by C. M. Owens
“Ivan. Are you trying to tell me you know something about the Rising? I’d love to hear all about this wonderful little crew threatening our way of life. Your own life would be much easier if you give me something to take to the Commander,” I coax.
He snorts derisively while leaning back in his restrained state, and he attempts to show a more relaxed persona now that he feels as if he is in charge.
“Not a fucking chance. If you hybrids are so much better than us, then you should be able to figure it out on your own.”
“You make it sound as though you really don’t like my kind,” I say to lure him into my web.
“You disgust me,” he scoffs.
“I think there’s a lot about me that makes you mad, Ivan. You don’t necessarily hate my kind, you envy us, and I don’t blame you,” I taunt, and he just shakes his head while continuing to carry his secretive smirk.
“I would never envy a hybrid.”
“I think you do. You see, you have to stay segregated from the humans in an effort to keep the infection from spreading, where as I can walk among them. You can only live off their blood, for the blood of your own kind is not meant for nourishment. I don’t need a human’s blood at all. I only need blood when I need to heal, and I can take anyone’s blood I want - straight from the vein. That warm, drizzling flow can enter my mouth any time I feel it necessary, and all I need is someone’s consent. For instance,” I say with a suspenseful pause, while circling over to the human guard I had intentionally brought into the room with me.
The gentle-eyed man turns to me, and I strum my fingers over his chest before walking behind him. My mouth grazes over his back as I circle back around, and I can see Ivan’s eyes widening when he realizes I’m seducing him with his only weakness - the blood from a human’s vein.
“Right now I could take this young, dedicated man’s blood if he wanted me to. I could taste the warmth of his delicious red stain flowing into my mouth while the passion inside of me erupted. We would tangle up in our passionate throes, and he would give me access to any part of his body I wanted to drink from,” I seduce, and the human wavers under my heated touch as he tries to steady his enticed libido.
“Yes, ma’am,” the human stammers out, and I try not to laugh while keeping my very in-control stance.
“You hear that, Ivan? I didn’t even have to ask. He’s simply offering his blood to me. Doesn’t that drive you crazy? I don’t need, crave, or even desire that blood unless I’m hurt, but you need it all the time. Here I am with a soft, supple bit of flesh just inches from my lips, and you’re restrained to a chair. Don’t tell me you don’t envy me,” I smolder, and then my teeth scathe over the man’s shoulder, tearing his uniform slightly when my blood bringers unsheathe themselves from my gums to add a little more zest to the mind torture.
“Stop,” Ivan almost whimpers. “Please stop,” he begs again, and now I know I am getting closer to bringing him to a fold.
My teeth press down to where they almost break the skin on my human puppet. The mortal heartbeat quickens, the sound resonating in the ears of the lusting full blood sweating a river in the same room. Ivan squeals out through a gasp.
“I’ll tell you if you let me drink from a vein,” he huffs out heavily, his eyes almost black as they teem with need.
I draw back from the seductive ploy, and the guard shivers off my lingering tease.
“I can have a death row inmate brought to your cell for your pleasure. You can drain her, blood fuck her, and then we’ll ash her - or him if you prefer. That’s up to you,” I murmur with a nonchalant tone.
The offer dangles over him like a slab of meat over the head of a starving dog. There’s no question about it, he’s putty now.
“Him, please,” Ivan almost whispers, and a devious smirk emerges to my face.
“Then tell me who is behind the Rising. I need names. The more you give me, the more time you’ll have alone with him.”
“I want it in writing. As soon as I have it in writing, I’ll tell you everything I know,” he eagerly promises.
I smile very victoriously, and then I wave to the glass that seconds as a mirror. Almost instantly, I’m joined by the redhead I’ve worked with for almost too long. She sits down with the paperwork necessary to start the deal, and I give her a wink to display my joy for the win we’ve been looking for.
