It was as if someone had sucker-punched me in the gut. I tried to maintain my composure, but the words still didn’t come out evenly. “I-I’m sorry?”
“You honestly think I haven’t done my research? I know of the boy-toy you’ve been stealing kisses with. Tell me, how does he fit into all this?” Raelynd queried, pulling out his cell. A quick search into its contents, and he slid the device over to me with a picture on display. It was a photo of Reese and me, on the back porch of my aunt’s house, in the middle of a lip lock! “Because you two seem genuinely chummy.”
Now I knew how celebrities felt. Violated. My heart throbbed in my chest, and I did everything I could to keep my breathing steady. “Uh…” Say something. Anything! “Um, well, it’s just that… ah… Every Reaper out there is looking for Blaine and me as a couple, so he and I just thought that having a red herring in my love life would be smart. Make them think that they just mistook me for…uh…me.”
God, it sounded even stupider out loud than it did in my head! And that was saying something. But what other excuse was there?
“Is this young man aware of you using him?”
“Do you honestly think he poses a threat to Blaine?” I tried to sound flippant in regard to Reese, but I wasn’t sure how the words came out. I casually extended my arms outward, hiding the trembling that had coursed its way into my hands. I needed to get out of here!
“Tell me, how do you feel about Mr. Ryder?”
That wasn’t exactly the question I had anticipated. “He’s a real pain in my ass. His wise remarks make me want to hit him where it hurts. And he can’t seem to convey affection without turning it into an innuendo,” I admitted. Raelynd still stared at me pointedly, proving that I needed to actually answer the question. “But…all that aside, I do care about him, and I believe he feels the same.”
“Not quite.” Raelynd spoke so matter-of-factly, and I could feel the contents in my stomach threatening to make their way back up.
Of course he wasn’t buying this. Saying that I cared about the man who had killed me and ruined my life was about as convincing as my Uncle Frank’s toupee.
The Englishman pointed over to the bar at Blaine. “You know, not too long ago, our dear boy there enjoyed the destruction he implemented on others. The world has not been kind to him, and he relished in returning the favor. He’d have a tornado rip right through the middle of a crowded church during Sunday mass if he could.” Raelynd sighed at the thought. “Now look at him. He’s domesticated. Mr. Ryder hasn’t taken his eyes off you since we sat, in the midst of some rather lovely ladies trying to earn his attention.”
I turned, and sure enough, he was right. Despite the small congregation of women flocking around Blaine with batting eyelashes, he didn’t pay mind to any of them.
“Question is, are you as committed?”
“Clearly, my saying so won’t satisfy your interest.” My words suddenly cut sharp, almost critically, earning a vicious grin from my counterpart. “But I still have to ask, why are my affections any concern to you?”
“I’m a businessman, Katrina. And you, my dear, as a Princess of Hell, are an invested asset.”
“What do you expect from me?”
“Right now?” Raelynd gave me a good, long look. “I’d like to see a little demonstration of your affection.”
My poker face vanished in an instant as I gawked back at him, blatantly appalled.
The Englishman threw his head back and laughed. “Not with me, sweetheart.” Raelynd motioned over to the bar.
My expression didn’t wane. “Blaine?”
He smiled a snake-like, tightlipped grin. “Your magician friend isn’t going to mind now, is he? Because I would hate to have to remove a handsome young man such as Mr. Blackburn from the equation.”
I…I didn’t have any other choice. He knew about Reese! One thing was for sure: I was going to murder Blaine, or at least come as close as I could without actually doing so.
“I’m not a particular fan of the PDA,” I choked out.
“With a stud like him? I find that hard to believe.” He blew a puff of smoke directly into my face this time, and I bit back a cough.
Oh, Blaine was a dead man…
“Will that be all?” I asked, preparing to slide out of the booth.
“Until next time.” His bloodcurdling grin somehow managed to tighten even further as he waved me away.
Don’t panic, Kat. Don’t panic.
