“I wish Kale could have been here,” Jez whispered despite us being alone. “He’s always so calming in situations like this. I turn into an anxious mess. …Or, at least he used to be.”
“I hate to say it, but I’m kind of glad he wasn’t.” I cringed. “Does that make me awful?”
“Of course not. If I were you, I’d probably feel the same. He hasn’t been the same lately. I don’t like it.”
“I’ve been asked to kill Veryl, Jez. And, I think I’m going to do it.” I blurted the words before thinking it through. I hadn’t told anyone yet, and I needed to hear myself say it out loud to somebody else.
Jez gaped at me in shock. “What? Are you serious?”
I took a deep breath and told her about my visit from Shya as well as Veryl’s attitude regarding Lena. “He’s driving me to do it, Jez. And, I can’t help but want to.”
“You can’t trust a demon though, Lex. You know that.” Jez fixed me with wide green eyes. “I’ve never met him, but I’ve heard enough to know I don’t particularly want to.”
The Charger was hot inside from the afternoon sun. I wasn’t used to being awake at this time of day, and the stuffy interior wasn’t helping me stay alert.
“I don’t trust him, but I don’t trust Veryl, either.” I put the key in the ignition but didn’t start the car. I faced Jez, seeking some kind of understanding. “I have to admit, I like the idea of taking on bigger kills, people that pose a serious threat. The challenge kind of excites me. Of course, I don’t want to make a mistake either. And, with everything else going on, it’s all pretty confusing.”
Reaching over to grab my hand, Jez gave me an encouraging smile that did nothing to hide the worry in her eyes. “Be careful, Alexa. Remember who you’re dealing with and just think things through before you agree to anything a demon says. I don’t want you to rush into anything. I don’t think I can support you on the Veryl thing. It’s just too personal for me. Do what you gotta do. I’ll still love you, but I can’t condone it.”
I gave her hand a squeeze. A swell of emotion brought tears to my eyes. It had been a trying day. “Fair enough.”
Chapter Twelve
I turned the small amulet over in my hands, feeling the pure earth energy humming through it. Warm and lively, it felt pure in a way that other forms of power were not. It called to my wolf, and I found myself comforted simply by touching it. I couldn’t be sure what Lena had intended in giving it to me. For now, I was content just to have a part of her.
Stuffing the amulet into my purse, I scanned the crowd. The blood whores seemed to be getting younger all the time. I didn’t like that. The flash of strobe lights over the dark dance floor briefly illuminated the couple against the wall. The vampiress with the ebony hair held a human male in a firm grip as she fed from him. The scent of blood mixed with sweat, a myriad of perfumes and other human smells was stomach turning.
Several couples were locked in embraces bordering on explicit. The Wicked Kiss was a living, thriving organism of its own. I was quickly accepting that I couldn’t control it, I could only survive it, which I had every intention of doing.
I hadn’t seen much of Arys in the past twenty-four hours. Every moment the sun was down, he was trying to get a lead on where Maxwell and Claire were hiding out. They’d been lying low since Lena’s death. It wouldn’t be long before they resurfaced. I fantasized about all the ways I’d break them. I couldn’t take back what they’d done to Lena, but I could share her pain with her killers. I itched with anticipation.
Shaz had taken the night off. I’d insisted. He needed more wolf time. I worried that too much time in this place was starting to affect him. Shaz was my wolf, and I needed him to stay that way. I was vampy enough for the both of us.
Neither Shaz nor Arys had wanted me at The Wicked Kiss alone. Sure it was dangerous, but they couldn’t constantly be hovering over me. If Claire tried to take a shot at me, Arys would know. I could open the telepathic door between us in a heartbeat.
When my phone vibrated in my pocket, I jumped. No, I wasn’t edgy at all. I half expected to see Veryl’s number; the guy didn’t know when to give up. So when I saw that it was Jez, I was relieved.
Until I answered.
Her words came in a rush, the hysterical shrieking made it hard to understand her. Adrenaline crashed over me, and I hurried through the noisy club to the quieter back hall.
