Silver Mortal (The Gracen Chronicles) (19 page)

“Gracen, back away.”

I jerk my head toward the new voice, and then my heart drops to the floor. Phoenix is standing right next to us, his dark eyes watching me cautiously. Reality comes crashing into me, taking away my raging fury and dangerous thoughts. I no longer see red anymore, just a normal dark hallway. I stare at Phoenix through wide eyes, my heart and my breath finally slowing down.

“Phoenix,” I whisper, taking a few steps backward. I turn to Ash and gasp.

Ash's eyes are closed and his whole body is shaking. What had I done?

“Gracen,” Phoenix murmurs, pulling me lightly away from Ash. “Give him some air.”

I do as he says, walking to the end of the hallway and leaning my back against the wall, sliding down to the floor. I watch as he talks softly with Ash. As they talk I feel the floor vibrating underneath me, the pounding dance music moving the whole building. I hadn't even noticed that when Ash and I first arrived. I'd just been so angry at him. I'd wanted to hurt him. But now, sitting in the hallway, watching Phoenix pull Ash to his feet, I can't help but wonder...why had I been so angry? Where did that hostility come from?

As Phoenix and Ash walk over, I quickly stand to my feet. Phoenix is staring hard at me, while Ash averts his eyes. When Ash passes by me and starts to descend the stairs leading to the club, I reach out and touch his arm. He halts his steps, his body trembling, keeping his eyes glued to the floor.

“Ash, I'm so sorry,” I tell him softly, willing him to look at me. I still feel fear as his main emotion, but it seems to have simmered down.

Without lifting his eyes he replies, “It's cool, Gracen. We're cool.” And with that said he bounds down the stairs that lead into the club.

Whipping my head around to Phoenix I see that he's eying me questionably. I feel like he's accusing me of something wrong, and in reality I had done something wrong. I'd let my anger take over, and exploded my rage at Ash. My knees wobbled and suddenly I fell to the floor, releasing my tears and frustrations.

As soon as my first tear hit the floor, Phoenix falls to his knees next to me, folding his arms around my shoulders. His touch instantly calms me, though my tears continue to fall. I wrap my arms around him, my body shaking along with my cries.

A few moments of crying like a baby went by before Phoenix whispers, “Gracen, it's going to be alright. Just tell me what happened.”

Wiping tears on my sleeves, I peer up at him, still sniffling.

“I...I don't know what happened,” I begin to tell him, everything coming out in a rush. “One minute everything's fine. We're talking, walking over to the club, and then he grabs me and teleports me here. I got angry because I thought he'd gone and screwed up. I thought he'd recklessly teleported us, not bothering to worry about someone seeing us and—”

“He did what he was supposed to do,” Phoenix informs me, his voice deep and steady. “He sent me a message right before he teleported in. He knew it was safe because we'd scoped it out already.”

“Oh,” I express, feeling like a total jerk.

“Yeah,” Phoenix says back.

I try to smile. “Guess I really jumped the gun, huh?”

“Yeah,” Phoenix says again, adding, “but everything's fine. Ash is fine, and you're—”

“I'm not fine,” I interrupt. “Not by a long shot. My anger...I've always had a problem with it, and usually my mom's the only one who can calm me down.”

He blows out a sigh, placing a wild hair behind my ear. “Well, I guess I'll have to learn to calm you down. And I've got a few ideas of how you can use all that pent-up rage.” He wiggles his eyebrows up and down.

I laugh, staring up at his handsome face. “Is your mind always in the gutter?”

“Only when I'm around you,” he shoots back. He stands to his feet, offering me a hand. I take it and he pulls me to my feet in one swift heave.

“I'll help you through your anger, Gracen,” he says softly, touching his forehead to mine. “Everyone and everything is going to be alright.”

He backs away, walking toward the stairs.

“I believe we have some work to do,” he tells me, bowing and gesturing with hands. “Ladies first.”

