Vengeance (The Prince's Games Book 1) by Rebecca Grey (electric book reader TXT) 📕

any other Hybrids. Now, actually watching the room with closer scrutiny, I realize there are Hybrids of all different races, but all of them appear to work here.

It'd be smart of me to stick near one of the two that sees some sort of value in me. I may be able to take an Elf down with the element of surprise or fight my way out of a Vampire’s grasp to run a blade through their heart, but that is in one on one combat. If a swarm of them came down on me... I wouldn't be too proud to run. You don't stay alive as a Human in The Bend by being cocky and taking on more than you can handle.

Marcello is long gone. It's truly surprising how well someone like him can blend in when he's wearing a neon colored jacket. I look for him anyway, even as I inch toward Juilliard.

Small tables with one or two chairs are set up sporadically between couches, loveseats, and accent chairs. The only space in the room without these things is the corner diagonal from Juilliard where a band is set up playing under dim lighting. Lamps with red bulbs inside of them rock overhead, giving me the impression that this building is just as safe as any other in The Bend, meaning that structurally it's not really safe at all.

Stairs lead up from the first floor to the second where it's exposed by rusting iron railings. A few couples and a throuple are pressed against it in various forms of sex. Well, somewhat hidden sex, not a one of them has their clothing completely removed, but there is no mistaking that body parts are being inserted into other bodies.

My foot catches on some trim that is popping off the wall and I adjust for the sudden misstep quickly, righting myself before I get to Juilliard's table. He doesn't look at me or quit puffing away on his cigar, but he is aware of my presence as he pats the second chair at the table.

I hug my cloak to my body and slip around him, hoping that his scent will cover mine. I doubt that it does. I'm most certain that it doesn't at all, when the Vampire dancing for him goes a little stiff and her eyes start to focus on me. She keeps dancing, standing on the table with her heels clicking against the scratched metal top and her breasts exposed for everyone to see.

"I could get you your own dancer," Juilliard says as he catches his dancer still watching me.

"No. I'm not attracted to women." Many of them were beautiful girls, with features and scarless faces that I'd love to have, but none of it arouses me. In fact, the idea that we are here enjoying them is annoying enough.

"A shame," Juilliard sighs with a smile lifting his chin back to the Vampire. "They are such beautiful creatures."

"And is one of these beautiful creatures going to be on our team?"

He nods, opening his mouth to speak, but a feminine voice raises with a shout countered by the deep voice of a man. Both of us snap our attention across the room where two men bellow and point at one another. A woman quickly stands to step between them. In their rage at one another, the woman is thrown out of the way, tumbling back into her cushy leather seat.

Her voice rises, cheeks turning red. She’s on her feet again in a heartbeat, grabbing ahold of one of their shirts and her head collides with his in a bone shattering crack that can be heard where we sit. His body buckles, his muscles going lax, and he crumples to the ground.

"Is that Hedda?" I whisper to Juilliard.

A shot explodes, making the entire crowd flinch. My ears ring as I watch the bullet slice through the second man’s head. Juilliard lifts his hand to point to where the gun shot had come from on the second floor. An Orc with short white hair and a crooked nose crouches, balanced perfectly on the railing.

"That's Hedda," he says.

"Hedda's a good shot." So good that she was able to shoot the man dead center of the skull around all these people constantly moving about. I'm amazed she hadn't hit someone else by accident, or missed in the sway of her own drunkenness.

Next to Hedda, Marcello looks smug. His eyes catch mine and his smile falters before he lifts it back up and waves Juilliard and I to him.

A few of the girls are leaving their posts to help carry the two bodies outside, one unconscious the other dripping blood along the way. No one else stops their activities though, no one else cares or bats an eye. This must be a regular occurrence then. How can she keep her business open if she's shooting the patrons?

"Let’s go," Juilliard stands, snubbing his cigar out, but keeping it gripped in his hand. He gives his dancer one more long look, the slightest pout tugging his mouth down into a frown before he starts moving into the crowd.

My gaze flicks up to the dancer who smiles down at me with one upticked brow. I shake my head no, as if that should be warning enough for her and hurry after Juilliard. He reaches a hand out, touching a dancer here or there as he passes, giving them a sly smirk or a cocky wink when they look up at him. His fingers trail over a bare ass as one woman bends leaning into the touch, forcing me to step around her.

It takes effort on my part for my hands to remain at my sides to keep from pushing the Elf up the stairs. Pulling my hood away from my eyes just a bit, I turn to look back at our vacant table to see if