Pretty Bloody

by K. A Knight

  “No, love, sorry.” I grin at her to lessen the blow and remove her hand from me as I head over to Bella. I wrap an arm around her and drag her to my side as I nod at the bartender who is opening a beer and passing it to her. “Is Rich in?” I inquire, and he does a double take, narrowing his animal eyes on me.

  “Who’s asking?” he growls.

  “Me.” Bella winks. “I was hoping he could help me with something. I can repay him of course,” she says softly. Is she flirting with him? I debate grabbing the tea towel off his shoulder and choking him with it, especially when he grins at her, flashing long canines. The only one sinking teeth into her will be me.

  “Is that right?” comes a familiar voice from behind us. We both turn and I smile when I see Rich, who looks pissed to see me. He points his finger at me, his wide face flaring in annoyance.

  “I told you not to come here again. You wanna work through our bitches and these wolves are going to get annoyed. Downright unfriendly,” he snarls.

  I feel Bella flinch and pull away from me, and I almost wince. Fuck, that’s right. Last time I was here I convinced a female wolf to come home with me over her male—he was pissed, to say the least.

  “No, I don’t want any trouble. I’m here with her.” I jerk my head at Bella and she steps forward, drawing his eyes.

  He takes a big sniff and then a growl leaves his throat. “What are you?”

  I blink at that. Shit, if a wolf can’t even tell then she is seriously hiding what she is.

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?” she teases, and he laughs.

  “I like her, okay, you have two minutes, but he’s your responsibility then, come on.” He turns and heads to a table in the corner.

  He grabs a chair and sits with his arm thrown over the back as she takes a seat opposite him. I slide into the only other chair, cringing at having my back to the room.

  “So whatcha need, girly?” he asks, getting straight to the point.

  “I’m looking for someone, he might have passed through here,” she tells him.

  “Uh-huh, and why would I tell you? What’s in it for me?” he questions, flashing white teeth at her. His power leaks around the room, calling to his wolves. Shit, we need to get in and out of here fast before they start to change.

  “How about a secret?” she offers, and he leans forward, serious now. She is speaking to his wolf side. They love being in everyone’s business. “You tell me what I want to know, and I’ll tell you what I am.”

  He stares her down and then quirks a smile. “You got yourself a deal. This person, tell me more.”

  “He’s around my age, short blond hair and blue eyes...and he’s fallen,” she tells him, leaning in and lowering her voice.

  “Fallen, eh?” He taps his chin. “Might have seen your man, would have been two, three days ago, felt him when he came into my territory. He was heading north, almost running like the hounds of hell were chasing him. Pissed off a few of my wolves with his attitude,” he informs us.

  “Then we are getting closer,” she muses and nods. “Thank you, I’ll get out of your hair.”

  “Not without paying up you won’t.” He grins but his power flares again, and I hear some chairs push back as they come to their alpha’s call.

  She stands up and he leans back. I feel a growl go through the crowd behind us, so I slowly get up and turn to face them, splitting my focus between them and her. The wolves are all watching us with a sea of orange eyes, all on their feet, all ready to kill us if they need to.

  I glance back to see her leaning down to whisper into his ear. I strain to try and hear, but she is talking too quietly. What I do see, however, is his shock before he recoils and stares at her.

  “Your life will never be easy,” he tells her almost sadly.

  “Easy is for boring people.” She winks and then looks at me, but her eyes widen and her mouth drops open just as I feel a whiz of air next to me. I turn and try to duck, but it’s too late.

  A wolf hits me with a punch, throwing us into the wall as I grab him and toss him away. He flies through the air but flips and lands in a crouch, teeth bared and eyes yellow, his face flickering with the shift.

  “You,” he snarls.

  “Sorry, mate, can’t say I do guys,” I taunt, and he snarls again.

  “You slept with my woman.”

  Ah, shit.

  I look to Bella, but she leans back against the wall with her arms crossed alongside Rich, her eyes cold and face calm.

  “This is your mess, you clean it up.” She waves her hand and turns to Rich, starting a conversation.

