by C. M. Owens
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know that was you,” she stumbles out.
“It was,” I growl.
It still is.
“Stop talking about it, Alex,” Hale barks.
“Sorry,” she mutters in an embarrassed tone.
I flop back onto the bunk, and Hale joins me to wrap me up into his arms. I’ve always needed him after waking up from one that severe, but this is the first time I’ve ever had him. It feels so much better to have the comfort I’ve always sought. I nestle into him even more, and he kisses me so softly on my head.
“We’ve got all sorts of food we picked up from a market earlier. What do you want to eat?” Brazen asks.
“I don’t care. Nothing with tomatoes though.”
My nose turns up when I mention the red, juicy things with too much flavor for my taste.
He smirks lightly and says, “I remember,” while walking off.
“You don’t eat. How can you cook?” Alex asks curiously while following him to the kitchen area.
Stalker bitch.
“My sense of smell allows me to gauge when to stop cooking. Seeing Araya’s reaction to my cooking for over two years allowed me to perfect my technique,” he boasts.
Hale rolls his eyes, and then I feel the brakes being pressed before the pan even starts to sizzle.
“What’s going on?” Hale asks the driver.
“We’ve got fresh tracks, Sir.”
“Do you feel like getting out?” he asks so lightly, as if he’s afraid I’m a crystal vase about to break.
“Not really.”
“The full bloods need to stay in the tinted hideaway as well,” Alex murmurs. “The sun will be in full glow in less than five minutes.”
“I’ll stay too,” Hale says while holding onto me.
Clay steps in and walks over to us. His eyes soften so pitifully as he stares at my trembling state.
“Hale, I’m sorry, but I really need you to come see if you can get anything off these tracks. It’s the first solid proof we’ve had that we’re on the right track.”
“Find someone else. You see her,” he growls.
“You’re right. Stay with her, and I’ll see if we can get a lead,” Clay sighs.
“Go,” I mumble reluctantly. “I’m fine now.”
“I’m not going anywhere ever again,” he soothes while kissing my forehead.
“You promised I wouldn’t hinder your field duties, and that’s exactly what I’ll be doing if you stay. I’ll look like I’m incapable of working alone,” I almost whisper.
“I don’t give a fuck. I’m not going out there.”
“Please go. I’m already getting more attention than I want, and your eyes showing me mounds of pity… just go. I promise I’ll be fine.”
He sighs out loudly, and then he kisses me much harder to push away my lingering fears. I smile against his lips, and he pulls back with a quizzical look.
“Why are you smiling?”
“Because it feels good to kiss you right now.”
He smirks, and his guilt subsides when he sees I’m over the worst of the aftershock. He kisses me again, leaving me with a pulsing desire for more when he pulls away.
“I’ll be back to kiss you more very shortly,” he murmurs against my lips, and then he climbs up to join Clay.
I can smell the eggs Brazen is working tirelessly on, and it brings back my memories of all his kitchen exploits. I go to join him, and I hop up on the bar area next to Alex who seems to shiver when I join them.
“Obviously you don’t have a problem with hybrids, so I can assume it’s only me you don’t want to be around,” I snark, and I see Brazen choke back his laughter.
“No… I don’t… I never…” she stammers, and Brazen turns to face me.
“She doesn’t have a problem with you necessarily, she’s fucking terrified of you just like the other full bloods are - besides me of course,” he smolders out, and then he gives me his Brazen wink before turning back to his task.
I roll my eyes, and then I lean back while crossing my arms over my chest.
“I don’t fucking bite,” I snarl, and then Brazen’s laughter finally escapes. “Well, not unless I want to,” I continue while stifling a grin of my own, and she finally excuses herself to the back room when my taunting becomes more than she wishes to endure.
Brazen’s laughter fades and his eyes narrow as moves the eggs to a plate. He pulls out a fork before handing me the breakfast omelet. He looks completely lost in thought, but I’m scared to ask what’s on his mind.
“Why didn’t you?” he asks curiously.
