THE HUNT

CHAPTER-EIGHTEEN

From the shadows, Dagan watched as Kate got right into the troll's face. He'd learned her name from one of the waitresses two nights ago. He could still feel the shock wave from the sensual punch to the gut that had hit him the first time he'd seen her.

A punch that had settled low and hard as he'd talk to her. Her voice had teased him, and although she had been careful to reveal nothing, he'd caught the scent of desire, and it had gone straight to his cock.

He wanted her. Craved her. He wanted her scent all over him, and his all over her. He wanted to tease her flesh and raise her desires, taking her to the edge and then watch her explode.

Her refusal may have disappointed him, but in the end, he always loved a decent chase. He'd come to Dallas for only one reason: to build his army, and he still had plenty of work to do.

"You look like a man with something on his mind." A girl stood in front of him, holding a tray, with two empty glasses. He looked at her, his mind still on his purpose tonight. "Would you like some company?" She slid the tray onto the table, then pulled out a pocket-sized notebook. "Charlotte has the next hour free, and she's excellent at making men forget about their troubles. At least, for a little while."

"No." He shook his head, "I'm not interested." Except he was.
Not in Charlotte, but in Kate. In her, he was damn interested.

The waitress smiled as if she knew a secret that he didn't. "When you change your mind honey, come and find me. I'll have someone ready." She didn't wait for him to reply, just stepped away, and melted back into the crowd.

He leaned back in the black upholstered chair, then lifted the Scotch to his lips then took a nice, lengthy slug. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he saw Kate lean over and whisper to the girl next to her before she headed towards the door in the back.

Slowly, Kate pushed open the door, relieved when it didn't creak. She stepped out, the cool night air a shock after being in the heavy, smoky interior. She took in a breath, letting her eyes adjust to the dark, as she glanced around the shadowed alley.

The only light came from around the corner, a sputtering bulb, that was trying to penetrate through the darkness and primarily failed.

The anorexic yellow light did manage to illuminate a flash of chrome, and when Kate peered harder, she noticed that it was a car's wheel and the chrome wheel belonged to Adam's car. And realized, they were keeping an eye on her.

She leaned against the rough bricks and lifted her chin, her eyes closed, wanting to feel nothing except a cool fall breeze across her skin. Longing for it to whisk away the lingering stench of the club and the painful red stilettoes on her feet.

The air did not cooperate. Instead of comfort, the breeze carried the fetor of garbage and debris, the unpleasant miasma of things that rot in alleys, hidden from delicate sensibilities of those who might pass in front of the buildings. 

Like the monster inside tried to hide from the humans.

Frustrated, she brushed the hair away from her face and tugged up her corset. She'd squeezed into this damn monstrosity, Wayne had called a uniform, for almost a week, and still--there hadn't been a single sign of Mills. 

Kate felt it was time for her to step up her game if she ever intended to locate Mills. She would make every man that came into this club putty in her hands. It was time for her to call upon her particular talents and ratchet up the charm that could captivate even the most stalwart of men.

A seductive fascination that throughout history had inveigled Kings to abandon their own thrones, and seduced warriors to fight their own allies. Time to make these men stupid in lust with her, however, there was still a line she wouldn't cross. The idea of one of those creatures manhandling her-- made her nauseous.