“No, he did hurt me… not physically. However, mentally, he put me through the wringer.”
“What the hell did he do?” Jake’s whole body tightened next to her, his protectiveness of her angering him at the thought Kale had done anything to upset her in any way.
Part of her knew that Jake still saw her as defenseless. Sometimes when he looked at her, he saw the girl that had been locked up in Darion’s dungeon. But she wasn’t that fragile, broken girl anymore. Kat watched the pity in Jake’s eyes take over that quick burst of anger that had tensed every single muscle in his broad body. Kat forced a smile, hoping to calm him and maybe, hopefully, remove the pity he felt when he looked at her.
Kat loved Jake, but that look in his eye was why she could never truly love him as she knew he believed he loved her. She would always be weak and broken in his eyes—he would always feel the need to shelter and protect her. That wasn’t a bad thing; every female out there wants to feel safe in the arms of her lover. However, she didn’t only feel safe when she was with Jake—she felt out of sorts and fragile. Something she vowed to never be again.
“It wasn’t his fault, Jakey. I found out some truths of what happened fifteen years ago.”
Jake narrowed his eyes. “What truths?”
“That Darion set the whole thing up, lied to me, and lied to Kale and Rowan. I don’t know all the details but Kale thought I set him up to be captured.”
Jake shook his head. “Can you trust Kale? I mean, we both know what a manipulating son of a bitch Darion is, but can you truly believe anything that Immortal tells you?”
Kat averted her gaze from Jake. “He’s my mate,” she whispered very softly, hoping it was quiet enough that Kale wouldn’t hear.
Jake shot of the bed, his eyes wide as he moved to Kat’s side of the bed and knelt so he could see her face. “Kitty? No.”
Kat tried for a smile but she saw the pain hidden in the depths of Jake’s concrete-colored eyes “I’m sorry Jakey, I—I—”
“How do you know?” he asked tightly.
Kat shook her head and cupped his rugged, square face. “I had to feed… you know that.”
Jake nodded—a sad, tight set to his features. He covered Kat’s hands where they rested on his cheeks, wrapping his fingers around her soft, delicate hands and pulled them from his face. “You had sex with him.”
Kat swallowed down the lump in her throat… She never wanted to hurt Jake, never wanted to disappoint him. He was her best friend. She could split hairs and tell him no… not exactly, but it wouldn’t change the hurt in his eyes.
“He doesn’t know and I don’t want him to. I haven’t decided what I’m going to do.”
Jake stood with a stiff nod. “I won’t say a word, Kat.”
Kat stared at him, whispering softly, “What happened to Kitty?”
Kale chose that moment to throw open Jake’s door, suspicion flashing in both his body language and features.
Kale didn’t like seeing Kat in Jake’s bed… she was dressed and on top of the bedding but still—she didn’t belong on or near any bed that wasn’t his. He was feeling possessive of her again, just as he had back when they were together… when she had loved him and owned that pesky muscle—the one that seemed to keep stepping up its beat every time he got within twenty feet of her—that ruled everything when it came to Kat.
“Hope I’m not interrupting, but it’s time to go.”
Kale forced a languid smile, pressing down the acidic taste that came with the jealously he had felt when her room was empty and the realization that she was behind a closed bedroom door with her Trow.
Kat gave one last, long glance at Jake as he dipped his chin towards Kale and then pushed past him.
Kale finally took the time to really look at Kat; he saw pain in her emerald eyes. “I did interrupt something,” he said, the mischief in his smile now gone. “Are you ok?”
Kat let out a breath that had her lips vibrating against each other. “No, but it’s a problem for a later date. Let’s get this over with,” she said, following after Jake and pushing past Kale.
Kale grunted and followed. “Let’s get this done,” he agreed.
