Sixx and the Hellhound: The Sidekick Chronicles

by Becca Vincenza

  It was finally Friday. I was exhausted as I finished up the last bit of my work for the day. Scott, Kelly, and Cecile had already left for the day, and I overheard Key and Doug say they were heading to one of the sublevels to work on actually compounding their drugs.

  The thrill of finally being alone and the itch to check out the place became overwhelming. I scoped out the office conveniently connected to the lab, to make sure no one else was around. When I confirmed it was empty, it gave me the courage to search. At first, I thought the entire office belonged to Doug, but as I poked around, I realized Key had a desk tucked into the corner.

  Constantly peeking over my shoulder, I entered Doug and Key’s office. I rushed to Doug’s desk and started shuffling through the paperwork. Most of it had to do with the work we were doing on the blood pressure drug, but as I continued poking through the papers, one sheet caught my attention. I pulled it out and scanned the heading, noting it was a report on behaviors. I tugged it from its hiding spot, but before I could examine it further, the elevator pinged.

  Panic rocketed through me and I twitched where I stood, unable to think of the best course of action. Hiding wouldn’t do me any good if the person was coming in here. I tucked the paper into my back pocket and rushed around the corner, but Key rounded the corner as I stepped out of the office.

  “What are you doing?” he snapped.

  I tried to calm my racing heart. “I was going to leave Doug a note that I just finished up my work and was going to head out.” Key prickled my nerves. There was something off about him.

  Key looked at me suspiciously and held out his hand. “Let me see the note.”

  Knowing there was no such note, I rambled, “It’s on Doug’s desk for him, since he’s my boss.”

  Key narrowed his eyes at me and took a step forward.

  I side-stepped him and called out, “Have a good weekend!” Grabbing my purse and badge, I darted down the hallway, my heartbeat pounding in my ears as I walked past security and waved goodbye to Pepper. I tried to keep my cool as I walked to the garage where I was parked, knowing there were eyes watching me.

  Just as I rounded the corner to head into the parking garage, an arm wrapped around my waist. I screamed and tried to jerk away, but the arm tightened. Moments before I launched into a full-blown panic attack, the smoky scent of a summer’s bonfire hit my nose. I breathed a little easier and touched the warm appendage.

  “Are you okay, Sixx? You are more jumpy than usual.”

  “Well, if you hadn’t snuck up on me…” I grumbled as I waited for my heartbeat to return to normal. I gave him a love tap to soften my anger.

  He smiled. “Ah, then you have forgotten.”

  My brows pinched. “What did I forget, Olezka? ‘Cause I hate to tell you, but I’m not training with you tonight!” My fear from earlier started to morph into aggravation. “It’s not happening, bud, even if you try to kidnap me.”

  “Nyet. Our date.”

  I flushed.

  “Oh.” I did forget. He was in a rage last Friday when he heard how Ana and I had stormed out of our training session with Kallan. He called me and demanded that I allow him to take me out to make up for Kallan’s horrid behavior. I agreed but told him that weekend wasn’t good because I needed to rest. He accepted the excuse, but only after I agreed to go out with him the following weekend.

  Work this week had been so busy I completely forgot.

  “Oh!” I started reaching for the paper I crammed in my back pocket. “I think I might have found…”

  “No, no work. Tonight belongs to us. I have waited weeks to take you out. I will not allow us to speak of work tonight. Tonight, you are mine.”

  Nerves struck me for a different reason this time and the heart that had just started to slow began to gallop anew. Ana and I avoided discussing her theory about Olezka using me, but it still lingered in the back of my mind. Even so, whenever he touched me, it stoked a fire that burned inside me. Training with Olezka was difficult, especially when he swiped his hand gently over the curve of my hip or when he “accidentally” brushed his knuckle over my breasts. That one I actually believed because he looked partially ashamed when I gave a startled gasp, and I didn’t think it was merely because he got a little boob action.

  “Am I allowed to at least go home and change? Maybe take like, a five-minute shower?”

  Olezka got a dreamy look on his face and then growled contently. “Only if I can join you.”

