Page 7 of Little Wing (Shades of Fairhaven #1)
I stood, mesmerized as the dark-haired woman dashed out of the bar, her hair whipping swiftly behind her.
All that remained was the glare of the woman behind the bar, watching me stare at the door with my mouth ajar.
She was certainly acquainted with the fleeing creature, at least from what I picked up from their conversation earlier that evening.
With one quick swallow, I finished off the second bottle of crimson and set it on the counter in front of the woman now eyeing me suspiciously.
“Anything else I can get you?” she asked, taking the empty bottle away.
“Actually,” I said, starting my inquiry with a low purr. “That one—” I nodded toward the door. “Is she a regular?”
The woman rolled up the sleeves of her plaid flannel, keeping her expression unmoved. “Who’s asking?”
I chuckled softly at her defensiveness and rubbed the shaved side of my head.
Clearly I needed to warm up to the barkeep before I got any information about the woman whose presence lingered in my mind like a phantom.
They must be friends, and if I wanted to get more information, I would have to play nice.
I was nice, right? This wouldn’t be a problem at all.
“My apologies. Here I am asking questions like I deserve answers served on a silver platter without having even introduced myself. My mother taught me better than that.” I bowed my head before looking up at her, flashing a look that few human women were able to resist. “My name is Silas. I’ve been here a few times over the years, but I suppose I never stuck around long enough to truly enjoy this space.
It’s nice,” I commented. “Very… rustic.”
Her dark brows raised slowly. “Ah, so you’re just here to pick off the scraps? Whoever is too tipsy to have any self-respect about going home with you?”
I slapped my hand against my chest, feigning pain.
“Wow! I’d never!” I pushed off from the counter and ran a hand through my hair again.
When her expression failed to soften, I tugged on my blazer, straightening it.
“And listen, I can’t help if someone finds me attractive.
Humans, vampires—we both have needs, right?
But that’s not why I’m talking to you.” I turned on my heel and pointed to the door.
“That woman with the black hair. Do you know anything about her?”
“Buddy, I’m not some snitch. You want information about my customers, you can speak to them yourself. If they choose to answer you, then that’s their decision.” Her tone didn’t hold even a fraction of the warmth that she shared with the enigma I chased.
By that point, I’d normally drop it and move on.
But something happened between me and the strange woman when our eyes met across the crowd.
In that split second, I felt like I had a taste of mystery, and I needed to chase it until I knew everything about the woman who ran. Whoever she was… I needed to know.
Fine. I could play this game. I bit down on my lip, flashing my pointed canines momentarily before pulling out a few more bills to slide across the counter. When the woman produced another bottle of crimson, I took it.
“Understood,” I stated. “I suppose I’ll just have to come around more often. See you tomorrow then…” I paused, looking back at her. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t catch your name?”
“Kait,” she responded quickly.
“Kait—a pleasure,” I said with a quick tip of my imaginary hat before I quickly downed the bottle of crimson and set the empty bottle back on the counter. I flashed another smug grin and rushed out of The Royal Nomad.
I don’t know what I expected when I stepped out onto the street.
Did I honestly think I’d get lucky for another moment in the mystery woman’s presence?
Well, no such luck. The streets were practically empty.
While I paced in front of the bar, I looked down at my watch.
Daylight was still hours away, and I had no desire to go back home.
Mateo would likely still be out with Quinn and my mind was still too mystified by the energy of that woman.
Despite not spending much time in human bars, I knew I wouldn’t have missed a woman like that.
She had a peculiar energy about her—one that I couldn’t place among the buzzed crowd.
The bartender wasn’t wrong about some things—I knew well what effect I had on women.
I was no stranger to that attention, not back home in London, and certainly not in the States.
Though Kait made me out to sound like some sort of slimeball, I wasn’t on the prowl for intoxicated women.
I only entertained those who could clearly consent and expressed willing interest in letting me sink my fangs into them.
There was something so delicious about a woman who allowed herself to loosen up that never failed to send a lightning bolt straight to my cock. I was horny, not an asshole .
Taking another look at my watch to see the hour barely passed, I pulled my phone out and inhaled sharply.
The scent of warmth and liquor beckoned me.
Over my shoulder, I found a brunette leaning against the brick wall of the bar.
She wasn’t dressed for the season with her red dress leaving little to my imagination.
She didn’t bother hiding her sultry eyes dancing over my body either.
“Hey there, fangs.”
“Fangs?” I scoffed, pushing my phone back into the pocket of my pants. “You like to play a dangerous game. What if I called you ‘blood bag’?”
“Ooh, fangs has an accent. Can you say, ‘bottle of water’?”
I smirked and nodded down the street. She wasn’t plastered, but tipsy enough to tempt me.
“You donating?” I asked, licking my bottom lip.
The woman pushed off from the wall and led me to her car where she wasted little time in climbing into my lap in the backseat.
I did this so many times before that it didn’t really matter who it was that allowed me to touch them.
Yet this time, I could barely concentrate on the human riding me.
Her moans sounded shrill and I pressed my hand to her mouth before I bit down on her neck to taste her liquor-laced blood.
I did this so many times.
It always tasted the same.
That night I didn’t come and left the brunette limp with pleasure in the backseat of her car.
My mind remained plagued by the vision of the onyx-haired woman. If she was truly a regular at that human bar, then our paths would cross again. I would make sure of it.