Kale’s gaze flipped between Kat and Jake as they waited for the elevator. He had never envied any of his brothers’ gifts—fire was his drug and he wouldn’t give it up for anything—but being able to read these two as Lothar could would have been truly helpful right now.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Kat took the back seat in the black SUV that Kale had arranged to be waiting in the underground parking structure beneath the apartment building.
She watched as Jake flung ice-cold glares at Kale every couple of minutes.
“I feel the daggers you’re slinging, big man,” Kale noted dryly as he slowed the SUV and flipped on his blinker. “Do you have something you’d like to say?”
Jake grunted. “Nope, I just don’t like you.”
Kale let out a bark of laughter as he pulled on to Haight Street and parked, throwing the SUV into park and turning to look at Jake. “Your honesty actually makes me dislike you a little less. I grow on people.”
Kat shook her head, knowing there was a derogatory remark dancing on the tip of Jake’s tongue. Jake was sweet ninety-nine percent of the time. The other one percent, he could rival Kale and Bain both in his ability to be a real smart ass.
“Like a fungus,” Jake retorted as he shoved the vehicle door open and exited without a single glance towards Kat.
Ok, so it wasn’t one of his best quips, but Kat knew he was suffering right now… because of her. With a deep breath, Kat slid across the leather and slipped from the back seat.
The walk down Haight Street was silent among their little group. When they stepped inside of McIntyre’s, they found a busy bar filled with patrons in their mid to late twenties. The interior was like stepping into an authentic Irish pub, with open-beam ceilings, and dark lacquered paneling halfway up the wall with the rest painted in a brick-red color.
Kat’s eyes drifted over the walls with their Guinness, Redbreast 12 Year, and Murphy’s Irish Red signs—at least they were quality signs and not just posters tacked to the wall. The bar was actually really nice. The dark stained shelving holding a wide variety of bottles and the low-lit room had her wanting to grab a drink, sit back, and bullshit with the other customers or even the bartender.
“I can picture Brie here,” Kat noted as they moved towards the cherry wood bar. “She would have fit in.”
Kale nodded, pulling up a picture from Brie’s Facebook. She was with a group of guys—Kale couldn’t bring himself to call them men— and they all looked ridiculous and fairly inebriated. Young college-aged kids, but Brie looked more than comfortable with them, which told Kale to check out who these guys were. And thanks to this generations’ need to over share every daunting detail of their lives, one of the guys tagged in the photo had updated his status and, wouldn’t you know it, he even checked in with his location.
“Alright, he’s the one were looking for,” Kale said, pointing to the blonde guy in the photo.
They all took one last look before Kale locked the screen on his phone and slid it back in his pocket.
They each scanned the room.
“Got him,” Kat said, gesturing down the bar.
“Ok, you ready?” Kale asked.
Kat rolled her eyes. They’d been over and over and over the plan. She knew how to get what she needed from men, even if it was just information. Plus, she guessed he was drunk by now, which would, in theory, make it even easier.
Kat made her way to the bar, stealing a seat next to him. Kale moved to stand next to her.
“I don’t see her,” he said, engaging in the lines they’d rehearsed.
“Me either, I really thought we’d find Brie here. I really wanted to surprise her.”
She’d caught the guy’s attention. San Francisco was sure to be home to more than one female named Brie, but with a little charm born of her Su
ccubi blood, Kat would be able to engage him.
Kat caught his stare and smiled, “Hey, you look familiar,” she said. “Oh my God, you know my friend Brie, don’t you? I swear I’ve seen a picture of you and her.”
The guy smiled back, a goofy look on his face as Kat wove her charm around him.
“Yeah, I know a girl named Brie. I don’t know for sure if it’s your Brie though.”
Kat leaned towards him and raked her gaze over his tall frame, resulting in a sultry smile as her eyes locked with his. “Oh yeah, I recognize you, handsome.”
The truth was that the kid was good looking, probably twenty-three, maybe six foot, with longish, golden waves and bright blue eyes.
The guy tried for casual as he smiled back at Kat, but it was hard for any man, especially a human, to not be won over by her beautiful face.
