by Cynthia Eden
He felt his brother’s fear. And an instant later, Leo was grabbing his arm. “Brother, what in the hell happened?”
Hell. Hell had happened. Or rather, “Hellfire.”
Leo frowned at him. “What?”
“He has wings of hellfire. He can control hellfire. I don’t know what the hell else he can do because as soon as I realized what I was dealing with, I came to you.” Because no matter what issues they may have, he and Leo were brothers. Family. “If he can hurt me, he can hurt you, too.”
Leo’s gaze had widened. “Malik…is gone?”
He’d known that Leo and Malik had been friends, once. “I had his weakness. I thought I could stop the change. I thought there would be time.”
He’d been wrong. Fucking hell. Wrong. Luke didn’t usually make mistakes like this. He planned. He plotted. He fixed the world.
There was the soft rustle of a footstep behind him.
What? Who could sneak up on him? Luke whipped around. A beautiful, dark-haired woman stood on the rooftop. Her hair blew gently in the breeze.
She gave him at tentative smile. “Long time no see, hmmm, Luke?”
He tensed. She might look all defenseless and innocent, but she wasn’t. He was staring at his brother’s mate. Mora…AKA Fate. As in the Fate.
“Mora knew there would be trouble upstairs,” Leo murmured. “Said I should expect a fall. That’s why I’m in Vegas.”
Leo brushed past Luke and took one of Mora’s hands. Their fingers linked. Leo’s expression turned grave as he studied his brother. “Is Malik truly strong enough to kill us?”
“I don’t particularly want to find out.” And that was an answer in and of itself.
But Mora cleared her throat. “He’s not trying to kill you.” She gave a little shrug. “At least, not yet.”
Not yet. That was hardly a giant reassurance. Luke was mad as hell. He’d miscalculated. Was he losing his touch? This shit never happened. Never.
“As long as Malik can keep his soul, he won’t come after you.” Her gaze slid to Leo. “Not either of you.”
Leo nodded. “Well, that’s good to know, it’s—”
“It’s not good to know.” Because Luke already knew exactly what would drive Malik over the edge. What would make the guy lose the last bit of sanity that remained. “Josephine.”
“Your favorite assassin?” Leo’s brows climbed. “You think she’ll end him for you? Look, if you couldn’t get the drop on the guy before he fell—”
Now Luke had to wince. “Something dropped, all right.” Not something—someone. And that dropping of Josephine into the dark water had certainly just pissed Malik off to an extreme degree. And Luke doubted that Josephine was feeling kindly toward him right then. But… “We need her. Either to end him or to keep the bastard in check, we need Josephine.”
Mora nodded. “I’d agree with that.”
Leo cocked his head and seemed to consider the matter. “If she’s necessary, then find her. She’s one of yours, right? So just—”
“She’s not.” This was going to be the hard part. Hell. “You rule the Bad Things, remember? Trust me on this, Josephine is very bad.”
His brother blinked. “But I can’t control her..”
No, of course not. Luke coughed. “That would have been part of the original deal we struck.” He tried not to wince as he added, “Her allegiance was tied straight to me. It wasn’t about good or evil—it was just a direct tie.”
Frustration flared in Leo’s eyes. “Then call her. Summon her now.”
It wasn’t Luke who answered. He was too busy trying to find a tactful way of explaining that he’d fucked up.
So Mora said, “Josephine’s debt is paid. The last tally mark is gone.”
Of course, Fate would know everything.
“And with the mark gone,” Mora continued in her careful, quiet tone, “no one controls Josephine any longer. She’s finally free.”
Leo swore. “How screwed are we?”
Luke turned to stare back at the city. At all of the gleaming lights. “Josephine will know I’m after the fallen. She’ll try to hide him. To find him, I just have to think like her.”
“You’re not the only one after Josephine Saint,” Mora murmured.
Luke’s shoulders stiffened. Yeah, he’d suspected that. Only he wasn’t looking to kill Josephine. The other bastard out there—he was. “We have to get to Josephine first,” he said, nodding. “We have to keep her safe.” There was no alternative, and there could be no failure.
