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 was 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’ 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’ 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. “Someone doesn’t want to talk about Raoul. Fine then. Whatever you want.”
I had been ready for this since I’d got home several h
ours 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. After placing the head of his erection against my warm entrance, I impaled myself upon him in an achingly slow motion.
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. I rose up until he was just barely inside me and plunged back down upon him again. Shaz’ 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 maintained a steady pace atop him, alternating between shallow and deep strokes. I felt a slight sting in my lower back as Shaz’ claws pierced my flesh. A growl rumbled low in his throat. He was getting frustrated with the lack of control. I loved that. Wanting to drive him just a bit crazy, I came to a stop with his thick erection throbbing at my entrance. Teasing him, I slipped down just an inch or so before rising up again. I laughed when he snarled in my ear.
I expected Shaz to snap sooner than he did. He actually let me do it twice more before deciding he’d had enough. 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’ dominant side came out in full force when we made love, and I enjoyed every moment of it.
He moved with fast, slick strokes, filling me over and over again, Shaz moaned my name with a husky wolf growl. A cool wave passed through me. It was Arys. He must be on his way. I often felt his presence before he arrived. Shaz bit at my neck as he drove me toward the brink of climax, and I lost myself in the throes of passion.
The mounting pleasure grew quickly, hurling me past the point of no return. I cried out as I reached orgasm. I could feel Shaz twitch inside me. Warmth filled me as he spilled his seed. The heady waves ebbed slowly, each as delightful as the last. 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’ 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’ 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 and 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.
“Why are we both here?” I hissed beneath my breath when I heard footsteps inside. “Is it really going to take two of us to kill one human?”
“Why not? It’s fun to share.”
I pinned Kale with a wide-eyed stare. The sound of the deadbolt turning was deafening compared to the silence. I sucked in my breath, waiting like a kid on Christmas as the door cracked open an inch. She peered out at us through that tiny space, her brown eyes narrowing. I had to hold myself back, let the moment play out. The scent of candles and incense wafted out to greet us. I wrinkled my nose in distaste as my wolf recoiled against the assault on my senses.
Before either of us could make a move, she blasted me with enough juice to throw me backwards, skidding on my ass. It hurt and I
cursed myself for not being ready for an attack. Kale forced his way into the house, and I scrambled to follow him.
The door vibrated on its hinges. I was drawn to her sudden panic. Nothing smelled quite the way fear did. It teased my control, taunting not only my wolf but also the vampire hunger that I now possessed. When I hunted, I was all about the kill. Hunting a human brought out another side, the vampiric one I didn’t trust. Bloodlust stirred in me like the forbidden, unnatural hunger that it was.
Abigail didn’t act like a victim for a moment. She rushed at Kale with a kitchen knife raised above her head. I reacted without thought; instinct guided me as I grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back. The knife hit the floor with a clatter. Abigail let out a howl and swung at me with her free hand.
Kale was careful not to touch her, and it took me a moment to realize why. She mumbled a series of words in a language I didn’t understand. She smacked me in the forehead, saying one final word. The pain that spread through my head was instant. I went down on my knees hard with an anguished cry.
Abigail shrieked as Kale threw a blast her way.
She was alarmingly skilled in black magic. She could have made deals with demons for all I knew. I had to give Kale a little credit, Abigail Irving had proven to be anything but a helpless victim.
“I’ll kill you, bloodsuckers!” Abigail’s high-pitched shriek hurt my ears.
Seconds later I felt the atmosphere in the room grow hot as she attempted a metaphysical attack. I felt something burn low inside me, and I tensed, waiting for the pain. Whatever she was trying, it fizzled. She turned to me with eyes wide with horror. She head-butted me right in the face; my own damn fault, I’d hesitated.
I stumbled back a few feet, dazed from the blow. Blood trickled from my nose, and my eyes watered in response. It didn’t matter how fast it would heal, a hit in the nose always hurt like a mother fucker. A snarl erupted from me, and I lashed out in anger. My backhand took her off her feet, and she hit the floor hard.
Blonde & Blue (Alexa O'Brien Huntress Book 4) Page 5