Darkness, Tome 8 : Charles

Five hours and several glasses of wine later, Ann found herself stumbling outside for some air and a breather. Her head buzzed with alcohol and her lady parts buzzed with desire. She had guys doting on her constantly, excited with the rare prospect of getting to try a shifter in bed. She was the exotic party favor.

Strangely, in the mood she was in, she was totally okay with that. All she had to do was point at the person she wanted, and she would get him. Or them. In true Mansion fashion, they were okay with sharing.

She closed the sliding glass door behind her. She needed a break.

A giggle sounded off to her right, followed by a masculine hum. Ann veered to the left, feeling the cool breeze against her fevered skin. She lifted her hair off the nape of her neck and leaned against the wall of the house as her gaze traveled the shimmering swimming pool.

“Ann?”

Ann glanced to where a man and a woman stood in the faint light of dawn. The drop-dead gorgeous woman gave a whine of disapproval as Charles stepped forward. The light splashed across his handsome features, illuminating his smoky, grey eyes. Without saying anything to the woman he was with, he started across the patio to Ann, his huge breadth of shoulder drawing her gaze and setting her core burning.

“I haven’t seen you all night,” Ann said in a voice much huskier than she’d intended. “I thought you’d be all over it, trying to get a piece now that I was back on the market.” Ann saw the woman pulling the strap of her dress onto her shoulder. She adjusted her breasts before heading back inside.

Ann’s confidence withered. “Ah.” She looked back over the pool. “You didn’t want to wait that long, I gather.”

Charles’ eyebrows pinched together as he glanced behind him where the woman had been. “Oh no—she was just showing me her tits to try and get some.”

“I’m amazed you could restrain yourself,” Ann said, rolling her eyes.

Charles shrugged and leaned beside her. “She had a nice rack, but I’ve seen it before. Literally. A million times. I’m the last of Sasha’s bodyguards to get tied down. They all want me.”

“Should I step away—give your ego more room?”

“Nah. I’m bored with all the attention, now. At first it was cool. I mean, being a bodyguard was a shit job, right? It was embarrassing. But then she became a black mage, and the leader. Now I’m hot shit in this role. Even the humans want me—to get them knocked up, I mean. I can’t find the thrill in it, anymore, though. And I don’t want to get attached to some human. They always expect to mate the father. Not interested.”

“Wow. Hard life.”