Neeri's Need: How to Crash a Party Read Free Page B

woman with zero morals and an alarming knack for trouble. She glared at Ocen and jabbed an accusing finger at Neeri. “That upsets me!”
    He made a sound between a hiss and a laugh. That I understand.
    Neeri ignored them like they’d ceased to exist, circling her victim before swooping and slashing through his ankle restraints with a swiftness and ease that made Sasha’s heart jackknife in her chest. Was she going to kill this guy? She seemed more than capable of it, as wild and predatory as a panther. Her high cheekbones and narrow jaw gave her face an almost delicate look, but those slanted, unblinking eyes with their vertically slit pupils and bright golden color seemed to see everything, claim everything. Sasha watched her nervously, wondering what to do if Neeri did get violent. Ocen didn’t seem worried, but he also hadn’t been bothered by the bartender’s sexual torture.
    Rytel had renewed his begging, but Neeri ignored him too, touching a control at her waist. He floated up from the chair, spasming in the air like a fish out of water. “Hold still, Ridge. Let’s get your pants on you.” Neeri snagged the piece of clothing from the corner and looked at Sasha and Ocen with raised brows. “Don’t just stand there. We’ve got to get moving.”
    “You’ve got to get moving,” Sasha retorted, folding her arms tightly across her chest. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, but you need to go play somewhere else. I’m not—”
    Suddenly Neeri was right there in front of her, so close Sasha could feel her warm breath brushing over her skin. She’d moved so fast, Sasha had seen only a blur. Ocen moved just as fast, his arm just as suddenly between them, hand splayed on Neeri’s chest in restrained warning. But the cat woman didn’t even look at him, her unblinking stare locked on Sasha. “You are both coming with me,” Neeri said in a low voice, her tone full of soft menace. “Because I need you, and once I get Adin out, they might come looking for you. Do you really want that, little Red?”
    You believe there is danger? Ocen asked.
    Sasha wanted to scream, “Yes! Are you kidding? Look at her!” But she guessed he was talking to Neeri, so she stayed very still, held her breath, and prayed the scary female wasn’t in a hunting mood.
    “Of course there’s danger,” Neeri snapped, turning that golden gaze on Ocen. “For all of us. Why do you think I’m doing this?” Then she glanced down at his hand and tilted her head, as if contemplating ripping it off.
    Do not push me, little Lyo, Ocen said, his tone flat with warning. I will not be distracted. What are you hiding?
    Neeri bared her teeth with a low growl that raised the hair on the back of Sasha’s neck. But the female eased away, turning with a dismissive toss of her dark hair. “ Get out of my head, Scales. And help me with his pants,” she said in a tight tone.
    Sasha expect ed Ocen to pursue his question. It seemed rather urgent and necessary for them to get an answer, to find out what Neeri was not telling them. Especially if the volatile female kept demanding they go with her on this supposed “rescue mission.” But Ocen moved to assist the crazy person in her home with baffling calm and a disturbing lack of concern. If questions were being asked and answered, Sasha couldn’t tell.
    “Ocen!” she hissed in protest. She was starting to doubt her own sanity for trusting him with such blind conviction. Everything in her said he would never hurt her, but this situation was way outside her comfort zone.
    Be calm, sayshin , he responded. I would not let her hurt you. But he didn’t glance her way, holding the squirming man still while Neeri tugged Rytel’s pants on with brisk efficiency. She didn’t bother to remove the hair band from around his genitals, merely shoving the engorged meat inside the cloth and fastening the pants as if she did such bizarre things every day. For all Sasha knew, she did.
    “That’s kind