Plus, she’d gone all out. Her hair was down, its natural waves framing her high cheekbones and soft jawline, with expertly applied makeup and glossed, plump lips—and that was only her face. Her body was a whole new set of vixen weaponry—tight jeans, high, black leather boots, and a corset-style top that left little to the imagination.
“So, what your name?” Kat asked. She crossed her legs towards the guy and leaned on the bar, signaling to the bartender that she was ready to place an order.
“Matt, what should I call you?”
Kat smiled. “You can call me Kay.”
“What can I get for you?” the bartender asked, running a towel over the dark wood in front of her.
“I’ll have two shots of Patron, a Guinness, and whatever my friend Matt here would like.”
“Uh… Guinness sounds good to me.”
“You got it. You want to start a tab?” the bartender asked, looking back to Kat.
Kale shook his head no and threw a fifty down.
Kat cocked a brow at Kale before turning her attention back to Matt.
“So, do you know where Brie is?” she asked, her tone moving from sultry to soft and sweet. “I’m here all the way from New York but only for a couple days.”
Any hint of caution that most people, especially someone living in a city like San Francisco would have had, was gone.
“Nah, I haven’t heard from her in a few days. I sent her a text last week asking if she wanted to hang out but she said she was out of town.”
“That sucks, I was totally hoping to see her or at least get to talk to her. We lost contact a while back…” Kat made a pouty face, letting the look set in for a few seconds before he eyes went wide. “Wait, you have her number. Can you give it to me?”
Matt cocked a grin. “I don’t know if I should be giving out someone else’s number.”
Kat went into full flirtation mode. “I have an idea,” she said, standing up and leaning close to Matt. “How about you set your phone down on the bar and forget about it for a few minutes while you and I go dance.”
Matt smiled, pulled his phone from his pocket, and laid it down on the bar. Kat ran her finger down the front of his chest. “Good choice, come on, handsome.”
Kat winked at Jake as she and Matt moved to the center of the small dance floor.
Jake moved to the bar as their drink order arrived. Kale handed him one of the glasses of deep, thick ale. “I forgot how good she was at that.”
Jake grunted and took a sip of his drink.
“What did we get out of her charms?” he finally asked Kale.
Kale smiled. “We got a phone number that I just sent to Lucas so he could trace it.”
“Did the guy not know where she lives?”
Kale shrugged. “I’m not sure but he seems to think she’s out of town.”
Jake grimaced. “It’s starting to look more and more like Brie is our culprit.”
Kale grinned.
“What?” Jake asked.
“You just said our, like maybe you view yourself as part of team Light Fae… my team.”
Jake responded with another resigned grunt. But Kale took that as at least a step in the right direction. If he wanted Kat to stick around, he would have to deal with her Trow as part of a package deal.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Kat lowered the blinds in the apartment. Jake had already excused himself. He seemed to lighten up while they were at McIntyre’s. She swore she even saw him smile once or twice while she was out on the dance floor with Matt.
The human had gotten a little handsy and once that happened, Kale was right next to her telling her it was time to go. She didn’t mind, though she was still tired and they were only a few hours from daylight.
Kat watched Kale as he paced the private balcony. She noted the solid, long gait that was his standard, confident stride; his muscles flexed under his fitted, dark jeans and T-shirt with lithe perfection. The sculpted mounds of his ass had always been one of the many part of his body she’d loved digging her nails into. As if he sensed her watching, Kale turned towards her, an arrogant smirk lifting his lips as he strode towards her and back into the apartment.
“Something on your mind, Kat?” Kale asked as he came in from the balcony. He’d been on the phone off and on ever since they left the bar.
She smiled at him, hitting a button on the remote that corresponded with the blinds that fell between the panes in the balconies French doors.
“What did Lucas have to say?”
“He can’t trace her phone.”
“Why not?” Kat asked.
