Lycan on the Edge: Broken Heart Book 13 (8 page)

transformed into a disco palace. The pounding

music reverberated loudly and Sophie’s werewolf

ears throbbed. The curse of having superior

senses, she supposed. She studied the floor-to-

ceiling brass poles, decorated with glitter, of

course. Rumor had it the place had once been a

strip joint called Barley and Boobs. That was

before Broken Heart had become a parakind

community protected from the outside world. The

only humans who lived here now remained

connected to the paranormal, such as vampire

donors or mates.

Sophie and Brianna squeezed through the

crowd to the makeshift bar and ordered

champagne. Oh, look. Edible glitter.

“Drink up, darling.” Brianna grinned, tipped

her glass and drank. Sophie did the same.

“Let’s boogie!” Brianna dragged her to the

dance floor.

Holding their glasses high, they gyrated to the

music. After a while, the tension slid from

Sophie’s body. She hadn’t been out like this in a

long, long time, and it felt good. Damn good.

“You have a secret,” said Brianna.

Brianna’s words froze her. How could she

possibly know what Sophie hid? She’d told no

one. Not even Kelsey. Besides, those sessions

were completely confidential.

Brianna hit Sophie with a radiant smile.

“What’s his name?”

Oh. That secret.

Sophie nonchalantly sipped her drink, swayed

to the music, and played dumb. “Who?”

“The guy who has your tail twisted in a knot. Is

it true love, darling?” Brianna looked at her, her

smile gentle. “It’s better to know love and suffer its

arrows than never to know it at all.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“I have no idea. I heard a human say it once.”

The barn door slid open, and a jumble of

people entered, laughing and talking. Sophie

glanced at them and nearly swallowed her tongue.

Trent. He’d arrived with Gabriel and Patsy.

Brianna craned her neck around. “What? Did

you see a movie star? A ghost? An ex-lover?” She

wiggled her brows. “A new lover?”

Sophie gulped hard, nearly choking on her

drink. Trent was dressed in Converse sneakers,

tight faded jeans, and a Polo shirt. The

werewolves took a table near the dance floor. She

saw Trent searching the crowd, and when his eyes

connected with hers, he smiled.

Sophie’s heart ached for him, but she couldn’t

bring herself to let go.

“Don’t keep me in suspense, darling! Who is

it?”

“None of your business,” she snapped.

Brianna danced around in a circle until she

faced the same direction as Sophie. “Found him!

Blue polo, jeans, and devastating smile. His

naughty gaze is totally undressing you.” Brianna

whirled again, shimmying her hips and Sophie

followed, realizing too late that her friend had

danced them practically next to Trent’s table. His

appreciative gaze took in her appearance. His eyes

went dark, desire widening his irises.

Brianna giggled. Then grabbed Sophie’s arm

and dragged her back into the dancers.

“What are you doing?”

“Making him chase you,” she said gleefully.

“Men of all species love the chase.”

“I’m not the prize in a hunting contest.”

“But you could be,” Brianna said.

Sophie put her fists on her hips. “But I’m not.”

“Werewolves!

You

take

everything

so

seriously.” Brianna led Sophie to a darkened

corner of the barn and kept them in the shadows.

“Let’s see how much he wants you.”

TRENT CUT THROUGH the dancers, unable to

see Sophie or the fae. He fought to control the

emotions twisting inside him. The outfit she’d

worn, a pale green dress that accented every curve

of her sensual body, he’d nearly swallowed his

tongue. And when their eyes connected for the split

second, he knew without a shadow of a doubt he

wanted Sophie. Badly. Every cell in his being

called out for her. Her touch. Her kiss. Her words.

With a groan of frustration, he stopped

searching and returned to the table. Gabriel looked

at him with raised eyebrows.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing.” He drank his beer and shared a look

with his wife.

Patsy leaned over, placing a hand on his arm.

“Are you all right? You look like you’ve been

struck by lightning.”

“I think it’s worse than that,” he said.

“Things are complicated with Sophie?”

“More so than expected.”

Patsy squeezed his arm. “You’re not giving up

on her, are you?”

“Hell, no.” The vehement force in which he

said the words not only surprised Patsy, it

surprised Trent as well. He meant them. He would

not give up on Sophie Lennox. Ever. He was

beginning to suspect he needed her as much as she

needed him...even if she didn’t know it yet.

“Then why are you sitting here?” Patsy asked.

“Go, already.”

Trent kissed Patsy’s cheek, waved good-bye to

his friends, and once again, weaved through the

crowd of enthusiastic dancers. He thought he saw

the pale green of Sophie’s dress in the back of the

barn. He followed that spot of green to a shadowy

corner where Sophie and Brianna sat at a lone

table sipping bubbly drinks.

Brianna’s curious gaze swept him from head to

feet, her smile curling as she reached some

conclusion.

“May I?” Trent gestured to the empty chair.

“I insist,” said Brianna. She held out her hand.

“I’m Brianna. Best friend, confidante, and all-

around-wonderful fae.”

“Trent Clayton. Handyman, werewolf, and all-

around-good guy,” Trent clasped Brianna’s offered

hand. He sat down. “You throw a helluva party.”

