Pandemonium by R.E. Butler

Chapter Four

Demi got out of her car in the Tails parking lot and looked at the building. There wasn’t a line out the door, but it was just after eight and still early. She let her gaze roam the parking lot and saw her brother Hemi’s truck, which meant he and Annie were already inside, as was China, whose teal convertible was in the next row.

Her lioness made a curious sound in her head, and Demi shut the car door and paused. Inhaling, she sorted through the scents on the air, but didn’t pick up anything out of the ordinary. Her lioness was still acting interested, but in what, Demi couldn’t tell. It would be nice if she could actually talk to her lioness, but mostly she just got feelings from her.

She tucked her phone in the back pocket of her denim miniskirt and gave a little tug on the crop top that bared just an inch of her stomach. Her strappy sandals brought her five-four frame up a few inches, but walking on the gravel was crazy tough and made her wish she’d decided on flats instead.

The door opened as she approached and Kyson smiled at her. Kyson was a pride member and had taken over the bouncer job when Diesel had quit to work with his heart-match’s family at their coffee shop. “Hey, Demi. How’s it going?”

“Good, you?”

“Not too bad. The new band is great. Did you come to listen?”

She’d heard a rock song when he’d first opened the door, but it had ended with applause. “Yeah. I’m meeting Hemi and Annie.”

“If you’re in the mood to dance later, give me a holler.”

She smiled up at the tall male who was a year younger than her. He was cute in that boy next door sort of way, but she wasn’t looking for anything—serious or otherwise—at the moment. A dance with Kyson would probably lead to more if she let it, and she didn’t want to open that can of worms right now.

Not when she had no clue if Benecio would come looking for her again.

Sure, the alpha had been threatened by her father, brother, and her own alpha, but he didn’t seem like the sort of male to take no for an answer. No matter how many people said it on her behalf. Benecio believed she was meant to be his alpha mate, but he wasn’t her heart-match and she hadn’t been matched up with him by Abbie, the pride match-maker.

Benecio was cuckoo bananas and she honestly hoped she never saw him again.

“I’ll let you know,” she said to Kyson as she walked by him and into the bar.

The door shut behind her and she moved forward, scanning the patrons to find her brother, his mate, and China. She saw China, who was waving an arm in the air like she was trying to land a plane. Demi smiled and walked forward.

A song started, and a male sang a few words.

Demi wasn’t even sure what the words were, only that the person speaking them made her lioness sit up and pay attention. Demi stared at the stage where a group of four males were playing a ballad. The one in front with the guitar was singing, and his voice was just…amazing. It called to her on a deep level. She took a step toward the stage, her gaze on the singer.

Then the piano player joined in on the chorus, and Demi’s entire body jolted with awareness.

Holy hell, the two males were her heart-matches!

Her lioness was purring and yowling for Demi to go to them, but she was in shock and couldn’t move.

Was it possible that she’d walked into the bar on a random Friday night, and the group auditioning to be the house band contained two males just for her?

And what the hell did it mean that she was sure she had two heart-matches and not just one?

Couldshe mate two males?

She wasn’t aware of a female having two mates in the pride before, but it suddenly seemed like a very good idea. Even if it wasn’t the norm.

Her stomach clenched as a few sexy images popped into her head of the three of them rolling around in bed together.

The lead singer had dark hair, cut short on the sides and left longer on top. It was casually styled like he’d run his hands through it a few times. He was wearing tight jeans and an even tighter T-shirt, his muscular arms flexing as he played. Her gaze slipped to the piano player. He looked similar to the singer, like they could be brothers. His hair was a little longer, a little darker, but he was just as broad-shouldered and muscular as the lead singer.

The other two males had made zero impact on her lioness.

But those two…yikes. It was taking a considerable effort not to leap onto the stage and tackle them.

“Demi, you okay?” China asked as she waved a hand in front of Demi’s face.

Demi shook her head and blinked rapidly. “Yeah, I’m good. Great, actually.”

“Come join us. The band is awesome. And the guys are super hot!”

Demi snarled and felt her lioness try to push through her skin. “Watch it.”

“Whoa, your eyes are gold. What’s wrong?”

Demi mentally grabbed her lioness by the scruff and gave her a good shake. She couldn’t attack her bestie in the bar because she made an off-handed comment about the males. What she could do, however, was redirect the conversation.

“Let’s sit,” Demi suggested.

China nodded and turned, leading the way back to the four-person table where Hemi and Annie were seated.

Disjointed chords came from both the piano and guitar and Demi stumbled a step before stopping and looking at the stage. While the two males recovered quickly, it was clear that the lead singer and piano player had noticed her. Their gazes were on her as she continued on her way to the table. She was working on autopilot, and only stopped because Hemi put his hand out and grabbed her arm.

Her heart was thudding in her chest. She’d never had such a reaction to a male before.

“Are you okay?” Annie asked as Demi sat in the empty seat.

Demi tore her gaze away from the males who were singing and looking right at her. She smiled at Annie. “Very.”

“Uh oh, someone’s in love,” Annie said with a singsong voice, her eyes dancing.

