“Well, I need to know why I’ve gone from killing idiot vampires to humans with power. I smell a rat. Can a human really have enough power to make the big, bad monsters afraid?”
“Yes.” Kale spoke up, drawing my attention to him. “You were one once. There are more out there, Alexa, and some of them won’t think twice about using that power against us.”
I shook my head and frowned in confusion. “Food and foe? Seriously?”
“It’s not quite that simple, Alexa.” Veryl’s expression was bored, as if he couldn’t bear to bother with me. “If you really want to push the subject, there are other people you can talk to. Although, I wouldn’t recommend it. Not if you want to avoid having them take more interest in you than they have already.”
The way he said it chilled me. It set off warning bells in my head, and I wondered what I was really involved in. And more importantly, could I get out if I wanted to? This was something I needed to know more about. Not from Veryl though, clearly.
“Alright. So what’s the bottom line here? What is it you want me to do?”
Veryl eyed me like he couldn’t tell if I was fucking with him or not. “There’s a woman. A traitor. She was one of ours, and now she’s working to expose us. All of us.”
“So? What are her reasons? Did anybody bother to find that out before issuing a kill order?” I was being a pain in the ass, I knew, but it was impossible to resist.
“She’s a double agent working for a government agency, Alexa!” Veryl suddenly oozed menace. “She knows magic that can drop a vampire with little more than the right words. Do you really want someone walking around with the ability to do that? Someone who believes we should all be hunted down one by one?”
“I won’t kill innocents, Veryl. That’s my only stipulation. I’m serious.”
“I can guarantee you that you’ve never killed an innocent. No such thing.” He sounded pretty much like every vampire I knew. It didn’t come as a surprise to hear him speak that way. “Kale will be with you. I wouldn’t send you alone, human target or otherwise.”
Kale killing humans? Oh, that was terrific. It also explained a lot.
“Fine.” I stood up and looked down at Veryl where he sat behind the desk. “I’ll do it. But now you’ve made me suspicious. I don’t like that. You’d better not be feeding me another line of bullshit. You haven’t quite always had my best interests in mind over the years.”
“You see it that way because you refuse to realize that I have withheld some things from you for a reason. For your own good. You’re bull-headed, Alexa. That’s one of the things I like about you. It keeps you hard enough to do your job, but it will get you into trouble if you aren’t careful.”
I gaped at him, momentarily flustered. “My own good? How was keeping Raoul’s secret for my own good? Seems to me that it was so that you’d have some control over me. Kiss those days goodbye.”
Veryl waved a dismissive hand at me. “Whatever. You should go. Call me when it’s done.”
That was it. He turned his attention to his computer and went about his business as if I wasn’t even there. Normally, that would have been enough to push me past the boiling point. My temper was short enough with Veryl that I considered laying into him, again. He was purposely trying to avoid further discussion about hiding Raoul’s true role in slaughtering my parents and infecting me. I couldn’t blame Veryl. That fight was over, and I’d had a lot of time to say my piece. However, that wasn’t what kept my mouth shut right then. No, it was the slightest trickle of apprehension rolling off him.
Spinning on my heel, I left his office with a self-satisfied smile and Kale hot on my heels. Veryl wasn’t comfortable with me anymore, and I knew why. My power had grown in the last year, along with my connections. I wouldn’t make the mistake of thinking higher of myself than was accurate. I knew I wasn’t the big bad that some were. Still, something about me scared Veryl, and that was reassuring. Of course, something about him scared me, too. I didn’t trust him, and I didn’t know who his, our, employers really were. Something told me I didn’t want to know.
I stormed out of the building with one goal in mind: to get out of the place before I blew it off its foundation. Kale didn’t let me get more than a few steps ahead of him. I slammed the door open and strode outside, aching to throw a few punches.
“Alexa, wait. I know you’re pissed, and you probably have a lot to-,”
I turned on him with a speed and precision that was alarming. Kale might have been taller than me, but my four-inch heeled boots gave me enough leverage to get into his face.