“Jez! What’s wrong?”
“Alexa, it’s Kale. He fucking bit me! I couldn’t fight him off. I tried.” Another pained moan followed, and I ran blindly out the back exit into the parking lot.
“Where are you, Jez? Take slow, deep breaths. You have to calm down. I’m coming!” My own voice had risen to the point of hysterical. I almost choked on my panic.
“The office,” she gasped. “I’m at the office.”
I put my phone on speaker and tossed it on the passenger seat. “Stay with me, Jez. Keep talking.” With a squeal of tires I flew out of the parking lot, leaving the stink of burnt rubber behind.
I heard a noise, like her phone had fallen, seconds before the call was lost. I’d given Kale too much credit. Having been so caught up with the Claire situation, I hadn’t treated Kale like the threat he was. Unpredictable and self-starved, Kale had been well on his way to snapping. After finding the dead prostitutes in his room, I should have known better.
I feared the worst when I screeched to a halt in the office parking lot. Every precious second was slipping away too quickly. Leaving the engine running and the driver’s door open, I skidded on the loose gravel in my haste to get inside.
A bloody handprint on the wall caused my panic to surge. I flung myself beyond the entry, shouting Jez’ name. I found her unconscious on the floor in the kitchen. Blood pooled beneath her. Though her breath came in shallow bursts and her heart still beat, she was fading fast.
“Jez! Talk to me, Jez.” I slapped her face, receiving no response. I glanced around frantically, uncertain.
The rich scent of her blood was mouth-watering, but this time it held no sway over me. I saw my friend bleeding to death from a nasty throat wound, and the wolf rose up with a protective snarl to subdue the bloodlust. This was Jez, and she wasn’t food.
Vampire blood could heal her. She wasn’t conscious enough to drink it nor was there a vampire around. Kale hadn’t hung around long after his attack. My blood was still mortal. Could I heal her the way Harley had taught me? I called the energy, but my panic prevented me from focusing on it. I could feel her slipping away. No!
“Please, God. Not Jez, too,” I sobbed, only realizing then that tears streamed down my face. “Come on, focus!”
I was mad at myself. How could I fall apart when it was the life of one of my dearest friends on the line? I could do this. I had to!
Power swirled about me like a tornado. I couldn’t bring it into focus, but the more my desperation mounted, the further it spun out of control. I had the ability to save her, but instead, I was failing her.
The icy touch of vampire power at my back had me whirling, ready to kick Kale’s ass. I gasped when I found myself staring into Lilah’s flame-colored eyes. Her pupils dilated as she reacted to the wild power encircling me.
“It was Kale,” I babbled, all but shoving her toward Jez. “I tried to heal her, and I can’t. I just can’t.” One thing was evident, I was not doing well under pressure these days. Even to me I sounded like the frantic idiot that needed to be slapped.
Lilah was all calm and cool next to my hysterical self. She knelt beside Jez but looked up at me. “I have her; find him.” A woman of few words, Lilah turned her attention to the fading leopard and a stroke of fire slammed over me as she called her power. Demon power.
That red-hot power poured forth, wiping out any trace of her usual cool, undead energy. It burned, and I shielded hard against it.
I had to find Kale before he slaughtered his way through the city. How far could he have gotten by now? If I was going to give him the beat
ing he deserved, I needed to gain control of myself. Bad enough, I’d failed Jez. If Kale overpowered me, I might not make it out of our confrontation alive.
The Wicked Kiss. If I had to bet money on it, that’s where Kale would go. It was filled with victims he could pick off left, right and center. Leaving Jez was difficult, but I trusted Lilah. Kale wasn’t likely to stop anytime soon, which added fuel to my fire. I had to get to him.
My hands shook on the steering wheel as I rushed back through the city. I was filled with dread. I did not want to see Kale on a rampage, and I sure as hell didn’t want to be the one to have to stop him. I had no choice. The image of Jez bleeding out swam behind my eyes. How could he do this to her? A little voice whispered in my ear, He did it to you, too.
