by Amanda Vyne
“House marshals?” Kel raised her brows. “You aren’t in Kansas anymore, Toto. House marshals around these parts only concern themselves with their own communities, not with what bleeds into the periphery.”
“Periphery?”
“Yeah, you know, the redheaded stepchildren of the Arcane.” When his frown didn’t budge she explained. “Crossbreed and half-breed children. They would be the easiest marks in the city. And they overrun this city and every other large city in this country. Compliments of the Triumvirate and their laws. Good parents abandon their kids in Triumvirate homes by the hundreds because they’re afraid they’ll be hunted by the Triumvirate Guardians.”
“Is that what happened to you?”
Kel paused and stared up at him. She’d gone too far, revealed too much. His face was carefully devoid of expression, but she could feel his reserved tension as he waited for her response. Did he not want to have to face a problem that existed at all levels of full-blood Arcane society? He definitely needed to, but she wasn’t sure she could make herself vulnerable to a man who already had such a strong effect on her merely to help him strip away his rose-colored glasses.
In the end, she merely shrugged it off with a tight lift of one shoulder.
“What happened to me was years ago and has no bearing on this case. I turned out fine. Those girls, they’re what’s important now.” Kel glanced toward the double doors leading out of the Incog training room and nodded toward them. “Walk with me. I need to hit the showers and then I’ll fill you in on what I know.”
His eyes deepened and those gold centers writhed mysteriously as his nostrils flared. She could scent a stronger, more pungent heat radiating from him. Each breath she took, she pulled his arousal in deeper and deeper until she couldn’t determine where his ended and hers began. Instantly her stomach rolled and the already damp flesh between her legs swelled and throbbed in response.
“None of that.” Kel said, wanting to growl in frustration. “I can’t think when you do that.”
His eyes flared in surprise at her words, his eyelids lowering heavily as he looked her up and down. He seemed to shake himself, running a broad hand over his goatee. Had his hand trembled slightly? Could it be that he was just as much a victim as she, thanks to this blood bond attraction they had going on?
Interesting.
It definitely made her feel a little better. Misery loved company.
Gabe pulled a rough breath in and linked his hands behind his neck. “Go shower. We can talk while you eat. I can feel that you are hungry.”
Kel cocked an eyebrow at that insight. She was famished. Being half Guardian gave her a sky-high metabolism.
“I cannot help that I am aware of you. I like this even less than you, but I can see no way out.”
“Right, whatever.” There was no way she was even going there. In fact, this was the perfect time to run. And she did.
GABE WATCHED IN fascination as she bit into the thick sliced beef sandwich with something that looked like pure carnal pleasure. He should have been disgusted. Most Sanguen were vegetarians, and those who weren’t at least avoided red meat. Yet, he felt his cock lengthening beneath the laminate table while she ate.
He couldn’t pull his gaze away from her mouth and his brows lowered as he digested what she’d said a moment before. “My partner said that ‘he’ would want the actual source of the blood?”
With a sigh of pleasure she nodded. “Hmmm. He seemed pretty anxious, said it would be ‘over’ if he didn’t bring something good this time.”
She ran her tongue over her shiny lips and licked a drop of sauce off her hand. His cock rose to painful proportions. He wanted to give himself time to carefully consider what was at risk here, but he hadn’t had blood for over two days and everything she did gave him a raging hard-on. “So where would this James Centrone have gotten the girl?”
“Take your pick. There’s probably twenty Triumvirate homes for crossbreeds all throughout the city.”
“What makes you believe he’ll go after crossbreeds in these homes?”
A shadow passed through her dark eyes but was gone as quickly as it appeared.
“Easy pickings.” She shrugged and her pink tongue came out to lick the pad of her thumb. His mouth ached with the effort it took to prevent his canines from pushing forward.
Kel fixed her dark eyes on his and slammed her half-eaten sandwich down on her chipped ceramic plate. “I can smell you,” she hissed around a mouthful of sliced beef. “It’s driving me crazy. I can barely think, hardly eat. Get it under control, Ferrar, ’cause it isn’t happening regardless of what the mojo is whispering in your head.”
He couldn’t prevent the slow smile as she swallowed hard. He liked that she was honest. That she didn’t try to pretend. What would be the purpose? He could sense her reaction as strongly as she could smell his. “Unfortunately my hunger for you is beyond my ability to control.” She’d closed her eyes and breathed through her mouth. “I’m afraid it will only get worse.”
Kel groaned. “It gets worse?”
“We can fix it.” His voice dropped low and suggestive. He revealed the sharp points of his fangs. Oh, how he would like to fix it right now, right on this greasy table with the cigarette burns.
Her liquid brown eyes snapped open to glare at him in a way he was beginning to find rather arousing. But then just about anything she did would be arousing to him right now.
“Just sit there and think of your mother or something, would you? I want to finish this and we’ll hit a few Triumvirate homes.”
