The Scent of Ruin

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The days passed and she told no one, not the doctor and not even Callum.

How could she explain something like that without sounding completely out of her mind?

She did a lot of thinking during the past few days until it drove her into frustration and she couldn't sit still anymore.

So she stopped trying to figure things out and decided to get her mind off everything.

*

The nightclub pulsed with life, music thumping against its walls, blinding lights everywhere. The air smelled heavy with perfume and alcohol and bodies pressed on one another.

The loud noise was enough to completely silence her thoughts.

Celeste sat at the bar for a good twenty minutes, one leg crossed over the other, holding a glass of tequila she had barely sipped.

The bartender was charming and it was pretty clear he was interested.

"What's a pretty lady like you doing here?" he asked, giving her a small smile.

She gave a little smirk.

"Bad decisions."

He laughed. "I like that."

She leaned in slightly, playing along when she felt a subtle change and her smile faded slightly.

Slowly, she turned, her eyes searching through the crowd until she finally found him. Seated at the corner, separated from everyone.

A glass of whiskey resting between his fingers, lifted halfway to his lips, he had been watching her long before she noticed.

Her breath caught and for a second everything faded—the music, people and noise.

His stare was direct and completely unashamed; something stirred up in her.

Her fingers tightened slightly around her glass and without realizing it—

She met his stare and didn't look away either.

The bartender was still talking but she hadn't heard a word.

"Hey," he said, snapping his fingers lightly in front of her.

She pulled herself back. "Yeah. Sorry."

The bartender followed her gaze and let out a breath. "Yeah… that explains it."

"What?" She asked absently.

"That's not the kind of man you want to approach and remain the same." He said genuinely, his voice lowered.

She turned back slowly. "What kind of man is he?"

He weighed it a moment. "He's not the 'normal' type of man you know. That's all I can say." He picked up a glass to clean. "Stay at the bar."

She turned back, holding his stare for a long time, unyielding… before she looked away, back to her drink like he wasn't worth her time. He definitely noticed.

His expression shifted— Interesting.

*

A long time had passed and now she was tipsy; different men had tried to talk to her but she clearly wasn't interested.

Instinctively, she turned back, just to see if he was still there but the corner was empty. Her brows furrowed slightly.

"Time to go…" she muttered under her breath, sliding off the stool.

The cold air outside the main floor had barely hit before—

A body blocked her path.

"You leaving already?" The man slurred, stepping too close.

She didn't even hesitate.

"Move."

He laughed and didn't budge. Instead, his hands reached out, brushing against her skin and she flared up.

Her eyes hardened instantly.

"I said move."

"Relax," he smirked. "You've been flirting all night—"

Her fist connected with his jaw before he could finish his sentence. He stumbled back, stunned.

"Don't you dare touch me," she snapped. The loud music drowned most of it but the people around noticed what was happening.

He wiped his mouth, eyes flashing with embarrassment and anger.

"You think you are all that, don't you?" He hissed.

"I know I am." Her tone was sassy.

His expression twisted and then he pulled out something small.

A ring.

She had barely had time to register it before he pounced on her, pressing it against her arm.

A sharp sting.

"What the—?!"

He stumbled back, chuckling under his breath.

"Let's see how long that attitude lasts…"

Her body reacted instantly. She felt hot, it was too sudden. Her breath caught.

"What did you—"

Her words were cut off as the sensation spread fast, curling through her bloodstream like fire.

Her knees nearly buckled; she pressed herself against the wall for support.

"Just… a little help to spice things up," he sneered. Her mind felt all mushy but she tried to understand what was happening.

He had drugged her, but how… oh, the sting. But this wasn't normal.

Her pulse spiked, her skin burned, and her senses sharpened—every sound, every scent, it was revolting.

"Ah… !" She whispered, gripping the wall. She knew her body wouldn't last much longer and staying here would be disastrous but she had to deal with this man first.

He stepped closer, sure of himself, clearly underestimating her due to the current situation. But even in that state she moved faster than he expected.

Her hand grabbed his collar, yanking him forward and her knee slammed into his stomach, real hard. He crumpled instantly, gasping for air.

She shoved him aside before her knees gave out, sliding down the walls and collapsing to the floor.

There was a change in the air, a faint scent of pheromones.

The heads of nearby men turned. The scent was very subtle, not strong enough to fill the whole room, or it would have been a much bigger problem.

The men affected had wild, animalistic looks on their faces from the irresistible smell, and their eyes locked onto her.

Her breath hitched.

"What…?"

The air grew heavy and it felt like something had spread across the room and she was at the center of it.

Her body burned even hotter, her thoughts became a blur. She tried to stand, but each time she slumped back down, her legs feeling like jelly.

Their eyes followed her every move, as if they might pounce at any second. Then— a low growl ripped through the air. This was really unsettling.

Their eyes darkened, and their irises became a shade lighter. Muscles tightened, veins stood out beneath their skin, and the tension felt raw and primal.

They didn't say a word to each other but they seemed to be communicating; one of them moved first.

A blur of motion, fast and erratic, lunging towards her—out of instincts she reacted instantly. Using all her strength despite her body burning and senses fading—

She moved. Her hand shot out, grabbing his wrist mid-lunge, using his momentum against him—

She twisted, a crack echoed as his body slammed into the floor. At this point the music had stopped and a crowd was starting to gather but no one came too close.

Her knee pressed into his chest, holding him down— "Don't touch me," she snapped.

But they weren't listening; instead of coming for her—they fought one another, none willing to yield.

A snarl ripped from their lips as two collided into each other, fists swinging and bodies crashing into tables. One of them shifted partially, his claws grabbed the other by the throat, slamming him into the ground.

"Back off—she's mine—!"

"You wish—!"

Security rushed in to restrain the two, being careful not to breathe in the faint scent that barely lingered in the air. In the middle of all that one of them broke free though, aggressively heading straight for her.

His mouth was wide open and his sharp fangs could be seen; he was about to bite her, forcefully marking her right then and there but before he could—

Her fist connected with his jaw knocking him out cold, her body much heavier and her breathing ragged. She was at her limit, and her knees gave out.

Seeing their chance, another one charged right at her.

"ENOUGH."