Pretty Bloody

by K. A Knight

  “His name was Leo Junit.”

  Tilting my head, I cross my legs and grip my knee to stop myself from racing from the room and killing this bastard for her. “Okay, we can head in that direction then. Shouldn’t be too hard, there aren’t many fallen around, but Bella, what do you plan to do when you find him?” I find myself asking.

  She glares at me then, one so dark and filled with pain and hate that I nearly flinch. There’s something sinister, something crazy in there that has me sitting up and taking notice. I want it all directed at me. “Leave that to me,” she answers simply.

  Oh, Bella, if you only knew. I don’t plan on letting you go at all, we are in this together until the bitter end.

  “You should get some rest, we have a long few days,” she adds, looking away as if she can hear my thoughts.

  “I’ve rested enough.” I grimace. “Why don’t we get to know each other?”

  “No,” she retorts, not even looking at me, I find myself reaching for her, wanting her eyes on me at all times.

  “A question game?” I purr. “If you skip the question, you have to forfeit.”

  She ignores me, so I carry on, “We are going to be together for a while, Bella, it might come in handy.” I grin, since ‘for a while’ means forever, but she doesn’t need to know that yet.

  “Fine, you go first.”

  “Easy, what are you?” I ask, leaning forward eagerly. It’s been bugging me and I plan to find out one way or another.

  “Forfeit,” she replies automatically.

  Bella

  “Forfeit,” I declare straightaway, leaning away from him, trying to create some distance. He eyes me knowingly, but relaxes back, the picture of elegance, not a hair out of place.

  “Sit closer,” he demands.

  “That an offer or the forfeit?” I tease.

  His eyes sparkle and he scoots over, turning on the bed to face me. “Forfeit,” he clarifies.

  Sighing, I get up and sit on the edge of the bed and turn towards him. Why I’m playing this stupid game with him, I don’t know. “How old are you?” I inquire.

  He smirks then. “Like an older man, do you?” he flirts, but when I just cock my eyebrow, he gets real. “Older than every other apart from five...my brothers,” he admits. What does that mean? If he’s that old...he’s ancient. I eye him, but his next question has me focusing back on the game rather than his answer.

  “Have you ever been in love?” It throws me because I didn’t expect that from him, I expected something dirty...this feels deeper. Like he needs to know, and I glance down at his fingers which are gripping the bedding tightly.

  “No,” I admit. “My turn, have you?”

  I wait with bated breath, I don’t know why, call it curiosity. “No,” he says immediately. “I think that will change.” I barely catch the whisper, but I pretend I didn’t hear it. “Have you ever been with a vampire?” he queries, his question loaded.

  “No, I like my blood to be on my blade,” I counter.

  He leans closer then, until our lips nearly touch. “Liar,” he whispers.

  I yank my head back and jump up, throwing him a glare. “The game is over,” I snap.

  “Bella, the games are never over.” He stands as well, stretching, and my eyes dart down to his body before I force them back up, but he catches me looking and winks. “But maybe you’re right, if we are not sleeping why don’t we get on the road?”

  “Fine,” I growl. I grab my bag and jacket, checking the room over for anything else before storming out with the cocky vampire hot on my heels.

  Nice ass.

  “I’ll throw you in my boot again,” I warn, as I march down the stairs, heading straight for my car.

  “You could try. That was a dirty move, Bella, I wouldn’t try it again,” he cautions, striding past me and heading straight for the car. “Nice ride, did you steal it?”

  “Why? ‘Cause a woman like me can’t afford one?” I taunt, and his eyebrows raise as he leans back against it and stares me down.

  “Touchy, aren’t we?” He winks.

  “Get the fuck in the car before I get the shovel,” I grumble and shove past him, slipping into the driver’s seat and throwing my stuff in the back. I start the car, not giving him long to get in. He blurs around the front, using his vampire speed, and slides into the passenger seat, lounging there like it’s where he belongs.

  I pull out of the parking lot, my tires squealing as I get on the road, and lean against the door, ignoring him. Movement catches my eye and I look over to see him searching in my glove compartment.

