A Werewolf, A Vampire, and A Fae Walk Into A Bar (Book 1 of The Last Witch Series) novel Chapter 35

"What the--" I lean away from Darius, so far that he has to reach out and catch me before both Rain and I fall ass over tea kettle. I have so many questions, I don't even know where to begin. "What does Nanny have to do with this Order of the Star? And what do you mean that's when you met her?"

He looks deep into my eyes. There’s a pain in his gaze, and I can’t tell if it stems from a past hurt of his own, or if he fears hurting me with his words. Either way, he’s showing a vulnerability I never expected to see.

Just as he opens his mouth to speak, I hear footsteps pounding up the stairs. They’re coming up two at a time, so I know it’s AJ.

“Hey, what are you dorks doing up here?” She seems a little out of breath, and I can tell it’s not just from her trip up to the apartment.

“The bar is, like, packed. Jennifer called a hoard of horny moms when you said there was an exotic dancer.”

I peek back at Darius who’s already staring my way. I no longer notice that sweet vulnerability from two seconds earlier.

AJ is oblivious to the non-verbal conversation happening as she talks. “They brought cash and they’re like, I dunno, tigers at feeding time. If someone doesn’t start dancing soon, I think they’re gonna burn the place down.”

Stubborn as he is, I’ve got no idea if Darius will actually help us out. As much as I want to see him dancing while the ladies of Rowley stuff dollar bills into his thong, it’s a little hard to imagine. On top of all that, we still have to deal with the bombshell he just dropped on me.

To my surprise, Darius simply nods at AJ. "Mustn't disappoint the ladies," he says. He winks at me and then follows her quickly down the stairs.

Not one to let someone else have the last word, I mentally shout at him. This conversation isn't over, vamp boy.

He doesn't reply, but I do hear him laughing in my mind.

He's such a damn pain in the ass.

I strap Rain into her carrier and follow them down. The moment I open the door to the bar I stop short, staring in wonder at a sight I've never seen in my life.

Like AJ said, the place is packed. Mostly with women, which is definitely a first for Morgan’s. The few men I see are regulars, all looking fairly uncomfortable. I’ll have to remember to comp their drinks tonight as an apology. Or maybe AJ can nymph them all into high spirits. That might be a better plan. I also spot Michael and his husband in the corner drinking a few of Rune's magical elixirs. When Michael sees me, he grins and raises a glass.

I smile and nod, then follow his gaze to a makeshift stage one of the guys must have rigged while I was upstairs. Rune, no longer behind the bar, is playing a harp--where the hell did we get a harp?--in a way I've never heard one played before. It’s majestic, both the song he’s playing and the way that he plays. I could watch him all night, but it appears the crowd is getting antsy for something else.

“Where’s the strippah?!” A female voice yells from the middle of the room, inspiring a cheer of assent from the ladies around her. I scan the room for Darius but don’t see him. Did he bail? Is dancing the one thing in life that scares him, and he’s fled back to his realm?

I get my answer almost immediately, as a shadowy figure drops from the ceiling and lands in a crouch on the stage. I don’t know if he climbed to the ceiling earlier or just tricked the crowd with some vampire shit, but either way they all lose their freaking minds.

Darius is still fully dressed and he doesn’t move anything except his eyes as he surveys the audience before him. The crowd falls into a hush, waiting for what will come next. I see Darius give a quick look at Zev, then he turns to Rune who begins to play something different.

This new harp song is nothing like the first. It’s fast and intense, and it has me imagining a bunch of serious-faced fae at a rave.

As the music ramps up, the Dance of Darius begins. It’s rhythmic and fast, almost violent, but controlled and intoxicating. It’s like he’s breakdancing and gyrating and booty shaking all at the same time, and he hasn’t even taken his clothes off. That’s going to have to change if he wants to keep all the ladies interested.

As if on cue, Zev lunges at Darius, his teeth sinking into the vampire's black silk shirt, pulling it off dramatically. The crowd screams with fear and excitement. A wolf just attacked the dancer, but now the dancer is shirtless with his six… no wait, eight-pack on full display. Good grief vamp boy is ripped.