“You want her or not?”
Venom growled. “No question.”
“Then move it.” Shoving his sleeve up, Wick tapped the face of his watch. “Fifty-seven minutes and counting.”
“Hell,” his friend muttered, but didn’t waste a second.
Boot treads brushing over stained concrete floor, he followed Venom across the lounge. His attention narrowed on the female. Laughing at something her companion said, she took a sip of her drink. Her gaze met his over the rim of her glass. She paused, stiffening as her hand stalled in midair. Locked onto her aura, he registered the spike in her energy. Her eyes went wide. A moment later, alarm picked up her pulse.
Same story. Different night.
Never sure of him, most women shied at first. A normal reaction. One Wick understood, even as regret rose. It wasn’t as if he did it on purpose. Given half a chance, he would have assumed a soothing vibe, not the predatory one he knew he wore, but… hell. He didn’t know how. A hunter through and through, he sent most males running, never mind members of the fairer sex. Even so, he tried to do his part and forced his lips to curve. Maybe a smile would help smooth the way, make her more receptive, help Venom—
His friend stopped in front of her table.
The female blinked and switched focus. The second her gaze landed on Venom, she blew out a pent-up breath, her fear sliding into interest. Tipping her chin up, she gave Venom the once-over, eyes roaming downward, then turned and did the same to him. Wick tensed. She smiled and settled back, relaxing into the seat cushions, her ample charms on display as she made eye contact.
“Well, hello there.”
Wick froze as she continued to hold his gaze. Holy shit. Talk about a switch-up. Strange with an extra helping of fucked up too. Usually Venom got all the attention, but as she bit her bottom lip, Wick got the message. Sexual energy was easy to read. So was feminine arousal, and as her pupils dilated and her lips parted, Wick swallowed. She was 100 percent into him, encouraging him to take the lead. To initiate contact, slide in next to her, and coax her to enter the sexual arena.
Which screwed with his chi. Not to mention his mind.
Jesus help him. What the hell was he supposed to do now?
Coming to the rescue, Venom turned her attention. “Hello, beautiful. Mind if I join you?”
She gestured with her hand, inviting his friend into the booth.
“Mervais, talmina,” Venom said in Dragonese, his tone low as he acknowledged her acceptance in the way of their kind.
Wielding a mental whip, Wick ousted the guy next to her. As the human skedaddled, moving as though his life depended on it, Venom settled next to her, taking up a sizable chunk of the real estate inside the booth. Per usual, Wick stood stone-still, setting up shop outside the alcove… with the pair, but not really. Awkward much? Absolutely, but he didn’t know what else do. Two options presented themselves. The first said stay put. The second required walking around the table edge to bookend her on the other side. Seemed like a good move. For a normal male. Too bad he wasn’t normal. He couldn’t make himself move. Shitkickers rooted to the floor, he was stuck in neutral, brain fried, muscles locked, and panic rising. All because she wanted him… was throwing him come-hither looks from beneath her lashes.
Slinging his arm along the back of the banquette, Venom got up close and personal with the female. He whispered something in her ear. She tipped her chin, asking for a kiss. His friend gave it to her, pressing his mouth to the corner of hers, then leaned back to meet her gaze. Fingertips playing in her hair, he brushed the dark strands away from the side of her neck. “What’s your name, talmina?”
“Iesha.”
“Pretty name.” She murmured a “thanks” and Venom got to the point. “So, Iesha… you up for a bit of fun?”
“What kind?” Nibbling on her bottom lip, she glanced in Wick’s direction. Interest and desire sparked, making her aura glow bright orange. “A threesome?”
“All right.” The tease in his tone unmistakable, Venom’s hand dipped beneath the table. She sucked in a quick breath and shifted in her seat. As she tipped her head back, his friend took advantage, uncrossing her legs, spreading her thighs, nuzzling the side of her throat. “You’ve convinced me.”
Her laugh turned into a gasp. “You taking turns?”
“One at a time.”
“Here? Or in the bath—”
“Right here.”
Wick nearly balked. Here? Right fucking here? In full view of the club? Bugger him. Trust Venom to grow impatient and neglect the safe side of decency. Gritting his teeth, Wick unleashed his magic, whipping up a cloaking spell. Shadow enveloped them, hiding their happy little trio from human eyes. Venom murmured something naughty against the female’s collarbone. Wick cursed under his breath.
“Okay.” Her breath hitched as Venom delved deep between her thighs. Lips parted, breasts rising and falling, her eyelashes flickered. As she shuddered in pleasure, the female plugged Wick with a heated look. He went on high alert, then grimaced when she moaned, “I want your friend first.”
Wick stayed silent, knowing what was coming.
“No.” Nipping her bare shoulder, Venom shook his head. A quick shift put the female in his lap. Some nifty maneuvering later, she sat astride his friend, the fabric of her dress up around her hips. Widening his stance to shield the couple, Wick looked away. Venom groaned, the sound cresting a bliss-filled wave. “I ride first.”
Busy settling on what Venom fed her, she didn’t argue. Neither did Wick. Particularly since he wouldn’t be riding. Not her or any other female. He couldn’t bring himself into close enough contact. The handful of times he’d tried had ended in disaster, telling him clearer than words sex wasn’t his thing.
But as Venom ramped up, getting hot and heavy, working the female hard, Wick wished for something different. For something that didn’t begin and end with him standing in a club watching his friend have sex. Not that it was Venom’s fault. The male was simply looking after him, doing what Wick couldn’t do for himself… ramping a female into an orgasmic frenzy. Elevating her energy levels high enough to feed both of them. Forcing him to tap into the Meridian’s electrostatic stream to draw the nourishment all Dragonkind males needed to stay healthy and strong.
The fact Wick couldn’t feed himself shamed him. Made sorrow rise and disgust circle.
After all this time, he ought to be strong enough to do it on his own. Instead, the idea gave him a raging case of indigestion. A shiver rolled up his spine. Wick shut it down, holding himself steady as the urge to run nudged him again. A mere matter of moments, a few seconds, that’s all it would take, and he’d be—
“Wick.”
His head snapped back toward his friend.
“Now,” Venom said. “She’s ready.”
Cursing under his breath, Wick cringed. Logic told him to move. Uncertainty wouldn’t let him. Stupidity to the next power. The quicker he started, the sooner it would be over, but…
He didn’t want to touch her. Would prefer to go hungry if given a choice. He’d done it before. Had gone months without nourishment and never succumbed to energy-greed. But as he met Venom’s gaze over the top of her head, Wick knew tonight wouldn’t be one of those times. If he turned tail and ran, his friend would come after him. Be right on his heels. Drag him back and force him to feed, so…
No. There wouldn’t be any free passes tonight. No way out either. Just full-on commitment.