I slid onto the leather stool, crossing my legs as I met his gaze.

  "Name?" he asked, watching me carefully.

  "Echidna."

  One of his dark brows lifted. "Bold."

  I shrugged. "Why hide what I am?"

  He leaned on the counter, eyes flicking over me—not just in desire, but assessment. He was weighing my worth, measuring my confidence.

  "You've got the look," he admitted, swirling a gss of amber liquor in his cwed fingers. "But looks aren't everything. What else can you offer?"

  I smirked. "I can dance. I can entertain. And I know exactly how to keep an audience hooked."

  A slow, predatory smile curled his lips. "That so?"

  Instead of answering, I let my wings unfold just slightly behind me, let my tail sway in a teasing rhythm. Not too much. Just enough.

  His golden eyes darkened slightly.

  I leaned forward, my voice dropping into a purr. "I don’t just know how to make people want me." I let my tongue flick out just slightly against my lips before pulling back. "I know how to make them crave me."

  He exhaled slowly, his eyes gleaming with approval. "You certainly talk like a succubus."

  "I am a succubus."

  "That remains to be seen." His gaze flickered down briefly before returning to mine. "And your… circumstances?"

  I narrowed my eyes slightly. "What do you mean?"

  His grin widened. "A woman doesn’t walk into my club alone unless she’s got nothing to lose or something to hide."

  A pause.

  I considered my options. Lying was always an option, but monsters had sharp instincts. He’d smell deception.

  So instead, I took a breath and let my tail curl protectively around my waist.

  "I have a child."

  Silence.

  A few seconds passed. Then, he ughed.

  A rich, amused sound that made some of the nearby patrons gnce over. He shook his head, golden eyes gleaming with something almost like respect.

  "A mother," he mused. "And still walking in here like you own the pce. I have to admit… that's impressive."

  I smiled. "So? Do I have the job?"

  His grin was all teeth.

  "You're on probation. One week." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a coin pouch, tossing it onto the bar in front of me. "That should cover your first few nights and some decent clothes. You'll start tomorrow. Don't disappoint me, Echidna."

  I picked up the pouch, rolling the coins between my fingers. Then, I smiled.

  "Clothes, huh?" I tilted my head, letting my silver hair cascade over one shoulder. "Why waste money on something I don’t need?"

  He raised a brow. "Oh?"

  Instead of answering, I raised my hand, letting a pulse of dark violet energy flicker across my fingertips. The magic spread over my skin, a whisper of shadows and silk that morphed, stretched, and took form.

  In an instant, the bikini was gone—repced by something far more suited to my new job.

  A bck corset, hugging my waist and lifting my chest just enough to tease. Stockings wove up my legs, their ce edges clinging to smooth skin. A sheer, slit-sided skirt draped down, revealing glimpses of my thighs with every movement.

  My wings fred slightly. My tail curled zily behind me.

  I watched as the demon’s golden eyes darkened slightly.

  Not with surprise.

  With approval.

  "Useful trick," he admitted, swirling his drink. "And here I thought I was hiring a dancer. Turns out I found a performer."

  I smirked, shifting my hips slightly to let the skirt slide just enough to hint at more.

  "I don’t just entertain," I purred. "I captivate."

  The demon chuckled. "You better." He downed the rest of his drink and pushed off the bar. "Tomorrow night. Don’t be te."

  I turned, letting my tail flick behind me as I strode toward the exit, feeling the weight of many eyes now watching me.

  A job. A stage. An audience.

  This was just the beginning.

  The First DanceThe club was alive.

  The air was thick with heat, the scent of liquor, sweat, and lust intermingling beneath the pulsing rhythm of the music. The stage lights bathed everything in hues of deep red and violet, casting moving shadows along the walls. The monsters gathered, their eyes gleaming with hunger, their growls and murmurs lost in the intoxicating atmosphere.

  And at the center of it all—me.

  I curled my fingers around the cold steel of the pole, feeling its weight, its sturdiness. The moment the music shifted, I moved—slowly at first, letting my hips roll in perfect sync with the beat, my silver hair cascading like liquid light.

  Eyes followed me.

  Cwed hands clutched at gsses of wine, tails twitched, wings trembled, mouths parted as I commanded their attention without a single word.

  Then, with a teasing smirk, I lifted my hands—and wove my magic.

  Dark energy flickered across my body like fmes, devouring my outfit in an instant before reshaping into something new. A sheer bodysuit, the fabric like woven moonlight, clinging to every curve. Another twirl—it melted away, shifting into an exotic dancer’s skirt with golden chains that jingled with every movement.

  The audience roared in appreciation.

  They weren’t just watching me dance.

  They were watching a show of power, of transformation, of control.

  But then—I noticed him.

  Among the rows of eager watchers, leaning against the far wall, one figure stood out.

  He wasn’t drooling over me like the others.He wasn’t tossing coins or licking his lips.He wasn’t even drinking.

  He was watching—calm, collected, his gaze sharp like a predator studying prey.

  Tall. Cd in dark leather and cloth, built for movement, not indulgence. His hair, a messy tangle of dark strands, partially covered one of his eyes, but the other gleamed with an unnerving intelligence. He was not a monster.

  A human.

  My rhythm faltered—not enough for the crowd to notice, but enough that I noticed.

  What was a human doing here?

  And why… did he feel so dangerous?