Arys lifted his head suddenly, as if just noticing my presence. Blood stained his fangs and lower lip. His eyes were wild, glowing with a feral light. There was no semblance of my Arys in those eyes. All I saw was a vampire lost in the throes of passion and death. The man who had confessed his love to me was absent.
“Alexa.”
My name was a growl on his lips. I’d seen enough. I couldn’t stand to look at him another moment. I took a step back, stumbling into Kale who steadied me. Turning, I ran from the room, intent only on the rear exit door at the far end of the hall. Kale called my name, but he didn’t pursue me. I ran, and I never stopped running until I reached my car. The honking of horns and shouts from angry drivers when I darted across the busy street never phased me. I was in another world.
Driving was a horrible idea. I was a menace on the road. I knew I had to stop somewhere, but I had to get away from The Wicked Kiss. The very building seemed to laugh and mock me as I sped away. I went to the only nearby place where I knew I could be safe and alone with my thoughts. When I pulled up to the building where my office was, I was grateful to find it dark and empty. If anyone had been there, I wouldn’t have gone in.
I let myself in, leaving the lights off. Though I was tempted to hit up Jez’s office for the bottle of vodka I knew she had stashed in there, I went straight to my own office. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. The need for air was almost panic inducing. I was an idiot, a blind fool who had made the mistake of falling for someone who wasn’t able to handle it.
What I’d seen had hurt me more than I wanted to acknowledge. Arys was a vampire. What had I expected from him? More than that, a voice inside my head whispered. He said he loved me.
I shivered despite the warmth inside the building. The pain seared me, filling every part of my being. It flashed me back to the only other time I had ever hurt like this. The first time Raoul had slept with another woman after I’d been with him. Yet even my starry-eyed youthful heartbreak paled in comparison to what I felt when I laid eyes on Arys and Harley.
The image of that woman and their hands and mouths all over her made me want to scream. So, I did. Childishly, I threw random objects and punched several gaping holes in the wall before falling to my knees. I wept with full, gut wrenching sobs that sapped my strength.
I hated Harley with a passion that I hadn’t felt for a foe in a very long time. The worst part was that I loved Arys, but I desired the ability to hate him as well. This was all my fault. I had let my power hungry nature and lust draw me into bed with Arys without a second thought. This was the price I had to pay for that. Now I was bound to him until one or both of us ceased to exist. The consequences were overwhelming.
I’m not sure how much time passed before I heard a key turn in the front door. I’d locked it behind me so the only person that could come in would have to have a key. Shit. I wasn’t ready to face any of my friends or colleagues. Not like this.
Pulling myself to my feet, I gripped the edge of my desk so tight that the wood cut into my hands. I dug my sharp claws into it, feeling the wood chip away in flakes. Kale’s cold vampire energy reached me before he appeared in the open doorway.
My back was to the door, but I knew when he stood there. I didn’t turn to face him. I could only imagine what a mess I was.
“Alexa? Can I come in?” Kale asked softly. When I didn’t respond, he entered the room and came to a stop a few feet from me. I knew he was surveying the mess I’d made.
“You knew he was there,” I murmured, my voice thick with tears. “You didn’t tell me.”
He was quiet for a moment before replying. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t.”
He didn’t explain further, and I didn’t prompt. It wasn’t his fault. My tears fell silently, but they didn’t stop. I was overcome by the despair that settled deep within me. Kale’s undead energy was comforting in ways that I didn’t understand. When he moved to wrap his arms around me from behind, I didn’t stop him.
Kale pulled me against him, my back pressed to his chest. I stiffened, uncertain whether I should allow such a bold move or resist. The truth was, I didn’t want to resist.
Being in Kale’s arms felt like that forbidden fruit. The one you’re not supposed to eat but can’t help but do so because it tastes so damn good. Wrong … it was so wrong. And, I didn’t care, not after seeing Arys tonight.
“God, you feel so good.” His whispered words in my ear sent a warm shiver down my spine. “He doesn’t deserve you.”