“Uh, what?” Leo demanded. “Since when are we guarding her?”
Since now. The lights gleamed. Voices drifted on the wind. Luke plotted. He planned. And he realized there was only one outcome. “We keep Josephine alive.” He glanced back over his shoulder at his brother and Fate. “Or hellfire will reign on the earth.”
Chapter Sixteen
A car horn was honking. A loud, continuous sound that pulled Josephine from her happy haze of post-sex bliss.
The she realized that she was causing the honking. Or rather, her ass was—her ass was shoved hard against the steering wheel. Lovely. And very attention-grabbing. Not exactly the way to keep a low profile. Luckily, they were in the middle of a deserted parking lot.
She slid to the side, moving off Malik and his still most impressive cock, but he growled and grabbed for her.
“Easy there, angel…” she said.
Another growl.
Well, someone was beast-like. She wouldn’t lie. It was a turn-on. Went back to that whole Vin Diesel weakness she had. But not here. Not now. “You driving or am I?” She twisted and hunched and managed to get her jeans back on. Josephine glanced up and found him staring at her with his bright eyes. Bright again. Not that too-black stare that had maybe made her a bit nervous before. Her hand reached over and touched his cheek. Not burning hot any longer. Excellent sign.
His head turned, and he pressed a kiss to her palm.
Okay, this was the Malik she’d come to know. Josephine smiled at him. “Took the edge off, huh?”
“Barely.” His voice was deep and rough, and it sent shivers sliding over her body. “I want you again.” Another kiss to the center of her palm. “I want you always.”
Her smile slipped because Josephine realized that she felt the same way. She still wanted him, and she was starting to think that she always would. Josephine cleared her throat, and as she did, she became aware of a slight tenderness on the side of her neck. “Malik, did you bite me?” She’d been pretty far gone there at the end, but she was pretty sure she remembered—
Her right hand flew out and yanked open the vanity mirror. Soft lighting illuminated the mirror as she craned around and peered at her throat. Yes, there were two small puncture wounds on her neck. Odd, first because she healed so very quickly. And second—
Odd because Malik wasn’t supposed to be a vampire!
“We need to go,” she whispered as she flipped that mirror shut. She hurried back into her seat. “Now.”
He stared at her. “Go where?”
“To Merius.” To the only other angel-turned-vamp that she knew in Vegas. Sure, the guy might not be on their friend list, but she needed answers, and she needed them fast. “Zip up and let’s go.”
He zipped up. Malik cranked the truck. She tried not to hyperventilate. She’d asked Luke if Malik was a vampire, and Luke had shaken his head. A lie? The guy was so good at lying—
“I did.” Again, Malik’s voice was rough and deep.
“You did what?” Josephine blurted. She’d missed something. Probably because she was panicking. She was not typically the panicking type. But this wasn’t exactly a typical situation.
He was driving. Acting like he’d always been behind the wheel. And he seemed to know where he was going—good, he could get them to the casino Merius owned, and they could try to figure this crap out.
“I did bite you.” He braked. Turned his head. Stared at her. Licked his lips.
Her stomach did a flip.
“And I want to bite again.”
This was so bad. Very, very bad. Because vampires who’d just been transformed were the most dangerous ones. The ones who couldn’t control their bloodlust. The ones who couldn’t stop from killing their prey.
Only he didn’t drain me. He just gave me pleasure.
“Do you—you know how to get back to the city? How to get to Merius?” Her voice sounded mostly steady as she asked the question.
He glanced back at the road before them. After a moment, Malik took his foot off the brake. Pressed the gas pedal again. “I can feel him.”
“That’s new, isn’t it? Being able to feel the guy?” So many new things. Enough new things to make her head pound.
“Yes.” The truck lunged forward. “I can find him. Don’t worry.”
Worrying was pretty much the only thing she could do. Her fingers rose to her neck and pressed lightly to the bite mark there.
***
“Malik, you seriously need to focus.” Josephine grabbed his arm. They’d made it back to the Vegas strip—back to the casino and hotel combo owned by Merius. Only instead of going to track down their prey, Malik had stopped at a high stakes table.