Kale shrugged. “It’s probably turned off, but what we do know is she isn’t here so there’s no reason for us to be. It would be helpful if we could leave sooner rather than wait until sundown to head out.”
“Do we have any options for getting Jake out of here during daylight?”
Kale smiled. “As a matter of fact, we do. We won’t be travelling in style but it’ll be safe for your boy.”
“Is it really that hard for you to call him by his name?” Kat asked, a bite of exasperation bleeding into her tone.
“Why does it bother you, Kat? He is your boy, right? He’s the one you want to leave with once we’re done with all of this.” Kale wasn’t being cruel; he wasn’t angry or attacking her request to disappear once she’d fulfilled her usefulness.
“He’s my best friend. He’s taken care of me and he sacrificed his freedom for my own. He’s important to me, Kale. Will you please try… just try to be respectful and courteous to him.”
Kale tilted his head and smiled at her. It wasn’t sarcastic or laconic—it was simply a genuine Kale smile.
“I’ll try,” he conceded. “You should get some sleep. Our transportation will be here around ten.” Kale lifted his gaze to the digital numbers on the microwave. “That gives you… oh about six hours. Use them wisely, little Succubus.”
“Good night, Kale.”
Kale grinned and watched her hips sway down the hall towards her room.
Kat smiled as she closed her bedroom door. Leaning her forehead against the cool wood, she took a deep breath.
****
“That looks like something the FBI would use to transport prisoners,” Kat noted as they approached the shiny black van Kale had acquired for their road trip.
“Something like that,” Kale mused. He opened the back doors and smiled at Jake. “It’s light tight, though.”
Jake gave the interior a quick once over. It looked more comfortable than what the humans would use to transport their criminals. It held two long, cushioned benches against windowless sides.
“This will work,” Jake said, climbing into the back. Once inside, he noticed a small, black two-way radio.
Kale smiled when Jake looked at him questioningly. “In case you need something. We can’t open the window.” Kale gestured to a square covered with blackout fabric and duct tape that apparently hid a window between the back seating area and the cab of the van. “So you’ll have to use the radio to communicate,” he clarified and tossed their bags in back with him. “Are we ready to go?” he asked, looking between
Kat and Jake.
Kat looked unsure as she eyed Jake in the back. “Do you want me to sit back here with you, Jakey?”
Jake shook his head. “Nope, I’m going to try and catch up on some shuteye.”
“Alright, if you’re sure,” she said.
“I am, now let’s get out of here and get this over with.”
Kale shut Jake in back, walked to Kat’s side, and opened her door.
“Thanks,” she said softly and slid into her seat. Kale dipped his chin and closed her door as she pulled her seat belt over her shoulder and locked herself into her seat.
“So where are we headed?” she finally asked as they pulled out of the underground parking facility.
Kale smiled a Cheshire grin at her that spoke volumes of the trouble she’d just settled into.
“Kale?” she drew his name out. “Where are we going?”
“We’re heading to Nevada.”
“Where in Nevada?”
“We’re heading to Vegas,” he said excitedly.
Kat returned Kale’s grin. Vegas was one place she’d dreamed of visiting since she found herself living in the Human World. And she was hoping that they could have a little fun while they were there.
A thought struck her. “Does Hawk’s Eye keep an apartment in Vegas?”
Kale shook his head. “Nope, we sure don’t.”
“Where will be staying?” Kat asked.
“Somewhere on the strip.”
“Where on the strip?” she asked, a little exasperated.
“I’d tell you but it’s nowhere you would have heard of.”
“Really? Now I’m even more curious.”
“You’ll just have to wait, but I promise it won’t disappoint.” He gave her sidelong glance, his face still stretched into that infectious grin.
Kat tried to hide her smile but she had to admit that while they were headed there to find Brie—because she was killing people—she was still excited to see the city. She had a feeling pictures just couldn’t do it justice.
Immortal Craving: Immortal Heart Page 10