We Own the Night (The Night Songs Collection Book 3) by Kristen Strassel

eyes flared as I met his stare.
    “How long were you going to have your clan suck me dry before you told me Blade killed Talis?” My voice shook as I talked, and I had to put all my energy into not yelling. “This is my bar now, and I want you out of it.”
    “You loved every minute of it,” he sneered, still not moving.
    “Like hell. It killed me inside. But I did it to help someone I had no idea was beyond help. Did you really think I’d never find out what you were up to? That you were just fucking with me? Maybe you should have planned for that day. Because it’s here, Peter.”
    Peter finally rose, his meaty body cast a shadow over me. He came in too close, his face just inches from mine, but I refused to flinch. “Blade knew what he wanted when he came to me, unlike you. I partner with strength, and take out weakness. That’s what leaders do.”
    He spit when he talked. My stomach churned.
    “Get out. Now. This is my bar now, and I don’t want the shadow of your fat ass darkening its doorstep. I don’t want to see any members of your clan here, and I don’t want to see Blade here. And I don’t want your leadership advice. Do you understand me? Go.”
    “Your bar?” he scoffed.
    “Mine. Shut up and leave.” I felt my eyes burn and glow. Were they red like Blade’s had been? I hoped so.
    I only broke my stare with Peter to point to the door.
    “This isn’t how Talis did business, little girl.” The acid dripped off of his words as he made his way to the door. “You have no idea what kind of trouble you’re stirring up.”
    “Neither did you, Peter.” I sat in Jack’s chair. “Neither did you.”
    I’d never sat behind the desk before. I balanced on the edge of the chair, not feeling comfortable enough to sink back and let it swallow me. The leather stunk of Peter: tobacco, sweat, and animal blood. Nauseating. This place needed incense, flowers, and an exorcism.
    Absentmindedly, I began leafing through the piles of paperwork on the desk. I didn’t feel right doing it, but after all, it was my business now. Everything was. Most of it was restocking forms for alcohol, bills, and mundane stuff like that. Some of it looked more involved. I tossed it aside, not yet ready to deal with it.
    Someone knocked on the door almost too softly for me to be certain of what it was.
    “Come in?” I hoped to see Tony come through the door. I’d had enough Embrace for one evening.
    “Hi.” Melanie peeked around the door. “Is this a good time?”
    “Not really,” I felt bad as her face fell. I of all people knew how hard it was to be a human in this world. “But come in. What’s up?”
    Melanie sensed her window of opportunity was narrow and quickly sat in one of the chairs in front of the desk. “Thanks. I’m just going to cut to the chase. Lennon’s told me about you, and what you’ve, um, become, and I need to ask a favor of you.”
    Big surprise. She wanted something from me. I admired her bravery.
    “Okay.” My curiosity peaked. “What kind of favor?”
    Melanie took a deep breath. “I don’t know if you know anything about me, but I’m wanted for murder. Two murders.” She paused to see my reaction, and seemed pleased that I didn’t have one. Once I moved past the human realm, death didn’t shock me anymore. Sad, but true. Been there, done that. Lived to tell about it.
    She continued. “My boyfriend, Ryder Maddox, he’s a part of Talis’s clan, which I guess is your clan now. Talis was going to offer me protection, before everything went haywire with Blade.”
    “What do you know about what happened with Blade?” I asked slowly. Maybe Melanie could be as useful to me as I could be to her.
    Her posture deflated and she looked down at her hands. “I was here the night it happened. You were, too.”
    My eyes widened. “I was?”
    “Yeah. You saw us come in, I think. You were on the bar, Tristan was on top of you. You saw Talis come in with Blade. I’m sure you wouldn’t