Soul Mates 04: Secrets(17)

"You think this is about Nikolas?"



"Everything is about that goddamned wolf for you."



"And if that's what you think?" I stalked to the door and opened it. "You can get the fuck out, right now."



Lucien stormed out and I slammed the door behind him for good measure. How dare he come in here and throw around accusations like that? This had nothing to do with Nikolas, and I wasn't sure why he was jumping to conclusions like that.



His jealousy was getting worse and it was grating on my nerves. I'd had enough of it tonight alone to last me a long while. I needed to get out of here, to get out of the mansion and away from Lucien and his damned temper. It was like it had seeped into the walls of the mansion and followed me wherever I went.



After a quick change of clothes, I grabbed my phone and headed out. I was just about to walk out the side entrance when Silver caught up to me.



"Where do you think you're going?" His Spanish accent was heavier tonight than it'd been since I'd first met him.



"Out." I opened the door, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back. I looked at his hand where he gripped me and back up at him. "I suggest you back the hell off."



He let me go, but didn't back away. "If you're going out, you need your detail with you."



"Oh, no, I am not doing that tonight."



"The security detail is for your protection, Peter."



"Maybe, but it's impossible to hunt while being followed."



"I need a detail for Peter at the side entrance," he said into the mic connected to his earpiece. Grey eyes narrowed as they met mine. "Peter, no arguments, the detail goes with you or you stay home."



"Fine." I threw up my hands in defeat. "Tell them to hurry the fuck up, then."



Three of my usual security men showed up a few minutes later, and I glared at Silver as I walked out the door. George, the lead man of the three, drove the black Tahoe, Mitch sat in the passenger seat, and Leland and I sat in the second seat.



"Hungry tonight?" Leland asked.



I nodded. "So I'd appreciate it if you all will stay off my ass and let me hunt."



"We have our orders, sir," George said from the front seat. "We can't hang back any more than regulation."



"Whatever. Just take me to Nine and let me start there."



Nine was a newer club that catered to a younger crowd. It wasn't a gay club, but that really didn't make a shit's difference to me anymore. If I could lure some straight boy into the corner and get him off as I fed? That just made the exchange a tad bit sweeter.



Once inside, I had to concentrate a little to turn the volume of the music down in my own mind. The mass of bodies gyrating on the dance floor looked promising. People moved and swayed, and the scent of desire was thick in the air, along with the scent of way too much alcohol.



Some vampires didn't like drinking from a drunken donor, but maybe I'd worked the bar for too long, as it didn't bother me a bit. They were a bit tangy, a little less sweet, but still filling.



I found a place at the bar and watched the crowd. It wasn't long before I found my first target. He was young, cute, and had a mess of brown curls covering his head. He reminded me of Caleb, thought not nearly as built or good-looking.



He seemed to be alone and I took that as an invitation in itself. But as I started toward him, he looked at me oddly, then cut off to the side and went back into the crowd. Confused, I turned to look behind me, only to find that my three guards were right on my heels.



"Thanks, guys," I said as I turned to face them. "See that guy that just went back into the crowd? That was dinner."



"We can't let you walk through here alone," Mitch said.



"How 'bout staying twenty, thirty feet behind me? You know, to where it doesn't look like me and my goons are looking for a young boy to kidnap?"



George conceded, and I shook my head and tried to get as far away from them as I possibly could. They were still too close for comfort, but at least they weren't up my ass. I took my place back at the bar, ordered a fruity drink, and then watched the crowd again for my next target.



Something was in the air, apparently. Every time I'd meet someone's eyes, they'd look around, clearly uncomfortable. I had a feeling it had something to do with my damned guards and the close proximity they were keeping.



Maybe what I needed was to be in the crowd instead of sitting at the bar, waiting for dinner to come along. I downed my drink and took off, mingling, touching, and trying to get myself as far into the crowd as possible. Once through and to the other side of the club, I found that I was right next to an exit door.