Kale was a killer. The calm, gentle Kale that I knew was only part of him. I could too easily pretend a monster didn’t lurk behind those gorgeous eyes. I’d always known this could happen, but I’d foolishly chosen not to believe he really would snap again.
I’d seen horrors in Arys’ memory, but I was sure that Kale’s past contained worse. Kale had never been one to speak much of his past, but I knew enough to know it was bad. He had a bit of a fetish for the screams of his victims. I shuddered, recalling the night he’d told me that.
I was terror-stricken at the thought of facing him. I would never forget the crazed look in his eyes the night he attacked me.
Raindrops spattered against the windshield, and a boom of thunder shook the night. A thunderstorm was as fitting a backdrop to this night as any. With the press of a button, I closed the sunroof, cutting off the cold, wet spray that hit me in the face. The motion was so mundane and simple, a direct contrast to everything else going on around me.
I didn’t think I could possibly be any more afraid than I already was. However, when I approached The Kiss and spotted Kale’s Camaro parked haphazardly in the club’s “no parking” zone, my stomach dropped. The anger that coursed through me came sudden and unbidden. I was smart enough to fear Kale, but I was also beyond pissed for what he’d done to Jez.
I parked my car so that it blocked his in. I didn’t want him getting away that easily, although I had a feeling that he wouldn’t try to run when he saw me. Fear fled me when I got out of my car and surveyed the parking lot. It was much too quiet. The noise from inside was muffled. I paused, listening for telltale screams.
I dropped my shields, knowing Kale would feel me regardless. I reached out for his honey sweet energy, sensing him immediately. His energy was buzzing with the bloodlust that drove him. Kale was on a bender, and he wasn’t likely to stop any time soon. His energy led me through the parking lot, past the rear exit to the small alley that ran behind the building. How perfectly creepy.
Kale had carelessly tossed aside the bodies of two guys who had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. One of them was still alive, barely. His heartbeat echoed in my ears, and I tried to shut it out. I could do nothing for him now. I forced myself to walk past him without a second look. Unlike Jez, he felt like food.
I hesitated, unwilling to walk into a trap. Kale hadn’t already gone inside to terrorize the club patrons for a reason. He was waiting for me. That realization should have frightened me, but I was numb, slipping into survival mode.
The scent of blood and fear was strong. I gazed into the darkness, my wolf eyes re-adjusting to the absence of light. I saw nothing other than a garbage dumpster and some old abandoned furniture some lazy ass had ditched. Wherever Kale was, he was blending into the shadows with ease.
The sounds of the dying man behind me were especially loud. I swallowed hard, struggling to tune it out. Kale could have at least put the guy out of his misery. I couldn’t do it. I knew the moment I drew close enough to see his bloody throat, I’d be a goner.
“Don’t do this, Kale.” I stared into the darkness ahead, willing him to make this easy on both of us.
I could feel him, lying in wait. As each moment dragged by, my trepidation grew. This was a game to him, and I didn’t want to play.
I grew frustrated quickly. I didn’t appreciate being treated like the mouse in this game. “Here kitty kitty.” The taunt sounded like a challenge, and I regretted it as soon as it left my lips. “You don’t want to play with me, Kale. You could have killed Jez!”
Thunder crashed overhead, followed moments later by a streak of lightning. The brief illumination lit up my surroundings. If I hadn’t been able to feel Kale, I would have believed I was alone out there. Well, me and what was left of his victims.
The air around me never rippled. Not a sound betrayed Kale’s movement. He was just suddenly there, right in front of me. I jumped, choking on a shriek, stumbling as I backed away.
The rain came down harder, and I shoved my damp hair out of my face, peering at Kale like it was my first time laying eyes on him. I barely recognized him. His face was stained with the blood of his victims and his hair was matted with it. The solid black of his eyes revealed how far gone he was. Too late, I second-guessed coming here alone, but I wasn’t going back now.
Clad in his usual stylish attire, pinstriped pants, a dark shirt and his leather duster, Kale looked like my dreams and nightmares united in one painfully beautiful form. He smelled like blood and death and wore the devilish grin of one mad with bloodlust. His blood-soaked power beckoned to me.