“Let me know the scoop. Clay asked me to come see him as soon as I finished up here. Give Ivan some pictures of the ones we have on death row. If his facts pan out, we’ll make sure he enjoys his one night,” I say to Sherry, my partner.
Ivan is almost drooling when I walk out, and he’s eager to spill the information. I’ve been working for so long to catch this break, and now it’s finally here.
Clay’s door is open when I turn the corner, and I can see the heavy face I was hoping would be much more lifted with this win in the bag.
“I just found the biggest lead to the Rising yet, and here you are moping in your office,” I chuckle out.
“I’m not moping, Araya, I’m a little stressed is all,” he sighs, and then he motions for me to shut the door.
I do as he silently beckons, and then I sit down, bemused by his bizarre reaction to the biggest break we’ve had yet.
“We’re calling an emergency meeting. The Rising is no longer a top priority, and I need you to pack a bag for the Seminole compound,” he grumbles.
“What?” I squeal. “I’ve been busting my ass on this for months, and now that I’m this close to blowing the doors off, you’re pulling the plug?”
“I’m not pulling the plug,” he growls. “Sherry will have to handle the Rising on her own. They’re not the biggest threat right now. We’ve run into some problems in other compounds. Weapons as strong as ours were used in the attack. They have our knowledge, and they have anonymity. It’s not the Rising though. We at least know that much.”
“Why do I have to go? There are tons of interrogators in the United,” I grouse.
“You’re our lead interrogator. Discretion is an absolute necessity. The last thing we need is an outbreak of panic. You’ll be going under the guise of a training seminar.
“There will be actual students there to learn, and not even they will know they’re just pawns in this scheme. You’ll have a schedule to keep for the public eye, and cloaked meetings for our privacy. I’m sorry, but you’re my best.”
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have been so snippy,” I grumble, and then something dreadful races through my mind. “Please don’t tell me he’s going to be a part of this,” I almost whimper.
“You know he will be. He’s the best of the best, and he’ll be very necessary to this operation,” he says sternly.
“Damn it, Clay. You know I can’t see him,” I explode.
“You have to. It’s been three damn years, and you’re engaged to Brazen now. Hale shouldn’t pose a problem.”
“Fuck,” I growl, and Clay is forced to stifle a grin as I throw my tantrum.
I scowl at him when I see the small waver of his lips turning up, and then I flee from the room before he lets his laughter escape. He’s loving this. He has wanted Hale and me back together since we broke off our engagement.
Damn it.
“Araya Crush?” a man asks when I step up.
“Yes. I’m here for the training seminar. Commander Jude sent me. Where do I need to go?” I ask with dread.
My stomach is in absolute knots right now. I haven’t seen nor heard from Hale since I threw his ring down on the bed three years ago. I worked very hard to change all my numbers, and I refused to let him step foot on the property when he kept showing up. I’m not ready to see him. I just got engaged to Brazen, and I can’t get sucked back into Hale.
I just hope I can be strong.
“You have top level clearance which prohibits me from asking you to pass through the scanners, but I will have to search you for security purposes,” he nervously murmurs as he stares at my very intimidating credentia
ls.
“Since when do top level security personnel have to be frisked?” I almost growl, and his eyes lower as his anxiety grows.
“I’m sorry, ma’am. It’s my orders. I’m just doing my job per the captain of our compound. We have to watch for blood runners,” he almost mumbles.
I roll my eyes and decide to show mercy on the human guard shivering in fear.
“Fine,” I grumble.
“I’ll need you to turn around and put your hands on the wall, please,” he says with even more trepidation.
“Really?” I scoff, my brow raised in disbelief.
“Sorry, m… ma’am,” he stammers out.
I sigh as I turn around and throw my hands against the wall like a damn convict. His hands begin patting me down very timidly at first, and then they’re scouring my body with a heated and almost desired touch. I can’t stifle the grin spreading over my face when I realize it’s Hale.
Damn it. Why am I smiling? Fuck.