  “You will not!” I shouted. Olezka laughed and tugged me closer. He wore a dazzling smile that made my insides melt. He leaned down to nuzzle his nose against my neck and a quiet sigh left me.

  It was strange. I felt like we had been going together forever even though tonight would be our first official date. My lips still tingled at the memory of our first kiss. Olezka walked me to my car and promised to meet me at my apartment in an hour.

  ****

  After a quick scrub, I hopped out of the shower and headed to my room to get ready. I had hoped Ana would be there so we could chat while I got ready, but she wasn’t home. My nerves were getting the best of me. I picked out another dark floral dress I wore on club nights, but this one was classier. Knee-length, it flared at the bottom and swirled when I walked. Fluttery cap sleeves brushed over my shoulders, and a generously scooped neckline showed off my ample assets.

  Sighing, I scrutinized my reflection in the mirror and gave myself a shaky smile. My curls were tamed-ish, blooming out around my head in dark ringlets. My cheeks looked too round, and my glasses slipped down my nose. I pushed them back up the bridge of my nose.

  What am I doing?

  We had a drug dealer/maker to stop. I’d offered my help with the investigation, but so far, I’d accomplished nothing but fluffing out my resume. I bit my lip as my eyes hit the floor. Going out tonight was a mistake. We should be trying to find the dealer. Just as I was working myself up into a guilt-ridden stupor, a knock on the door broke through my thoughts.

  Swinging the door open, I felt my eyes went wide at the stunning vision before me. Olezka had styled his hair, which normally hung loosely over his shoulders. His beard had been trimmed and cleaned, and it made him look devastatingly handsome. He wore a fitted button-up black shirt with deep-red trim that felt like his colors. He wore them well.

  His amber eyes deepened to a burnished cinnamon color as he sized me up, his sight lingering on my exposed calves. Flushing, I realized I was still barefoot.

  “Give me two minutes. I need to grab my shoes.” I left him at the doorway and dashed back to my room to grab my strappy sandals. I returned, hopping as I slipped one on, then tried for the other. A strong hand caught my arm and leveled me as I struggled with the second one. I peeked up at Olezka, who for once wasn’t being gentlemanly. His heated gaze remained locked on the generous amount of cleavage spilling from the scoop neckline of my dress.

  Snorting, I lightly slapped his chest. “Come on, Z. I think you owe me a dinner.”

  “And dessert.” Olezka’s voice took on a dangerously sexy tone.

  I peeked over my shoulder at him, and my stomach trembled at the sight of his hungry gaze. The small bit of confidence I felt before Olezka showed up began to eke away. Olezka placed his hand at the small of my back. Leading me out of the apartment, he reminded me to lock up before we headed downstairs to his car.

  The drive was relatively quiet. Olezka refused to tell me where he was taking me, claiming it was a surprise. This time, I made sure to grab my phone and dump it in my purse. Watching me shrewdly, he promised Ana was going to stay at the bar and work tonight. She wouldn’t go out on the streets to find trouble.

  He didn’t know my friend very well.

  Olezka pulled into a secluded parking lot next to a quaint building. The moment he parked the car, my neck prickled with the feel of magic. It must be glamoured or warded against humans. Olezka rounded the car and opened the passenger door, taking my hand gallantly as he helped me out of the vehicle. I knew h
e wouldn’t have brought me there if he didn’t think it would be safe.

  Soft lighting welcomed us into the elegant restaurant. The interior was stunning, the walls draped in burgundy curtains and tables anointed with candles, the flames flickering in a way that no human fire would burn. Quiet murmurs from the other patrons bubbled around us. The smells coming from the dining area were divine. I sighed happily, and my stomach growled, reminding me that I’d skipped lunch.

  Before I could blush, the hostess appeared and escorted us to our table. Olezka kept his hand in mine as we walked through the dining area near the back. I was grateful for his comforting presence because the stares we got as we passed the other diners ranged from open hostility to thinly veiled disgust.

  “Your waiter will be with you soon,” the hostess added politely, eyeing Olezka with an appreciative gaze. He nodded his thanks and pulled out my chair. Once I sat, he took his own seat.

  I noticed a strange little smile on his face. I tucked a curl behind my ear, trying to glance behind me casually. When I looked back, he was still looking at me with the same look in his eye. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “Because I am glad to finally get you on a real date.”