“What?” Hemi demanded.

“The guys in the band are watching her,” Annie said. “And she’s watching them. The question is, which one?”

Demi looked at Annie. She was mated to Hemi, but they hadn’t been together long. She was human so she didn’t really understand about being a shifter, although she tried to. While she didn’t know what it was like to have a beast banging around in her head and body, Annie had been drawn to Hemi when they’d first met so she understood the pull of heart-matches.

“I think both.”

Hemi snarled and his gaze narrowed, darting between her and the stage. “Two? Are you serious? That’s just not done.”

Annie whacked him on the arm. “You can’t tell her who to like or mate with or whatever. She’s allowed to make her own romantic choices just like you did.”

Hemi inhaled and exhaled on a growl. “Sorry.”

Demi grinned. Hemi didn’t apologize much. He was a male who thought he was right most of the time. Being with Annie had softened him up considerably.

“Don’t worry about me, okay?” Demi said. “I haven’t even met them yet. It’s just I feel this incredible pull to them and it’s hard for me to concentrate and sit still. I want to run up there and talk to them.”

China snorted. “Yeah,talk. Sure.”

Hemi made a face. “Let’s change the subject.”

“Oh, but it’s so neat,” Annie said. “It’s like a romance novel. Your eyes met across the bar. Or…three pairs of eyes met. Is that a thing?”

“Clearly it is,” China said. “So, I’m sorry I said your mates were hot. But it’s just the two of them, right? You’re not claiming all four? Because that drummer is giving me lots of good vibes.”

“Wow, four. That’s a lot of dicks,” Annie said.

Hemi, who’d been taking a drink of beer, choked and started coughing, which made Demi and China kick off into a fit of laughter. Annie slapped Hemi on the back a few times as he tried to get his breath and stop coughing. When he had himself under control, he said, “I thought we were going to change the subject.”

“All right, all right,” Annie said. She rested her head on Hemi’s shoulder. “Do you think the band takes requests?”

“Probably not for their audition,” Hemi said. “If they get the job, we can ask about it.”

“I hope they play another slow song. I want to dance with you.”

Hemi kissed the top of her head and Demi turned from the sweet scene to look at the two who had captivated her beast.

Her lioness sighed happily. Their song ended and they smoothly transitioned into another one. The dance floor filled up as a ballad played, and Annie and Hemi hit the floor to dance.

“Just the two males,” Demi said to China, picking up their conversation.

“Which ones?”

“Lead singer and piano player.”

“Nice. I still like the drummer.”

Farrah, one of the waitresses, appeared. “What can I get ya?”

“Just soda for me,” Demi said.

“Something sweet,” China said.

“Long Island?” Farrah asked.

“Oh, do the beach one.”

“Long beach iced tea?” Farrah asked.

“Yeah.”

“What’s in that?” Demi asked.

“It’s a long island with cranberry juice.”

“I’ll be right back,” Farrah said.

“I wasn’t sure if you’d be working or not tonight,” Demi said to China.

“I was supposed to, but I switched off with Farrah. I’m going to the outlets with my mom tomorrow and she’s an early bird.”

“If you see anything cute for me, I’ll pay you back.”

“Sure thing,” China said. “I’d offer to let you come with us, but I think you’re planning to be busy.”

Demi’s cheeks heated. “I have no idea what to do.”

“Sure you do. You just take off your clothes,” China said.

Demi pressed her hand over her friend’s mouth. “Holy crap, you know I didn’t mean that.”

China shook off Demi’s hand and grinned. “Yeah, it’s just fun to tease you.”

“Thanks.” Demi rolled her eyes. “I don’t know if I should wait for them to come to me, or if I should go up there when they have a break. I mean, what if it’s just one-sided and they only think I’m cute and not their mate? Or what if they want to fight over me and not share? And holy crap, what would it even be like to share myself with two males?”

“Whoa, whoa,” China said, putting her hand on Demi’s arm. “You’re overthinking things. They haven’t taken their eyes off you. It’s more than just them thinking you’re cute. If you think they’re your heart-matches, then that’s what they are for you and they’ll feel the same way.”

Demi smiled at her friend. “Thanks for talking me off the ledge.”

“That’s what friends are for. I’m happy for you finding your heart-matches, and keeping my fingers crossed I’ll find a great guy of my own.”

“Or maybe two?”

“Just one for me, thanks.”

“It’s not like I went into tonight expecting to come out with two mates.”

Farrah dropped off their drinks and disappeared. China picked hers up and took a sip. “True. Still, I think it’s safe to say that most lions only have one mate. You’ll be the talk of the pride.”

Demi rolled her eyes. “The good news is that finally finding my heart-matches means that Benecio isn’t an issue for me anymore. If he comes around again, he’ll realize I’m mated and fuck off.”

“Hear, hear,” China said. She lifted her drink higher and Demi clinked her soda with it.

Demi’s heart fluttered and she smiled at the males as she listened to them sing. She couldn’t wait for their set to be over so they could take a break and she could meet them.

She hadn’t planned for tonight to be special, but it sure was turning out that way.