“Why didn’t I what?” I ask while forking a mouthful.
“Why didn’t you ever bite?” he asks while stepping dangerously close to me.
I swallow hard against the food I’m wishing I had waited to dig into now that this conversation has taken a fucked up twist.
“Oh. Wow. I wasn’t expecting that,” I murmur with a flushed face.
He doesn’t flinch or crack a grin. He stares very intensely and expectantly while leaning in all the closer.
“It’s fairly obvious you like it now that you’re with him. I always assumed you weren’t into it. Why didn’t you ever do it with me?”
Fuck. This is so not an omelet conversation. This is a conversation to have after fifty shots of tequila.
“Because you couldn’t do it back,” I mumble vaguely, and then I guzzle the orange juice set aside for me.
“So. It’s not like both people have to bite in order to enjoy a blood fuck,” he says so casually, and I almost strangle as the orange juice sputters free from my mouth.
He smirks as he hands me a napkin, and he stares expectantly as I dry my mouth from the expelled citrus traitor. I finally sigh in defeat, and then I look around to make sure no one is close enough to hear.
“We’re alone,” he says mildly. “Tell me.”
“Because you’re a full blood. You crave the vein. I didn’t think it would be fair to make you watch me take your blood in my mouth knowing you couldn’t do the same to me,” I explain, quickly breaking the uncomfortable eye contact.
He smirks, and then his hands rest on the countertop beside me as his body hovers over mine.
“So you wanted to blood fuck me?” he smolders, his eyes dancing dangerously as salacious fantasies swirl through his mind.
Oh hell yes I did - so, so, so badly.
I swallow hard against the imaginary knot in my throat as I stare into the pale eyes daring me to try and look away again.
“Yes, but I didn’t want it to torture you. It wasn’t worth it.”
“It wouldn’t have tortured me, Araya. I don’t crave the vein the way you think I do. I’ve never had it from a human, so it’s easy to deny. Since it’s only human blood that affects me, I wouldn’t have been the least bit jealous. I could drink straight from a full blood’s vein anytime I want to, but it’s nothing that interests me. I would have loved it if you had blood fucked me, and I regret having never asked you about this sooner.”
He’s sexy tone is in full stride, and I’m doing all I can to stay composed. I’m not used to this bold, dirty-talking Brazen. Where has he been all this time?
“I never thought you were into that sort of thing. The roughest you ever were was after I fed you blood from my mouth. I just thought the human blood transfer turned you on the way it did me. You were always so… gentle the rest of the time,” I hesitantly stutter.
He smirks more menacingly, and he steps in between my legs before jerking my hips to him.
“That’s only because I thought that’s what you wanted. I can be rough, baby - as rough as you want me to be,” he seduces, and I’m fucking throbbing right now.
What the fuck?
“I’m with Hale,” my dry mouth quivers out.
“I don’t give a fuck. You’ll always be my girl, and one day I’ll prove to you I’m not just gentle. The night after you saved me, your teeth were so close to breaking my skin
, and I just knew you were finally going give yourself to me in that way. That’s what turned me on - that’s why I got so rough. I lost it for a minute, desperate to feel your blood bringers pierce my skin. I should have fucked you in the backseat of the damn car, but I thought you were just acting irrationally because of how close I came to dying that day. I had no idea that’s the sort of kink you were into.”
I suddenly feel a little turned off by his phrasing. He really does think I’m like the early ones of my kind, and the stigma that has haunted our kind for centuries continues to plague me even in his eyes.
“So you do think I’m some fucked up sex freak because I’m a hybrid,” I huff out, and then he tilts my head back up so that my eyes meet his.
“No. I think I let you stay caged up when you’re one fearless woman. I find your kink incredibly hot, and I feel like a complete dumbass for not capitalizing on it sooner. I’ll have my chance though, and shit will be different.”
Fuck my life.
He backs away just as Hale comes back on board. I feel a little off now to say the least. Brazen and I lived together for two years, and we barely knew each other. I don’t know how we managed to learn so little about the other.