“How many of them were innocent?” I hadn’t meant for it to be the first thing out of my mouth. “How many people did I kill with you at my side that didn’t really deserve it?”
“Alexa, I-,”
“It’s clearly not about good and evil or what someone is. Somebody else is deciding who lives and dies. How could you sit by and let me get drawn into this, knowing how hard it is for me to deal with just being me? And, then you sit there in silence while I’m told that I’m a fucking pawn to some paranormal government! How can you be ok with being a part of all this?”
I clenched my fists so hard my nails cut into my palms. I felt the warmth of the blood trickling between my fingers. Kale’s gaze flicked to the blood dripping on the gravel parking lot then back to me. He paused, waiting to be sure I was going to let him speak.
“First of all, I signed on to this for my own reasons. I assumed that you had yours. I have no problem killing anyone who uses their power to abuse others or threaten me. That includes humans.” Kale didn’t back off. Instead he glared down into my face. “You have no idea how many times I’ve gone head to head with Veryl because of you. Did I know that he saw you as a fascinating addition to his team? Yes. But, I also happen to know you can take care of yourself.”
“Tell me then Kale, how can I do that when I don’t even know who I’m working for? The boss I have is a scumbag that has pulled strings in my life since I was a teenager. I thought I was killing the bad guys, you know? The ones that exist only to prey on the helpless, to kill without thought. Now, I’m not so sure.”
I had to put some distance between us. Emotion and adrenaline had me vibrating. Taking a few steps back, I pushed my hair out of my face and focused on taking deep breaths.
“You do kill the bad guys, Alexa. You just also happen to work for them.”
Those words sunk deep into me, and I swallowed hard. I stared at the empty street, wishing a car would go by to break up the quiet. “The dead women at The Wicked Kiss? Veryl’s orders?”
I realized I was hoping he would say something to take the blame from himself, even if it was a lie. Kale wouldn’t disrespect me with an outright lie though. That was just wishful thinking.
“No. That was all me.”
I knew it but I had to ask. He was a vampire. I would be wasting my time to try to pick apart why Kale did what he did. His past was so horrific that he’d stopped killing and started feeding from willing victims at The Kiss.
I’d known since meeting Kale that this day would come. If it were anyone else, I could have accepted it. But, killing made him unpredictable and dangerous. Sure, he was standing here now, the same normal Kale I’d always known. Yet, the feisty, high-strung killer he’d revealed the other night was always there inside. Only now, I was painfully aware of it.
“How long?”
“A while now.”
“... Give me the address. I’ll meet you there.” After the incident at The Wicked Kiss, I wasn’t getting into the closed confines of a car with him.
He studied me with that eerie, dual-colored gaze. I knew he wanted to say something about killing those prostitutes, but I was glad when he didn’t bother.
“Look, I don’t know all the details, ok? Stick around long enough to find out for yourself how dangerous this woman is. If you’re not cool with it, you can take off and I’ll handle it. We’ll go tomorrow night.”
He wa
s trying to smooth things over. As much as I wanted to smack Kale, Veryl was my real problem.
“Fine. I’ll be there.”
Chapter Six
“Seriously. What do you want for your birthday? There’s got to be something.”
Sliding a hand through Shaz’s soft platinum hair, I smiled and shook my head. “No, there’s nothing. I don’t want anything. I don’t even want to think about my birthday.”
“What?” Shaz sat up straighter in the bed, propping himself against the headboard. “We’re definitely celebrating your birthday. You’re not getting out of it. I don’t care what you say.”
I groaned and buried my face in my pillow, making a dramatic show of feigned crying. Shaz gave my head a playful shove and laughed. Why did everyone always have to make a big deal out of birthdays? I always had fun celebrating the birthdays of my friends, but I hated being the center of attention on mine.
“I’m boycotting my birthday this year. It’s just like any other day. No big deal.”
“We’re having a party. End of discussion.” Shaz pressed a finger to my lips before I could protest. “We can have it at Lucy’s Lounge. It’s been a while since we’ve been there.”