I grin, feeling a little better. I smack his face as I walk by. “Let's go find us some werewolves.”

chapter 17

We walk down the same stairwell Ash had taken. Once we're at the bottom the bright lights hit us and we emerge into the club. My eyeballs grow wide at the spectacle set out before us.

The whole club is a jungle theme. Everywhere you look there's rope vines and colorful flowers hanging about, even real coconut trees. In one corner a big volcano is set up with lava spilling down its middle, though instead of lava it's some kind of red liquor-infused drink. Tables and booths circle around the dance floor, some filled with people sporting drinks in coconut shells. Lights every color of the rainbow blink along with the rhythm of the music, which is a techno/dance beat. Not my favorite kind of music, but the people bumping and grinding on the dance floor seem to be enjoying it.

What has me completely taken back is the four cages swaying from the high ceiling. They are made out of bamboo sticks, each one holding a barely-dressed woman. The ladies dance seductively while holding large snakes around their necks. The thought of a snake slithering over my bare skin causes me to cringe.
Yuck
.

“I see Ash!” Phoenix yells in my ear, pointing to a nearby booth. When we get closer I can make out Tink sitting across from Ash, and I can't stop the gasp that crawls out of my throat.

She looks way older than her thirteen years, wearing her hair in an updo and her face overly-done with makeup. The black tight-fitted dress shows off curves that most twenty year-old women don't have. For a moment I want to go all motherly and tell her she doesn't have to dress older to get a guy, but then again I guess to stay in the club she had to look older, that way she could work undercover. Staring down at her chest I realize that her boobs are way bigger than mine. Feeling more than a little self-conscious, I zip my leather jacket all the way up so as to hide my barely-there chest.

As Phoenix sits next to Ash, I slide in by Tink, getting a big whiff of her apple blossoms shampoo. She gives me a once over, then leans in and whispers, “Why
in the world
are you wearing sunglasses?”

“I'll show you.” Getting in her face I let my sunglasses fall to the tip of my nose for a brief second, flashing her with my silver orbs. Her eyes grow wide and she grins.

“
Oooooh
, that's freaking cool!” she outcries, showing off a bright smile.

I smile back. “Yeah, I guess. So, are you feeling better? Phoenix told me you've been sick.”

She nods, then rolls her eyes. “Yeah, I'm okay. It was just a cold, but Phoenix worries about us if we so much as sniffle.” She flips her gaze to Phoenix. “He can be such a pansy.”

Phoenix winks. “Got to take care of my baby sister.”

“Take a look at these, big brother!” She points at her cleavage. “Who you calling a baby?” I laugh at Phoenix's shocked face, which turns bright red.

Quickly changing the subject I ask Tink, “Where's Jack and Reagan?”

She grimaces, directing her gaze toward the dance floor. “Over there.”

Swinging my gaze to the dancers it only takes me a second to find them. They are busy living it up on the dance floor, each holding a coconut shell in their hands. I soak up Reagan's attire, which consists of a tight black skirt, red-sequined tank top, and black knee-high boots. Jack is sporting a more casual wardrobe wearing straight black jeans and a black trench coat. His head shines even brighter under the flashing lights, like he'd just shaven it.

Switching my attention back to the booth, I find Phoenix gazing at me with a look so intense it makes me blush. I take that moment to become intoxicated by his gorgeous form. He's wearing a black turtleneck and dark jeans, all his clothing matching his dreamy dark eyes. And Ash...

Is still keeping his gaze averted from mine. At the moment he seems intrigued by his glass of water, watching the condensation slowly dribble down the glass.

A loud
whoop-whoop
echoes from the dance floor, grabbing our attentions. It's only Jack and Reagan dirty dancing, grinding their hips into each other.

“Jack and Reagan,” I start, shooting Phoenix a hard look, “they do remember why we're here, right? Or are we all being nonchalant about a possible demon infestation inside this building?”

