Page 81 of Galen

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On the outskirts of the city, hidden amongst abandoned warehouses and an old run-down factory, was a nightclub for the damned.

“It’s a safe place for paranormal beings,” Bellamy said, fixing his hair in the back seat of Galen’s car. “So we can let loose without fear of discovery. Vampires bring their human pets, wolves fuck like… well, wolves. There are reapers, shapeshifters, and fae. But you don’t want to mess with them.”

“Why?” I asked, turning in my seat to look back at him. “Aren’t faeries good?”

“Faeries are mischievous creatures,” he responded. “They switch from good to bad in the blink of an eye. You never know whose side they’re really on. Whichever side serves them better at the time, usually.” He flashed a charming smile. “But you have nothing to worry about. They might be troublesome little pricks, but they’re not dumb enough to mess with Galen.”

Galen smirked and kept his eyes on the road.

A week had passed since the night we made things official between us. When he came with me to work, there was no more pretending in front of Kyo. However, I got the feeling he hadn’t been pretending any of the other times either. Every sweet gesture, kind word, playful jab, and protective instinct had been what he’d truly felt.

I knew that now.

I reached over and grabbed his hand. He linked our fingers and softly smiled.

“You two are seriously too sweet,” Bellamy said with a sigh. “Tell me again why you’re coming with me to the club? Shouldn’t you be doing lovey-dovey shit like fucking each other’s brains out on a bed covered in rose petals or something?”

I snorted. “We’ve never done that.”

Bellamy tossed me a grin. “It’s not typically my thing, but if Galen isn’t meeting your needs, little human, I can fuck you on some rose petals. Just say the word.”

“Bell…” Galen said, a warning ringing in his voice.

“I’m kidding,” Bellamy said, rolling his eyes. “He reeks of your scent. Anyone within a mile radius knows who he belongs to.”

My chest fluttered, and I turned my face toward the window to hide my smile.

After over a month of nightly patrols and all the craziness over the ring, the brothers needed a night out. Even Nephilim warriors needed time to unwind every now and then. The nightclub for supernatural beings would give them the escape they needed.

There was also a “no fighting” rule once you stepped through the doors. Any beings caught in a tussle would be kicked off the premises, and according to Galen, sometimes without their heads, depending on the severity of the fight.

“Who owns the club?” I asked as we neared the warehouse.

“A vamp named Konnar,” Galen answered. “He’s one of the oldest vampires around.”

“Do you guys not kill vampires? If you’re charged with protecting humans, shouldn’t you hate them?”

“It’s a weird relationship. I’ll give you that,” Bellamy said. “Our main priority is demon hunting, though sometimes we butcher vamps if they go rogue and start killing in excess.”

“So you’re like executioners,” I said.

“I guess you could say that.” Galen gently squeezed my fingers before releasing my hand. He turned down a narrow side street.

“Konnar usually handles that though,” Bellamy added. “They’re his people, so he’s the one who passes down punishment when necessary. Same for Bane. He’s the alpha of the local wolf pack. If one of his wolves step out of line, he puts them in their place. We’re only called in for extreme cases. It keeps harmony among our kinds.”

I let everything mull around in my head. A spike of nerves shot through me suddenly. I’d be surrounded by vampires, wolves, and god only knew what else.

“Are you sure it’s okay that I go with you to the club?”

“Of course,” Galen said. “I’ll keep you safe. You have nothing to fear.”

“Humans go there all the time,” Bellamy said. “Some are with vamps, others with shapeshifters. Konnar hires some of them to be waiters. You’ll be fine, I promise.”

Relieved, I nodded. Beneath the nerves, I was excited. I would finally get to meet other paranormal creatures. Were vampires like the ones I read about in books? What did werewolves really look like? Were faeries little blinking lights like fromPeter Pan?

“You’re smiling,” Galen said, pulling into a lot with other cars. “Good.”