I could see that it meant more to him than it did to me. With a nod, I sighed and nipped lightly at his finger. “Fine. But no gifts!”
“You know me better than that. You’ll get a gift whether you like it or not.” Shaz rolled so that he was looking down at me from his raised position. “But, I’m pretty sure you’ll like it.”
I slipped my arms around his neck as he leaned in to kiss me. The soft sheets slid along our naked skin. Shaz pressed his body close to mine, and I drank in his scent, all male and all wolf. Heavenly.
I welcomed it when he slid his tongue between my lips. Slow and deep, Shaz kissed me with the kind of passion that sent a hot tingle to the tips of my toes. I enjoyed nothing more than waking up beside this man. Pent-up desire filled me, and I looked forward to releasing it with Shaz.
He pulled back and gazed down at me thoughtfully. “I had a dream about Raoul.”
“Um … ok. Not quite what I was expecting to hear.” I’d had a dream about Raoul myself not so long ago. One that was extremely vivid. I hadn’t mentioned it to anyone.
“He was here, in this house.” Shaz went on, glancing around the bedroom as if he expected to see our former Alpha there with us. “He told me to protect you from yourself.”
I frowned, confused and irritated by Raoul’s message. That bastard never did give me enough credit.
“Is that it? That’s all he said?”
“Yep. That’s it.” Shaz ran a warm hand along my side. “What do you think that means?”
“I think it means that Raoul still thinks he can control me from beyond the grave.” I sat up and turned so that I faced Shaz directly. The sheets fell to my lap, exposing my breasts. “Or, it means that you really need to get more sleep.”
“Geez, Lex. The guy is dead, and he still can’t catch a break from you.” Shaz’s words said one thing but he reacted the way I wanted him to. Reaching for me, his voice lost that edge of seriousness. “I’d say it’s time to let go of your grudge.”
I got to my knees and pushed him back against the headboard. Tossing the sheets off, I straddled him with a smile. “And, I’d say it’s time for some wake up sex.”
Shaz chuckled and ran his hands down my body to grip my hips. “You don’t want to talk about Raoul. Fine then. Whatever you want.”
I had been ready for this since I’d got home several hours earlier. Rubbing myself against him, I was pleased to find Shaz already hard. Foreplay was nice, but our sense of urgency made it unnecessary. I just needed him inside me.
I kissed Shaz hungrily, preventing him from any further talk. With one hand I gripped the headboard to steady myself, while with the other I held his shaft firmly. I sucked his bottom lip into my mouth before pulling back so I could look into his eyes.
I watched his face intently, loving how his expression changed as I buried him completely within me. When he hit that sweet spot deep inside, I let out a sigh of contentment. Shaz’s gaze dropped to our groins, and he watched as I rode him with slow and deliberate strokes.
He guided my movements by holding my hips, but I wouldn’t give up total control to him. Empowered, I controlled our pleasure while he watched with a look of anguished delight on his gorgeous face. I ran my hands through his blond locks, holding tightly when he thrust up into me as I came down. The impact forced a cry from me.
Shaz slid a hand up my back, pressing me close against him so that he could nuzzle my neck. I shuddered when I felt his fierce fangs graze my throat. We clung to one another, moving in unison. He moaned softly, his breath hot against my skin.
I felt a slight sting in my lower back as Shaz’s claws pierced my flesh. A growl rumbled low in his throat. He was getting frustrated with the lack of control. Wanting to drive him just a bit crazy, I slowed my pace to almost a stop. I laughed when he snarled in my ear.
In one smooth motion he flipped us so that I was beneath him. I stared up into brilliant green wolf eyes. He was wild and demanding when he thrust into me with total domination.
I was thrilled to have my mate possess my body and make it his. Out of the bedroom I wasn’t one for being controlled. In the bedroom, everything was different. Shaz’s dominant side came out in full force when we made love, and I enjoyed every moment of it.
