4

The men in the club watched the five women intently as they made their way through the crowded room to the bar. Licking their lips like they were a platter of porterhouse in heels ready to be devoured.

In a room full of people, Teagan had never felt so alone in her life.

"You wouldn't be alone if you didn't put out the vibe that you're…"

"A loser?" Teagan offered wryly, rolling her eyes dramatically, not surprised in the slightest that Abby was monitoring her brain's internal chatter.

"Unavailable." Abby said with a dig of fond amusement.

"She's right you know," Kaitlyn seconded.

"Are you kidding?" Teagan shot a glance down at her red stretchy top that scooped low enough to reveal the heavy curve of her breasts, and the too-tight skirt which barely covered her backside and emphasised her full hips and waist. The outfit took her far from her comfort zone of casually conservative, past stylish femme-fatale and into the gaudy, inappropriate realm of jailbait. She felt ridiculous. "In this outfit I not only look available, I look like I charge by the hour."

Cassie smirked. "It's not your clothes, it's your attitude that's the problem."

Teagan looked at her like she'd grown a second head. What was this, an intervention or a night out to celebrate her graduation?

She'd had plenty of offers for sex over the years, if you counted the bad dates, construction workers and the occasional anonymous callers with heavy breathing problems. She just didn't have a lot of experience with sex itself or relationships, compliments of her grandfather's overzealous protectiveness.

Abby listened into Teagan's muddled thoughts, even as she tried desperately to conceal them behind a coy smile and a glass of whatever green alcoholic drink she'd just been handed by Paige. Despite her efforts, Abby could read all Teagan's hopes, dreams, fears, feelings and secrets. They might as well have been buried beneath fifty sheets of clear glass.

"Come on. Let's dance," Cassie suggested, grabbing Teagan's hand to drag her toward the dance floor.

"Ah, maybe a bit later," she replied, pulling away from her friend's grip. "I think I'll just sit here awhile, okay?" Teagan pasted on her best fake smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Sure." Cassie replied, forcing a matching smile on her own face. Worry for her friend still showing through.

Teagan planted her butt on the bar stool and watched them shuffle their way through the crowded room toward the dance floor. She watched too, their jubilant female bonding, the way they laughed and joked and teased one another as they danced. She knew they wanted her to be a part of that, but how could she when she felt so detached from it all.

Once again, her traitorous thoughts drifted toward another nightclub. Saladin's nightclub, only two blocks away.

What was he doing right now? Or, who was he doing?

Teagan gave herself a mental slap, tripping her mood barometer to mildly irritated, which was progress. It was a step up from self pity.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the dark haired, slightly inebriated man in a business suit staring at her. Not until he leaned on the bar facing her, cutting off her view of the other girls.

"How is it, that someone so beautiful, could possibly be alone?" he said, placing a martini between them on the bar.

"I'm not alone," she answered him sarcastically, gesturing with a wide sweep of her hand. "I'm here with hundreds of people, can't you see?"

"What a saucy little minx you are," he purred, sidling up closer to her, rolling his hips suggestively and running a palm over the hard length bulging against the zipper of his pants.

Ew. Teagan's face pulled an expression of repugnant disbelief and leaned away from him as though his touch might burn her. "Don't call me that, and don't stand so close, it's very disturbing."

"What? Is my masculine sensuality too much for your female sensitivities? Don't play coy with me. I can tell your passions run deep, little minx. Come home with me and I'll rock your world."

Teagan shuddered with disgust. If he thought he was her dream come true and she would be charmed merely by his presence and the promise of complete fulfilment, he had another thing coming. For one thing, she would need to make-out with Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Hemsworth and half the cast of True Blood before she even came close to her life being fulfilled.

And instantly her mind flipped back to Saladin, snapping her mood barometer from mildly irritated to severely pissed off. She was here to celebrate and forget about that infuriating vampire. Goddamn it!

"My passions run deep? Does that line ever work for you?" she snorted with a hearty dose of derision. "Deep down, I'm actually a very shallow person," she added the contradictory term with a tone of censure, wishing and praying he'd just go away and leave her alone.

