretched his arms, trying casually to take a closer look.
`It was either this or a sundress,' Ruth told Nikki. `You bored already, Mason?'
`No,' he said, standing up. `But I think it's about to get a lot more interesting in here. Very interesting.'
There was Renee, on the other side of the club, facing off against two blonde girls. Others stood around her.
`Shit, Renee!' Nikki and Ruth appeared beside him. `Damn it. Stay here until I sort this out.' The door shut behind Nikki, cutting off the music.
Mason watched her cut a path through the crowd. Things were getting tense around Renee. The two blondes were pushing her but she didn't fight back. Mason rubbed his nose. The fight didn't look right to him.
`You coming?' Ruth pushed the door open, looking over her shoulder.
Nikki reached Renee. No one calmed down. The door closed and Ruth was gone, making her way through the crowd.
`Stay in control. Be nice. Stop acting like a monster. We're here for fun,' Mason muttered, pushing the door open. `Damn it,' he cursed, as Ruth strode towards Nikki, shoving people out of the way. `This had better be worth it.'
Mason flexed his hands as he headed after Ruth. Tendrils of a familiar darkness crept through him, radiating a danger that made the women move out of his way.
Ruth reached Nikki.
Mason felt his skin harden when the blondes turned to Ruth, and he tasted her anger. Her hand moved and moved again. A signal. He understood.
Mason circled around and melted into a dark corner. The darkness swirled in him, mixing with his excitement. Working with Ruth was different. Exhilarating. His hearing sharpened as he waited, watching. Ready.
CHAPTER 9
Ruth knew Mason was close; she could feel his eyes on her as she reached Nikki. But he needed to wait so she signalled him to stay back, hoping he saw it.
`The freak does not belong here,' the shorter girl shouted and spat at Nikki. Ruth clenched a fist.
`Renee is my sister, Rose.' Nikki stepped closer to the girl. `And you will show her respect.'
`She has no gift. Is not even a full blood.' Rose said. `How can you think she belongs here tonight?' She shoved Nikki.
Ruth glanced at Renee, whose face was tight with anger although she did not move.
Something hard grew inside Ruth. Its touch spread into her flesh. She knew they did not truly see her and Ruth took advantage. `Touch her again and I will break your arm,' she warned, stepping in beside Nikki and enjoying the moment of surprise on Rose's face.
`Ruth, no.' Nikki grabbed her arm, fear in her voice.
`Oh, what? You've got a girlfriend who thinks she can speak to us?' the taller girl sneered, moving in. `You can't even control your woman, let alone the freak. You don't deserve to be Magi here. It is a mistake to have you leading us tonight.'
`Shut your mouth, Lilly!' Renee exploded, pushing past Nikki and Ruth. `You don't speak to my sister like that, ever!'
`Renee!' Nikki reached for her.
Ruth looked past Rose and Lilly to where Mason's presence rippled in the darkness. A thrill ran through her. `Back off, Flower girls,' she said, stepping forward to stand beside Renee, right in Rose's face.
`Or what?' Rose lashed out.
Ruth stopped her arm with one hand, as strength surged through her body. `Not very smart, are you?' She squeezed Rose's arm and heard bones snap.
Rose screamed. Everything slowed.
`Bitch!' Lilly began to move but Mason melted out of the darkness. `You'll pay for tha—'
Mason's hand found her throat, cutting her off. She thrashed around, trying to loosen his grip. He lifted her one-handed.
`Wrong again.' Ruth pulled Rose in, driving her palm into the girl's chest, using the momentum to snap her sternum. She let Rose collapse onto the floor.
`Nice,' Renee nodded, not taking her eyes off Lilly writhing in Mason's grip. Lilly's eyes bulged as his hand tightened.
`Mason,' Ruth warned him and his grip eased.
`Shit, shit and shit,' Nikki cursed, pulling Ruth back, as Rose gasped for air on the floor. `And I thought it was Mason I was going to have to watch tonight.'
`Why isn't anyone looking at us?' Mason asked. Women walked past, unconcerned.
`Nikki's