He turns his head in their direction, then swings back to me. “Gracen, they haven't been out in a while, so I told them to have fun. But don't worry, they haven't forgotten why we're here. You see, they're not just dancing, they're hunting—blending in with the crowd. They're actually scouting the crowd, loosening up their viper powers, trying to sense if anything otherworldly is close by.”

Shifting my gaze to the twosome, I blanch as I witness them giving each other wet, sloppy kisses. Pitching my gaze back to Phoenix I point out, “They look like they're dry-humping.”

Tink's face turns bright red, then she busts out with contagious laughter. Phoenix jumps in on the laughter, followed by me erupting with giggles. Ash is the only one not laughing. He's still amazed by the water dripping down the side of his glass.

Boy, he's peculiar, but at least his body isn't racked with convulsions.

Watching him I inwardly pray that he can overlook me jumping all over him, for unleashing my anger and scaring the absolute crap out of him. After tonight I'd sit down with him and apologize, and also vow never to rage all over him again.

I had a lot of anger management to work on.

The vibration of my cell phone breaks into my thought train, alerting me that I have a text message. Retrieving it out of my pocket I discover the message is from Jude.

Where R U?

“Everything alright?” Phoenix inquires, regarding me with concern.

Shutting the phone, I shove it back in my pocket.

“Yeah, everything's fine,” I answer, deciding to ignore the message. Let Jude worry a little bit. Teach him to get drunk while Mom's sick.

“We need to blend in a little better,” announces Phoenix, standing to his feet. “Gracen, how about you and I hitting the dance floor? Tink and Ash, you guys go get us some drinks and let your viper senses loose. See if you detect any demon residue hanging around.”

“That's not fair!” Tink utters abrasively, apparently unhappy with Phoenix partnering her up with Ash. “You guys get to dance and I have to hang out with Sargent Crazy over there.” She throws her thumb Ash's direction, her frown deepening.

Phoenix narrows his eyes, his expression grim. “Tink, you—”

“Hey, Phoenix!” I quickly interject, unzipping and shrugging out of my jacket, sliding my body out of the booth, “Dancing sounds good! Let's go mingle with the masses, shall we?”

He stares at me in wonder, his eyes taking in my low-cut tank. “You sure?”

I nod my answer, giving him my sexiest look—at least, I hope it's sexy. All I know at the moment is that I need to direct his attention away from Tink so he wouldn't pull a stunt like I had with Ash.

With my eyes trained on him, I start backing up onto the dance floor, motioning with my finger for him to follow me. He shakes his head and laughs, fascinated with my sudden audaciousness, and he's not the only one. I can't even believe I'm this bold as I begin to shake my hips with the beat of the music. His lewd expression causes my face to flush with heat, the warmth traveling all the way down to my belly. He starts following after me, his dark orbs gleaming hungrily, his sly grin melting my heart.

Spinning my back to him I glide my way deeper and deeper into the tangle of bodies. No one notices me as I push and weave through their gyrating bodies. Most of them are probably strung out on ecstasy or alcohol—or both. I turn around to face Phoenix, my nerves suddenly on edge. I've lost him to the crowd.

Getting on my tip-toes, I frantically scan all the faces around me, none of them familiar. I continue to push through the sweaty masses, no longer wanting to be in the center of the action. My breath hitches in my lungs. I feel claustrophobic as the bodies of strangers seem to close in on me. When two arms wrap around my waist my stomach lurches to my throat. I gear up to flip whoever is getting
touchy-feely
with me over my back, but before I can a deep, alluring voice whispers in my ear.

“It's just me, Gracen,” Phoenix murmurs, his breath hot against my cheek. I relax, letting his intoxicating cologne and cinnamon scent twine around me.

Leaning back against him I say, “You almost got flipped, Buddy-Boy.” He laughs, perching his chin on my shoulder.

“Actually,” he speaks softly in my ear, causing a shudder to crawl up and down my body, “I would've enjoyed you getting all frisky.” He turns me around in his arms, keeping one arm looped around my waist. His smile warms my heart.