"You are a feisty one. I like my women aggressive," he slurred drunkenly, snapping his teeth playfully at her ear.

Seriously? The guy just wouldn't take a hint.

Teagan looked him deep in the eyes. "I tell you what," she began with calm anger, "If you go away and forget that we met, I promise not to shrivel your balls to the size of peanuts, okay?"

The guy stared blankly at her for a few moments before blinking several times in quick succession. Confusion clouded his intoxicated expression before reverting back to his previous sleazy persona.

"How is it that someone so beautiful could possibly be alone?" he asked.

"What the….?" It was Teagan's turn to look confused. "We've already had this conversation and I told you to rack off."

"I don't think so," he replied. "I'd never forget a ravishing beauty like you. I'm…"

"I don't care who you are, arsehole. Leave me alone before I call security."

"There's no need to be rude. I only wanted to buy you a drink," he said sliding the martini toward her again.

"I know what you want. We've already had this conversation." He looked at her as if she had a screw loose. Somehow, he had no recollection of their conversation from only one minute before. How was that possible? Was her druid powers on the fritz, or was she developing a new one? Whatever the reason, she didn't want to spend another moment around this creep.

"Whatever. There are plenty of other fish in this sea tonight. Keep the drink," he said, eager now to get away from Teagan, as though she was the crazy one.

"What's up with tall, dark and handsome? He looked like he was really into you." Cassie asked as she hustled her way back to Teagan's frazzled form at the bar.

"Don't you mean tall, dark and really creepy? He had a change of heart."

"Creepy how?" she asked suspiciously.

"What I should have said was sleazy, not creepy. Although I think he must have been a sandwich short of a picnic too. He hit on me, then when I told him to rack off, he looked at me blankly, then began his whole sleazy pick-up lines all over again. Word for word, as if he hadn't just spent ten minutes doing the exact same thing."

"Okay. Forget tall, dark and sleazy, we'll find you someone nice."

Nice. Hmm. Nice sounded….nice. Reliable. Comfortable. But that wasn't what she wanted. She had a thing for the bad boy type,…mysterious, impetuous, possessive, do-me-now sexy. Someone like, um,…Saladin.

Oh crap. Her mind had the reliability of a revolving door.

Teagan stared absently at the drink that Mr sleazy had bought her, before attempting a sip. Shuddering from the potency of the drink, she struggled to keep a straight face as she pushed it aside.

"Here, have this," Cassie offered as the bartender placed two matching shot glasses on the bar. "You'll love it." Since the martini could melt the chrome off a bumper, she accepted the cocktail from Cassie. "What's this?"

"A screaming orgasm," she grinned cheekily.

"Is this your idea of reminding me of what I'm not getting?"

"No, dummy. It's incentive. Don't give up trying to find Mr Right, just because a few Mr Wrong's get in the way first. Cheers." The girls toasted each other, downing the shooters in one gulp.

"Who needs enemies when I have such thoughtful, caring friends," she ribbed, eliciting a satisfied laugh from Cassie.

"Now, come and dance. You'll have a lot more fun when you loosen up a bit."

"Yeah, right," Teagan replied, but didn't argue when Cassie grabbed her hand and led her to the dance floor.

Cassie was right. Half an hour on the dance floor and Teagan found she really was enjoying herself every bit as much as the other girls. Lost to the beat of the music, Teagan danced and laughed, and was downright cheerful.

Then suddenly she just,…stopped.

A searing pain struck her in the solar plexus, burning clear through to her spine. Teagan doubled over as the intense pain radiated outwards, engulfing every cell in her body. She gasped for breath as it seared into her chest, seizing the air in her lungs. Her arms and legs became immobilised as the pain spread through her like a fever.

Abby caught her as she dropped like a stone, her eyes wide with fear and agony.

Teagan's panic stricken gaze locked with Kaitlyn's, just as the world went black.

x-x-x-x-x

"So this is a nightclub?" Raif asked unimpressed, his mood even more sour than it had been fifteen minutes earlier, when he'd paced the tiny lounge room of Teagan's apartment. He was acutely aware of the thick air, heavily scented with musky arousal, scantily clad females and males on the prowl for an easy prey.

