by Trina M. Lee
“If I wasn’t sure, I wouldn’t be here.” Rayne winked, and the flirty gesture created a small tingle between my legs.
I stepped back to allow him room to enter before locking the door again. “I just need a few minutes to get dressed.”
“Sure, no problem.” He ambled over to the window overlooking the pool and patio. “Nice view. I bet you can get a real eyeful from up here.”
A laugh escaped me as I slipped into the bathroom and closed the door, calling back, “You have no idea.” I wasted no time, dressing in jeans and a t-shirt before lightly towel drying my hair.
When I emerged he turned from the window, his expression serious now. “You’re hurt.” He didn’t have to ask. Predators could smell a wound.
My hand went to my head and I winced. “Yeah, just a little. I’m not really sure how bad it is.” The back of my head hurt like a bitch. My careful probing during the shower didn’t reveal much.
“Let me see.” He extended a hand, letting me come to him. We were like untamed animals, learning how to be around one another.
I turned as a nervous flutter rose through me. “Thanks.”
Gorgeous men didn’t generally make me self-conscious. In fact Rayne’s easy going, flirtatious nature made his presence comfortable. However, it also roused desires best left at rest.
He separated my damp hair, his touch gentle. “I can’t believe Nova took you out so soon. That’s not standard.”
“Classic case of bruised ego.” I bit back a wave of bitterness. “I didn’t mean to throw him on his ass. I never would have let it happen if I’d known he was so petty.”
“Don’t let Nova get to you. He’s a demon. They earned their reputation for petty bullshit.” Rayne moved my hair carefully, apologizing when I swore. “Looks like you’ve got a pretty good gash here. Nothing too dire. It’s already healing.”
“I’ve had worse.” I shrugged it off and turned to face him. “Are you sure about this?”
Rayne plopped down on the sofa near the fireplace. “Of course. I’d be more than happy to help. What’s a little blood between friends?”
The craving continued to grow, not yet ravenous though taking a turn in that direction. I did all I could to keep the bloodlust from getting bad enough to test my control. One horrific incident and I never made that mistake again. So far.
“We’re friends?” I asked, taking a seat beside the attractive werewolf.
“If you want to be. This feels like the kind of place where friends could be beneficial. We’re all stuck here together. Might as well make the best of it.” Sympathy shone in Rayne’s amber-gold eyes. “When I first got here, they sent me out fast too. I led an FPA team away from a pack they were hunting during a full moon.” He exuded a devil-may-care vibe that said it took a lot to ruffle his feathers. Or fur. “I can move fast on four legs, but it was close. They almost nabbed me.”
My eyes widened and my mouth dropped open. “That’s crazy. What happened?”
Chuckling softly, Rayne leaned back against the couch, angling toward me. A lock of hair fell forward, not quite long enough to fall into his eyes. He pushed a hand through it, shoving it back from his face. “They nailed me with a tranquilizer, but I didn’t pass out until I’d torn out the throat of the guy who shot me. Lucky for me, Nova showed up before they could take me in or decide to put a bullet in my brain.”
“Nova showed up?” I repeated, turning that over. Had he ever really left, or did he just stay and watch the entire fight?
“Yeah, I think it’s a test. He stays to see if we pass. Being able to linger without a physical form makes that easy for the demon.” Rayne didn’t speak as if he harbored any anger over it. Although Nova had saved his ass. Would he have saved mine too if I’d needed it?
“Must be nice to be a demon,” I muttered, chewing my lip. It had just been a fucking test. “I guess I passed then since I’m still here.”
Rayne held an arm out toward me, offering his wrist. “I’d say so. Don’t take it personally. Nova does what he’s told for the most part. Some of it he clearly enjoys, but he’s as much of a pawn here as any of us.”
I’m not sure why I believed him. It was more than that flirty grin. The werewolf put me at ease. Of course, I stayed guarded around him, perhaps even more so now. I wasn’t used to feeling comfortable with anyone. Not anymore.