“How’s your food?” Hale chirps as he pulls me off the countertop.
Cold by now.
“It’s great, but I’m not as hungry as I thought,” I mumble, and Brazen smirks before walking away.
“You okay?” he asks with concern.
“I’m fine. What did you find in the tracks?”
“They’re heading south, so now we’re heading south too. They’ve got at least thirty people judging by the impressions in the dirt, and they’re in a hurry. Something’s off. I don’t know what it is. I can’t tell if they’re scared, or if they just drive like me.”
I laugh a little at his ending joke, and then he kisses me softly.
“You want to lie down with me for a while? I was enjoying holding you.”
“I was enjoying being held, so yes,” I almost giggle out, and he scoops me up before tossing me on the small bunk.
I laugh a little louder when he drops to the bed to land on top of me. He starts tickling me ferociously, and I can’t catch my breath when I start laughing too hard to inhale.
“Stop,” I laugh out, and he complies just as his lips fall on mine.
I wrap my arms around his neck to pull him closer to me, and his hands jerk my hips to his.
“It’d be nice if we had this place to ourselves for a little while,” he seduces.
“This place would be in shambles if we did,” I provocatively sizzle free, and his eyes dance menacingly.
“I’d love to tear it apart,” he growls into my ear, and then he resumes his tickling attack.
Brazen walks back in with a small smile but envious eyes as I laugh wildly under the ravaging hands of Hale.
“Please stop,” I beg through my laughter, and I finally manage to flip him over and pin his hands down without knocking myself out on the bunk above me.
“I’m good with you on top,” he dares, and I blush as several others join us.
“I know,” I whisper into his ear. “That’s how I got one ahead of you.”
His eyes blaze over with a heated and thoroughly seduced stare, and he rolls his eyes when he sees more and more people flooding in before the huge vehicle starts moving again.
“Tease,” he playfully snarks.
“I only tease for a little while,” I seduce, and his head flops back with a frustrated pounce. “Actually, I suppose it’s not how I got one ahead. Technically, you’re actually three ahead of me. You forgot about the night in the interrogation room when I was savage.”
“No, I didn’t. You’re forgetting about what happened later… my lips, your body, my tongue, and your scre-”
“Okay, okay,” I interrupt a little loudly. “I did forget.”
I fan myself lightly, and his erection digs into me from underneath. My body starts aching, and our eye-fucking gaze gets too intense.
“I need a drink,” he grumbles. “Maybe it’ll take the edge off.”
I make sure no one is looking before I slide against his erection more forcefully. He groans softly, his eyes rolling back in his head as his desire hardens all the more.
“The bathroom might be free,” I whisper.
“Fuck,” he breathes, and he jerks my head down to his to envelope me in an hot, steamy, fuck-me-now kiss.
I look out to see everyone congregated in the kitchen area, and I can tell someone’s in the bathroom when three people stand in a line to wait their turn.
“Never mind,” I grunt in frustration. “There’s a fucking line.”
He snickers lightly, and then pulls me back to him to kiss me so much sweeter.
“I can wait. You’re worth it, baby. You better be ready though,” he smolders.
“I will be.”
Brazen returns to the bunk beside us, and Hale intentionally kisses me hard right in front of him as a way of staking his claim.
I suppose it’s better than pissing on me.
Brazen just rolls his eyes at the excessive show of affection. I smile against the possessive lips owning mine, and then he releases me with a smile of his own.
“We’ll stop in twenty minutes to let everyone stretch their legs. The sun will be tinted again by then,” Hale says to Brazen.
“How far ahead is this group?”
“At least seven hours. They’ll have to make camp at some point, and we’ll catch up to them then,” Hale asserts.
“Do we really want to catch up? We don’t know enough about them,” Brazen murmurs as his eyes look to me. “Maybe we should leave Araya at Hilbrook. It isn’t too far from here.”
“Hell no,” I bark.
