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The world blinked Magic flooded us like an invisible tsunaer brilliant blue sign ignited above it, ed air

I reached over and squeezed Curran’s hand "Coreat If we see the navigators, we can ot out of the car and headed inside The bloodsuckers glanced at us in unison, their eyes like two s fire I felt their minds, twin hot pinpoints of pain, clenched securely by the navigators’ wills One slip up and those coals would ignite into an all consuot full, they never stopped killing, and if let loose, they would drown the world in blood and die of starvation when there was nothing left to kill

The chains wouldn’t hold thehth of an inch thick at best A chain like that would restrain a large dog A vaeneral public felt better if the bloodsuckers were chained, and so the navigators obliged

We passed the va was diht on the walls, as the charged air inside their colored glass tubes reacted with ic Each feylantern had been hand-blown into a beautiful shape: a bright blue dragon, an e with a unicorn horn Booths lined the walls, their tables plain rectangles of wood In the center of the floor four larger round tables sported built-in charcoal grills under metal hoods

The restaurant was about half full There were two couples in booths on the right: the first was occupied by two ed men and the second was a dark-haired er couple chatted quietly Good clothes, relaxed, casual, well grooators who had parked the bloodsuckers out front The Casino had seven Masters of the Dead and I knew thenize either theor upper level journeyuys in the next booth were armed The closer one carried a short sword, which he put on the seat next to him As his friend reached for the salt shaker, his sweatshirt hugged a gun in the side holster

Past thehed too loud - probably tipsy On the other side a farill The older girl looked a bit like Julie Two business women, another family with a toddler, and an older couple rounded off the patrons No threats

The air swirled with delicious aroarlic, sweet spice Myso from a street vendor My stomach actually hurt

A waiter in a plain black pants and a black T-shirt led us to a table in the middle of the floor Curran and I took chairs opposite one another- I could see the back door and he had a nice view of the front entrance We ordered hot tea Thirty seconds later it arrived with a plate of pot stickers

"Hungry?" Curran asked

"Starving"

"Cory and s

The waiter departed Curran senuine smile and it catapulted him from attractive into irresistible territory He didn’t smile very often in public That intimate smile was usually reserved for private moments ere alone

I reached over, pulled the band offthe hair Curran’s gaze snagged on ers like a cat on a piece of foil pulled by a string I shookdark wave There we go Noere both private in public

Tiny gold sparks danced in Curran’s grey irises He was thinking dirty thoughts and the wicked edge in his smile made me want to slide next to him and touch hi hot sex on the floor of Arirang would get us banned for life Then again, it ht be worth it

I raised my tea in a salute "To our date"

He raised his cup and we clinked theainst each other

"So hoas your day?" he asked

"First, I chased a giant jellyfish around through so and picking it up, because they claimed it was a Fish and Game issue Then I called Fish and Gaot to listen to the two of theot really creative Also the Mercenary Guild is having soe and apparently Jim think that I’m supposed to break that tie Because I am a veteran and the Consort, and the Pack apparently owns so forward to it?"

"I’d rather eat dirt It’s between Mark and the veterans led by the Four Horsemen, and they despise each other They’re aren’t interested in reaching a consensus They just want to throw ht sparked in his eyes "You could always go for Plan B"

"Pound everyone to a bloody pulp until they shut up and cooperate?"

"Exactly"

It would make me feel better "I could always do it your way instead"

Curran raised his blond eyebrows

"Roar until everyone pees themselves"

A shadow of self-satisfaction flickered on his face and vanished, replaced by innocence "That’s bullshit I’m perfectly reasonable and I almost never roar I don’t even reether"

The Beast Lord of Atlanta, a gentle and enlightened ressive of you, Your Majesty"