Unbound: The Cursed Trilogy, Book One by Betty Legend (small books to read .txt) 📕

After a ride out of the city, we take a few winding roads back toward the city. As we cruise down a few dark streets, Emeric slows his bike. He comes to a stop outside a warehouse, drops his kickstand, then waits for me to do the same.

“What is this place?”

“A club.”

Emeric hangs his helmet on the handlebars of his bike, then puts out his hand for me. Walking with him to a rusty, brown metal door, he knocks three times, then gives me a sideways glance and winks.

“Don’t be nervous. You’re with me.”

He must’ve read the expression on my face. This place looks sketchy. I wouldn’t want to be here alone or without a strong supernatural with magic coursing through his veins. Without the warmth of Emeric’s hand, I’d probably be more tense than I am.

A massive man with bulging arm muscles and a patch over his left eye opens the door and grunts.

“A bloodred moon,” Emeric blurts out.

The doorman grunts again as he nods his head. Opening the door wider, he allows us access, and we’re ushered into a long, dimly lit corridor. At the end of the corridor, there are flashing lights and loud, thumping music.

“Is this a supernatural club?”

“Yeah. You’ll meet a lot of unsavory characters here, so stay close to me.”

The nerves I had outside don’t compare to the nerves bunching in my belly now. Stepping out of the corridor brings us onto a metal balcony. Stairs ahead lead down to a pit where a DJ on a platform is blaring dance music, and all around him is an array of supernaturals, some who look human and others that don’t. The flashing lights and sconces on the side walls are the only light the place has to offer. As the spotlights move over the crowd, sparkles twinkle on the dresses of the female dancers.

My eyes squint to clearly see the balcony on the other side. It looks like a VIP lounge of some sort with upholstered chairs facing each other and a scantily dressed dancer in the center of them.

Taking my hand, Emeric leads me down the stairs. With each step, the beat of the music is loosening the tension in my muscles. Placing his hand under my shirt, Emeric rests his hand at my lower back, guiding me to a bar along the wall.

Emeric lifts two fingers at the bartender with long, black dreadlocks. “Two fireball shots.”

The dark-skinned supernatural gives a nod and pulls two glasses from under the counter. Filling them with the cinnamon liquid, he pushes them toward us, his radiant gold eyes lingering on me.

“Enjoy.”

“Thank you.”

Emeric and I empty our shots, then slide the glasses across the counter. The muscled hunk with dreadlocks curls his lip, revealing a short, pointy fang.

Leaning closer to Emeric, I lower my voice.

“What kind of supernatural is the bartender?”

“He’s a were-jaguar.”

“A what?”

“A shapeshifter. He shapeshifts into a black jaguar.”

“What is a were-jaguar doing in New York?”

“There is a hell of a lot of supernaturals in New York. It’s easy to hide here.”

“How do you hide a big ass black cat in the city?”

“Does he look like a big ass black cat now?”

“No, but…”

“The woods, babe. That’s where they go to roam freely.”

Emeric ushers me to the dance floor before I can say another word. The music beat is thumping hard in my ears, the aroma of cologne, lust, and sweat all around us. Wrapping his strong arms around my waist, he brings me to his chest, then lowers his hand, palming my ass, and motivates my hips to sway in sync with his. I like this, the feel of his hard chest and hot body molded to mine as he takes control.

Slipping my hands under his t-shirt sleeves, I finger the soft feathers protruding from his back. That must excite him because he breathes harder against my ear, then sucks my lobe into his mouth, his fangs scraping lightly across my skin as he pulls away. The sensation is arousing as the hardening of his dick against my thigh. His response leads me to caress his feathers more, and before long, he’s moaning as his lips smother mine.

“Are you done holding back, pretty witch? Because I’m ready to show you what you’re missing in your life.”

This guardian is as sexy as he is arrogant, but I admit I’m coming to like it as a part of his charm.

“You’re growing on me, lover boy. Don’t push it.” I wink before sucking his bottom lip into my mouth and letting it out slowly. Emeric squeezes my cheeks tight.

“I think you have a little demon in you, too.”

Turning in his arms, I hold his hands in mine, hugging us to each other as we move with the music as his kisses continue along the column of my neck.

In front of us, a skinny, dark-haired man with eerily pale blue eyes locks his eyes on me and the way Emeric is kissing me. The hunger in his eyes tenses my body, and my hands warm with magic. Emeric must sense it. He raises his lips from my neck and growls… literally growls.

“You touch, you die.” Lifting his hand, a dark red-orange essence fills his palm, swirling in a ball.

The strange man with pale eyes and sunken cheeks scowls, a sharp, lengthy fang visible beneath his top lip. Moving into the crowd, he disappears, and my body relaxes.

“What was he?”

“A vampire.”

“No fucking way. They exist?”

“Yeah, unfortunately.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’re entitled, devious assholes.”

“One could say the same about you.”

Emeric laughs against my ear. “Touché.” With a quick glance around our surroundings, he lowers his voice next to my ear. “Vampires hide among humans the most easily, so they have more wealth and are integrated into human society, but behind closed doors, they’re as devilish as demons.”

“Have you fought one?”

“Yes.”

“Who won?”

“Neither of us. Our magic clashed and threw us into walls we smashed through.”

“Was this at your university?”

“Yeah.”

Using my arm, he spins me around, bringing me face-to-face with his wickedly handsome face,