I weaved between the crowds of people, heading over to the stools at the bar. Every step was too fast. Too fast. Too fast. But I couldn’t stop. If I so much as hesitated for a second, I’d find myself bolting for the doors, puking my guts out. Between Raelynd’s not-so-veiled threat towards Reese and what he was forcing me to do now, my stomach roiled, making me feel like I’d just ingested a softball. It was all the more unbearable seeing Blaine’s eyes on me out of his peripherals. I was going to Hell for sure.
As I approached, he started to turn, forcing me to grab him by the back of his hair before he could speak. There was no use in suspending the inevitable. Crushing my mouth against his, I drank up his intoxicating taste, along with the bitter sting of whiskey on his lips. The anger and terror brewing inside me provoked such aggression that it had my arm vibrating as a rune ignited.
Blaine suddenly jerked away from me, as if I’d burned him. “What are you—”
My hands remained in his hair, desperately pulling his face back down to mine. He tried speaking again, but I didn’t give him the chance. I bit his lower lip, silently commanding him to keep up. Raelynd was sure to be watching.
The bite wasn’t hard by any means, but the simple gesture had Blaine’s hands wrapping around my own forearms. The silent quiver on his left palm danced across my skin. His own rune had ignited, but it was a very, very different one.
It took Blaine not more than two seconds to respond to it with an equal ferocity. He rose up from his chair, embracing his hands now on each side of my hips. I moved between the stools, instinctively trying to find more room after blindly bumping into another patron. Blaine immediately drove my back into the bar counter, pressing me into the curve of his body. I barely had time to gasp before his mouth reclaimed mine, each kiss feverish, hungry, desperate.
His lips molded to mine, only to find their way to the side of my neck, to my throat, to my collarbone. And every inch of my skin could feel just how badly he craved it as he breathlessly moaned my name. Blaine wasn’t just kissing me. He was tasting me, devouring me, claiming me. To only make matters worse, the rune on top of my hand gently hummed, making my whole body go flush with what would best be described as a hot chemical rush. And I couldn’t quite determine if it was adrenaline caused by fear, or dopamine caused by…something else.
What was I doing? My hand wasn’t just in his hair. Both hands were, and they were raking my fingers through his mane, desperate to cling to him, to pull him closer. I wanted to murder him, and yet blood pounded in my ears from something I knew wasn’t rage.
A bright flash exploded overhead, followed by a loud crackle, startling us both enough that I managed to pull away. Of all things, the patrons around the bar gave us a round of applause, thoughtlessly wiping away flecks of what appeared to be broken glass. We looked up, seeing every last light bulb above the bar had burst! Managing to catch my breath, I took hold of Blaine’s hands, interlocking my fingers with his as his lips lingered intimately in front of mine. “I think it’s time we got out of here.”
He nodded, hovering over me for a moment, his eyes still ablaze as his breathing remained jagged.
“Please.”
Blaine finally retracted, keeping hold of one of my hands. I led him back to the front entrance, trying to keep calm as I headed up the steps to the main hallway. Our path was blocked just as we reached the top.
“Well, I stand corrected. It appears my brother here has found himself someone even more wayward than he is.” Such peculiarly wicked pleasantries caused my heated
insides to turn cold again as Val peered down at me. “Just keep a good eye on her, brother. Mavericks like her rarely keep their heart open for just one man.”
I wasn’t sure if it was my emotions or Blaine’s that had ignited the Wrath rune on my arm, and I didn’t care. Pinning a hand to his chest, I threw Val back. He barely managed to keep his footing as I shoved past him, taking Blaine with me.
“Have a good one, you two,” Val called out behind us with a snicker.
As we approached the parked Cutlass outside, Blaine stepped ahead of me and opened the passenger door. Climbing in, I ignored the gesture and looked back at the entrance to the Hideaway, seeing Val leaning against the open doorway with his shit-eating grin still plastered in place. The weight of the car shifted as Blaine climbed into the driver’s seat, and I did everything I could to not pay mind to him. My body was shuddering with the dying effects of several ignited runes, making my nerves all the more heightened. It was the most horrifying high…
Blaine leaned in. “Kat—”
“Don’t,” I snapped.