  Fuck, I think I pissed my mate off. I would rather face down a hundred angry wolves...they don’t scare me as much as she goes. I can predict what they are going to do, I can’t predict her.

  The wolf flies at me again, his hands shifted so he has claws. I duck and dive, trying not to kill him because then I would face a wolf trail by Rich. Instead, I punch and kick, but Bella’s laugh distracts me, and I snarl as claws rip into my stomach, digging to try and spill my insides. I move back, and tired of playing, I smash my hand into his face, knocking him out cold before he hits the floor.

  I cover my stomach and turn to see Bella smiling, enjoying my pain. Brilliant.

  Rich booms out a laugh. “You deserve that. I suggest you get out of here, blood sucker, before I let him tear you apart.”

  “We are leaving,” Bella tells him and pushes off the wall, walking past me. “Don’t you think you are bleeding in my car.” She huffs before walking away. The wolves part and let her through, all avoiding the knocked out one on the floor. Rich slaps me on the back, sending agony through my body.

  “Don’t come back, okay?” He grins and then leans in. “Good luck with her, vamp, you have no idea what you are in for.”

  “Care to tell me?” I ask, my voice holding pain.

  “Not a chance. It will be more fun to watch you struggle.” He laughs and then raises his voice. “Alright, it’s over, break it up.”

  When I get outside, she is already in the car, so I slide into the passenger seat as the wound heals and the bleeding stops. She fires up the engine and ignores me as she pulls away, but about five miles later she pulls over, her hands clenching the wheel.

  “Why take me there? To show off your conquests?” She snorts and I go to answer, but she shakes her head. “Forget it, you healed?”

  “Yes, but I need to feed,” I tell her. It’s true, I do.

  She sighs and pushes back her sleeve, grabbing her knife to cut when I lay my hand on her arm, making sure to stay above the fabric. “I can wait though, come on, let’s get your man.”

  You sure?” she queries, still not looking at me.

  “Yes, Bella,” I reply, but then suddenly blaring pain hits me and I curl over as it flows through my bloodstream, poisoning me. Fuck!

  “Ciar?” she calls, sounding worried, her hand landing on my back.

  “Poison,” I hiss.

  “What?”

  “Fucking poison in his blood,” I snarl, my fangs elongating as I gag on the pain. Blood pools in my mouth as my eyes go dark, more blood pouring from them. I feel wetness at my ears and know it’s flowing from there too. She pushes me back and gasps when she sees me.

  “Fuck, will feeding help?” she questions, but I can’t speak. “Ciar!”

  “Yesss,” I hiss, not wanting to force her. If it means suffering while the poison works itself out of my system, I will.

  She must hear my thoughts. “No one likes a drama queen, asshole. Just feed.”

  I feel something press to my lips, something warm, so I turn my head away. I know her thoughts on touching and not wanting to feed me like this, and I won’t make her, even if it means pain for hours.

  “Fuck this, I need you, fucking drink!” she yells, pressing her arm closer, but I turn farther away.

  Then I suddenly smell blood, her blood, and her arm is back, pressed to my mouth, her blood coating my lips.

  Hunger r
oars through me, taking over like never before. I can’t hold back the thirst, not when I’m fighting the pain. Before I know it, my fangs are sinking into her arm.

  She gasps but doesn’t pull away as I start to drink. I instantly feel her blood mixing with mine and pushing the poison free. As soon as it burns me, it soothes me. I groan, locking my lips tightly around her skin to stop the blood from escaping, I can’t stop.

  It’s addictive.

  I smell her desire. Trapped in the car, I feel it settle in my bones, becoming mine. My cock jerks in my pants, my balls drawing up from the taste of her blood alone. I wonder if my bite is affecting her like it does everyone else. It can be orgasmic.

  She moans, the sound low and unfiltered, and I groan, digging my fangs in deeper. I guess that’s my answer.