He was also aware of the many eyes in the room following them with awe and fascination. Since it became known two years ago who Saladin's sire was, the Phoenix nightclub had attracted a constant influx of supernaturals in the hope of getting a glimpse of the mythical first vampire with angel's wings, Alaric. Raif could see the cogs turning in their minds as they warily ogled him too. At seven feet tall, he stood only half a head higher than Alaric, with deeply tanned skin and emerald coloured reptilian eyes, they could clearly see he wasn't human, but they were at a loss to know what he was. Not surprising, it had been a great many years since a wyvern had walked the Earth.

"Yes," Alaric answered gruffly, equally unimpressed. In single file they marched toward the VIP section at the rear of the club, a path clearing before them as they moved with the lithe grace of the dangerous predators they were.

"And our women are in a place like this, right now?" he asked through gritted teeth, battling to rein in his dragon as it snarled in frustration just beneath his skin.

"Yes."

A low feral growl rumbled from Raif's chest. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to bring him here, Alaric thought. As cultured as Raif was, his dragon wasn't nearly as civilized. The fast paced, and often gaudy lifestyle of Earth was still quite new to him, and his instincts to protect his mate were on high alert. Still, there was no other way to acclimatise him to this world unless he experienced it. Even if that did mean he'd have to let Raif drive his car again too. The thought caused a twinge of pain for the poor sports car, which was likely to need some panel beating or a new motor before the wyvern was finished with it.

Dray stood silently by the curtained off doorway to the VIP room and watched the two men approach.

"He's in his office," he told Alaric as they reached him.

"Again?"

"No. Still. He rarely comes out these days."

Alaric's brow furrowed with concern. "I didn't realise things were this bad. Has he been feeding at least?" he asked in hushed tones.

"Not from anyone living. He keeps a supply of bank blood in the fridge in his office." Dray left out the fact that Saladin rarely touched that either, only when he absolutely had to. The lack of blood wouldn't kill him, but it would weaken him significantly if he wasn't careful. And, these days, showing any weakness wasn't something he could afford to do.

Although Morganna and the Guild of Ascension had been relatively silent for the past couple of years, they had not been inactive. They had been recruiting new loyalists from amongst both the supernaturals and the humans alike. The Guild had a significant grudge to bear against the Alliance. Saladin, Raif and Alaric being among its members. If it was discovered that Saladin was no longer the formidable foe he had once been, the Guild would likely move to have him eliminated.

That was not a prospect Dray would allow happen. He went to great lengths to keep up the appearance that Saladin was as formidable an adversary as he had ever been.

In the twelfth century, Saladin had been a great ruler in the Middle East. He'd led the Muslim people against the Crusaders, recovering all but one of their strongholds in his homeland and all but defeating the invaders.

Even back then, his mere presence radiated power and dominance. As a vampire, that amplified to shaking-in-your-boots proportions. Normally.

It was Dray's intention to see him returned to the man he used to be, before it was discovered how frail he'd really become. Not an easy task when half the supernatural world came to the club every night, eager for a glimpse of him. Watching every move he made, when he did make a rare appearance. Dray was also aware that not all their patrons were friendly. The Guild had spies everywhere, just like the Alliance. Dray allowed them entry in the hope of learning Guild secrets. An abundance of alcohol tended to loosen lips, but it was a razor-edged wire he was walking to achieve both goals.

Dray opened the curtain to let them pass. Raif's eyes roamed the nooks of cushions and sofas where vampires fornicated and fed from their smorgasbord of prey. Not that any of the humans would remember their donation of blood or the incredible orgasms that came from sex and feeding. Their minds would be wiped clean of the memory the moment the intimate integration of bodily fluids ended. All that would remain of the experience would be a feeling of dehydration and hunger. Their bodies craving sustenance to replace what had just been lost. That, and a remnant post-orgasmic buzz.

"Do they have this, where our women are?" Raif snarled, barely containing his petulant beast within him.

"No. They are in a human club, nothing like this one."

"And do the human's know what goes on in here?"

"No."