Chapter 9
The Bird and the Worm
“Kat—” Blaine tried again.
“Say another word, and I swear to God, I will punch you in the mouth.”
He pinched his lips shut, seeming to consider the option. One look at me, and he knew better, silently turning over the engine.
After the longest, most awkward silent car ride home, Blaine finally pulled into his driveway. Before the car even came to a complete stop, I leapt out, racing up the front walk to my aunt’s porch.
“Hold up!”
I stopped midway on the steps, hearing him head over.
“Why are you mad at me?”
I whirled around. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest. “I didn’t make you go outside, and I’m not the one who dragged you to the club. I asked you to stay put. I did everything I could to protect you—”
“Is anyone watching us?”
“What?”
“Are any of your boss’s cronies watching us right now?”
“Ah… No,” he said, clearly baffled. “Not that I know of.”
“Good.” I climbed back down a couple steps, looking him square in the eyes. He didn’t even have the chance to notice the blue light emanating from my arm. The air resounded with the wallop from my hand as I smacked him across the face. With my rune ignited, the simple slap had outright wrenched Blaine’s head to the side.
“Ahh!” He staggered back a step, tenderly rubbing the spot of impact as his eyes shot back up at me. “What the hell was that for?”
“You selfish, egotistical asshole!” I sneered, proceeding to pound my fists into his chest.
“Hey, hey!” Blaine finally grabbed hold of my wrists before I could strike him again. Despite my rune giving me a little extra strength, he still managed to pin my hands down. “Take it easy there, Rocky.”
“What the hell is your problem?”
“Might I ask you the same?” he challenged as I ripped free from his grip.
“What the hell have you gotten me involved in here?”
Understanding seemed to slam into him, because I watched as his beaten face phased through fifty layers of confusion…and realization.
“What? You thought I wanted that?” I actually laughed out of my own disbelief. “I fled across the country to get away from you! What would ever make you think that I’d ever want anything to do with the man who killed me?!”
He did little to suppress the crooked grin that suddenly pulled at his lips. “I brought you back.”
My jaw dropped. “Are you serious? You ruined my life—turned me into this…monster, and that’s all you have to say for yourself?”
Biting his bottom lip, he climbed the remaining step separating us. “Well, if memory serves me correctly, I’ve saved your life more times than you claim that I’ve ‘ruined’ it. I’d think a little gratitude was in order.”
I slammed my hands against his chest, disappointed to find the effort was useless. My rune had faded, making the unaided action futile.
“Oh, come on,” Blaine teased, hooking his hands on my hips. “You can’t deny you enjoyed that back there.”
“You. Disgust. Me.” I ripped his hands off, but he grabbed my left wrist, showing me the rune stamped on top of my hand.
“Your body says otherwise.”
That rune. It was the symbol for Lust. And it was still glowing ever so slightly.
“It’s ignited, because of you,” I snapped, taking notice to the same symbol alit on his hand. “You can control my runes. Turn them on, just as you can turn them off.”
“Is that what you think?” He smirked. “You really have no idea how any of this works, do you?”
“Well, if you’re such a know-it-all, enlighten me then,” I growled.
“As your mate, my omen rune will glow to warn me if you’re in danger, and I can shut down your runes if need be. But I don’t have any power over which ones you ignite.”
I staggered back a step, nearly tripping over the next stair. “You’re lying.”
“Is that so?” That teasing grin turned into an all-out vulpine smile. “Tell me, did any of your runes go off in the past eight weeks since you ran away—that you didn’t ignite?”
He already knew the answer, so I merely scowled at him, hoping my anger would overwhelm the sheer panic boiling in my gut.
“Do you really think I didn’t use any of my own runes while you were away?”
Panic.
Panic.
Panic.
If my accusation was right, then anytime he’d ignite one, my arm should have lit up as well. But it hadn’t. Not once.
Oh God.
Was it already happening? Was… Was my body betraying me? Was this how the hex started? On some creepy subconscious level?
