Silver Blood (Series of Blood Book 1) by Emma Hamm (bill gates book recommendations .TXT) 📕

Dealing with them would be a little more dangerous than what she was used to, but it was possible.

There was no way she was going to consider taking the job Burke had offered her. It was impractical and likely more dangerous than her current situation.

She walked up to the door that led into Pitch’s warehouse. There was no line, but then there never would be. Pitch didn’t want anyone who wasn’t invited knowing where they were. A burly guard stood at the door with patches of skin that were grey and rough as stone.

“Wren Rowan.”

“Who?”

She sighed. “Wren.”

He looked down at the clipboard in his hand. His bulbous eyes squinted down at the paper as he struggled to read. Wren could see that he was having a little bit of trouble, so she leaned over him to point at her name.

“Ah. Thank you.”

“Of course.”

Gargoyles had terrible eyesight. At least the human mixed ones did. They were perfectly fine in decent light, but as soon as the night came out, it was a little harder. The gargoyle part of them wanted to be let out, but a body changing from flesh to stone was bound to cause a little trouble.

She swept past him through the door that led to a massive crowd of people, which were packed shoulder to shoulder. This was what she had been looking for. The ability to disappear entirely for a few moments as more interesting people overpowered her existence.

Wren paused for a moment to take in the sights of the people who stood before her. A woman with a magnificent hat passed her by, and the bird on top of it craned its neck to stare down at her. A man wearing the skin of a massive snake like a cape was talking to another woman whose skin seemed to glow with a green light.

There were so many people here, all with different capabilities and backgrounds. Wren thought it likely that everyone was going to let their magical creatures out to roam for a while as well. This was the perfect space for it. There wasn’t much that the magical creatures could do contained within this warehouse.

Even they knew that if a fight broke out, their hosts would be tossed from the party in seconds flat. Gargoyles stood as sentries around the ground. A few cat eyed men were mingling with people as well. Wren recognized them as Pitch’s personal bodyguards. They were as ruthless in their abilities as assassins.

She blended into the crowd easily. As she pushed her way past a woman whose snake tongue flickered out to taste the air, the spider legs around her ribs shifted. Apparently it wasn’t very comfortable near a snake. Wren wasn’t exactly comfortable either.

A wall of people rose before her as she reached the center of the crowd. No one was looking at her. They were all engrossed in their own conversations and couldn’t be bothered to notice the woman in black. Wren enjoyed every second of this rarity. She wasn’t a Curiosity in this moment. She wasn’t even a Juice maker. She was simply a shadow that could soak in the little details of the crowd.

“Finding everything to your liking?” a voice murmured from over her shoulder.

“Not my type of party.” Wren was quick to reply.

She turned to look Pitch up and down. Somehow he always managed to find her, even in a mass of people such as this. Tonight he was dressed in black slacks and a silken red shirt that split wide to bare his pale chest. A long silver chain hung nearly to his belly button where a black claw swung with his movements.

“We’ll make it your type of party with a drink.” He offered his arm, and Wren took it with a soft smile.

“You’re going out of your way to make this enjoyable for me, Pitch. The dress is really quite incredible.” And his actions were certainly suspicious.

“Considering you’re my biggest competitor, I suppose I should.”

“Please.” She wasn’t his biggest competitor, and she wasn’t particularly pleased that he was calling her that. The last thing she needed was people thinking she had more power and money than she did. But at least he was trying.

Pitch guided her through the crowd as though she was a prize to be had. Women stared at her with disdain, and the gaze of the men suddenly became heated. Wren had to try very hard not to roll her eyes as she passed through the line of people that suddenly parted for her in a wave.

“Really, Pitch. Are you trying to embarrass me?”

“I’m trying to make sure you enjoy yourself,” he murmured in her ear. He was far too close for comfort. She could feel the heat of his body against her spine.

“I don’t think that’s why you invited me.”

“Also to make you uncomfortable.” Pitch grinned.

Finally, they had made it to the bar. Wren’s face was flushed, and her knees were slightly shaking. She didn’t know why precisely. It wasn’t because she was attracted to Pitch, she had never been attracted to him. But perhaps it was the attention that the crowd was giving someone like her when his hand lingered on her waist.

This was foolish. This was the last thing she should be doing when all she wanted to do was disappear into a crowd for a little while.

“Pitch, what’s the angle for this.”

“No angle, love.” He propped his hip against the nearest bar stool and stared down at her. “Why would I have to have an angle to pay attention to a lovely thing like you?”

His hand reached as though to touch a curl that had fallen in front of her face. Wren slapped his hand away from her with a loud crack.

“Quit it, Pitch. What’s going on?”

“Really, why can’t you ever have a little fun?” He sighed, and crossed his arms over his chest. “Alright look, I have an important client who’s interested in commissioning you.”

“Right.” She turned towards the bartender. “Can I have a Flying