To Claim A Crown Book One: The Half-Blood King (Complete)

4.

Raurlin pushes the car door open and steps out. Jackson follows suit. The car locks with a beep behind them. They walk to the entrance of a booming club where a long winding line of people are waiting outside. Clouds begin gathering overhead. The music is loud to their ears and the smells of sweat, alcohol and lust are thick in the air. Raurlin turns to Jackson and there's that primal shift between the two of them. The need to hunt and feed courses through their veins to the beat of the pumping music.

The bouncers pull back the rope blocking the entrance and Raurlin and Jackson saunter in one after each other. The club itself is not as tightly packed as anticipated and as soon as Raurlin steps into the club there's the overwhelming smell of wildflowers and a single heartbeat that slowly drains out the noise and Raurlin finds himself making a bee-line for it. Jackson follows along close behind.

Naomi hands a note to the bar and he slides six shot glasses across the counter top. Naomi attempts to lift them and as she manages to balance them between her fingers she catches out of the corner of her eye the guard who had bruised her arm. She places the shot glasses back on the counter tops and ducks. Sarah is at the end of the bar in a flirty conversation with an attractive blonde. As if aware of the situation Sarah turns around and moves quickly to where Naomi is hiding.

"Why are you hiding?"

Naomi grabs at Sarah's arm and answers loudly "he's here. The guy or guard or whatever! He's here!"

Sarah's mouth drops and she immediately begins scanning the room. It's easy to spot them. They stand taller and are attractive in an unnatural kind of way. Everything about their presence screams raw potential. Sarah shivers. The song changes and a lot more people flood to the bar area. The two are forced back and they settle at a table towards the back of the bar. The one, presumably who bruised Naomi's arm, is maintaining a fierce gaze on Naomi. The look is strange and almost uncomfortable.

Naomi nudges Sarah and hands her shot. They tap glasses and down a shot each followed by two more. The alcohol burns in the back of their throats and there is a surge of heat that pushes through their bodies. The song changes again and Sarah pulls Naomi to the dance floor. The dance floor soon becomes packed with sweaty grinding bodies. Naomi dances smoothly completely under the spell of the music. Sarah dances slightly more provocatively attracting a lot of attention. Naomi licks her lips, her mouth dry. She nudges Sarah and points the bar and Sarah nods in response.

Naomi shimmies her way through the crown and makes it to the bar. The soles of her feet are aching and her calves are burning but the distraction is exactly what she needs. She wipes her forehead with the back of her hand as she finds an empty spot to lean against the bar counter top. The bartender walks briskly to where Naomi is standing and she shouts with a hoarse voice for a bottle of water. The bartender opens the small mini fridge behind him that is filled with water and hands Naomi a bottle. The bartender returns shortly after and places a shot in front her. He points to the other end of the bar where there is a muscular guy leaning forward. He waves at Naomi then winks.

Naomi reaches for the shot glass but there's a hand that snatches it and it's him. He downs the shot and slams the shot glass down onto the counter top then glares at the muscular guy. Naomi frowns deeply then chooses to walk away but as she turns there's his grasp tightly on her other, unbruised arm. He tugs her back to beside him.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You want to bruise both my arms?"

The hand drops immediately and the guy turns and walks away. Naomi watches as he walks away. She picks up her water bottle and walks to an open table and sits down. She opens the water bottle and takes a long sip. The water is crisp against the dryness of her throat. She shoves hair out her face. Sarah walks to the table with Jackson behind her. Naomi groans and glares at Sarah. Sarah flops down in a seat next to Naomi.

"You can offer to buy drinks as long as you want, Jackson, but your friend hurt my friend and that isn't forgivable by just buying a few drinks."

"Look he meant no harm. And I doubt he actually hurt your friend. Hello Naomi."

Naomi nods at Jackson but remains silent.

"Your friend absolutely did hurt my friend. Look at how bruised her arm is!"

Jackson carefully examines Naomi's arm closely with a deep frown on his face. He glances over to where Raurlin is sitting, watching. He sighs heavily and steps back from Naomi. He remains silent and is pensive a moment. He looks between Sarah and Naomi.

"I had an idea. Why don't you just meet the guy?"

Naomi frowns and shakes her head in disagreement but Sarah is already nodding her agreement. Sarah clasps Naomi's hand and then she's being tugged to where her attacker is sitting. He also seems surprised that the three are walking to where is sitting. He quickly downs his drink. Jackson sits beside Raurlin and gives him a look. Raurlin glares at him slightly then turns to Sarah. He holds out a hand.

"I'm Raurlin. I'm sorry I hurt your friend."

Naomi watches as they shake hands. Raurlin turns to Naomi and all at once he is the only thing that she can see. His hands clench together in a tight ball. Naomi is lost in his hazel eyes. There's a gorgeous golden halo around his irises that under the strobe lights seem to pool into a deep red. For a second Naomi is sure all she can hear is the pounding of her heart. Does he have to be so attractive? Raurlin drops his hand off the table and his nails extend almost painfully, long and sharp. Jackson drops his hand on Raurlins shoulder and Raurlin clears his throat.

"Hi, Naomi. I'm Raurlin. It's nice to officially meet you. I'm sorry I grabbed you like that. I did...didn't mean to hurt you."

Naomi catches her breath with a deep inhale and Raurlin is suddenly on his feet and walking briskly away. Naomi watches on in shock as Jackson walks on after him. She turns to Sarah, looking baffled. Sarh does her best to hide her surprise. Jackson and Raurlin regroup at the bar.

"What the hell was that?" Naomi demands.

Sarah groans slightly and mutters "I have no idea. Maybe he's just shy...or embarrassed but I totally saw the way you looked at each other. He likes you. Get over there!"

Jackson accepts a beer from the bartender.

"I could smack you, Raur. You marked her?"

Raurlin tries to steady his breathing.

"It was a mistake. I wasn't trying to. I couldn't help myself. We should just get out of here."

Naomi grabs at Sarah's glass and downs the drink. Sarah shouts a whoop as Naomi kicks the chair out from under her. She adjusts her dress then walks to where Jackson and Raurlin are standing. Jackson gives Raurlin a look and walks back to where Sarah is sitting. Naomi is silent as she gathers her courage.

"Look I know you feel bad about bruising my arm but I'm okay. I accept your apology. I mean you could buy me a drink" Naomi smiles warmly at Raurlin.

Raurlin digs those long nails into his hands and snaps "by the Gods, you're an infant. This must be some kind of joke."

Naomi is slapping him across the face before it even registers in her mind. She shoves past him further along the bar to get the bartender's attention. On the dance floor Sarah is dancing closely against Jackson whose eyes are completely red, a bright ruby red. Raurlin shoves past pulsating bodies to get outside. He shoves past the bouncers and inhales a large breath of air once he is standing in the parking lot. Almost instantly rain is pouring.