Hale’s arms tighten around me, and I can see the glimpse of betrayal in his eyes. He’s considering this to be an option.
“Don’t you dare side with him. This is the first time I’ve been out in the field, and Clay said I was doing good,” I scold.
“Baby, I think this could get worse, and you’ve already had a rough several weeks.”
“If it gets worse, you’re going to need me - unless you’re planning on bringing your gift out of slumber.”
I climb free from the bed to raid the cabinets in my quest for liquor.
“Araya, I’m not saying you’re not good, I’m saying I don’t want to see you getting hurt,” Brazen explains.
“Until Clay says I can’t go, you can both kiss my ass.”
I feel hands heating against my waist, and I turn to face the soft eyes of Hale.
“I’ll kiss your ass, and then I’ll tie you down to keep you safe,” he murmurs to lighten the mood.
“Don’t be cute right now. I’m pissed. I’m not some infant. I realize there’s a fucked up piece of my life, but that doesn’t mean I need to be sheltered for the remainder of my span. I’m sick of being held back, and I’ll go on my own if you try to leave me behind. If you don’t believe me, try me. I know a thing or two about tracking as well.”
I barge by him, and I head to the front of the vehicle to sit in the passenger seat beside the driver. He almost jumps at my sudden appearance, but he stays quiet as I stare into the full glow of the sun that is shaded by the curtain behind us.
I know it’s Hale coming through the curtains since Brazen would burst into flames, and I look away before his face comes into view. He lifts my body from the seat, and he climbs under me to pull me into his lap.
“I love you, baby, and I’m worried what could happen to you,” he mutters while nestling his head against the nook of my neck.
“I’m worried about what could happen to you too. Does that mean you won’t go?” I snark.
“Araya, please understand.”
His huffing, pouting plea is brought to a halt by a faint sense of urgency coming from the dash. He reaches past me to tune the screeching noise that squeals into my sensitive ears. I cringe while pushing a fingertip
into my left ear - the one closest to the machine mimicking the shrill scream of a banshee. The radio finally comes to life as the panicked voice scratches through the static-laced connection.
“There’s a stage five storm rolling in. Anyone not in a secure facility, please find shelter now.”
Fear shivers through my spine as the stage five images of the past flood through my mind. She continues her shrill warnings, and Hale turns it back down shaking his head.
“Turn here and take us to Hilbrook,” Hale says to the driver, and then he speaks to either me or himself when he mumbles, “I’ll call Clay.”
I look up to see the clouds starting to swirl violently to form the inward funnel spiraling in reverse from a tornado’s threat. Soon it will be sucking the ground into the sky, savagely ripping apart anything it brings into its vast mouth.
“Fuck,” I gasp as some of the smaller plants begin taking flight immediately, and then the red lightening begins streaking down to the earth to emphasize the wrath of the storm. “It’s picking up too quickly. We won’t make it.”
“How far out are we, Sir?” the driver says with anxiety rumbling around.
“Not far, just give it all you’ve got,” Hale answers briskly, a roughness in his tone.
“I assume you’re calling to tell me you’ve already detoured to Hilbrook?” Clay says as he answers.
“I’m glad we think alike,” Hale murmurs while staring up at the growing strength of the funnel.
“I didn’t get to be commander based on my looks alone,” Clay jokes. “I’ve already called ahead, and they’re taking cover now. We’ll have to ram our way through their gates, but it shouldn’t be too hard to do.”
“I’ll take care of that,” Hale asserts, and then he tosses the phone on my lap while ushering the driver to move.
He keeps his foot on the pedal until Hale can fully relieve him of his duties.
“I can open them with my gift… if I can find the damn compound by then,” I murmur while staring through the stirring dust being pulled into the vacuuming sky.
“It’s too risky. If you don’t have a visual, you could rip the side of the wall out. It’d be too easy for you to rip out a place where people are. I’d rather we not make any sacrificial offerings to the beast above. I can line up with the gates easier than you can control your gifts blindly.”