It felt nice though, a welcome sensation as I took Rayne’s wrist. With both hands I gripped him. My gaze fell to the steady pulse beneath his smooth skin. Werewolf blood packed a punch, so I wouldn’t need much to quell the hunger that remained after bleeding that agent.
“How long have you been here?” I asked, knowing he could sense my growing anticipation. The room swelled with it.
“A few months now. Quite a few people have passed through in that time. They either run or just can’t cut it.” He slid closer on the couch until his leg touched mine. Rayne watched me with eyes that slowly bled to wolf. He had some growing excitement of his own. “I hope you stick around for a while though.”
“I’m not going anywhere. Yet.” Pulling his wrist close enough for me to smell the blood rushing through veins and arteries, I dragged my tongue over Rayne’s pulse point.
He stiffened and let out a soft, “Fuck.”
The scent of his arousal struck me. I wasn’t the kind of vampire who fed on that type of energy, but I was a heterosexual woman with a healthy sex drive. I’d barely touched him, so learning Rayne found the situation a turn-on stroked the hell out of my ego.
“Are you a bite junkie?” I blurted, having no filter with the bloodlust fogging my head.
Bite junkies grew addicted to the rush of the vampire’s bite. They hung out at The Wicked Kiss, making themselves available around the clock. It might sound like a good thing for a vampire in search of a nip, but those junkies were as insistent in their pursuit of their preferred high as any addict.
They usually ended up dead.
“Not at all,” Rayne answered without hesitation. “I just find you incredibly sexy. And I’m always happy to help out a friend in need.” A playful spark glinted in his entrancing wolf eyes.
I couldn’t help but tease. “I thought we’re not allowed to be friends. No attachments. Seems to be Nova’s personal tagline.”
“Then we won’t tell him.” A wolfish huskiness crept into Rayne’s voice, and suddenly I very much wanted to hear him growl my name while I writhed beneath him.
So it had been a while since I had any action. Couldn’t blame me for reacting to a fine specimen like Rayne. Did twenty minutes of hot sex count as getting attached? I didn’t think so. How about forty? An hour?
As if he shared my thought he leaned in close, his gaze on my lips.
Before he could close the last few inches between us, I teasingly pulled back and went for his wrist. Fast, like a striking viper, yet gentle, my fangs slid into Rayne’s flesh like a warm knife through butter. The bite was an art, one I’d perfected in the last century.
Although he never made a noise, Rayne sucked in a breath and held it, watching me.
As quick as I’d pierced his vein, I withdrew my fangs and sucked lightly at the bleeding wound. The taste of his blood struck me, and I moaned softly. It was like the ball had dropped on 1999 and the party was on.
With Rayne’s blood on my tongue, a burst of random light momentarily blurred my vision. I blinked a few times until it cleared. A pleasant tingle shot through my limbs. Son of a bitch, I’d almost forgotten the punch shifter blood packed.
Human blood didn’t compare to this. The werewolf’s blood was better. Stronger. Far more potent. It left me with a sense of euphoria and contentment. In other words, the more powerful the blood, the higher the rush.
Shifters didn’t pass through death the way a vampire did. They were turned through a bite or deep enough scratch. The infection wasn’t a sickness with a reversal; it was a transformation. However, they were still mortal, which meant Rayne’s blood could sustain me just fine. But
it came with its own risk of dependence. More than small, infrequent nips and I risked developing a craving for it.
In my experience, werewolves weren’t often onboard with that.
I flicked my tongue out to grab a stray drop from my lip before it could escape me.
The small punctures in his wrist barely bled. I’d taken all I needed, so Rayne gave the wounds a cursory glance. On a shifter the small clean bite would heal in a night.
Not playing anymore, the wolf kissed me with a red-hot passion. Claiming my mouth in a searing kiss, his tongue found mine.
The last couple of nights had thrown a lot at me. So in a dizzying moment of weakness I let myself give in to what felt good. Right then, Rayne felt damn good. I slid my arms around his neck and kissed him back with a growing hunger for much more than blood.
