The Endangered

The Endangered Read Free

Book: The Endangered Read Free
Author: S. L. Eaves
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you guyz been an item fo’ while?”
    “A year, give or take,” I shrugged. A lifetime in college years.
    “Pleeze. Give me an hour and you’ll forget all about ‘im.”
    I laugh, pat him on the back and walk over to the bar. 
    “You up in three g,” he calls after.
    I turn to Zoe, the bartender. We’d met in class freshman year. I’d helped her earn a passing grade and since then she’s always hooked me up.
    “Hey, busy night.”
    “Yeah, does anyone have class on Friday anymore?”
    “Outlawed.” 
    “Usual?” She’s already pouring the Smirnoff.
    Once again, I steal a glimpse at Ryan. His back is turned, allowing me to stare unnoticed. Well, by him at least.
    “Perhaps I’ll pour you another.”
    I turn and she nods toward Ryan. It used to be me his arm was around.
    “He’s got balls showing up here,” she adds. “Asshole.”
    “You said it.” I promptly down one of the shots and set the other aside.
    “I’ll put them on his tab.” She grins.
    “Thanks.”
    JD waves me over.
    “Yo’ turn babe.”
    I step up on stage, determined not look at Ryan, and pull a bar stool from the corner. Once situated in front of the mic stand, I shut my eyes.
    “When it Comes” by Incubus starts to stream from the speakers.

 
     
     
    Chapter 2
    Combat ensues. East River Park serves as a battleground on this blustering night. Silver swords and white fangs are bright under a nearly full moon. Three vampires tirelessly fend off an angry pack of werewolves. Their figures are otherwise shrouded in a wooded area of the park. The city skyline makes for a dramatic backdrop. Blood and fur cloud the air. The only sound registered by a passerby is the faint howling of a pack of stray dogs.
    ***
    Having finished the song, I beeline for the bar and knock back that shot I’d been saving. A group of girls wearing matching Greek letters takes the stage. Rachel, Kylie, and Brett have joined me at the bar.
    “Whoa, where’d that come from?” Brett slaps me across the back. Lucky for him, I’d already gotten the shot down.
    “Beer pong tournament at Brett’s frat. You game?”
    Rachel seems eager to bounce. She’d recently developed a crush on one of Brett’s brothers and is likely hoping for an introduction. Brett belongs to one of the ‘elitist’ frats that pose as a secret society. Except there is nothing secret about them; they are one of the most prominent houses in SoHo.
    While all NYU Greek life resides in one building south of campus, they’ve expanded by inhabiting a house north of Canal. Too good for Chinatown. And their members sport their letters on everything. They even sew them on their boxers…don’t ask.
    We’d managed to befriend the most normal of their members. You’d be hard-pressed to find anything Greek in Brett’s daily wardrobe and while he’s as loaded as the rest of ’em, he’s as modest as they come. A rare breed indeed. Kylie vibrates with enthusiasm, grinning ear to ear, pangs of her ex long forgotten.
    I shrug. I am clearly outvoted.
    “What the hell.”
    ***
    Catch rips a silver scythe from the chest of a werewolf and looks up to see Adrian standing over him.
    “How’d things go?”
    “We weren’t prepared for this many. Bloody massacre.”
    Adrian looks past Catch to the others who are making their way over, bodies sprawled across the grass behind them Catch turns to them and back to Adrian.
    “I didn’t fancy you for a New Yorker.”
    “I’m in town on business.”
    “So are we.” Catch looks around, spots his favorite sword by the decapitated body of an old man, and goes to retrieve it, gesturing at the severed head.
    “He was the alpha; sired the others.”
    Adrian eyes the now-human body.
    “We don’t know what they’re doing here.”
    “Expanding. For them, strength equals size.”
    “No kidding.” Crina has joined them. “Is that what brings you here, Adrian?”
    Catch hands her the blood-soaked scythe.
    “Well, it’s a different matter, but it

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