Free Dark War Chronicles Box Set One by A. L. Kessler Page B

him. Never having met an immortal, she wanted to ask him about his life, but the glare he gave her cut down her curiosity. Spotting Jax talking to one of the other bartenders, she froze. “Well, fuck.”
    “Such language from a lady.” Coran laughed. “You know the cat then?”
    She snorted. “Yeah, I know the cat.”
    Jax looked up as Kass walked to the bar with Coran. “Do you make a habit of working at different places?”
    “Do you make a habit of showing up on nights that I’m working?” She gave an exaggerated look around. “At least we’re not in an alley this way and you don’t have me pinned to the wall.” Kass’ panther stirred at her statement, excited at the thought of Jax pinning them.
    Jax shrugged. “Everyone knows about this bar, I didn’t know you worked here.” He grinned. “When did you start?”
    “Tonight.” She looked to Coran for help.
    The immortal smirked. “Take a break.”
    She groaned. “I just started though.”
    “Don’t care. Go.”
    Jax grinned. “I’ll buy you a drink, and we’ll go talk in the back.”
    Jax watched as Kass hung her head and exited the square bar. “Come on, it’s not going to be that bad. I just want to talk for a bit.”
    “So you did know I was going to be here.” Her eyes snapped up to his and he sighed.
    “No, I didn’t, but now that you are here and Lucius and his other blood suckers aren’t hanging around I’d like to talk.” He raised a brow. “What’s your poison?”
    She hesitated for a moment, and he wondered what she was thinking. “Mudslide.”
    “Fancy, eh?” He turned to order the drinks. The female bartender let her fingers brush and linger on Jax’s hand. He turned away without acknowledging her advance and handed Kass her drink. “ Shall we go to the back?”
    “Yeah.” To his surprise she brushed past him and led him up to the next raised platform.
    He pulled out his chair and sat down. The beat of the music faded away and the floor steadied under their feet.  He watched as she sat down and took a hesitant drink. “What’s on your mind?”
    “I don’t like this.”
    His panther shot up at the thought of an unhappy female. “What? Having a drink with me? Have you never had a guy buy you anything?” He leaned back in his chair.
    She shook her head. “You showing up, me working here, the attack last night-“ She paused, paling as the words bubbled out of her mouth.
    He leaned forward, trying to conceal his panic. The panther inside him longed to jump across the table and comfort her. “Attack? What the hell happened? You were unharmed when I left you in the alley.”
    “There was a panther there that attacked me, it was nothing.” She shook her head.
    Every muscle in his body tensed. His instincts ran wild as his panther moved in him. The need to protect this woman, his mate- But she’s not my mate. “Sounds like it might have been a big deal.”
    “I’m just on edge after it. Earlier I thought I smelt another one of us.”
    He wanted to reassure her, he wanted to make sure that she felt safe. “Why are you so scared if there is another one of our kind around? Why would they even attack you?”
    “I don’t want to get into that.” She sipped her drink and sighed. Her sleeve slipped down her arm and he saw a scar that ran up the entire length.
    “Brutal scar, looks like it was done by a claw.”
    “A birthday present from my father.” She whispered, closing her eyes. “Right before I left home.”
    His fist clenched and he tried to keep his emotions in check. Rage flowed through him at the thought of her father harming her. Of anyone harming her. “When’s you’re birthday?” He asked, trying to keep the conversation going.
    “Early next month. After the full moon.” She smiled slightly. “I’ll be twenty-five.”
    Twenty-five. He frowned as he watched her. “So you left home, obviously your father wasn’t happy about it, what about your mother?”
    “Dead.” Her face went