We barely knew each other, but that made it easier to get in, get what I wanted, and get out. Who even knew how much time we had before the FPA or The Circle of the Veil wiped us out? Seemed like a shame to waste whatever time we had left.
So when Rayne pulled me onto his lap, I happily straddled him. His arms went around my waist, and he pulled me tight against him. Beneath me the promising swell of his erection reaffirmed that this was a great idea.
The earthy scent of his cologne mingled with his own wolf and man aroma to create a sensual cocktail that made me want to taste more of him. Because I couldn’t resist, I dragged my lips along his jaw, down his neck. Rayne’s hands slid down to my ass to give an encouraging squeeze.
Before we could even think about getting naked, a sharp rap on the door interrupted. I jerked back and turned to stare at the offending door.
“Expecting someone?” Rayne asked, following my gaze.
“Pretty much never,” I quipped, reluctantly sliding off his lap. If I found Nova on the other side, I was going to let him have it.
Rayne caught my hand to stop me from getting away. That dazzling grin became downright impish. “We could ignore it.”
“I know I haven’t been here long, but I’m pretty sure ignoring a knock at the door doesn’t have the same effect in this place as it should.” Ignoring the steady throb of want between my legs, I tugged free of Rayne and went to answer the door, calling back, “Let’s pause this moment and come back to it.”
Readjusting himself for comfort, Rayne laughed off the interruption. “You can count on it.”
I swung the door open to find Dalyn standing there.
A shy smile crept around the edge of her mouth. “Sorry to bother you, Blaze. I just thought you’d like to come down and hang out for a bit. There’s a bunch of us just chillin’ in the TV room. Might be nice to get to know each other better.” She was as sweet as candy, the kind of sweet that was bound to get her in trouble.
I glanced back to Rayne who seemed willing to roll with whatever I decided. “Yeah, we’ll come hang for a bit. Why not?”
Realizing that I wasn’t alone Dalyn tried to backtrack. Big blue eyes wide, she took a step back. “Oh crap, I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s fine. Really. We were just about to head down anyway.” A total lie but the girl looked mortified enough.
She’d come seeking a friend, specifically a female friend in a house of men, since the other woman in the house didn’t want anything to do with anyone. I felt for Dalyn. Most of us had grown used to being loners, but she didn’t seem like the type.
Behind me Rayne muttered to himself, “Expired Alfredo sauce. Lady Gaga’s meat dress. Nova’s bare ass.”
Glancing past me to the mumbling werewolf, Dalyn nodded quickly and turned toward the stairs. “Cool. I’ll just meet you guys down there.”
“What are you going on about over there?” I asked after she’d gone.
“Listing things that disgust me in an effort to talk my hard-on down,” Rayne offered without hesitation.
I burst into laughter. “When did you see Nova’s bare ass?”
Rayne rose from the couch, pushing both hands through his hair. “A week or two ago. He was getting out of the pool. Just glad I never saw the other side.”
“Does everyone swim naked around here?” I would definitely not be doing that. Not that I was the pool type anyway. I’d much rather enjoy a hot bubble bath with a good book than swim in a cold pool at night.
We left my room and headed down after Dalyn. Maybe her interruption had been for the best. Maybe spontaneous sex with the hot werewolf wasn’t the safest way to handle my emotions after tonight’s events. On the other hand, it surely couldn’t be the worst way.
Trailing a hand down the wooden rail as we went, I made peace with the fact that my reality had so quickly changed. All I could do was roll with the punches and make my break for it if and when I got my chance.
After tonight, I didn’t trust Nova or The Circle of the Veil not to throw me in the line of fire without warning until I met some grisly demise. Running without a plan would be stupid. So I would stay. For now. Until the time was right.
“We don’t get many women around here,” Rayne explained. “You ladies will have to keep us in line.”
“I think that can be arranged,” I teased with a smirk.
Rayne’s eyes had gone back to human, but the desire within them remained. “Looking forward to it.”
Well at least there were some perks to being stuck here at the death academy. Finishing what Rayne and I had started took the lead at the top of my to-do list.
