Guild Hunter 02 - Angels' Flight

your keep. Charm your way into their circle.”
     
    “In that case, you’ll have to pretend to be
my
bit on the side.”
     
    “I can’t pretend to be harmless.”
     
    A thin line of blood marred Janvier’s thumb as he picked up the gleaming silver star she’d left on the table. He didn’t even flinch. “I’ve always been known to skate on the wrong side of the line.” Getting up, he slid the star into a pocket and began to amble toward the bar, his lazy, long-limbed stride catching every female eye in the place… including that of Callan’s enforcer.
     
    But the woman went on immediate alert the instant Janvier reached out to tap Callan on the shoulder. “Cal, that you?”
     
    The enforcer didn’t relax until her big, blond boss turned to give Janvier a back-slapping hug. “Damn, Cajun, you’re not dead yet?”
     
    “Why the hell does everyone ask me that?” Janvier said without heat before bestowing a dazzling smile on the enforcer. “Won’t you introduce me?”
     
    Laughing, the leader of the Fox kiss turned to the female vampire by his side. “Perida, this is Janvier. Don’t trust a word that comes out of his mouth.”
     
    Ashwini decided it was time to make her move.
     
    “A pleasure, darlin’.” Lifting the woman’s delicate hand to his mouth, Janvier went to kiss it.
     
    Ashwini put her own hand on his shoulder, squeezed. “I wouldn’t/p>
     
    “
Cher
.”
Janvier released a surprised Perida with a languid shrug. “So possessive you are.” Playful words, an intimate joke.
     
    Ashwini looked up in time to catch Callan’s eye. One glance and she knew he’d taken in her clothing, her stance, thescars on her fingers, just above her pulse. So it didn’t surprise her when he said, “Hunter.”
     
    “Vampire.” She leaned into Janvier, let him put his arm around her waist. The touch seared her, made her hunger for more. “We ready to go?”
     
    Janvier played his part to perfection, sending her a charming smile. “Callan is an old friend,
cherie
.” A quick squeeze, a cajoling smile. “Surely we can dally a little while? A drink, Callan?”
     
    The Fox leader nodded. “Figures you’d hook up with a woman who might one day hunt you down like a rabid dog.”
     
    “Already tried,” Ashwini said, deciding Callan would likely have that information within the hour in any case. “Three times.”
     
    Callan raised an eyebrow as Perida attempted to hide her surprise. “And will there be a fourth?”
     
    “Depends on how badly he pisses me off.” Sticking out her hand, she offered it to Perida. “Ashwini.”
     
    The other woman shook it, her hold firm, her eyes narrowed. “We don’t associate with hunters.”
     
    “And I don’t sleep with vampires.”
     
    That made Callan grin, and it was so open, so honest, Ashwini could almost believe he was the good ol’ farm boy he seemed. “Let’s sit,” he said, ordering wine from the bar.
     
    Ashwini offered Perida a fry as they sat down, knowing vampires could taste and digest a small amount of solid food. “It’s good.”
     
    The vampire took it. “Mmm. Almost makes me wish I was mortal.”
     
    “Almost,” Callan said, his eyes lingering on Ashwini’s scars.
     
    It was, she thought, a very deliberate reminder that he could survive almost anything she did to him, while she’d die a very final death. But that warning was clearly only on the periphery of Callan’s mind—it was Janvier he was interested in.
     
    “You still friends with Antoine?” he asked after taking a sip of his wine, the question as casual as casual could be.
     
    “
Oui
, I’m friends with everyone.” Janvier pressed a kiss to Ashwini’s cheek. “But this one, she doesn’t like… What is her name?”
     
    “Simone.” Ashwini ate several fries in a row instead of illuminating.
     
    Perida took the bait. “Why?”
     
    “Have you seen her?” Ashwini snorted. “Thinks the sun shines out of her ass.”
     
    Perida’s suspicious expression turned into one of pure dislike. “She’s a bitch, eecially for being so pathetically weak. She makes like she’s got power. Bullshit.”
     
    Ashwini raised an eyebrow. “I thought she was on her third century. Can’t be that much of a lightweight.”
     
    “Age is relative.” Perida shook her head. “Only thing keeping that smug smile on her face is the fact she’s got Antoine on a leash.”
     
    “Antoine likes hard women,” Janvier said, an amused cast to his