They Rise at Dusk (Book #1) ✔️

Chapter 2: Cat and Mouse Games

Between sensuous beats of the music and the loud beat of my heart, I tried to decide what to do. Go home? Deal with my family's rejection in a healthy manner? Hastily, I wipe the tears off my face, hoping I haven't ruined my makeup.

Right as the beat dropped, I heard my heels tapping against the floor, walking in the table's direction. The stranger pushed himself off the bar and strolled towards me.

Gods, he was attractive. Ruggedly handsome, utterly human. Tall and muscled, with one of those sharp alert eyes that lost their childish naivety somewhere along the path of life. His every step was grounded and balanced. I've never seen a human move that way. This was the result of training, I realised.

We stopped each on our side of the table.

The stranger put his tattooed hands in his pockets, his voice muffled against the music, "Thought you might need a drink after a conversation with Darascu."

Alarms went off in my head. He knew Dorian? Why would he know Dorian?

I looked at the wine glass, "You're not trying to poison me, are you?"

The stranger squinted, "If I said 'no,' would it be more or less likely that I'm lying?"

I thought about it, "Probably more."

"Then yes," He grinned, "I am trying to poison you."

He had a beautiful smile, the kind that pulled his eyes up too, adding a touch of cuteness to his harsh face. I laughed and approached the table. As I clinked against his beer and brought the glass to my lips, I still sniffed the contents. Just wine.

Not that any human poison could kill me.

I watched his eyes slide over my body rather shamelessly as he drank his beer. Warmth followed wherever his gaze went, making me feel painfully self-aware. I was aware of my looks, but I was also aware that the lack of blood in my system made me paler than usual, my hair less shiny, my eyes dim. To an untrained human eye, I suppose I still looked good.

"How do you know Dorian?" I walked to the lounge and dropped in the seat.

As I crossed my legs, revealing more of my thigh, the stranger's gaze wavered a bit from my eyes.

"I used to work here. As a bouncer." He spread out his hand, the sleeves of his shirt lifting and allowing a good look at his tattoos. "I'm Jax."

Intricate swirls climbed up his strong forearm; tree branches, symbols, text, flora and fauna. Every tattoo seemed to belong in its place, all with some hidden meaning, impossible to grasp.

"Odette." I took his slightly rugged, but warm and pleasant hand. "How was it? Working here?"

He let out a humourless laugh, "Intense. Good money, but intense. Why? Were you trying to get a job here?"

I frowned, but still offered an amused smile, "Why would you assume that?"

Jax leaned towards me, "Well, it's either that or you're here because you're one of Dorian's girls, and if that's the case, I've terribly misjudged you."

His scent overwhelmed me to the point I barely registered his words. An earthy musky cologne, but also clovers and pine, and a rich undernote of his blood; smoky and sweet.

"I'm looking for a job." I answered, leaning closer to him.

I figured it wasn't that much of a stretch.

"What happened?" He asked, his dark eyes never leaving my face, making me feel like he could see through my every lie.

So, I opted for the truth.