Where had he even gotten money? She thought he might have stolen the chips off someone. She hadn’t even seen him make the move, but now he was sitting at the table, high rolling his angel ass off and knocking back drinks like he was the king of the world.
He wasn’t. She wasn’t sure what he was. Not yet. “Malik—”
His laughter cut off her words. “I just won again!” He grabbed the chips and hauled them forward. “Another drink!” His voice rang out, loud and boisterous. A scantily clad waitress in some actually rather awesome heels immediately was at his side with a new drink. He downed it fast, but then turned to Josephine. His eyes seemed extra bright as he rumbled, “Not what I need to quench my thirst.”
He was looking at her neck. And when he smiled at her, Josephine was pretty sure she saw a hint of fang. This was about to get out of hand, fast. She stepped closer to him—and Malik immediately grabbed her. He pulled her onto his lap while the others around them laughed.
This shit wasn’t funny. It would be especially not-funny if he freaked out and fed on everyone at the table. She brought her mouth next to his ear. “What in the hell are you doing? Don’t you remember that we came here for a reason?”
His head turned. His mouth brushed over hers in a sensual caress. “You should loosen up, Josephine. Have more fun.” He caught her lower lip and gave her a little bite. “Live a little.”
No, no way. This wasn’t happening. The guy knew they were in serious trouble, and he was gambling it up, drinking it up, and his hand was—
“Stop it!” Josephine hissed into his ear. His left hand had been heading right between her legs.
He stopped, but his body was rock hard beneath her. He moved his right hand and tapped the table. “I’m in for another round.”
What? The hell he was! “Malik.”
“I want to play. I want to drink.” A muscle flexed along his jaw. “I want to fuck.”
“And I want you to stay alive!” She jumped off his lap. Her hands went to her hips as she glowered at him. “What is wrong with you?” Was he drunk? He’d been downing that alcohol like crazy. He was tra-la-la gambling like he didn’t have a care in the world. Like they weren’t in mortal jeopardy. Like he wasn’t sporting fangs. Like—
“Someone has a taste for sin.”
She stiffened at that deep, mocking voice. A voice she knew—the voice of the vamp she’d hoped to find. A vamp who’d snuck up on her.
I am totally losing my touch. Because she hadn’t caught so much as a whisper of Merius’s scent. She glanced over her shoulder, and there he was. He wore a white dress shirt that was unbuttoned at the neck and rolled up to his elbows. The shirt stretched over his wide shoulders. Very wide shoulders that she hadn’t noticed before and—
“I don’t like the way you’re looking at him, Josephine.” Malik’s voice was an angry rasp. “Stop it.”
She didn’t. She ogled a little longer for fun but said, “And I don’t like the way you’re being some careless dick playing cards when we have some serious business going down.”
Malik rose and turned from the table, leaving all of his chips right there. Several grand. Or maybe even several hundred grand. She wasn’t sure.
“I caught his attention, didn’t I?”
Caught his attention?
Malik wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Hello, Merius.”
Merius’s gaze went to Malik’s mouth. His eyes narrowed. “Fuck me.” He turned on his heel. “Come with me. Both of you. Now.”
Malik brushed a kiss over Josephine’s cheek. “See. I knew if I won enough, he’d come running to me. Much easier this way, don’t you think?”
She didn’t think any of this was easy. “You’re different.” That scared her.
His hold tightened. “I am yours.”
Was he?
But they hurried after Merius. Entered a private elevator, and a moment later, the elevator’s doors were sliding closed. The interior of the elevator was lined with mirrors, and her reflection was everywhere she turned. Yeah—another false tale. Vamps cast a reflection. Why the heck wouldn’t they? But there was a reason she didn’t like to look too hard in mirrors, so Josephine kept her gaze averted.
Never look too long, Josephine. You won’t like what looks back. One of the few warnings from her father that she actually heeded. He’d always warned her to stay away from the Fey realm. Said it was dangerous.
But then again, he’d been a freaking psychopath.