“Screw you,” I bit back, turning to head up the porch.
A shadow cast across the inside of the front window as someone approached the door.
“Good night,” Blaine called out in an irritatingly sugary tone, “neighbor.”
Flipping him the bird, I marched up the steps and yanked the door open, finding Officer Hernandez standing on the other side of the threshold.
He caught sight of Blaine and even prepared to address him, but I slammed the door shut before either could so much as make a pleasantry to the other.
“Your girl friend looks a little different from what I imagined,” he laughed, gesturing outside as I locked the door behind me.
“What?”
“Jenna said you were sleeping over at a girl friend’s house tonight. Gotta say, ‘she’ looks a little manly.”
I cringed.
How could I have totally forgotten about my lie to Jenna?
I decided against taking off my coat, since I could feel a rune, most likely Rage, vibrating beneath my sleeve, and I really wasn’t in the mood to explain a glowing tattoo. And like that, it hit me. With all the craziness going on, it only now just occurred to me that I was walking in at midnight—on a school night! Oh boy, was I in trouble. Antonio had the tendency to be rather fatherly, not sparing Hanna or me a lecture on appropriate teenage behavior. I took one last look at Blaine through the window beside the door, seeing him still at the bottom of the steps. That infuriating grin of his had at least subsided.
“Is Jenna asleep?” I asked nervously.
Hernandez shook his head, taking a drink from the beer bottle in his hand. “Nah, she got called back into work to cover for another bartender. Shouldn’t be back for at least another hour or so.”
“Any chance you won’t tell her about this?” I asked, desperately hopeful as I nodded to the clock beside me.
“Silent as the grave,” he chuckled.
“Really?” Well, this was new. I laughed. “You feelin’ okay?”
“Great!” he affirmed, stretching his arms out above his head blithely.
�
��That’s good to hear,” I sighed, both relieved and taken aback by his chipper demeanor. Then I looked over by the refrigerator, seeing a hefty number of beer bottles that had collected at the counter next to it. “Geez…well, that explains it.”
“What? One of Evermore’s finest isn’t allowed to unwind?”
“Uh, no, this just isn’t like you, that’s all.” I pulled the fridge open and took out a bottle of water.
“Pity I can’t stay like this. I’m kind of enjoying it.”
“What? Being drunk?”
He nodded merrily.
I looked back at him crossly. “You know who else says that? Alcoholics.”
“I know. Aren’t they the best?”
“Wow, oookay… Someone really needs to get some sleep.” I turned to head out of the kitchen, and that’s when I realized it.
The rune on my arm. It wasn’t from rage.
It was Naudiz. The omen rune.
My voice cracked as I added weakly, “I forgot my phone at Hannah’s. I’ll be right back.” I started backtracking towards the front door again when the officer laughed, cutting in front of me.
“Oh, what’s the rush, sweetheart? Don’t you want to spend time with your aunt’s beau?” he sneered.
I whirled around, bolting back through the kitchen to the side door.
A firm grip caught hold of my collar, and it sent me hurling backwards just as I reached for the knob. “Where do you think you’re going, dearie?”
I began pulling myself off the floor, looking up at Hernandez. He was now blocking the doorway. The officer cast me a cruel smile, blinking on cue to reveal exactly what I had suspected. Black orbs covered his eyes. He was possessed! Trying to run for either the front or patio doors would have been pointless given my heels, so I raced up the steps beside me to the second floor. Halfway up, my left foot jerked down with a violent wrench. I crashed into the stairs as Hernandez’s grip around my ankle tightened.
I kicked my free heel into his arm, and he released his grasp on me, but not a second later did he lunge forward, grabbing hold of my waist. My hands clenched onto the posts of the banister beside me, clinging on for dear life as he heaved all his weight downward. It was no use. My fingers bit into the corners of the railings, and the force proved to be too much. Hitting each step on the way down, I fell back onto the landing and was immediately pried off the floor.
Covetous: An Urban Fantasy Romance (The Marked Mage Chronicles, Book 2) Page 10