Animal Instincts (Entangled Ignite) by Patricia Rosemoor Read Free Book Online

form.
    “I’m sorry this wasn’t your lucky night,” Luc said to the man, as he edged closer to him. “Why don’t we go to my office?”
    “I’m not going anywhere. Neither is anyone else until I get my money back. Don’t come any closer!” he warned, his gun hand shaking.
    Luc stopped moving. The man was obviously desperate. Also obviously, he wasn’t wealthy, and he didn’t seem of any importance. Luc didn’t sense any corruption in him, either, so why was he here? Was there some reason his father needed this man? Luc wondered. Or had this one even been invited into the casino?
    Luc’s half-brother, Nik, stepped in out of nowhere, accompanied by Doyle Craven, his pale, blond, sycophantic shadow. A tux stretched across Nik’s powerful shoulders, the blue-black material the exact shade of his eyes and slicked-back hair. His only ornament was the heavy gold ring embossed with a wolf, a snake, and a hawk, a gift from Pop when he’d turned eighteen and had been initiated into the upper ranks of the Kindred.
    “I’m Nik Lazare, general manager of the casino.” He spoke directly to the man with the gun. “Let these folks go back to their games, no harm done. Come with me and I’ll let you into a private game room, give you the chance to win everything you lost.”
    “Nik!” Luc growled. “I don’t think he’s the right man for that game. I’m handling it.”
    Nik’s dark eyes flashed with anger.
    “Not to this man’s satisfaction,” Doyle murmured.
    Luc glared at the toady who never contradicted Nik. “I think there’s been a mistake here.”
    “One I’m trying to fix,” Nik said, his thick lips pulling into a grimace.
    You’re only making it worse!
    Try to stop me, little brother.
    Luc clenched his jaw and held himself back against the challenge. His adrenaline was buzzing now, shooting sparks to every inch of his body. He wanted to take Nik up on it, to rip that superior grin from his face.
    “Hey, just give me my money and I’ll go.” The gunman’s voice was shaky.
    Luc turned on him even as Nuala arrived on scene and stepped between them. “How much did this man lose in the last hand?”
    “Five hundred,” the dealer said.
    “Give me his chips.”
    “Stay out of this, Nuala.”
    “Back off, Nik,” she snarled, her features rippling slightly. She suddenly appeared far more powerful than her slender five-foot-five frame indicated. She picked up a stack of chips and held them out to the man with the gun. Her dark eyes held his as she said, “Now take your chips, cash them in, and don’t ever come back.”
    Even as the man grabbed the chips from her hand, he lost focus for a second, long enough for Luc to send the gun flying with a wave of his hand.
    Looking confused about what had just happened, the man quickly backed off toward the cashier amid a clamor rising among the other patrons.
    “That was very generous of you,” Doyle told Nuala, slipping closer to her.
    Nik now looked as if he wanted to tear Nuala apart, but she stood her ground.
    Fetching the gun and putting it in his pocket, Luc focused his attention on his siblings and reminded them, People are watching .
    I’ll deal with you later, Nik promised . He whipped around and walked off, Doyle traveling in his wake.
    Certain his brother wouldn’t let this drop—Nik never let anything drop where he was concerned—Luc waited until the man collected his money, then grabbed him by the elbow. “I’m going to escort you out of here now.”
    Luc headed for the exit, a special cleansing station for all humans who still had their souls. Once through the room, the man’s mind would be cleared of everything associated with The Ark.
    “Never come back,” he said as the man hurried through.
    A hand hooked through his arm. His sister had followed him.
    “You know Nik’ll think you’re taking my side again,” he said.
    “I simply was trying to be the voice of reason.” Nuala’s voice held an anxious note, as it did too