I keep my back turned while his breath lingers against my neck, and he slides one hand up to cuff the two of mine. His free hand roams over my breasts, and I roll my eyes at their unwillingness to move.
“Really? Is the captain going to let you violate all of his guests, or am I on some perverted grope list?” I mock, and his breath becomes closer as he bends down to my ear.
“The captain told me to make sure you were thoroughly searched. I need a better angle,” he seduces, his voice smooth enough to fall into.
He whirls me around so quickly, I lose my breath. My eyes connect with his, and he pins me against the wall with his forceful body as he strokes my sides with his hands - his daring, tempting, dangerous hands. He looks so much fucking better than I remember him, and that’s the last thing I need.
His dark, tousled hair gleams under the tinted sky, and his cosmic blue eyes still haunt me in my dreams. Staring into them right now is enough to course fire through my veins, and I do my best to remain cool.
“Satisfied?” I utter with a touch of a seductive edge, and I immediately feel guilty for using such a tone.
“Not yet,” he breathes as he leans in to bring his lips dangerously close to mine.
“No,” I gasp before swishing free from his clutches.
He sighs and then leans back against the wall with an aggravated and disappointed huff.
“Still not over it, eh?” he sighs.
“No. I’m not, and I never will be,” I snark.
“Well, you may change your mind before the week is over,” he chirps with a more optimistic tone.
“Doubtful,” I scoff, and then I walk up beside him when he ushers me toward the massive building towering over us.
“I felt you up pretty damn good, and I didn’t find the chip you were supposed to bring,” he smolders.
I smirk before daringly responding, “Well, you never were good at finding the right places.”
He playfully cringes and shakes his head at my flagrant remark.
“Ouch.” He covers his heart to show his wounded area. I just roll my eyes before his darken, his tone changing to be more seductive as he continues with, “I’m not recalling a time when that was ever an issue. I remember very well how loud you would scream when I found all the right places.”
In an instant, he has turned this playful banter into a stroll down lustful memory lane. Now I’m squirming uncomfortably as his eyes dare me to try out his incredible lips that have forged trails on my body like no one else ever has.
I shake free from the seductive memories, and I pull off the artificial layer of skin from my forearm to reveal the chip Clay had me bring.
“Well, I’ll be damned. I did miss the right spot,” he muses, and he takes it from me while making sure to force some skin contact between our hands. “You look incredible,” he adds with a little more seriousness.
I try not to look into his delectable eyes, knowing all too well how easy it is for him to make me fold with those hybrid blues. I wasn’t ready to see him. I knew I wasn’t ready to see him. Damn you, Clay. It’s almost painful to be so close to him.
“You look like you’ve changed a few things since I saw you last,” I murmur while staring at the ground.
“I suppose I’ve spiced things up a bit. So tell me how things are back at Javeline,” he says softly, and I feel the walls closing in on us when his hand grazes my back for too long as we enter the large, arched doorway.
“It’s about the same as it was when I first moved there. A few things have changed, but for the most part, three years flashed by in a blink.”
Actually the first year was agony thanks to you, and the other two would have been as well if it hadn’t been for Brazen.
This is so fucking hard, and it shouldn’t be. It wouldn’t be if Brazen hadn’t been gone for over two months on a damn mission for peace between rivaling clans.
“That’s our blood bank over there,” he says, snapping me out of my terrible train of thought. “And there’s the school for the humans. The hybrids and full bloods attend the school on the east gate side.”
“How are they treated? The hybrids I mean.”
“I know who you’re talking about.” He doesn’t hide his amusement for my constant concern. I’ve always been worried about our young ones - the torture their lives come with. “They’re treated fairly, very fairly. The captain doesn’t allow for any mistreatment or harsh corporal punishment.”
“The captain at Javeline is good too, though I’m sure that has something to do with the commander of the United being stationed there. Especially since Clay is a hybrid.”
Hale lets a laugh out, his head bobbing once.