"Has Kaitlyn ever been back here?"

"Never. Neither has Cassie."

The emerald glow of Raif's eyes dulled marginally as his dragon retreated, appeased by the news.

Alaric lengthened his stride toward the far end of the VIP room, stopping at an inconspicuous door in the far corner. Punching in the security code on the panel, the door's lock clicked open. Smoothly, the heavily reinforced steel door slid back and he ushered Raif down a brightly lit hallway, leaving behind the revelry of the dimly lit club.

Alaric gave Saladin's door a sharp rap with his knuckles and immediately moved to open the door, his hand freezing on the door knob at the sound of Saladin's gruff voice. "Fuck off Dray," he growled.

Saladin looked to the door as it opened, ready with a string of insults for his head of security. Instead his jaw dropped in shame, as his sire, his vampire father stepped before him, his eyes glowing with naked concern and frustration. Saladin felt like the little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar, having Alaric see him in such a state of chaotic disorder. But Alaric said nothing, just looked about him. Somehow that made Saladin feel worse than the dressing down Dray gave him every night.

"So, where's the good scotch," Alaric finally asked, pulling up the chair in front of him, while Raif pushed a pile of clothes off the sofa onto the floor to take a seat.

Saladin reached behind him, pulling a decanter from the sideboard and three glasses. "Have you come to check up on me because your mates are out partying without you?" he asked as he poured their drinks.

"Something like that."

"As you can see, everything is fine and dandy," Saladin bit out with a forced smile. Alaric just stared at him and took the glass.

"Don't look at me like that. I don't need fixing. I've just been on a bit of a downer lately, that's all," he snapped irritably.

"That may be so, but I'm concerned about you. We're all concerned about you."

Saladin's eyes glowed with iridescent anger and his fangs dropped menacingly. "I'm fine. I wish you'd all leave me alone."

For now, Alaric thought to himself. But not for much longer. He couldn't bear to see him like this, so….broken.

With more effort than it should have taken, Saladin reined in his temper. "So, how's my goddaughter?" he asked, hoping it would be an effective way to divert the subject away from himself.

"Growing fast," Alaric offered. "You need to come and see her again soon."

"I will." He almost sighed with relief as the mood in his office lightened significantly. "I promise," he added when Alaric looked at him doubtfully. It had been weeks since he'd paid them a visit, or maybe it was months, he couldn't remember. Did it really matter? One day was the same as every other. A succession of meaningless, hollow moments defined by the tick of a clock.

The three men chatted and drank, carefully avoiding the subject of women. Preferring instead to recount stories of battles long past, reminiscing on the 'good-old-days'.

Alaric checked the clock on the desk. Just past midnight. The girls had only been gone for a couple of hours but it seemed like three times that. Something didn't feel right. Just when he realised the anxiety he was feeling was coming from Cassie, his phone began to ring. Within a heartbeat both Raif's phone and Saladin's also rang.

All three men were on their feet, out of Saladin's office and heading down the corridor towards the backdoor in an instant. Alaric and Saladin were much faster than Raif but he didn't need to see them to follow them. In less than a minute all three men were pushing their way through the front door of Club Zero.

Every protective instinct rumbled to the surface as Saladin tore across the room in long strides. When he reached Teagan, he wrapped an arm around her, lifting her to his chest. Bringing her as close as possible as a throng of people crowded around her unconscious form.

The well dressed manager of the club stared down at his unwelcome rival. He was about to berate Saladin with caustic comments, as he too moved toward Teagan. The unearthly growl coming from Saladin, and the feral look in his eyes, bordering on insanity, had him taking a sharp step back and his jaw snapped shut. Sensibly opting to work crowd control instead, clearing a much larger space around them. All the while keeping a healthy, safe distance between himself and Saladin.

Saladin's eyes scanned every inch of Teagan's delectably, skimpily clad body for signs of injury or foul play. His eyes stopped roving when he reached the end of one arm.

"Who gave her this ring?" Saladin growled. He'd seen it before, but it hadn't been on Teagan's hand then. His heart kicked up it's pace, even as it sank into the pit of his stomach, waiting for an answer.