  I allowed myself to smile back at him. “We’ve been on one, right?”

  He shook his head. “Nyet. I don’t count that one since you were not there for the right reasons,” Olezka said with a devious smile.

  “That’s not fair! I was certain you were only doing it because you wanted information about Ana. So, we were both on it for the wrong reasons.” I sat back, pleased with my rebuttal.

  “That was never my purpose; that was yours,” he chided. “This time, I plan to treat you as my mate, which you are.”

  Smiling, I glanced down but noticed the tables around us got a little quieter and stared at us with open disgust in their eyes. The waiter picked that moment to arrive. He was tall and pale with white-blond hair. His eyes held a hint of rusty red around the rims.

  After the waiter ran through the list of specials, we placed our orders. Olezka got a massive steak, rare, with all the fixings. I got a smaller version of his meal though mine was not so rare. The waiter left with a nod. Our drinks arrived not too long after.

  “Tell me about yourself, Sixx.”

  “What do you want to know?” I took a sip of my white wine. Olezka opted for a red, but I couldn’t stand the taste of any reds.

  Olezka’s face softened. “Everything.”

  I snorted. “Not a whole lot to tell. I’m afraid I’m not as exciting as you. Speaking of which, I know this is considered rude in your circles, but can you tell me what you are, exactly?” It had bugged me since I saw him shift. I knew he wasn’t a werewolf. They stood on two legs, and their coats were made of actual fur, not needles like his. And they definitely didn’t burst into flames, for which past-me was eternally thankful. As if I needed more fodder for my nightmares.

  “Da. Hellhound. Also called rarog.”

  A weird sound came from my throat. His brows pinched as he took a long drink from his wine glass. A strange tension hummed in the air, and his shoulders and neck seemed tight. He set his glass down a little harder than needed.

  “I did not realize that this would bother you so.”

  “Huh?” I asked, honestly confused by his reaction.

  “My interbreeding. Or is it that my ancestry seems to be based on many humans’ version of Hell?” Olezka seemed to get more pissed off as he spoke.

  I shook my head and reached over to touch his hand. He didn’t immediately jerk away, which I considered a win.

  “No, um, that’s not it at all. I should explain. My name… you know, Sixx? It’s pretty unusual. Most people ask me about it when they first meet me, but I forgot that our first meeting didn’t exactly afford us the chance to make proper introductions. And, well, you guys never asked, so I forgot.” I swiped my finger around the rim of my wine glass, unable to look at Olezka while I told him the story.

  “My parents never planned to have kids. They were content with the idea of a childless marriage. Work was important to them both. Anyway, needless to say, I was quite a shock. And to be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn they ignored all the signs of my arrival, up to the point when it was time to deliver. I was born on June sixth, nineteen-ninety-six, at six A.M. We don’t talk very much anymore. I visit on the big holidays and call once in a blue moon, but that’s the extent of our relationship.”

  I kept circling the wine glass until Olezka brushed his fingers over mine, stopping me, forcing my gaze up. He had a stern look on his face.

  “So, you see, I’m the devil child who was never meant to be born.” I tried to add a laugh to cover the hurt behind my name. Most people bought the fake humor I brought into it, but Olezka seemed to see past my brittle façade.

  He brought my cold fingers to his lips. His skin burned against my flesh, warming me from the inside out. “Nyet. They are wrong. You are a treasure. Children are treasures. It is fate if you believe in these omens.”

  “I don’t, but I hope you know that this,” I gestured to my throat and face, “was entirely because of the coincidence of it all. Sometimes I laugh when I’m nervous.”

  “Nyet. Fate. You were meant to be mine,” Olezka declared in his sure-as-the-sky-is-blue tone.

  Laughing quietly, I tugged my fingers back from him and placed them in my lap, sensing his comforting heat still coursing through me. “What is a rarog?”

  “A type of fire demon,” Olezka answered, sounding a little shorter than he usually was.

  “I promise the ‘interbreeding’ thing doesn’t bother me,” I said, air quoting and testing the word interbreeding. It felt dirty and wrong. I hated even mentioning the word again. I had a feeling Ana would fall into that category as well.