  I hear her breathing pick up, her heart pounding in my mind. She moans again and then I hear a gasp, and when I flick my eyes up to her, I see her lips parted, her back arching off her seat as she comes. It throws me into an orgasm as well, and then suddenly…suddenly I feel it.

  Like being hit by a truck, my heart stops, as does hers, and when they restart they are in sync. Euphoria flows through me, to her and back again, our bond solidified. Cemented. She is mine, I am hers.

  I feel the click of her mind, her thoughts brushing against mine.

  I make sure to keep an eye on her pulse, and when it starts to slow down I jerk back, licking the holes to heal them and she gasps again, then I fall into my seat. My bones feel like jelly as my eyes close in bliss. Her blood is like drinking the best alcohol, like heaven in a liquid crimson form.

  Bella.

  When I can finally see again, I turn my head, my lips open, unable to put my fangs away. She’s sitting in her seat, her arm clutched to her chest, her eyes blown wide with desire, but she swallows it back and drops her arm.

  “That better?” she inquires, her voice husky.

  “Yes, thank you, Bella,” I purr.

  “Good, then let’s get going,” she whispers, but she sits there for a moment before clearing her throat, blinking and turning to face the wheel.

  Oh, Bella, you can turn away, but you can’t hide...not from me. Ever. We are mates now.

  You are mine.

  Bella

  We have to stop for the night, and I make Ciar clean out the blood he spilled in my car as I get us a room and go and get comfy. I can’t bear to look at him after what happened when he fed.

  I liked it.

  More than that, I loved it and I want to do it again. To ride his body as he sinks his fangs into me and feeds, but I push those thoughts away, not wanting him to see them...something feels different after it as well. There’s a new awareness of him. I can feel where he is outside, what he’s doing, and if I push hard enough his feelings and thoughts, like we are linked. Does that happen after feeding?

  Like everything else when it comes to him, I ignore it. I can’t afford to keep getting distracted by him and how much I want him. Because I do, I can admit that. But he has a mate, someone out there fated for him, and I’m no match for her...or the many, many women from his past.

  Jealousy rears its ugly head again and I push it away. It hurt tonight seeing his conquests in action. But it did make me feel better to see him close to being gutted—petty, but true.

  Sighing, I get into bed and under the covers. The only room they had left was a double, so that asshole can sleep on the floor. I snuggle deeper into the blankets and feign sleep as I feel him heading this way.

  I don’t want to talk to him, to analyse what happened or hear his teasing about how he made me come from his bite. I can’t handle it tonight. I’m feeling fragile, a feeling I hate.

  The door opens, letting in a sliver of light and then shuts again. I hear his breathing, his heart beating, but I ignore it and keep my breaths even. He’s staring, watching me. Nothing unusual for the creeper…or the fact that I like it.

  I hear him moving around the room, but I keep my eyes closed until the bed dips. They fly open and lock on him. I expect him to be smirking, but he’s not and that’s the only reason I don’t stab him…that’s what I tell myself anyway.

  “I won’t touch you, Bella, I’m tired,” he assures me, and I clench my teeth but nod, even as my mind screams at me not to let him too close, to not give in, because I know once I do there’s no coming back.

  I’ve never met someone so determined to win my trust, so adamant to protect others and me, so willing to go along with my crazy and not look at me in fear. Will that change when he knows what I am? I don’t think so, and that scares me even more. I can’t, I can’t trust him, because when he leaves it will kill me.

  I will be alone again.

  Something I didn’t mind before him, but now I crave his closeness. Even his conversation, though I sometimes want to smack him over the head with a shovel again. The laughter and teasing, walking through life with someone at your side, depending on them...I want it.

  I realise with a start that I want what he has...a mate.

  But it’s more than that, I don’t want a random stranger...I want him.

  I must sigh because he scoots closer, his head resting on his arms where he lies on his side and watches me with those eyes that break down all my walls. “What’s wrong, Bella?” he asks, his voice quiet, a whisper on the night just between us, and that’s what undoes me.

  The darkness, the bubble around us, or maybe it’s that I want to tell him has me admitting my feelings. I want to trust him, to be able to lean on someone just this once. “I’m scared.”

