Page 17 of Of Blackened Blood (The Blackened Blade #3)

Back in the abattoir, Mallyn had gifted me a customised motorbike jacket.

He had the letter M sewn in silk purple embroidery onto its black-and-white leather and had gotten it in a larger size for my comfort.

He even got me all sorts of cool patches to put on it too.

He asked me to wear it when we ride together. Something he’s promised we’ll do soon.

They each gave me such beautiful and thoughtful presents, telling me how much they hated not being able to enjoy Christmas together.

The attack had ruined more than just the abattoir that night, it had ruined their plans for us to make memories together too.

But I wasn’t going to dwell on it. We are together tonight and that’s all that matters. We could celebrate Christmas and every other holiday together from now on. And we’ll start with New Year’s tonight.

I have never celebrated it with anyone before, so I plan to enjoy it fully with the guys.

New Year’s is supposed to be a time to spend and celebrate with your friends, lovers, and family. And I never had any of those before the guys.

Even in the past, Knox, Xander, Kane, and Anders always spent it with their families. And I was always left alone.

Even when the Bane Clan threw parties during the seasonal holidays, I was either left in some dark corner or told to leave early. I never had anyone to celebrate with. And being alone, there was no reason to.

That’s also the reason why we’re all here together now, even with the grumpy dickhead Creed.

I glance at the asshole in question. A gaggle of women stand along the side of our Exclusive area, trying to dance seductively and grab Creed’s attention. But strangely enough, he’s not biting. His focus is trained on keeping an eye on the people in the club rather than having any personal fun.

Our eyes meet before his gaze slowly trails down me, a strange feeling working its way into me with the look on his face before his gaze meets mine again. A familiar look settles in his amber eyes, one I feel I’ve seen before on Annex, Ezra, and Mallyn. Was that want in Creed’s eyes? For me ?

I shake my head. There’s no way. This is Creed after all. And neither of us has even a crumb of that kind of emotion for each other.

The asshole pisses me off waaay too much to want him like that.

The music begins to blare louder, pulling my attention back as a more pumped song begins playing and the crowd on the dance floor grows.

“Let’s go grab our drinks,” Mallyn calls, his eyes narrowing at the now teeming dance floor.

He places one last kiss on my shoulder before taking my hand in his.

Annex sighs as he moves in front of us before pushing a grinding quartet out of our way, sending them tumbling into another couple gyrating together.

“All dicks and beans, but no brains.” Annex whips out a blade he had hidden from security when we entered the club.

“It’s too annoying dealing with shit-for-brains like these.

” He looks around the cramped area. “Next pleb to touch me or mine gets its fingers removed ... followed by less necessary appendages.” He gives the surrounding crowd in our way one of his signature grins, and they all part like the Red Sea.

We move much quicker to our table after that.

Creed continues to ignore the women dancing across from him as we make our way to him and our seats.

“Not in the mood tonight for a good time?” I ask as I take my seat, gesturing toward the women now staring daggers at me. “It’s not like you to turn down something blonde, busty, and offered on a plate?”

The bastard turns toward me and smirks . Like he finds my comments cute and not at all insulting as they were intended.

“I don’t always go after the ‘easy’ option, Micai.

” His smirk widens before he glances toward the women vying for his attention and shakes his head.

“That’s only a temporary fix, a single night.

I’ve never gone beyond that with women like those .

..” His gaze flicks back toward me, that familiar unreadable look forming in his amber eyes before he turns back to watching Ezra and Jericho, his voice a low grumble as he mumbles to himself rather than me.

“ Sometimes the things you work the hardest for last the longest .”

My brows pinch together. What the hell is that supposed to mean?

“Here, Red. Try this one.” Annex hands me a drink, pulling my full attention toward him and away from the cryptic ass. The small glass holds a swirling pink-and-white concoction with candyfloss pompoms hanging like small umbrellas from each side of its glass.

“Fae liqueur.” He grins. “Tastes like a mixture of strawberries and kiwi ... with a dash of magic.”

I take a sip, the sweet, zingy flavour bringing an instant smile to my lips before I take another small mouthful of the concoction, enjoying the flavour lighting up my taste-buds.