  “It does not bother you, but it bothers many others. Let us speak of something less upsetting,” Olezka offered as the waiter returned with our food. Olezka waited until after I took my first bite, moaning at the delightful flavors of the meat. His eyes burned a little hotter, and I felt my own blood heating up.

  “So, how did you get into your line of work?” I asked, curious about this strong man seated across from me. At times, he seemed to only want to joke and acted so carefree. Other times, he seemed so serious that it was hard to imagine him with a funny side. Then, there were moments like just a few minutes ago when he was shy and vulnerable.

  “Many things. We can discuss it later. We have time. Eat. I will not lie, my priyatel, I enjoy watching and listening to you eat.”

  I reached for my wine and took a long, healthy drink.

  After our personal revelations, me about my name and parents, and him about his heritage, we decided to stick with lighter topics. We spent the rest of the evening speaking about inconsequential things. I told him that my favorite hobbies included reading and doing puzzles. I admitted I wanted to learn how to knit, but that I hadn’t given myself the time to learn it. He told me he enjoyed working out, which seemed pretty obvious. Then he surprised me by telling me he actually liked to tinker with machinery. With dinner concluded and small talk complete, we stood and left the restaurant.

  The drive back to my apartment was quiet, but it was comfortable where the ride to the restaurant was full of tension. Olezka walked me to my apartment door. I glanced up at him as he towered over me. My stomach filled with butterflies, and I offered a shy smile.

  “Thank you for tonight.” Elation filled me as I realized how much I needed this. I enjoyed the normalcy of our date.

  “Thank you, my Sixx,” he growled quietly, moving a little closer. His fingers brushed my hip, and I tilted to fall into his grip more securely. Swallowing, I hesitated a second before reaching up and pulling his head down, stretching on my tiptoes to meet him halfway.

  My heart pulsed when our lips brushed gently as a taste for what was to come. Unable to hold back when his heat seemed to flare and rage through me, I deepened the kiss. He ba
cked me up against the door, and somehow my leg wrapped around his as I tried to get closer. Hunger that filled me and gnawed at me for weeks was finally meeting its match.

  The door clicked behind us, and I squeaked as the surface behind me disappeared. I gripped Olezka tighter to keep from falling on my ass.

  “What are you doing?” Ana asked with one brow raised as Olezka held me tighter, trying to stop us from falling over.

  “Hey…” I said lamely, trying to untangle myself.

  “Oh, we are so having a chat about this,” Ana said, placing her hands on her hips. “Say goodnight to your boy toy.”

  I turned to smile at Olezka, who stood as composed as ever.

  He nodded graciously. “I will see you soon, Sixx. Good evening, Ana.”

  “Good evening to you, too,” Ana said with a sly smile.

  Chapter 25

  “That’s it! We are having a girls’ night. I’m getting the stuff for margaritas, a couple of tubes of edible cookie dough, and pizzas,” Ana announced the day after my date with Olezka.

  It had been an unfulfilling night, to say the least. I could still feel the warmth of his hands branding my skin through my clothes. I thought about them on my skin, his heat covering me. For the rest of the morning, while I tried to research Nova, my mind kept wandering.

  I peeked up at Ana from where I was curled up on the couch with my Kindle, reading one of my favorite books. Paranormal books had always been a favorite of mine until the things I used to think were make-believe became all too real. I still read them, but not as often.

  “Come on! Go get your lazy clothes on. We’re grabbing supplies and then coming back here to hole up.”

  “No work?” I asked, excited about the idea of having the night off and spending time with my best friend.

  “No work. Just us two gabbing. Well, maybe a little bit of work because, girl, I got questions for you about that para you’re trifling with,” Ana joked, earning her an undignified snort in return.

  We headed to the store and gathered all the fixings for a perfect girls’ night. Then, we picked up a pizza and headed back to the apartment. I felt lighter and more relaxed than I had in weeks. For a moment, at least, the anxieties of work felt far away, and my mind wasn’t constantly being bombarded with thoughts of Olezka. Or my sexual frustrations. My body seemed to crave him like a drug.