  “Hey!” I snap, smacking his hands.

  I grip the wheel and look back at the road. It gives him time to dig something out and I hear him hum. “Oh, Bella, I didn’t take you for a lace girl, but now it’s going to be all I think about,” he purrs, laying it on thick. I ignore my treacherous body which responds. My nipples pebble and my pussy wonders what it would feel like to have him purring between my thighs.

  I glance over, already knowing what he’s found. He holds my black lace emergency knickers in his fingers, clutching them as he grins at me, his eyes sparkling, his shirt partway unbuttoned. He looks like sin incarnate, and fuck me if I’m not attracted to the bad in him. The bastard.

  “Now, Bella, do I ask why you have panties in here?” he rumbles, leaning closer and twirling my panties between us. “Hmm, black lace.”

  I grind my teeth and look at the road, trying to snatch them back, but he chuckles and holds them too far away for me to reach. “For emergencies,” I mutter.

  He laughs then. “What kind of emergencies require panties in your car?”

  I sigh, giving up on trying to get them back. I refuse to be embarrassed. “You never know, it’s a woman thing. There is a matching bra in my boot,” I admit, shrugging.

  He groans, and I look over to see him clutching his chest dramatically. When he sees me watching, he brings the panties to his nose and sniffs them, closing his eyes in bliss. “Yum, smells sweet.”

  I crinkle my nose and then swear when I look back at the road to see I nearly crashed into the back of a car. Swerving around him, I speed up, ignoring the bloodsucker in my front seat who’s trying to rile me up. I glance over and frown when I don’t spot them, instead I notice his hand pressing something into his pocket.

  “Give them back, you perv,” I demand, looking between him and the road.

  He just grins. “Not a chance, unless you make me.”

  I growl, smashing my hands against the wheel to stop myself from punching that pretty boy’s cocky face in. Breathing deep, I clear my mind and offer him a smile. “Fine, I suggest you wank into them, it’s the closest you’re going to get to my pussy.”

  He chokes on a laugh before it bursts free and he throws his head back, his eyes closing as he grips his stomach from the force of his laughter. I roll my eyes, but a smile quirks up my lips at the genuine amusement in the sound. Sometimes it’s hard to tell when he’s being genuine, like it’s all a farce, a ploy to get a rise out of people to see only what he wants them to see. His laughter cuts off suddenly.

  “Yes, Bella, and they usually do. Why don’t you?” he questions softly, his voice deep and dangerous. It sends my heart into overdrive, and no doubt he can hear it, but for once he doesn’t mention it, just stares at me.

  “I see the truth, I see the past and future on people. They aren’t that hard to read if you know how,” I admit, partially telling the truth.

  “Tell me then, Bella, what do you see when you look at me?” he asks, curiosity lining his voice.

  “Loneliness. You’ve been alone a long time. You mentioned brothers, but I’m betting you haven’t seen them for a while, so instead you fill your world with riches and sex and hope it fills that hole inside you, but in the dark you are truly alone and it gets to you. Darkness lingers in you, creating a powerful fight, yet you master it. You play the game, the playboy who’s always laughing yet you are the opposite. You love deeply
and fear even stronger.” It falls out of my mouth, and I swallow and shut up, looking over at him to see his eyes shuttered as he stares at me. “Am I wrong?”

  “Women never are, but you forget, Bella, people only see what they want. I give them that. So, my love, what do you want to see?” he inquires, leaning closer, his sweet-smelling breath drifting over my arm and raising goosebumps.

  “The truth, always the truth. I lived a long time without it or the chance of freedom. I will never do that again. For no one,” I tell him, then snap my mouth shut. I’m unsure why I told him that. He goes quiet too, and I can feel him studying me, so I concentrate on the road.

  “It should take us a few days to get there. We can stop every now and again. Let’s hope you are as good as you think you are at tracking, because, vampire, my life is in your hands,” I divulge, sharing another truth before I clam up.

  He probes me, asking more questions, but I close down. I turn up the music and drown him out, refusing to make the same mistakes. I won’t trust anyone else ever again, it cost me my family. My love. No, not again. I will stop this man from telling the council of my existence, and then I will disappear into the dark. Forgotten like the ancient vampire sitting next to me.

