Seyah

I'd been hiding in the half shadow, enjoying my cocktail away from the crowd and the many humans in it. There were a few shifters, fae, and, to my dismay—vampires. Not all vampires were bad, but I had enough run-ins with them to keep my distance and guard up. Apparently, my ‘fuck off' face was not strong enough to dissuade the human who sidled up and pushed his way into my solitude. And to my surprise, I didn't mind.

August gave my hand a light squeeze, and his touch lingered. His green eyes held mine, and I found myself captivated.

"Alright, . What would you say to a dance?" August asked as he let go of my hand.

I almost said no—the music wasn't my type—but I wanted his hands on me. Though he wore his hair shaved on the sides, his full dark brown curls created a loose afro on top of his head that I wanted to lose my hands in on. He was leaner than the men I usually went for, but he held himself with a confidence I couldn't ignore.

"Promise to make it worth my time?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

"I think we'll both walk away happy."

"Then you're on, Auggie. Don't disappoint me." I threw back the rest of my cocktail, grabbed my loaner purse, and held out my hand. August took it again, and I led him away from the wall.

"I swear to never disappoint you."

He said the words quiet enough, if I had been human, I might have missed them. They were big words, but the weight he put behind them, even in his soft voice, felt sincere. I chose not to comment on them as the music switched to reggaeton, and I let out a sigh of relief. It was more my speed.

I brought August to the center of the roof where there was a mapped out dancefloor and used my hold on his hand to wrap his arm over my shoulder. We danced through two songs, our bodies finding a syncopated rhythm as though Fate designed them that way.

Maybe they did, Ahzay said halfway through the second song. I was so used to her being in my head; I didn't miss a beat.

Humans don't have mates, Ahz. You know that. Hell, you told me that.

She chuffed. Well, I like him. Don't you?

I like him enough to see what happens tonight when we leave this party.

Ahzay chuckled, finding a spot on her plains to plop down. Good. You get cranky when you go through a dry spell.

I narrowed my eyes; grateful my back was to August's front. Says the lioness who lives vicariously through me.

Maybe if you spent time with more shifters, I could have some fun of my own, she spouted.

I shook my head, happy to have August distract me when his hands slid from my hips around to my front. One hand sat high on my abdomen, the other low, and I yearned for him to keep moving them and touch my sensitive spots. Arousal thrummed through me, and I dropped my head back onto his shoulder.

"You're stunning, ," August whispered and pressed his lips to my temple.

"You're not so bad yourself," I said and caught his chin with my finger to bring his lips closer to mine. They were millimeters apart when the music skipped, and shouts rang up in its absence.

August jerked his head up, and his hands left my body. I turned to face him just as his eyes narrowed and his lips pursed.

"Excuse me," he said in a harsh tone I didn't expect from him. In all the ten minutes I'd known him.

With a sigh, I followed him with slow steps. I had no desire to get caught up in whatever was happening, but I desired Auggie.

He pushed through the crowd to the DJ booth where a guy who looked a lot like August was throwing punches at the DJ. Half of them landed, and the ones that missed left him stumbling. The closer I got, the heavier the scent of alcohol wafted from him.

"Come on, Jerrick, what the hell?" August yelled. His words gained the man's attention.

The DJ used the distraction to hit the guy, Jerrick, square in the jaw. "Get out of here, Landry. I'm sick of your shit!"

August stepped forward and caught Jerrick before he fell. "Let's go," he said, and pulled him away.

Jerrick glared at August and tried to push him off. My phone buzzed in my purse, and I took it out to see a message from Solar.

SOLAR: Hey. Shit got loud, so my friend and I cut out. I'll see you at work.

SOLAR: Hope you had fun!

ME: What the hell, Solar. You ditched me?

SOLAR: Human police are not my thing, . You should leave while you can. Unless they're your thing *shrugging emoji*

I groaned and looked up to see August standing in front of me. "I have to get my brother home," he said.

"Of course. Family is important." I knew that on an objective level. Though it wasn't a sentiment I agreed with.

"I guess. I wish we could finish what we started." August frowned. His frown deepened when Jerrick leaned toward me.

"If Auggie won't finish what he started, I will," Jerrick said with a wink.

"Thanks, but I like my men to have more—control." I looked him up and down and curled my lip. I wouldn't have been so caustic, but Solar was my ride, and my stuff was at her apartment, so I didn't have the money to take a cab home.

"Bitch. What would I want with someone like you? Your tits aren't—" Jerrick's slurred words cut off when August jerked him to the side.

"Shut up." He looked at me and shook his head. "Sorry, ."

"It's fine. I've dealt with it before." I shrugged.

Jerrick snorted as August's jaw ticked and he furrowed his brows. "It's not. And you don't seem fine either. Is it just Jer, or is it something else?"

Oh, he's observant, too. A keeper, for sure.

He's not a ‘keeper' Ahz. He's going home and I need to find us a way to get back to our place.

She turned her back on me, and I rolled my eyes, forgetting that August could see me. "My friend left without me, and she was my ride," I said, opting for the truth.

"We can give you a ride," August said quickly.

"No, we fucking can't. Leave the ho here." Jerrick glared, and August pushed him away roughly.

"Maybe I'll leave you here. Let the police deal with you."

"You won't. I bet good ol' Griswold sent you. You don't want to upset him." Jerrick slapped his hand on August's shoulder and tried to steer him away. "We need to get out of here before the police show up. Marco is a dick and I'm sure he called them."

August shook him off. "Come with us, . I'll drop him off and take you home."

I hesitated. August and I just met, and even though I knew I could handle myself; I wasn't sure I wanted to go with him. What choice was there, though? I had no other option to get home? Well, no other options that didn't include stealing from someone. "Sure. I appreciate it."

Jerrick huffed but let August lead him away. There was a line for the elevator, so August jerked his head toward the stairs, and I followed behind them. After Jerrick stumbled down a few steps, I helped August get him down the rest of them.

There was a black town car waiting out front, and a bald man with a goatee and a salt and pepper mustache leaning against the front passenger side.

"I thought you couldn't wait," August said as he led us to the car.

"Your father sent me back to get you. You were right. He's in for a long night." The man straightened and opened the back passenger door.

August pushed Jerrick in first, then he thanked the man and held his hand to me. "This is my friend, . After we get Jerrick home, can we take her to her place?"

"I don't see why not. Hello, ."

I blinked at them. Who was this man that had a personal driver?