THE CAGE (The Chosen Series #3)

CH20. ♘f1 ♞e7

Car horns blare, and wheels skid. But I ignore them. I ignore them all. All but the cold seeping through my bones.

I allow myself to be controlled by my instincts, letting them direct us. Our location; is our intended. The memory of Dominic's eager scent is embedded into our skin, our DNA.

Using my eidetic recall, it takes me only seconds to find the address to Cruze in my mind. With the location clear in my thoughts, I pause and snap my head in the direction of the closest signpost.

Addison Ave, my brain takes seconds to plot the course before I begin to move again. Knowing that the nightclub is several blocks away, I feel my legs pump harder, my feet pounding the asphalt, and everything blurs.

It's raining now. There's a storm. I bask in the familiar cold as it soaks into our skin.

Somewhere in my consciousness, I know I jump over vehicles and climb building rails. I fly...

It feels like mere seconds before I see Cruze. The red sign above the double doors to the entrance blazes like a beacon, calling me home.

There are crowds out front, a mixture of humans and others. They're huddled together to avoid the rain, unaware of their differences and waiting for their turn to enter.

Too many people.

I push out my will.

"MOVE!"

I glide through them, and they split, giving me a clear path to the front doors.

I hear their comments and feel their stares. But no one stops me. "Miss Isla?" The bouncer questions, surprise on his strong face. My brain tells me I know him.

"MOVE, SI."

Si steps aside, his eyes wide. But like the others, he can't fight my influence.

The doors part, perfume, sweat, and pheromones permeating the air. I enter.

My ears detect more comments and murmurs. I block them out and stalk through the club.

There are hundreds of people dancing. Colors and glitter flash in time with the lights.

Music, familiar tunes, play. My body relaxes slightly, and my instincts retreat enough for me to have some control.

I push out my senses, not caring about the inevitable overload. I came here for a purpose, and I plan to-

Found him.

But my senses also find someone else, someone that shouldn't be here. I blink and see a flash of long, dark brown hair. Reagan...

I move toward her. It's not safe, but I catch Dominic's scent in the air as I turn.

I cramp.

I tilt my head; bones crack again. Someone gasps, but I have no care for them or the others. My insides snarl and the girl is forgotten. I twist and begin walking with purpose to the middle of the dance floor.

I step in time to the beat of the bass. Simple Minds "Don't you forget about me" thrumming in my bones. The people in front of me, sensing my otherness, part.

I lick my lips and feel the energy around me crackle. Arousal fills the space. And it's not my own. I know I'm releasing pheromones, and I don't care if it affects more than my intended.

I/we need...

Someone moans, but my eyes are set forward.

More people have shifted, but now they are trying to reach out to me. Wanting to touch what I have. But it's not for them...