  By my choice.

  Ciar

  My life is in your hands.

  She was deadly serious. What is this mysterious beauty hiding behind her dagger-like words and a wall so tall it rivals mine? She cut me to the core, she saw me and called me on my shit and then just shut down. I find myself wanting her to talk again, wanting to know everything even if the view she has of me is bitter and horrible...but probably true. Is she right? Have I been trying to stop, to fill that loneliness?

  In her presence it all seems so stupid. I would give up all the riches in the world to have her love, to have her truly be my mate. A fate I used to think was worse than death until I felt that touch of her mind so long ago. Over the years, I felt it time and time again, barely there, like a whisper, and then disappearing on the wind.

  I searched, I hunted, and now here we are. I know she thinks we will go our separate ways after—how wrong she is. She is mine, I’m hers, and even if I have to follow her across this world, I will. I have this trip to convince her to take a chance on me.

  Truth, that’s what she said she wanted, so I will give it to her, but there is something that she doesn’t realise she needs—someone to push her. When I do, she lights up, she loves the fight, the battle and the adrenaline.

  This is going to be fun, trapped for days with my mate. Hunting for her. I will give her everything she wants and everything she didn’t know she needs. She is no longer alone, and whatever secrets she is running from I will face them by her side.

  I’ve lived most of my life one moment to the next, never thinking or staying too long, but she will be my stand. If she lets me, I will never leave her side, my mate, Bella. Her voice rumbles through my head tinged with hunger. That taste I had of her wasn’t enough, and now that her blood is in my system, I will be unable to drink from anyone else. Not that I’ll tell her that, she will think I’m using it as an excuse or that it’s a lie. I won’t bind her to me like that. No, I want her to choose me. For once, I want to be the one someone picks forever, not just a night.

  She ignores me over the sound of the loud music, but I take the time to study her, to learn every line of her body. Every movement. Like the way she grips the wheel tightly when she turns a corner, or the way her eyes flicker over everything, a habit from someone who is always on alert. I suck in her smell and it settles into my bones, claiming my body as hers.

  “Quit fucking staring,” she snaps. “Perv.”

  “Is that my nickname, Bella?” I grin.

  She looks over at me then, flashing a smirk. “You want a nickname? How about asshole?”

  I tut. “Not very creative.”

  “Prick face?”

  I frown at her and she carries on.

  “Cunt nugget?” I chuckle as she lists more and more.

  “I know, how about Casanova, seeing as though you think you’re so smooth?” She rolls her eyes then, letting me know what she thinks of my charm. It’s so refreshing, I find myself smiling at her antics. My mate is a little bit crazy and a whole lot of angry. I bet the sex will be amazing.

  “Now, Bella, I can make yours something a whole lot worse,” I warn, and she groans.

  “Fine, you want a nickname?” She seems to rack her brain then and I wait. My eyebrow arches as I anticipate the next insult, but she surprises us both. “Amante?” It seems to come out of her without even thinking and I blink.

  “Lover?” I question, surprised, yet a slow smirk crawls across my face. “Now we’re talking, Bella.”

  “I don’t know where that came from,” she grumbles.

  “Oh, I do, you want me, Bella, you just won’t admit it to yourself. So tell me, when do you plan on giving in? I can wait, it will only make it all that much sweeter and I know you will be sweet.” I lick my lips, running my eyes down her body dramatically. She shivers under my gaze and I see her nipples poking through her shirt. As much as she pretends not to want me, she does, her body responding to our bond.

  She turns the music up again, trying to drown out my laughter. I let her pull away slightly, knowing she isn’t ready yet. Instead, I sit in silence, listening to her amusing thoughts. She really is quite crazy. God, I can’t wait for all that to be aimed at me.

  “Oi, lover boy, wake up, we’re stopping to grab fuel and food. I have to eat. I can’t eat people like you,” she grumbles, and I blink awake, beyond shocked that I fell asleep with someone else here.