A cool wave passed through me. It was Arys. He was close. Shaz bit at my neck as he drove me toward the brink of climax, and I lost myself in the throes of passion. I struggled to catch my breath while pushing the tousled hair back from my face.
That’s when I noticed Arys. Leaning in the doorway with his arms crossed casually, he watched us with a mischievous smile. It startled me, and I tried to sit up quickly despite Shaz’s weight atop me.
“What the fuck, Arys?” I tried to be mad, but the shock of seeing him standing there was too overwhelming. “Sneaking up on people is not cool. Especially at a time like this.”
“You two really should be more aware of your surroundings. Someone could have come in here and killed the both of you while you’re banging your brains out.” Arys laughed, and I wanted to hit him.
Shaz rolled off me and pulled the sheets up to his waist. “I knew you were there.”
“You did?” I studied him for a long moment. That was interesting. Arys always brought out a different side of Shaz, a stubborn, headstrong one. It never failed.
“Yeah. He hasn’t been there long. A few minutes or so.” Shaz lay back on the pillows with his hands folded beneath his head.
“I felt you.” I gave Arys a dirty look. “But, I didn’t realize you were here.”
Arys gave a fang baring grin and winked. “You were preoccupied. Must have been good.”
“Don’t even doubt it.” Shaz was quick with his reply. I rolled my eyes and shook my head at both of them before getting out of bed.
I strode to the closet, fully aware of the two gazes that followed me. Ignoring them both, I picked through my clothes, looking for something to wear out for the evening. I settled on slim fitting blue jeans and a tight black V-neck t-shirt. I draped a red bra and matching thong over my arm and turned to face my men.
They were watching me in silence. I raised an eyebrow as I crossed the room to the door.
“So that’s it, huh?” Arys blocked my path when I attempted to slip by him. “All played out?”
A teasing glint lit Arys’s eyes. The look he gave me was almost enough to make me toss my clothes and get back into bed. A glance at the bedside clock nixed that idea.
“Sweetie, I’d love to play with you. But, Kale will be expecting me in an hour, and I need to hit the shower and get ready.” I gave each of them a pointed look and smirked. “You guys feel free to play without me though.”
Arys kept a perfectly straight face when he turned to Shaz. “Works for me. What do you say, wolf? Up for a little slap a
nd tickle?”
I couldn’t contain my laughter when Shaz promptly flipped Arys off. He gave his blond head a shake and tried to muster a glare that fell flat. “I’m definitely up for slapping you, vampire. Not sure about the tickle though. Maybe another time.”
I left the two of them to throw verbal shots at each other. My stomach flipped nervously at the thought of hunting down a human with Kale. I wasn’t nervous because this hunt sounded especially awful but because I almost couldn’t wait.
* * * *
I was anxious as I parked down the block from the address Kale had given me. I didn’t know what to expect once we got inside the house. It could be some harmless old lady that knew how to cast love spells for all I knew. How dangerous could a human be? I didn’t really want an answer to that. I’d been a human with power, and though it had been minimal then compared to what I had now, it had been the beginning.
“Why are you so tense?” Kale’s voice was low as he strolled up beside me. “You’ve done this before.”
“Are you serious? That’s like me asking why you’re excited.”
I followed him down a nearby alley to the back side of the house where no one could see us. There had damn well better be a deadly woman inside this house. I’d killed my share of humans, but it wasn’t like this. I didn’t do it for somebody else. Not yet anyway.
Abigail Irving. The name meant nothing to me. Putting a name to the woman I was about to kill wasn’t making it easier. I didn’t know what to expect from her.
Lights were on inside, but I could see nothing through the heavily draped windows. My heart began to race in anticipation. My fangs and claws lengthened as my wolf rose up within me. I wanted this. And God, how I hated that.
With a silent motion, Kale pulled the screen door open. I tensed, expecting him to force his way inside. I was surprised when he knocked instead. I braced when I sensed her sudden fear. I guess she wasn’t expecting company at this time of night.
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