Club Nexus (Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective) Read Online Free PDF

not
against my will.  This was just a little game we concocted.  To keep
things…interesting.”
    “Demons,” the griffin spat under his breath.
    “What?” Forneus asked, eyes wide.  “Eternity is a long time,
as you well know.  A man must do something to spice things up a bit now and
again.”
    The griffin, Gregor, frowned, but nodded to the ogres who
now stood at Ivy’s back.  One of the ogres cracked his knuckles, but none of
them reached for my friend.  I took that as a good sign.  Especially since one
of those hands could palm Ivy’s head like a softball.
    “You know the rules, Forneus,” Gregor said.  “If your games
involve consensual violence, you must submit the appropriate paperwork to club
security.  Nearly any behavior is allowed with a proper permit, but we do not
allow anarchy within these walls.”
    “Paperwork,” Forneus muttered, rolling his eyes.  “You’re
all nearly as bad as Hell.”
    “In the meantime,” Gregor said, turning to Ivy.  “Sheath
your weapons.  There will be no bloodshed without filing the necessary
paperwork.”
    The demon sighed and folded his arms across his chest.
    “Might as well do as they say, darling,” he said.  “You
can’t cut through this red tape with weapons.  But if you do decide to fight,
I’m happy to provide you with legal services…for a nominal fee.”
    I shook my head at the demon lawyer’s offer.  Pay Forneus to
get us out of this jam?  Over my dead body.  As I saw it, it was his fault we
were in trouble with club security in the first place.  I snorted and inched
away from the demon.  At least his arm was no longer wrapped around my waist.
    Ivy looked at me and I nodded, slipping an empty hand into
my lap.  Cutting Forneus’ throat and impaling him with a crossbow bolt were
things that would just have to wait.  Ivy lowered her blade and shoved it into
a sheath concealed beneath her leather jacket.  In one quick movement, she slid
away from Forneus and leaned against the bar at my side.
    “Are we good, griffin?” she asked, never taking her eyes off
Forneus.
    “Yes, Princess,” Gregor said.  “Do try to follow the rules
in the future.”
    Ivy grunted an affirmative and the griffin took wing. 
Apparently, that was the signal for the club to return to normal.  Music pulsed
through the room and dancers returned to their earlier swaying and gyrating.
    Scowling, Ivy slid back onto her bar stool and turned to
watch demon.
    “Ah, now, where were we?” Forneus asked.  He moved closer,
brushing against my leg.  “Shall I buy you that drink?”
    Forneus perched on the edge of the barstool beside me and
now that we weren’t being chewed out by club security, I couldn’t help but
notice that he smelled different.  Was that cologne…and mouthwash?  Was Forneus
trying to cover up the stench of brimstone that usually clung to him like a
hellspawn fart?  Whatever he’d done, it was an improvement.  Heat flared from
where our legs touched and I wondered if he tasted as good as he smelled…
    Forneus turned a raised eyebrow my way, but I was so
distracted that I’d forgotten the question.  I blushed, trying to remember what
he’d asked.  Ivy bristled at my side, her skin glowing so brightly that I had
to blink rapidly to keep my eyes from tearing up.
    “Um…” I said.
    “No,” Ivy said.
    I shook my head, clearing away the ridiculous impulse to
crawl into Forneus’ lap and run my hands through his slicked back hair.  Right,
the demon had offered to buy me a drink.  Get a grip, Jinx.   Geesh, I
was here to celebrate the end of my relationship with Hans.  I wasn’t here to
hook up with some new guy worthy of a stabbing.
    “No thanks, Forneus,” I said.  “I’d rather chew on
thumbtacks.”
    “Really?” he asked, eyelids at half mast.  Those bedroom
eyes nearly did me in, but Ivy slid off her stool, hands twitching at her
sides.  I knew that with her new faerie speed, she could have a blade