That could be true. Before the Collar, some Shifters hadn’t been too choosy about where they dropped their seed. Probably more half breeds existed than humans knew about.
Eric leaned in. “My advice? Get the hell out of this club and don’t come back. You’re lucky I spotted you first. If any of the Shifters in here smell you—unclaimed, unmated, unprotected—I might not be able to stop them.”
Her eyes sparkled with anger through her fear. Good. The humans hadn’t cowed every bit of Shifter spirit out of her.
Eric touched the hollow of her throat, where the Celtic knot of her Collar would go. “You know what I could do, by rights? Claim you, take you home with me, snap a Collar on you, and confine you for endangering all Shifters. Make you mine in all ways.”
The fear returned. Eric traced her throat, trying to soothe her, trying to make her understand her danger. And that he would protect her from all danger.
He liked that her throat was bare, though. Knowing she was free made his heart sing.
But how long could she last before the humans figured out what she was? She’d be exposed, arrested, maybe killed. Or, if another Shifter male found her, she could be taken and claimed by him. By not being raised Shifter, she wouldn’t know how to resist, or even that, by Shifter law, she could.
She sat still, fury and fear mixed in her eyes. Her beautiful, beautiful blue eyes.
Eric leaned closer still. He inhaled her scent and exhaled his own onto her. His mark. He nuzzled her cheek, breathing softly on her skin.
“What are you doing?” she demanded, but she didn’t shrink away.
“Helping you.”
“How is sniffing me helping me?”
Eric sat up. She smelled good, and now her scent was on him, and his on hers. “I scent-marked you. If other Shifter males try to go for you, they’ll scent me and back off.” In theory. It would be more difficult to protect her when she lived outside Shiftertown, but the scent mark would make whatever male tried to mate-claim her hesitate, giving her time to escape.
“Scent-marked? What the hell does that mean?”
Eric ignored the question. “When you decide you want to come in, you find me,” he said. “I’ll make it as painless for you as possible. Understand?”
“Understand me. I don’t want to have anything to do with Shifters. Ever.”
Eric put his hand on her arm. Her skin was soft, the bones fragile but still strong. Shifter strong. “You didn’t choose this, I know. But you’re Shifter, and you’re stuck with it. You’re going to need me.”
“I don’t even know who you are.”
“Yes, you do,” Eric said.
Her two friends came giggling back. They stared in delighted awe as Eric stood up, six feet six, tattoos, Collar, and all.
“Iona,” one of her friends said. “You work fast. Aren’t you going to introduce us?”
“No,” Iona said.
Eric flashed a smile at the two women. “Eric Warden. Next round’s on me. Except for Iona. She’s leaving.”
The friends looked excitedly curious, Iona angry.
Eric took Iona’s hand and pulled her from her seat. Now the friends looked envious.
Iona glared at Eric, but she chose to be smart. She followed him without fighting him around the edge of the dance floor, Eric avoiding all Shifters.
Jace, at the bar, looked their way, but at Eric’s slight shake of head, Jace went back to flirting with a Lupine who laughed at him from his other side. Jace would question, and Eric faced the possibility of having to lie to his own son. If even a breath of Iona’s existence got out, she would be in grave danger.
Eric guided Iona out the back door to the cool of the parking lot. “Where’s your car?” he asked.
Iona tried to pull away, but Eric’s grip was unshakable. “My friends won’t have a ride if I leave.”
“I’ll make sure they get home. Where?”
Iona heaved a sigh, which lifted her chest under the nondescript dress. Eric wanted to peel off that dress and find out what was underneath.
Iona led him to a small red pickup, an almost cute truck. She fumbled with the keys. Eric took them from her and unlocked the door. “How much have you had to drink?”
“Nothing. My margaritas were virgin. I’m designated driver.”
“Good.” Eric opened the door and put his hand under her elbow to lift her inside. The simple touch stirred fires in him, stoking embers he’d thought had long ago turned to ash. He gave her the keys and shut the door. “Go home. Stay away from Shifters and out of Shifter bars if you want to keep passing for human.”
“You think?”
Without thanking him for not telling every Shifter in the bar that an unmated, unprotected female sat in their midst, Iona shot him an annoyed look, started the truck, and backed out of the parking space.
One final glare as she straightened the truck, then Iona gunned the engine. Red taillights flashed as she turned from the entrance, and then she was gone.
Eric was left alone in the dark parking lot, breathing in exhaust and dust.
“Iona,” Eric whispered. The name tasted good in his mouth.
Iona.
He’d see her again. He’d make sure of it.
Diego watched Eric leave the club with the woman in blue, Eric leaning in very protectively to her.
“Who was that?” Diego asked Cassidy.
Cassidy was looking too, curiosity on her face. “I have no idea.”
The music segued into the next song, also fast-paced. Whatever happened to slow dancing? “Want to get out of here?” Diego asked her.
Cassidy smiled up at him and touched his lips. “I think so.” She kept smiling as Diego put his arm around her, resting his hand on her curved hip. “You’ve seen where I live,” Cassidy said. “Now that I’m off probation, how about showing me where you live?”
Diego’s heart beat faster. He could take her home, slide her out of that clingy white dress, run his hand down those long legs…
He thought about Captain Max’s warning, but at the moment, Diego didn’t care. He just knew that Cassidy was tall and sexy and warm against his side. His own business who he saw off duty.
Xavier was still with Lindsay, still dancing, Xavier laughing and having a good time, as usual. Diego knew Xav would be all right, though. His brother knew how far to go and when to stop.
The parking lot was well lit, but there was no sign of Eric when they ducked outside. Brody, acting as bouncer, gave them a nod. He watched Diego sharply, likely having heard every word of what had gone on in the back room by now. But he said nothing and didn’t try to stop them.