Freak Show by Trina M Lee Read Free Book Online Page A

and play cards. Some of them come here for a taste of something a bit wilder.”
    “It’s vile,” Jez said, flashing cat eyes at Sloane.
    “It’s business.” Sloane’s flippant retort incited my wolf’s rage.
    Shaz was quiet, but the wolf eyes he was sporting indicated how he really felt. It was impossible not to react while two werewolves were tearing each other apart for the entertainment of humans and vampires. It took all of the self-control I possessed to keep from lashing out. Acting rashly would land my ass inside that ring; I was sure of it. So I fought back the surge of power that threated to burst forth.
    “Is this supposed to impress us?” Arys asked, looking bored. “So you’ve replaced the screaming blood ring victims with wolves. Why so smug?”
    Sloane grew defensive. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “You know how I felt about the blood ring Harley was running here. It was sick. You thought so too. When Harley died, Jenner put a stop to that. This is a business, and we need to turn a profit.”
    “I see. So you’re proud of yourself for having a hand in that,” Arys observed, his tone bitter. “But we both know Jenner will do anything for the right piece of pussy.”
    The tension between them was thick. Sloane held her head high and marched across the room, expecting us to follow. Arys chuckled, happy with himself for getting under her skin.
    “What the hell was that about?” I grabbed his arm, forcing him to meet my eyes. “I want to walk out of here alive, Arys.”
    “No worries, my love. Nobody here is stupid enough to lay a hand on you.” With an arm around my shoulders, he guided me along, down the hall where Sloane had disappeared.
    “Seriously?” Jez piped up. “Do we really want to keep following this crazy bitch?”
    I sure as hell didn’t. I was ready to leave without ever seeing another inch of this place. Instead, we followed the vampire.
    She was waiting for us at a door that opened into a small theatre. “Jenner will be performing in just a few minutes. Please, Arys, don’t make an ass of yourself.”
    “Can’t make any promises,” he said.
    Row upon row of ascending seats filled the theatre. She led us to the front row, issued a final warning to Arys and left. Many of the seats were already full. People sat talking quietly among themselves, waiting for the show to start.
    Front and center was a well-lit stage. It was currently empty. The sounds of the angry wolf fight next door were gone. It had to be soundproofed down here. That did nothing to ease my growing apprehension.
    Arys took the aisle seat. I sat next to him with Jez on my other side and Shaz next to her. Two waitresses made their way through the aisles, passing out drinks. To the mortals they handed out glasses of white wine. Arys, a few others and I received a glass of scarlet liquid that could only be one thing.
    I tried to pass my glass back, but Arys stopped me with a hand on my arm. “Keep it. You might wish later that you had.”
    “What is going on here?” I demanded, unable to resist the urge to smell the contents of the wine glass. Human blood, fresh from the vein.
    “I don’t know. I guess we’re about to see a show.” Arys sat back, relaxed and waiting. Intrigue shone in his dark-blue eyes.
    Shaz sat stiffly, surveying our surroundings. His energy was scattered. I could feel the frustration of his wolf. “If this little show involves werewolves, I’m taking Alexa and getting the fuck out of here.” He gripped his wine so tight I expected the glass to shatter. “After what happened with Claire and Maxwell, I don’t feel so great about this. The wolf fight next door doesn’t help.”
    Claire and Maxwell were the Vegas vamps who had come to Edmonton for Shaz and me after we had killed Harley together. The way they saw it, we were their ticket to taking over Harley’s position of power in Vegas. They figured that, by handing over Harley’s killers, the rest of his vampires