I was instantly defensive, gathering my power tight to me. “Kale, I-,”
I was airborne before I realized he’d metaphysically bitch-slapped me. I hit the ground hard, skidding to a stop next to Kale’s forgotten victim. I was on my feet immediately, determined not to let on how much that had hurt. My back and legs stung from scraping along the hard, wet pavement. I prayed that the impact hadn’t drawn blood.
Kale advanced on me but made no further move. I stared into his eyes, rife with madness, and I felt despair. I didn’t want this to become a violent confrontation, not if I could help it.
“I thought you said you didn’t want to hurt me.” Appealing to his softer side was my first choice, but I was ready to hurt him if he refused to back down. I knew I could do it.
“I believe I said I didn’t want to kill you.” Kale regarded me thoughtfully, an amused smile dancing about his lips. “I definitely want to hurt you.”
The unspoken promises in his words brought forth my wolf with a snarl. I was all fangs and claws, ready to make him regret whatever he was thinking. Kale reacted with a laugh that shook me to the core. It was pure evil.
“This isn’t you, Kale. Let’s be reasonable here. You hurt Jez. She’s your friend. I’m your friend.”
He scoffed, pushing a lock of wet hair back from his forehead. “This is me, Alexa. This is the side you’ve always hoped you’d never see again, but just looking at you brings it out of me. We both knew this would happen. You can’t save me from myself. You know this. You can’t even save yourself. Once it’s in you, it is you.”
“No.” I shook my head vehemently. “That’s bullshit. It doesn’t have to be this way. You know it doesn’t.”
“Who are you trying to convince? I get it. You’re young and still so new to this. You want to believe there is another way. Try telling that to this poor sap.” Kale nudged the body next to us with a booted foot. The man had finally expired. “There is only blood and death. Either that or insanity.”
“I guess you’d know, huh?” I was scrambling to put the right words together. Anything to get through to him. “Blood and death doesn’t mean hurting the people that care about you. We love you, Kale. We can help you.”
I gasped when he stepped in close and laid a finger over my lips to silence me. I battled against the urge to jerk away.
“Be careful what you say, my love. Words can so easily be taken out of context.” He smiled down at me, revealing fangs.
My stomach tightened as he pulled at my energy. I pushed back against him, a warning. “So can actions. Don’t do something we’ll both regret, Kale.”
H
is laughter stoked the fire that always burned between us. “Not to worry. I don’t plan to regret anything.”
So being rational wasn’t going to work. Good to know. What did I have left? Brute force? He’d like that; he wanted it.
“I’m not going to face off with you. Not like this.” I steeled myself against the call of his power to mine. He was encouraging it, and though I resisted, my will was weak. It was Kale; I’d always wanted him.
“Then why did you come?” He challenged, his smile vanishing. “You want it as bad as I do. The rush of the power, the struggle of your prey as you give in to the thrill of the bloodlust that you try so hard to deny. Did you come to stop me, pretty wolf? Or, was it to join me?”
“Back off, Kale!” The force that accompanied my shout shoved him back a few feet. I didn’t want this to be a clash of metaphysical ability but instinct was guiding my action.
“Too close to the truth for comfort. I understand.” His head came up suddenly, and he listened keenly to the night. I listened, too, straining to pick out sounds beyond the rain and thunder.
The faint sound of high heels clicking quickly on the concrete was distant. It grew increasingly louder as the woman drew closer. We were just fifty feet or so from the club’s rear entry. I crossed my fingers, hoping that whoever she was, she would go in through the front. Kale braced himself in anticipation, and I held my breath.
She rounded the corner of the building, heading right for us. Clutching a thin jacket and a purse, she hurried to escape the rain. With her head down and her attention on her destination, she didn’t even look our way.
“Kale, don’t.”
We both sprang into motion, but he was faster. She let out a surprised scream when he grabbed her. With a hand over her mouth, Kale leaned in close and breathed deeply of her scent. Her eyes were wide, and she struggled in his grasp. He smiled.
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