Page 2 of Bloodstained Chrome

My fingers roll the small final bobble I pick up from the floor, and I quietly set it back on the shelf. “There, everything is back in its place as it should be.” I nod, then turn to look around the area, making sure there isn’t anything else I need to take care of before I make my way out. I can handle the register and all that tomorrow when I come back.

I grab my bag and keys to lock up, then walk out the door, locking the building tight for the night.

With my head up, feeling the soft wind against my face, I take a deep breath. Things will get better. They have to. Soon Arley will wake up. I’ll find something more to do with my life. I can get out of this psychic shop. I can really start living. Or at least go back to what I did before, working for Orpheus and doing what he needed. With him, I always had fun.

Well, not always, but things weren’t predictable.

I seem to be living, somewhat. Now, it’s as if I’m doing the same thing every day, not truly living. For a being as old as I am, I’ve found myself stuck, and time is circling me.

I open my eyes and let out a sigh. I check the locks one more time and murmur a binding spell to keep others out. Before I turn back around to head down the darkened street, I feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

Immediately, I’m on edge.

Something feels off. The air doesn’t feel right.

I stand still, trying to figure out what my instincts are alerting me to, but I’m not sensing anything more. Slowly, I turn around, waiting for someone or something to come out of the shadows and attack me, but all I see are a few people walking down the sidewalk, completely oblivious to me or to what my body is telling me.

I see nothing out of the ordinary, but I can’t shake the feeling that someone or something is watching me from the shadows.

After a few more moments of nothing, I scoff and roll my eyes. “Of course, people are watching you. You’re the weirdo who just walked out of a psychic shop. They’re probably waiting for you to pull out a magic carpet and fly away.” I don’t have that kind of power. I can do certain spells, but it’s my sight that people should worry about.

I give my surroundings one last look as I secure my bag on my shoulder and start on my way. With every step away from the shop, the feeling of being watched doesn’t go away.

I’m just being silly. It’s nothing.

There’s no one there. Just my mind trying to find a reason to be excited.

Everything is fine . . . I hope.

Chapter

Two

Primal

Church is going on forever tonight.

I’m itching to get out of here to do some patrolling.

My lion has been pacing inside me all day, feeling caged rather than free. I need to run. Need to get out of these walls and do what I’m made to do.

“Once we secure all the packages, we shouldn’t have to make any more runs for Orpheus for a while. It’ll be one hell of a payday for all of us,” Corbin announces, looking around the room. My brothers nod and bang on the table in excitement.

Of course, I’m excited for the run too. Making money for the club is nearly as fun as being with a woman. I take my job as treasurer seriously. I get fucking hard just watching the money come in.

Lately, though, it’s been a little different.

I don’t know why. Maybe it’s the influx of new people who have been showing up, or the fact everyone seems to be all about their mates—well, the ones who have them, that is—but I’m just not getting the same thrill as I had before.

“We done here?” I hear myself ask, and everyone turns to look at me. It’s not like me to speak out of turn, but I can’t hold back anymore.

Corbin narrows his eyes at me for a second before his face settles back into a more relaxed expression.

“Yeah, let’s end this before Primal loses his mind.” He chuckles once before ending church.

It’s still strange to hear them all call me Primal, but after Aziz’s mate started hanging around here all the time, I needed something else to go by. It’d have been too damn confusing otherwise. Jett was the one who picked Primal, and I actually like it. It seems to suit the beast inside me.

I’m grateful to Corbin for seeing that I’m about to lose my mind if I don’t get out of here. He knows what it’s like to have an animal desperate to be free. All my brothers do. They understand we need to be able to roam the woods and let go of the beasts inside us.