“So I heard you had a bit of an outbreak,” he says, veering our conversation again.
“We had a full blood lose his patience with the overly diluted blood. He went after animals when he couldn’t find any pleasure in his packaged meals. The blood from another full blood apparently seemed less appealing than the four-legged creatures he drained. We’ve exterminated the outbreak and the culprit is in custody,” I answer very matter-of-factly.
“I suppose you were the one to interrogate him.”
He takes a step closer to me, his mischievous eyes burning into mine while his tone drips sex appeal.
“Yes,” I breathily release, his proximity to my body over stimulating my senses, and he steps even closer.
Our very intense moment is interrupted when a group of people come walking up. A man salutes Hale, and I see the smug smirk on the face of the man that still owns a piece of my heart as he salutes him dismissively in return.
“Captain,” the other man asserts, and my mouth almost slaps the ground as he keeps walking.
“Captain?” I ask with a bit more of a shocked tone than I had intended.
He grins very smugly, and then he gives me that sexy-as-Hale smirk.
“Yes. You’ve just stepped into my compound. Worried?” he smolders out, his captivating eyes drawing me in.
Balls.
Fortunately Clay walks up before Hale can seduce me further. I’m going to have to put steel rods in my knees to steady them while I’m here. I wish our connection could be broken. I wish he didn’t own a piece of me I can’t take back.
“Well seeing you two so close together brings back old memories,” he chuckles out, and Hale offers a wolfish grin to me before turning to face the commander of the United and our shared friend.
“It feels pretty damn good,” Hale rolls out too easily.
Why haven’t I told him I’m engaged?
“We’re ready for you in the interrogation room. Let’s get the sham out of the way for today so we can start on the real stuff,” Clay grouches.
“So they’re learning interrogation today?” I inquire.
“Go easy on them; they’re new, young, and very eager to be the best. You’ll be taking lead of course.”
“I love watching her work,” Hale says to Clay, but his eyes stay fixated on mine, holding that endearing admiratio
n I can’t bear to see in this moment of weakness I’m almost drowning in.
I quickly sprint toward the assembled group to try to avoid the in depth game of seduction we seem to keep toying with. I clear my throat, ready to forget Hale and get to work.
I examine the room to see the setup is about the same. The walls promise to carry the same secrets, and the layout offers the same work room. I smile at the familiarity in the strange place, and a calm washes over me.
“This is Araya Crush. She’ll be your instructor this evening. Please don’t ask questions, just listen for the answers you would be seeking while she advises,” Clay asserts.
All the eager students show their readiness to impress the commander of the United by saluting in perfect unison. I take my cue, and I point to a ready to oblige girl in the front row of the seven newbies.
“You can go first. We need to know the name of someone. The answer is hidden inside this room, but you can’t look for it anywhere but your suspect. Use your wit, your skill, and your ability to bring out the truth. Commander Jude and Captain Banner both know the name you seek. I don’t know the name because I’ll be stepping in when you fail to show you the proper way to execute an interrogation. Captain Banner will be your suspect for the demonstration. Make him talk,” I add very mischievously, and Hale’s eyes narrow at me for volunteering his services.
“Very well,” he murmurs hesitantly, and he takes his seat behind the steel table.
The girl turns to break the rules about not asking questions.
“What all can we do?” she inquires.
“The only thing you can’t do is kill him,” I menace, and Hale glares at me for opening such a gaping door.
Take that Captain Sexy.
She smirks, and then she walks around him to size up his incredibly sculpted physique. She fights a blushing urge when her eyes linger against his face for too long, and his eyes look up to catch her ogling instead of working.
Yes, he’s very distracting, little girl, but you couldn’t handle him.
My twisted mind flashes back to the scandalous things we once did, and my bottom lip folds between my teeth to clue him in on my dark thoughts. His eyes burn into mine, and for a second too long, we’re lost in our own little world - one in which his body owns mine just as mine owns his.