“Take it slow, Micai.” Mallyn tips my hand. “It’s not as strong as fae wine or elven spirits, but it can still affect you if you’re not used to drinking it.”

“No worries,” I reply, taking another sip before meeting his gaze, my grin widening. “If I get a little tipsy, I have two boyfriends to help get me home.”

Both Mallyn’s and Annex’s eyes widen a fraction before both of their lips curve into the brightest smiles I’ve seen on them.

It makes my own grow larger around my glass.

I quickly finish off my drink and ask them for another. Mallyn steps up, his smile softening as he takes my glass from me and quickly heads over toward the bar.

“This boyfriend will keep you busy while the other is away.” Annex leans in closer beside me, his smirk growing mischievous as his hand begins trailing up my thigh. The look in his eyes has a heat blooming up my neck ... and between my thighs.

“Hopefully the somewhat sane one will return soon.” Creed sighs, glancing our way and pulling our eyes toward him.

I had forgotten about the grumpy asshole for a moment. And what a blissful moment it was.

Creed glances back over toward the Opulent section as Annex curses under his breath. Creed continues to watch over Ezra and Jericho as they continue their discussion, both of them fully engrossed in their own world and ignoring everything else in the club.

My eyes follow his direction but glance past them to find the bathroom.

I give Annex a quick peck to his lips before gesturing toward the restroom and getting up to head over there, but he gets up to join me too.

“You need to use the bathroom as well?” I stop, raising a brow toward the maniac, knowing full well his intentions.

“Where you go, I go, Red. There’s no discretion between us. I’ll take it all.” He shrugs, throwing his arm around my shoulders before narrowing his eyes at the lavatory doors and the people surrounding that area.

“I also don’t trust the dickheads around here not to try something with you.

I mean just look at you, Red ...” His gaze trails up my frame, becoming more and more heated before reaching my eyes.

“You’re too damn beautiful for this world.

” He quickly turns back toward the doors and the people coming in and out of the restroom area, his glare growing deeper.

“I can’t trust pricks like these to not try something when I’m not by your side.

The spirits and wine here might let them get a little ballsy and try something.

” His signature deranged grin tilts his lips.

“And that’s when I’ll take a few souvenirs for us. ”

I shake my head at his words. They were all being too overprotective since the attack. Each of them forgetting that I held my own in that fight ... until I took that last hit.

A soft sigh escapes my lips. I guess I would be a bit worried if our roles were reversed.

I gently tilt his face toward me, stroking a finger down his jaw as his blue eyes finally turn to me. “I promise to call if I need any help, or if I get sucked down the toilet and need rescuing.”

“Red—” Annex starts, his brows furrowing, but I cut him off.

“You are not following me into the toilet, Annex.” I give him a small glare, showing him I mean business, but it just makes him smile.

“Don’t do that when you’re in there.” He nuzzles slightly into my hand, his brows pinching playfully downward.

“Do what?” I ask. Get sucked down the toilet?

“That sexy little glare.” He leans his head into my hand. “That’s mine.”

He nips at my finger before I quickly pull it back, his grin growing dark and sexier by the second. His wicked gaze promises something more and has a shiver running down my spine.

“I’ll be back in a minute.” I pull myself up and away from our seats, needing to leave before I agree to him following me and doing something else in that bathroom.

I begin to leave, walking down the Exclusive section steps as I hear Annex’s voice behind me.

“I’ll be counting!” Annex calls, and I stop to turn back, a grin growing on my lips.

“Good job.” I raise my hand and give him a thumbs-up. “Next time, we’ll go over the alphabet and how to read letters together.” I give him a wink as he chuckles beside a smirking Creed.

I laugh, making my way through the crowd that’s dancing in the space before the restroom.

I pass them and push through the two large dark oak doors that lead to a small corridor.

Inside are four black-gloss doors, two on either side of me.

The two doors on my right have signs that say Staff Only and the doors on my left have bathroom signs.

I head into the ladies’ room and quicken my pace. I want to be back with the guys well before the New Year countdown begins, and there are only a few more minutes left.

I finish up and wash my hands, making my way out of the bathroom before quickly stopping in my tracks.

My exit— the dark oak doors —was currently being blocked.