"What ring?" Paige asked, a little confused. She knew everything Teagan was wearing, she'd hand picked every piece herself and she wasn't wearing any rings.

"This ring," Saladin said, lifting her hand to show them the thick gold ring with a large ruby set in its centre. It looked much too large to fit her delicate finger, but the band wrapped around the digit with such a tight fit it looked as though it was made to never come off.

Paige and Kaitlyn both gasped simultaneously, their rosy, dance flushed cheeks paling instantly. Raif's arm quickly wrapped around Kaitlyn's waist as her knees began to buckle. "Holy Mary mother of God," Paige muttered as she reached to grip Raif's free arm to hold herself steady.

"What the hell is it?" Alaric asked nervously.

"It's grandfather's ring," Kaitlyn replied in a weak voice.

"Grandfather's dead," Paige said, verbalising the thought that was running through her sister's mind. Her words barely audible as reality and shock set in. That ring was their family's legacy and could never be removed until death, passing instantly to the next in line.

"Oh, fuck." Abby blurted, her eyes leaving the stricken faces of the sisters, her attention drawn to the TV screen mounted on the wall over the bar. A news flash was reporting an unusual earthquake in Mexico which trembled the earth violently but only brought down one building. A multilevel car park.

However, it wasn't the occurrence of the quake which grabbed Abby's attention. It was the timing of it. Almost precisely the same time Teagan collapsed.

And now Teagan carried their family's curse.

That in itself was bad enough, but it also meant she had now just been bumped up to the number one position on Morganna's hit list.

Saladin gathered Teagan's unconscious form up in his arms, bearing her weight with careless ease and headed for the door.

"Where are you taking her?" Paige asked, almost running to keep up with his pace.

"Home," he growled.

"She can't go home. We don't know if or when Morganna will come looking for her," Alaric stated flatly as he passed Saladin in the corridor and opened the door for him to carry Teagan through.

"She's coming home with me," he answered gruffly without breaking stride.

"That's not such a wise idea. She's not going to like that. You don't know what she'll do when she wakes up, disoriented in a strange home. In your home," Alaric emphasised. "Bring her back to the manor, we can look after there, the property is well protected. Morganna can't cross the boundaries."

"No," Saladin growled, his voice rabid and raw. His eyes began to glow and the tip of his fangs descended just enough to be visible as he snarled. Saladin knew he wasn't being rational but he felt helpless to stop himself. He couldn't let Teagan out of his sight. He needed to keep her where his scent surrounded her. The primal part of him wouldn't allow him to give her over to another's protection, no matter who it was. His instinct to protect his Mate so strong, he would kill anyone who tried to take her from him.

Alaric wasn't about to argue with him, neither was Raif. Neither one would react any differently if it was their mate, and they both knew it.

"Alright. Let me take the two of you home. I can get you there much faster," he offered, letting his angelic wings appear at his back.

That was the sanest thing anyone had said to him all night, thought Saladin, coming to a halt at the curb outside the nightclub they'd just exited. "Fine. Let's go."

Walking around the corner into a darkened alley, Alaric wrapped his arms around Saladin with Teagan cocooned tightly between their bodies. Spreading his wings out fully, he prepared to lift off. "Cassie, love, meet us at Saladin's, okay?"

Cassie nodded, concern for her friend and distraught sister's, rendering her speechless.

Alaric bent his knees as he flapped his wings in a downward motion, leaping sharply into the air and vanished into the darkness of the night sky.

It only then occurred to her that she had no idea with Saladin lived. He'd always come to the manor. Cassie had never once been to his home. In fact she'd never really considered that he had a home of his own. He always seemed to be either at the manor or at the club, but clearly there was a side to Saladin that he liked to keep private, even from his family.

"I know someone who does," Abby offered. The telepathic vampire had watched silently, assessing and gathering information from people's minds throughout the whole ordeal. "Nicholas," she called.

The blonde Frenchman stepped from the shadows with a lopsided grin. "You called?"

"Can you tell Dray we need him please?"

"Anything for a pretty lady," he answered with suave sophistication, and he too disappeared with a flash of speed.