I wiped my tears, grimacing at the thought of how blood smeared my face must be. This strange moment with Kale had been coming for some time now. Go figure that Arys had led us to it.
“Kale,” I murmured. “This isn’t right.” Despite what I’d said, I made no attempt to pull away. His power reached to touch me on every level, and mine was quick to respond.
“It feels right.”
I swallowed hard, trying not to notice how our power mingled and grew hot. “Which is exactly why it’s so wrong. It shouldn’t feel like this. If you give in to this temptation, you’ll regret it. We both will.”
A wave of heat swept through me, and I trembled. My power wanted him so bad. I could have him, in every way, take all he was giving and use it as my own. Kale slid a hand up my arm to my neck, playing in the loose tendrils of my hair. This wasn’t the best day to have worn it up.
When I didn’t shove away from him, he grew bold. His lips brushed against my ear as he deeply inhaled my scent. I felt him shift into predator mode, matching the bestial pull within my core. He was feeling it, too. Of the two of us, I was willing to bet his control would slip first. Of course, that was assuming I had any left after the emotional turmoil of the evening.
Kale’s warm lips brushed the sensitive skin beneath my ear. A soft gasp came from me as a tingle shot straight to my groin. No, no, no. I could not react to him like this. The desire that filled me was accompanied by guilt.
Push him away! Now, before it’s too late. The voice inside my head screamed with a panicked edge. When had I become so weak willed? If I was as strong as Harley insisted, this kind of thing should not be able to overwhelm me.
I was in serious denial. Harley had imparted much wisdom to me, though whether that had been purposeful or not, I wasn’t sure. Through Arys’s incubus blood, I was a succubus. My power preyed on people like Kale and even Harley. The promise of blood and power through sex was the driving force. Fighting it was only hurting me, denying the true nature of my power. I didn’t want it to be true. It was so shameful.
The moist touch of his tongue on my skin made my knees weak. Kissing and licking my neck, Kale made an animal-like sound low in his throat. Would it be so wrong to take what he was giving? He seemed to need it as badly as I did.
Only when his hands found their way beneath the hem of my corset did I forced my brain to work and my lips to move. With Kale’s hands on my bare stomach and his lips on my throat, I was beyond blown away. Why did the things that were so wrong always feel so damn good?
“Kale,” I squeaked. “Please.”
His chuckle was unexpected and downright sexy. I quivered in his embrace.
“Please, what? Anything you want, name it. Let me give you what Arys never could.”
“And what’s that?” I feared his response, but I wanted to hear it anyway.
“Solace.”
I had nothing to say to that. In many ways, he was right. I wanted solace. I found it in Shaz for my human and wolf sides, but the blood hungry side of me had no peace, no quiet moments of serenity. Yet, who was I to feel entitled to solace when I had willingly brought all of this chaos upon myself?
Kale was moving awfully fast, giving in to whatever he’d been holding back over the past few months. That could be potentially dangerous. I didn’t trust him to leash his savage side and keep from killing me. Yet, his touch was soft and sensual, loving almost. On some level, that was more frightening than if it had lacked emotion.
He sucked at the
throbbing vein in my neck. Oh, I knew what he wanted, and I wanted him to take it. The protesting voice in my head grew quieter, ceasing to hold much sway over me. I could see that image of Arys with his fangs deep in the pale flesh of the victim he shared with Harley, and I let go.
“If you really want me to stop, Alexa, I will. It will be hard, but I’ll walk away.” He delicately stroked me as he spoke, daring to caress lower until the top of my skirt stopped him. He paused, waiting for my command. “Tell me to stop.”
It was a clear order. He was waiting for me to say it. I shook my head, the words caught. I didn’t want to.
“I can’t,” I admitted. My words carried the tone of defeat, but I felt empowered.
It wasn’t what Kale had expected to hear. He bit lightly at my neck, causing me to suck in my breath. His hold on me tightened, and I leaned back into him, angling my head to better bare my neck.
