Paradise

“The strong beat and bass guitar filled the air,
drowning out the sounds coming from next door.”

I landed two punches and didn’t miss his intentions with his slowed movements. Salvatore rubbed a hand over his chest and said, “Damn, woman, you sure hit hard.”

“Did I bruise you again?” I asked, smirked, and then pouted. “Poor baby.”

His eyes narrowed but his aura swirled with light blue. “I’ll get you for that.”

I grinned. “Good.”

When we made it back to our suite, Salvatore grinned as I unlocked the door and stepped
inside with him right behind me. His aura flamed with light blue and red.

“What?” I asked cautiously, eyeing his aura as I kicked off my flats.

“Connor and Aisling weren’t kidding when they said they knew everyone could hear them. They don’t seem to care at all.”

I froze and listened. I thought I heard a faint cry, but it could have been my imagination. My eyes flickered up to Salvatore.

He grinned. “Aisling is having a lot of fun at the moment.”

“Oh, my god! I don’t want to hear that. And you don’t need to hear it, either.” I walked to the dresser and picked up my phone. I tapped the screen and turned the volume all the way up.

The strong beat and sounds of a bass guitar filled the air, drowning out the sounds of my best friend and her mate. Hopefully, that was enough to keep Salvatore from hearing them too.

Setting my phone down, I turned around and froze. My werewolf’s head was cocked to the side and he was giving me an expression I couldn’t define.

Realization dawned and my jaw dropped. “Oh, is that too loud? I forget how well you can hear sometimes.”

He didn’t respond at first, he just kept staring at me like a predator stalking its prey. Then he took a step forward.

I took an involuntary step back and realized what I was doing.

Salvatore’s eyes glittered with yellow, but his aura still looked normal, blazing with red. “Paradise Circus?”

My face flushed, and I felt the warmth spread all the way down my neck as I realized what I just did. Not only could Salvatore hear Connor and Aisling in the next suite, but the room itself set him on edge.

And I just turned on my playlist, not thinking how the sexy music would entice him that much more. “Yep, and I happen to like Massive Attack,” I replied, trying to pretend as though I didn’t just trigger him to lose control. “I have a whole playlist like this. Do you like it?”

His red aura was brightening as he took another step toward me and my body was practically vibrating in anticipation of what was about to happen.

“Salvatore?” My voice sounded raspy. To my ears it sounded more like a moan.

“Angela,” he growled.

I took a deliberate step back toward the bathroom, as if I was trying to retreat from him. But I knew what I was doing. I was inciting him. Setting him on edge. On purpose. “Why are you stalking me like I’m something you want to eat?”

© Sarah Doughty

This is a direct excerpt
from my third novel, Home.

Though this novel of the series
follows Angela and Salvatore,
Aisling and Connor still play important roles.
I knew I wanted to include this exerpt
when this song was added
to the November Notes list this year.

It was slightly edited for context.

For day seventeen of November Notes.
Paradise Circus (Gui Boratto remix) by Massive Attack