CHAPTER TEN
Eighties rock music greeted us in the hallway when we reached the main floor. As we drew closer to the large living room, which took up almost an entire wing, the music got louder.
“Someone likes Def Leppard,” I commented to Rayne as we entered the room.
That someone was Dalyn. She stood next to the sound system near the pool table, scrolling through her phone. Across from her with a pool cue in hand stood Tavi, her scowl etched firmly in place.
The big screen TV was on. Ira and Vic sat on the couch across from it, their fingers flying over video game controllers. There was definitely no age or species limit on video games. I myself was partial to anything that involved racing and running opponents off the track.
In the corner, nestled into the reclining easy chair, Corr did all he could to avoid acknowledging the rest of us. Like every other time I’d seen him so far, he had a book in hand. An e-reader sat on the side table beside him. The guy seemed to have an awful lot of reading material on him at any given time.
No sign of Adam or Ghost. Not at all a surprise. Vampires weren’t especially social creatures. If anything they were likely out prowling for a bite before sunrise.
Nova’s absence put me at ease. I wasn’t up for dealing with the one demon on my personal shitlist.
“Oh good, you came down. Want to shoot some pool?” Dalyn’s bright smile was back, plastered across her face like war paint. She wore it like a mask, a protective shield. Not that I didn’t believe her to genuinely be friendly. More I saw beneath that mask because I often wore one of my own.
“Sure.” I joined the ladies at the pool table while Rayne sidled over to the bar to pour a drink before joining the guys on the couch. I snuck a parting glance at him, admiring the way the muscles in his back moved beneath his shirt. Living with these people could sure make a hook up awkward, but surely it had happened before in this house.
“Here.” Tavi shoved her cue stick toward me. “I need a drink anyway.”
I accepted the pool cue with a nod of thanks. The angry werewolf went to the bar to fetch a glass of ice, which she then filled halfway with straight vodka. Tavi wore hostility like it was the air she breathed. Like it was part of her. Curious.
When Dalyn started a new game, I went through the motions. Not much of a pool player I didn’t care about the game. Instead I needed a feel for the people I’d be working with. We’d probably never be friends, but circumstances forced us to be allies. Might as well start building some goodwill.
; “So how was it tonight?” Dalyn asked tentatively after she took a shot. “With Nova. Where did he take you?”
Tavi leaned against the bar, interested in my response. So I told them. Walking them through how he’d used me as bait and then most likely watched unseen while I fought my way out of the dangerous situation he’d created.
“Holy shit.” Dalyn’s face paled, and she steadied herself with a hand on the pool table. “Is that how they determine if we’re worthy of training? Oh my God, I’ll never pass a test like that.”
Her fear was valid. We’d been labeled rogues, criminals among our own kind. We should all be scared. Although I suspected the humans would be the first among us to die. Magically inclined or not, they couldn’t withstand physical pain and injuries as well as the rest of us.
Still I hoped to reassure her by offering a gentle smile. “Try not to freak out yet. They spared you because you impress them. Whatever your test is, I’m sure you can handle it.”
Rayne had almost died during his test. I’d come out on top tonight, but it had been sketchy for a few minutes there. The harsh truth was that there would always be more rogues. We were expendable. The only way to prove our worth was to keep rising to the challenge. Every fucking time.
“Maybe you just need to upgrade your skills,” Tavi suggested over the top of her glass as she raised it to her lips. “Get a little stronger and harder to kill. All it takes is a scratch. Just say the word.” A vicious smile lit up Tavi’s pretty face.
Dalyn shirked back like a slapped puppy. “No thanks. I’ll pass.”
I waved a hand for Dalyn to take her turn, hoping to move the conversation past the awkward turn it had just taken. Tavi seemed to enjoy the discomfort she’d caused. Definitely one to keep an eye on.
I managed to get the conversation flowing again by talking about the FPA and the weapons they’d had. A subtle reminder to Tavi that we were in this shitstorm together. Acting like a bitch right from the get go would come back to bite her in the ass if she ever needed a hand.