“Yes. Yes, I do.” She laughed. She pointed a

bejeweled finger at him. “Oo-la-la. You have

certainly put a spell on our Sophie.”

“I have?” He looked at Sophie. His heart

thundered in his chest, and his palms turned

clammy. Shit. “Hi, Sophie.”

“Hi, Trent.” Her gaze was on his. He could

sense her desire in her expression, her body

language, and in the raging pheromones that

matched his own. Sophie wanted him as badly as

he wanted her—at least that’s what he hoped.

Brianna popped to her feet and announced, “I

need more bubbly.” She waved at Sophie and

Trent, and then, disappeared into the crowd.

“Is she coming back?” asked Trent.

“Probably not. She has the attention span of a

spastic puppy.”

“Ah.” Trent took Brianna’s seat so he could be

closer to Sophie. A flowery scent infiltrated his

senses, and underneath, the subtle scent of Sophie.

His mouth dried, and he swallowed the nervous

knot in his throat. She was beautiful. He curbed his

desire to kiss the daylights out of her. Instead, he

plucked a blonde curl from her shoulder. “You

look beautiful. The dress is terrific.”

“Thank you.” Self-consciously, she pulled up

on the fabric near her ample cleavage. “Brianna’s

work.”

Trent heard the quick intake of breath as he

used the curl to trace her collarbone. She wet her

lips. Her lush mouth begged for a kiss, and her

brown eyes telegraphed a potent desire.

Trent played with the silky tendril of hair,

wrapping it around his finger, then dropped it. He

stood, his gaze never leaving Sophie’s face, and

caressed her neck until his fingers reached the

fluttering pulse at the base of her throat. Her breath

hitched, her lips parted, and no longer able to

resist; Trent leaned close.

“I can’t resist you.” He cupped the back of her

neck and gave her a fraction of a second to reject

his advances before capturing her lips. She tasted

of mints and alcohol. He traced her closed lips

with his tongue, and she instantly opened under his

tender onslaught.

Trent drank her earthy sweetness, tasting the

corners, nibbling her lower lip. She swallowed

her breathless moan, and only then did he slide his

tongue inside, drawing her into an intimate dance,

deepening his possession.

Fire raced through his veins as Sophie

responded, mating her mouth to his, stroking and

suckling, with an animalistic fierceness that

matched his own.

“Let’s get out of here,” Trent murmured.

Sophie pulled away, her eyes swirling with

need and desire. Doubt seeped into her gaze, and

he ached to wipe that look from her eyes. She still

didn’t trust him, and he wanted Sophie’s trust.

Right now, though, he’d settle for whatever she

gave him. He lowered his head and took Sophie’s

mouth again, pouring the heat of his blood, the

thunder of his heart, the cry of his soul into their

kiss.

When they pulled apart, Sophie whispered,

“Let’s go.”

Slipping out of the barn, Trent clasped

Sophie’s hand as they walked through the high

grass. The moon shone, and the stars twinkled.

Wind rattled through the trees, harmonizing with

the cricket night songs. Trent inhaled the faint

scents of roses and honeysuckle. When he glanced

at Sophie, she was staring at him.

“Sophie.” He let go of her hand and drew her

into his embrace. “I want to touch you. Kiss you.

Make love to you.”

Her eyes went wide, and she sucked in a

startled breath. “We hardly know each other,

Trent.” Her brows dipped into a frown. “I know

you said you’re trying to help me. And you did

manage to take away my panic. But there’s more

going on, isn’t there? You’re keeping secrets from

me.”

“So are you,” he said softly. “More happened

to you in Oregon. There are details you haven’t

shared.” He cupped her cheek. “You show me

yours, and I’ll show you mine.”

The shrill ring of her cell phone startled her.

Saved by the bell. She opened her clutch and

pulled out the smart phone. The display said,

“Nana.”

“Did you win at Ultimate Bingo?”

“No time, Sophie. This is my only call.”

Nana’s sigh would’ve filled up a hot air balloon.

“I’m in the joint. The clink. The slammer. The big

J!”

Sophie

stilled,

comprehension

slowly

dawning. “What did you do?”

“I decked Elvis.”

“You what?”

“It’s a long story. Short version: I’m in jail. I

need you to bail me out.”

“Oh, my God. Which jail?”

“The one in Las Vegas.”

“Las Vegas, Nevada?”

“No, Las Vegas, France,” snarked Nana. “I

suggest hopping on the nearest vampire. It’s faster

than booking a flight.” Nana hung up, but Sophie

listened to the dial tone for a full ten seconds,

hoping the voice that sounded so much like Nana’s

had not really been her dear, 80-year-old

grandmother announcing she was an Elvis-decking

criminal behind bars in downtown Las Vegas. The

entire phone call had been a delusion. A dream. A

catastrophe. What the hell had happened to

Ultimate Bingo?

She looked up and met Trent’s worried gaze.

“Sophie, what’s wrong?”

CHAPTER SIX

TRANSPO BY VAMPIRE had been ditched in

favor of Patsy and Gabriel’s Cessna Citation X+, a

personal luxury jet that happened to be the fastest

in the world. Trent insisted on coming with her,

and she insisted that no one else go. As