  His eyes widen a fraction and his hand comes out to grab mine, but he stops and looks at me, letting it drop to the bed between us, an offering, one I can’t take. I stare at it and he winces. “Why won’t you touch me again?”

  I debate my answers, but decide on the truth. “In the diner? When you pulled me back...I saw some of your memories. Hints and...screenshots, but I don’t want to see them again.”

  He goes quiet for a moment. I can feel him watching me, but I don’t look up, I just stare at the hand I desperately wish I can grab. “What did you see, Bella?” I can hear the fear, the vulnerability in his voice, and it pulls my eyes back up to his. He wants to know, but he’s scared...scared of what I saw?

  “You,” I admit, my voice quiet now. “Snippets of you and your past, other girls, nights, and beds, satin sheets...skin,” I whisper, my eyes closing as they flash through my mind again.

  It hurt and I didn’t know why. It made it hard to breathe, my heart cracking behind my wall for a man I didn’t know...all because he had been with other people? I can deal with that, but seeing it...seeing it hurt.

  “Bella,” he whispers brokenly, and tries to reach for me again before stopping a hair’s breadth away. “I’m sorry, you shouldn’t have to see that. I’ve never lied to you about my past, about who I was...I was searching and stupid, such a fool. I never thought it would matter, that I would have a mate...all I can do is ask for forgiveness and promise there will be no other woman ever again.”

  I turn over then, giving him my back. He’s right. He can’t change it, and it shouldn’t matter to me, but to her, his mate. There will be no other. Is he telling me that we can’t be together? That this is as far as we go? He’s right, we can’t. I couldn’t do that to her, to the girl I don’t even know but who I hate...because I wish I was her.

  I can’t be burned by him and then left as he finds his love and happiness, I won’t. He’s right, never again. “Good, don’t.”

  I can hear the echoes of his thoughts and emotions. He wants to reach for me. To touch me, to cover this distance and make it right, but he doesn’t. I’m guessing for her. He knows it as well as I do…we can’t be.

  If he had...if he had reached for me, pulled me into his arms...would I have fought? I don’t think I would have and that’s what keeps me awake all night. Trapped in a bed with a man I want but can never have, his breathing blowing over the strands of my hair as I wrap my arms
around myself to stop from reaching for him.

  He doesn’t sleep either. I can feel him watching me through the darkness until the sun comes up and I slip from the bed and into the bathroom.

  Whatever this is, whatever I thought we had, wasn’t true...it can’t be. I will find the fallen, kill him, and protect my secret, protecting whatever is left of my heart along the way, and when it’s through maybe I’ll try to find someone to walk this world with.

  Because I don’t want to be alone anymore.

  Ciar

  She’s distant after last night, and I don’t know how to bridge it. She has every right to be upset. I would hate to see her with other guys, so I can understand, but if she would only let me know, let me in so I can help make this right. But she doesn’t, she turned away from me, and ever since she’s barely talking. I miss it, I miss her smart mouth and crazy attitude, even her thoughts are closed off.

  She’s locked down tight, even through her bond, and the distance hurts me. It’s an ache, a physical pain, and now that we have the bond it feels wrong to be apart. She doesn’t let me drive or even stop for a break, just carries on. Eating the miles between her and the man we are hunting. When we find him, I will rip him apart for hurting her and breaking her trust...but what then?

  If we leave it how it is now, she will fade. Walk away into the night and away from what we could be. I can’t let that happen. I would hunt her across this world. I’ve been waiting for thousands of years for her, I’m not letting her go now. We need to talk, I must make her see that if she gives me a chance I can make this right. That I will always love her, protect her, and be with her, and hopefully over time she will learn to trust me and forget about my past.

  A plan forms in my head, a plan to make my mate believe in me.

  I don’t tease her, I don’t push or flirt. No, I need to be serious. So for now I let her have her space, my eyes continually locked on the side of her face. Her beauty still makes me breathless, but it’s everything else I fell in love with…