Entranced Read Free Page A

my breath as I worriedly peer around the club. “We’re being watched.” I slump onto a barstool.
    “By who?” He sits back down, still watching me as if I’m made of cracking glass.
    I slant forward in the chair. “I ran into a werewolf in the hallway. Somehow, he knows why I came here tonight.”
    He jerks back, his eyes flooding with panic. “I need to warn everyone.”
    “Jayse, I don’t think—”
    He’s already hurrying off toward a group of Keepers on the dance floor.
    Sighing, I get up to warn the Keepers lounging around in the serving area.
    Tonight turned into a disaster. I left my house with such high hopes that I could pull off some badassary and prove I’m a warrior, even without the mark, but all I managed to do was get everyone into a sketchy situation.
    I warn the Keepers to bail out, and they seem super irritated with me.
    “Stupid girl needs to stay out of our business,” one of them says, glaring at me. “You’re not a Keeper just because your parents are. Are you trying to get people killed?”
    When the other two nod in agreement, my muscles wind into knots. I’m fuming mad. But under the anger, I feel embarrassed because I know everything they’re saying is true.
    Unable to stand and endure the scrutiny any longer, I turn around and push my way to the exit of the club
    After I make it outside, I wait for Jayse in the alleyway in front of the entrance. The full moon shimmers brightly in the dark sky and the air is still except for the faint sounds of cars driving up and down the nearby road. While I’m used to being alone in strange, creepy places, the werewolf’s words haunt my mind.
    Werewolves aren’t known for having mind reading skills. That trait usually applies to witches and foreseers. So how did he know what I was up to? He could’ve overheard me when I was talking to Jayse, but I don’t recall seeing him anywhere near the dance floor.
    A scream abruptly cuts through the air, tearing through my thoughts. My gaze darts upward just in time to see a figure tumbling down from the roof.
    I skitter across the alley to the other side, barely making it out of the way before the body hits the ground right where I was standing only seconds ago.
    “Holy shit,” I breathe as I stare at the unmoving body.
    Drawing my knife from my boots, I dare an inch or two closer, trying to see who or what it is.
    They’re facedown, blood pooling around their head, and the long, brown hair splayed across the ground has me guessing it’s a woman.
    Sucking in a breath, I crouch down to get a better look. I’ve seen dead bodies before, but never one this mangled: skin torn up, gaping holes in her stomach, as if someone took a giant bite out of her. I feel a sick to my stomach. Still, I find myself wanting to examine her more closely, try to figure out what happened. The fall definitely isn’t what killed her, and the injuries had to be done to her beforehand.
    I carefully roll her over onto her back then gasp. Anastasiya . “Holy shit!”
    What the hell? Did one of the Keepers go through with the plan? No, if they’d staked her, she’d have turned to ash. The cause of death … It has to be the claw and bite marks, which can only mean one thing.
    A howl from above rings through the air, confirming my suspicion. I step away from the dead vampire and look up at the roof where glowing, silver eyes stare through the darkness at me.
    “I know you,” I say. “You’re the guy from inside, aren’t you?”
    The wolf lets out another howl, throwing his head up at the sky, before backing away from the ledge of the roof and vanishing from sight.
    “Okay, I think everyone cleared out,” Jayse announces as he exits the club. “Let’s get out …” He trails off, drifting to a stop. “What the hell …?” He shakes his head, gaping from Anastasiya to me. “Alana, what did you do?”
    I pause for a microsecond, debating whether to take the credit for this. I can’t lie to Jayse without feeling