LAST CALL EUROPE: SIBERIAN HUSKY by Belinda McBride
The Blurb:
When Plain Jane Genie wanders into the Last Call and casually orders a drink, she doesn’t know it’s a paranormal bar. She doesn’t even have a clue her cocktail has a secret code that she’s delivering to all interested parties. She just wants to spend her last night in London around music and people instead of staring at the walls in her hotel. As she sips her cocktail, she is stunned to hear a sexy voice whisper, “Let’s play…”
Luka and Quentin are shape-shifters, and when Genie crosses their radar, they don’t care about her dull clothing or the fact that she seems to be a mundane human. Their Siberian Husky senses tell them that she is much more, and she is exactly what they want. The chase is on, but who catches who?
The Excerpt:
“Would you like to order something?” The blonde bartender was clearly holding back a smile, like she knew something that Genie didn’t. “It might surprise you, Miss. In fact, it might be the best part of your visit to London .”
Whatever they were selling, she probably couldn’t afford it. At least not until she presented herself at the lawyer’s office with proof that she’d followed Mrs. Neeley’s will. But still, it sounded… fun.
She shoved her hands into the deep pockets of her trousers and her blunt fingernail clicked on something hard. She pulled it out, and to her surprise, it was a credit card. Genie frowned down at her purse; she always kept her cards safely in her wallet. How had this one gone astray?
It gleamed in the dim light. Was it even hers? She didn’t own a platinum card. All of her credit cards had ridiculously low limits. Genie looked closer and saw her name and photo on the face of the card. Perhaps she’d forgotten about it? Before she could puzzle out the mystery, the bartender had whisked the card from her hand and run it through the card reader.
“Well then, what’ll it be?”
She plucked the menu from the woman’s hands again and glanced at some of the drinks.
“Siberian Husky.” Cool and tart and sweet all at the same time.
“Good choice.”
The bartender busied herself mixing the cranberry juice and the blueberry vodka, adding a splash of soda. When she turned back, she handed Genie the drink, along with a keycard. Genie shivered, but picked up the drink and took a tentative sip. She felt that all eyes in the room were on her. Even over the music, she could tell that the bar had gone oddly still.
“Last Call for the lady in…khaki. Siberian Husky. A brace.” She gave Genie a saucy smile. “Double on the house today, Miss.”
Genie frowned and looked back down at the menu. She was clearly missing something here.
Siberian Husky. Catch me if you can.
All of the drinks had little phrases after the name. From what she knew of Siberian Huskies, they loved to run and be silly. She took another sip and continued to study the other drinks on the menu.
“Do you want to play?”
She looked up at the whisper, but no one was there. A cool breeze caressed her cheek. She lifted the glass to her lips; the alcohol went down in a cool burn. Nervously, Genie quickly downed the drink. She must be hallucinating. Voices didn’t simply carry on the air like that. Especially not voices with sexy, exotic accents. As the cocktail hit her system, her skin flushed, even her lips began to tingle.
“Come play with us.”
She jerked to the other side. The first voice had been low, the accent had sounded Russian. This was clearly another person. His accent was different, it sounded French. She sat still, waiting; the alcohol ran through her body, shoring up her nerve. She wanted nothing more than to run for the door, to escape to the safety of the street. Genie gripped the edge of the bar, using it as an anchor for her spinning head, for her failing courage.
She sensed a blur of movement, and the keycard was plucked from her hand.
“Catch me if you can!”
Before she could protest, her purse was snatched from her lap, Genie barely saw the streak of blue as the man retreated, and then she spotted him at the door behind the bar.
“Catch me!” He backed up until a second man joined him, her keycard between his fingers.
“Catch us!”
She ran. In all her life, Genie didn’t think she’d ever moved so swiftly. The stool tumbled to the floor as she leapt into action; she didn’t bother to look back and see where it had fallen. Up the stairs and into a hall, she caught the barest glimpse of movement around corners; streaks of blue and red danced at the edge of her vision.
How could anyone move that fast? How had she moved so fast?
LAST CALL EUROPE: SIBERIAN HUSKY is available for purchase and download in multiple formats from its publisher, Changeling Press, by clicking HERE. Untreed Reads visitors save 5% when you enter coupon code Untreed09 at checkout.