“Why does he have fangs?” Merius demanded.
Malik was playing with her hair.
“Why is he acting that way?” Merius burst out without giving her a chance to respond to his first question. “Is the guy drunk?” His nostrils flared. “And is it me, or does he smell like fire?”
“Yes.” She blew out a hard breath. “I don’t know.” Her head tilted. Malik was stroking her hair now. Petting her? “I think he could be.” Three questions and answers down. Time for the fourth. “And the scent of fire is because as of a little while ago, he now sports fiery wings.”
Merius squeezed his eyes shut. “What?”
“I answered your questions,” she snapped back. “Now answer mine. How did you adjust when you became a vampire? How did you stop yourself from leaving a path of blood and death in your wake?”
His eyes flew open.
“I’ve seen my share of new vamps.” And she was afraid—for Malik. And of him. Afraid of what he might do. “How did you stay in control, Merius?”
“The blood lust was…overwhelming.” Merius’s voice was halting. He wasn’t mincing words. Wasn’t pretending not to understand. “I thought I’d lose my mind.”
“But you didn’t,” she pushed. “Tell us—”
The elevator dinged, and the doors opened.
Merius slipped out. She started to follow, but Malik pulled her back.
Frowning, he said, “I don’t want to hurt humans.”
“Good. I don’t want you to hurt them.”
“I don’t want to drink from them.” His gaze was on her throat. “I only want you. I only crave you.” Then his head lowered over her pulse. He pressed his lips to her skin. “I only want to taste you.”
“Ahem.” Merius cleared his throat once. Twice. “Can we move this into my suite?”
Malik’s head lifted. He snarled and definitely flashed some fang.
Merius brought up his hands. “Easy. I don’t want to hurt you.”
Malik just laughed. “As if you could.” His eyes began to change…taking on a fiery tint that made Josephine hurriedly put herself between Malik and Merius.
“Let’s get out of the elevator. Now.” She was afraid he’d sprout his fiery wings. Fiery wings could not work well in a tiny space.
He followed her ou
t of the elevator and into the suite Merius had waiting. The suite that gave them a killer view of the city.
And lots of privacy.
“Tell me what happened,” Merius ordered as he sprawled along a leather couch.
“What happened. Okay.” She tried to figure out where to begin.
But—
“What are we now?” Malik demanded to know. He didn’t take a seat. Didn’t sprawl anywhere. He simply glared at Merius. “Allies? Or enemies?”
“I was never your enemy.” Merius lifted his chin. “You’re the one who came gunning for me, remember?”
Malik smiled. “I do remember.” His eyes were still a little fiery.
But his fangs were gone. Maybe that was a good sign. Maybe not.
Josephine raked a hand through her hair. “We were caught in some kind of explosion. Malik took the brunt of the flames, and I was knocked out.” Not her best moment. “When I woke up, Luke was there.”
Merius whistled. “Never a good sign.”
“No.” Understatement. “And he said that…” Her gaze slid to Malik. Lingered. “He said that the Malik I knew was dead and gone.”
Malik’s shoulders stiffened. “I’m right here.”
He was, but he wasn’t. There was definitely something different about him. Lots of different things. Fiery wings. Fangs. “Luke said he wasn’t a vampire.” Okay, he hadn’t specifically said the words, but he’d given a head shake. That counted. “Luke told me that Malik was fallen.”
Merius swore.
But Malik nodded. “I knew it was what I’d become.”
Why was he so calm? “He has wings that burn.”
Malik gave a lethal smile. “My fire can even hurt the mighty Luke.”
A scary thing. A good thing?
Merius seemed to get a little paler.
“And the fire—I think he can control it.” Her head cocked as she studied Malik. “Can you control it?” Josephine asked him. “Because I saw it traveling down your arm, as if you were going to shoot it from your fingertips.” When he’d almost attacked the human at the dam.
Malik’s lips pursed as he seemed to ponder her question. “Let’s find out.”
Then, in a flash, fiery wings erupted from his back. Fiery wings that were surrounded by thick, dark shadows.