The Hollow Moon (Downworlder Series, #2)

Chapter Six: King of Ashes

"I don't care for yo-"

"I'm going out." I said it brightly as I turned around and nearly bounce towards the door. I shoved my feet into my shoes. "I'll be back... I dunno. Some time? Depends on how many blowies I give while I'm out there." I made a shaking motion in front of my mouth as I wiggled my eyebrows. His lip curled at that and I stopped the motion, biting my lip in thought as I grabbed my knapsack.

"Or get some lip from some lucky, lucky male." I gave a small groan of pleasure as if thinking about it and his growl was heavy in the air as I slipped out of the apartment with a snort. He made it so fucking easy. One would think he would learn not to be bothered by me but he never did. I threw my knapsack over my shoulder and hurried out of the building. I had some shit I needed to do for the day that didn't include tormenting stinky, as much fun as that was. That didn't get me what I wanted or needed.

Contrary to what Stinky might have thought, my world did not revolve around him. I gave a snort at that, "Certainly seems like his world is revolving around me." I snickered at that. What a change for the pureblood elitist.

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I elbowed my way through rowdy crowd, searching for my informant. I wanted to get in and get out as quickly as I could. I didn't feel comfortable with stinky hanging around in my apartment without supervision and I'd already been gone for several hours. I wouldn't put it past him to cause trouble simply out of spite. Plus, I wasn't a fan of hanging around the pits, most of the people that came here were the unsavory kind. It was basically as close as one could get to a gladiator arena. I reached out toward my shaking beast, sending all of my strength and love her direction. I knew she hated the heavy metallic tang in the air and the overwhelming dominance bouncing around the room. If I could have avoided putting her through this I would, but I was doing this to keep us from worse things.

The acoustics of the room had the wild cheers and rumbling growls of dueling beasts echoing almost too loud for comfort. Still it was the place where I usually collected the best intel on things that were happening around the city. There were several small fighting circles in the large warehouse but I made my way to the largest one, knowing that I person I had come here for was likely to be at the center of it. If it was one thing I knew about Ginessa it was she enjoyed making a scene.

As expected at the center of the circle was the person in question. She was holding the large male in a submission move, one that I had taught her in exchange for some information a couple of weeks ago. I found myself grinning at her nearly flawless reenactment of the maneuver. Her thin arm wrapped around his thick neck, while she had his arm twisted up behind his back. She wasn't gripping his hand entirely correct, but I wasn't going to split hairs.

"Fucking cunt..." The unlucky bastard choked out between clenched teeth as his face began to change colors, the veins in his forehead bulging as he tried to buck her off.

"I know you are, but what am I?" She squeezed him tighter, pressing her cheek to his. Her silver eyes flicked up toward the crowd, surveying them like the predator that was lurking just beneath the surface. She was always one for putting on a good show for those willing to watch. I had met the tiny pureblood in a bar, she had been drowning herself in a bottle of scotch when an elitist prick thought to get handsy with me. He had met the end of my blade and she had handed me the bottle with a toothy grin. We had spent the rest of the night getting drunk and bonding over our mutual hatred for purebloods, despite her being one herself. The rest was history.

"Go on, tell them who's your daddy..." She whispered seductively into his ear before licking up the side of his face slowly, "Go on...who's your daddy, big boy?" I snorted at her antics, always so theatrical.