“Alexa? Tell me to stop.”
Ever so gently, his fangs grazed the surface of my skin. The promise in that action spoke volumes. I was struck with eager anticipation, wanting him to cross the line and set us both free.
I reached up behind me to wrap an arm around his neck, holding him close. My fingers sank into his silken hair, and I whispered the word, “No.”
If anything, Kale wanted me to stop him because he knew he could never do it on his own. He hungered for my blood and judging by the way he touched me, he wanted more than that. Once that last word was uttered, he quit holding back. The power rushed forth to capture us in its inescapable thrall.
Kale slid his hands over the smooth velvet of my corset and around to the back. With deft fingers, he pulled at the strings that held me tightly bound. The corset loosened just enough to allow him to work it down, beneath my breasts.
It happened so fast. The next thing I knew, Kale’s hands were on me, squeezing my breasts with wanton need. He rubbed my nipples into firm points, evoking a moan from me. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to hold myself up much longer.
Kale’s energy felt hungry, needful in so many ways. I couldn’t help but respond. The high-strung energy practically oozed from him, and I drew it into me hungrily. It filled me somewhere deeper than the physical, stirring my power to life like gasoline on flames.
Our two differing powers danced together, never joining but embracing nonetheless. Kale’s centuries old energy was like the finest aged wine. When his fangs came to rest against my vein again, I welcomed the sting. I ached for his bite.
“I can’t resist.” Kale sighed somberly.
He had a desperate inner loneliness dating back far longer than I’d been alive. I couldn’t fix it, but I could be a source of comfort. That’s what we sought from one another: comfort. Maybe it would never heal the wounds we both carried, but it would give us what we needed for one night.
I looked down my body, taking in the sight of his hands on me. The rush was thrilling. “Then stop trying.”
His agonized groan told me more than any words could have. His touch grew aggressive and the wolf in me loved it. A steady throb started between my legs. I was ready for him to spill my blood. I wanted it.
Kale didn’t have to be told twice. My encouragement was all he needed to unleash the true vampire that dwelled inside him. After how much time he spent holding back, I could only imagine how good it felt to let loose.
I gave a small cry when his fangs easily broke through the surface of my skin, deep into my flesh. The combination of pleasure and pain was dizzying. My knees buckled, and I slumped against Kale who held my weight effortlessly.
The sensation of his teeth buried inside me was more potent and far more intimate than if it had been the hard on he pressed against my rear. The blood rushed from the wounds, and he drank it in along with my heady power. His energy was hot and strong with desire and something more, total abandon.
My breath came fast, and I nearly gasped for air. My heart thundered in my ears as he sucked the living nectar from me. It was both pain and pleasure. I moaned, extremely aroused by the demand in his bite. Kale had been waiting for this moment, but had he really known it would come? I never would have assumed so myself.
Blood spilled down my neck and chest, warm and beautifully scarlet. I needed more of him. It wasn’t enough. Kale’s tongue played along the punctures, encouraging the blood to keep flowing. I couldn’t hold back anymore. I needed all of him.
Kale’s soft moan in my ear drove me over the edge. Before I realized what I was doing, I was hiking my skirt up, inviting him to take me in every way. Releasing my hold on his dark locks, I reached down to free him from the confines of his pants.
Then, we heard the front door open. The sound of Jez chatting away on her cell phone was all it took to break the spell. Kale released me immediately, and I all but leaped away from him.
Oh, this was just great. Of all places for this to have happened, this had to be among the worst. I was consumed with guilt. I had to force myself to meet Kale’s eyes.
My blood coated his teeth and lips. He licked it away with a few swipes of his tongue. The moment had been shattered, yet I still longed to kiss him as I once had, to taste the blood in his mouth.
We stood there staring at one another, listening as Jez went about flipping on lights in the hall and kitchen. Our cars were outside. She knew we were here. It was only a matter of moments until she made her way further into the building and discovered us standing here like guilty children with hands in the cookie jar.