  Even after I’ve lain with a woman, I slip away, not wanting them next to me as I rest. To do so gives them power, I’m at my weakest then, and even the strongest reaction time might be too late. She could have killed me. Well, shit, seems my body and my subconscious trusts her already. My eyes slide to hers to see her frowning at me. Does she even realise how huge this is?

  “What? Have you hit your head? Nothing smart to say?” she teases.

  I smirk, but I’m a little bit rattled still. I look over to see we are already pulled up to the pump. “Come on then, Bella, let’s feed you.”

  “Fuel first,” she snaps. As she fuels up, I head inside to pay, not giving her a chance to. At least my wealth can come in handy. She deserves everything in the world. Whatever she wants, she can have it. When I come out, she’s scowling at me from behind the wheel as I slide in.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask, confused.

  “I can pay for my own fuel,” she growls, and my eyebrows fly high.

  “I know, I wanted to, you can get the food.” I shrug.

  She stares at me but starts up the car, grousing about overbearing men as she heads over to the diner next to the gas station. She parks and we both get out. I walk purposely close to her so she brushes against me with each step. She surprises me when she growls, grabs my hand, and starts to swing our arms dramatically. “This what you want? What, can’t walk alone?” she teases.

  “I can’t, guess you’ll have to walk everywhere with me like this,” I fire back, and she frowns, not realising her mistake until then.

  “Fuck,” she mutters, and I laugh as I pull open the door and nudge her in.

  She goes inside, looking around before grabbing the booth in the back corner. It’s away from everyone else with clear views of the door and the fire exit with the wall to her back. Oh yes, my little mate knows how to look after herself.

  The question is why? Who is hunting her?

  She releases my hand and I find myself missing her touch and heat. I curl my fingers into my palm to hold it for as long as I can as I slide in next to her. She sighs. “Really? You can’t sit on the other side?”

  “Nope,” I say, pressing my thigh to hers, leaving no room between us.

  She grabs the menu, scanning it quickly before passing it to me and leaning back, watching the late night, or would that be early morning, cust
omers here. Who, admittedly, are half asleep. I grimace at the sticky menu, but at least the table is clean. It’s one of those greasy fast food places. A tired-looking waitress serves behind a counter, and there are only four other customers here. There are two truck drivers giving each other a wide birth, one reading a newspaper and sipping coffee, the other leaning back asleep. The two other customers are a young boy and girl, giggling as they lean close and flirt.

  I skim the menu and sigh.

  “What? Sorry, no caviar, your fucking majesty.”

  I grin down at her. “Have you ever had caviar?” I query.

  “Nope.” She snorts.

  “Don’t, it’s horrible. Snobs love it,” I admit, and she laughs, looking around, her eyes always scanning.

  Just then the tired waitress makes her way to us, pulling out a notepad and a menu. “What can I get you?” Her voice is monotone.

  “Coffee and pancakes,” Bella orders.

  The waitress looks at me and I smile. “The same please, love.”

  She straightens, flashing me a grin and fluttering her lashes. It’s so pathetic I almost laugh. Does she not see the beautiful creature next to me? Bella’s hand lands on my thigh under the table and pinches, and I turn to her with a wink, dismissing the waitress.

  “No eating the servers, I want my fucking pancakes,” she snarls, but I see the truth in her eyes, the jealousy rearing its ugly head. Maybe I shouldn’t play with her, but it’s too much fun getting a rise out of her. Just then I feel a tug on my thigh and my mouth drops open when she flashes me a blade covered in blood. I look at my leg and burst out laughing. The crazy woman stabbed me in the thigh for smiling at another woman.

  “Possessive, Bella, I like it,” I purr when I can get myself under control. She rolls her eyes.

  “Possessive of my coffee and pancakes, that’s all, don’t flatter yourself,” she grumbles, leaning back in her seat and watching the other people again.

  A minute later, two mugs of steaming black coffee and a jug of milk are dropped on our table by the waitress. I blink, noticing she has put on makeup and brushed her hair...for me? How sad. Just then Bella leans into my side, draping herself across me. I smirk, thinking she’s marking her territory since mates are like that, but then her voice stops me.