I tugged my corset back into place with a hot blush coloring my cheeks, but I couldn’t hide the fresh and very obvious vampire bite on my neck. Jez wouldn’t believe any lie in the world on this one. I’d be a moron to try.
“Lex?” She called, the sound of her footsteps growing closer. “What’s up? I didn’t expect anyone to be here.”
She rounded the corner to my office and stopped dead. As she surveyed the mess, taking in the holes in the wall and finally the two of us, her green eyes grew wide. I could only imagine how we looked from her point of view.
“Why not?” I asked. “Were you planning to have a party or something?” I spoke too quickly in my attempt to strike up normal conversation. I ignored the way her lips curled in a slight smile. Of course, she would find this amusing.
“Looks like the party started without me.” She laughed, looking back and forth between Kale and me. Rubbing her arms, she shivered slightly in response to the power we’d called. “I just stopped in to grab the jacket I left in my office. I’d ask what you two are doing here, but I think I’ll just walk away now.”
Giving me a pointed look that clearly stated she expected details later, she smirked and sauntered off down the hall. Could this possibly get any more uncomfortable?
I was torn between several impulses and urges. I simply couldn’t give in to most of them. Not now. The strongest urge I had was to flee the situation entirely. That wouldn’t be fair to Kale, but what was I supposed to do?
I was sure we wore matching expressions of shame and wonder. My hand drifted to my bleeding neck. It came away stained with fresh blood though the flow had significantly decreased. I stared at my bloody fingers, fumbling for the right words.
Kale beat me to it. He shook his head, horror evident in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Alexa. I want to feel bad. I know I should feel bad, but I don’t. The only thing I regret is Jez’s shitty timing.”
I had to give him a point for honesty. It was more than I could say for myself. However, that crappy timing had saved us from taking a dumb decision into the realms of downright stupid. So why did I feel as disappointed as he sounded?
“No more apologies.” I reached for the tissue on my desk and dabbed at my wound, anything to tear my gaze from his. “I have to go. I just … need to think. This has been a hell of a night.”
He nodded, watching silently as I gathered myself. Neither of us attempted another word. I couldn’t just walk away and leave him standing there. I wasn’t that heartless. In a bold move, I stepped u
p close to him and threw my arms around his neck. He hesitated for a moment before hugging me tightly.
“You know I adore you, right?” I needed him to know that. Kale was so delicate, so emotionally fragile. I feared becoming another abuser of his heart and soul.
“Of course,” he replied, lifting a hand to stroke the loose tendrils of hair back from my face. “You’re a gem, Alexa. Now get out of here before I decide that I don’t care whether we’re alone or not.”
Chapter Twelve
I didn’t think as I drove home. In fact, I did my best to avoid it altogether. Turning the stereo up loud, I let the heavy sound of Avenged Sevenfold soothe me as I cruised down the highway. I was wired. Between Arys and Kale, my night had been downright fucked up.
The bite on my neck ached, every throb accompanied by a jolt of pleasure to my groin. I was sexually frustrated but partially relieved that Jez had arrived when she did. I’d been ready to let Kale bend me over my desk and bang my brains out. There was something so screwed up about that.
Shaz’s car was parked outside when I got home and the wolf within was delighted. Who better to bang my brains out than my mate? The one man I knew I could trust. Of course, going inside and having to admit that Arys was the scum that Shaz insisted he was didn’t appeal to me.
“Hey, babe!” I called out as I entered. The sound of video games coming from the living room greeted me. I couldn’t count how many times I’d had to listen to the various video games on the market. Boys!
Shaz was just as I expected, intent on the TV, his hands busy on the game controller. I rolled my eyes. In the mood I was in, I had half a mind to tear the thing out of his hands, but I could just imagine the whining he’d do when I destroyed his score.
“What’s up, Lex? Where have you been all night?” There was one thing that could always destroy a werewolf’s concentration and that was the scent of blood. The moment he caught scent of my wound, his game was forgotten.
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