Gabe focused on what she’d told him thus far, staring out the window to distract himself from the sight of her.
“So Karl was meeting this blood dealer –”
“Jimmy,” Kel supplied, and he turned to watch her as she swirled two fries through her salt-laden ketchup. He forced himself to look away again as she popped them past those soft pink lips. He could almost see her tongue running over them, licking the salt away. His cock responded with a hard jerk, and he shifted to gain some relief. His imagination tortured him as much as the real thing. Maybe more.
Gabe cleared his throat. “Meeting Jimmy for a buy that wasn’t for himself, but for a secret third party who wanted more than a sample. This third party would only pay if he got the source, which you believe is a young girl from one of the homes set up for crossbreeds by the Triumvirate.”
Dark chocolate eyes peered at him over the rim of her coffee cup, that tiny diamond in her nose glittering. She nodded. “That pretty much sums up what we’ve got so far.” Setting her cup down, she pushed her empty plate away and stood. “Ready?”
Gabe rose smoothly to his feet, towering over her slight frame, his eyes devouring her. Her proximity had his heart thudding heavily in his chest, setting a tempo for the throbbing of his cock, overwhelming him. He suddenly couldn’t remember why their bond was such a bad idea. All he could think of was how the softness of her lips beckoned him as he cupped her smooth cheek and ran his thumb over her full bottom lip.
“You missed something.” His head lowered, drawn to the liquid depth of her dark eyes.
Panic flared in her liquid eyes as she jerked back, and he wondered at the source of it.
“Easy,” Gabe heard himself whisper. They were close enough that he could smell the tang of the ketchup that marred the corner of her soft mouth. “I would never harm you,” he murmured as his lips brushed hers, tasting the salt from her fries, breathing her in deeply. He angled his hips, his straining cock making contact with the heat of her soft belly through the material of their clothes.
Her dark eyes jerked to his at the contact, and his lips parted around his descending canines.
This bond was a force that could never be explained in words. It was no wonder that his people revered it as sacred. He was overcome with the urge to draw her in to him, protect her, bury himself in her so deeply they could never be parted. The power of it pounded a heavy beat in his head until he couldn’t think or feel anything
else. And they’d barely exchanged enough blood for a true bond.
Gabe frowned as he ran his tongue over the seam of her lips, inhaling her gasp. She tasted so sweet, so right. What would happen when he truly blooded her and she took his blood into her as she was meant to, while their bodies were merged?
His mate should have been chosen by the elders as was the tradition. A suitable mate. A full-blood. Not only was this woman not a full-blood, she was far from traditional. Her hair was short glossy chunks that were given their own way; Sanguen females were forbidden from ever cutting their hair. And she had a body piercing. He watched the path of his fingers as they smoothed across her cheek to touch the glittering diamond on the side of her nose.
How would his father respond to her as his bonded daughter? How would the Ferrar House elders respond? His House was more traditional than most. They abided by the Triumvirate laws that forbade crossbreeding between the beings of the Arcane. Surely it would mean exile. The elders were so consumed with purity of blood they would never accept their bond as natural. Was he willing to risk the consequences? Even if he wasn’t willing, did he have a choice?
His hunger for her was beyond anything in his experience, beyond his control. He could try to put distance between them, but his body was rejecting the blood of other women. Soon he would need to bleed her or he would weaken. And then he would need to bleed her often.
Would she be ready for such a bond?
Would he?
Even now, the heady beat of her blood coursing just beneath her jaw drew him, and he closed his eyes against the lure. He slid his hand into the soft strands of her hair to cup the back of her head in his large palm. With his other hand, he guided her, pressing her deeper into the secluded corner of the small café where the dusty fake foliage gave them a measure of privacy from the waitress smoking a cigarette at the bar while watching some daytime drama on the TV.
He needed a taste, something to quiet the savagery that was rising darkly in him. Gabe slid a hand down to grasp Kel’s thigh and then jerked her knee up to his waist to fit the throbbing flesh of his cock into the heated V of her thighs. He pressed her hard against the wall. Her lips parted on a gasp, and he took advantage and traced her lips with the tip of his tongue. She was so soft and warm he couldn’t help running the smooth front of his lethal canines over the wet flesh. She tasted like the forbidden heat of the sun and the dusky darkness of the night all in one. It was impossible and thrilling.
His cock was so hard, and the throbbing pressure shredded his control. Flexing the thick muscles of his legs and ass, he ground himself into her, pressing her harder into the wall behind them. The contact provided some relief, and he savagely rotated his hips, pressing the hard ridge of his cock more firmly against the damp denim between her legs. The heat of her response thickened around them just as her hot breath fanned against the corner of his mouth. Her eyelids lowered until dark slivers glittered at him beneath the fringe of sooty lashes.
Gabe devoured her with his kiss, gently scoring her full bottom lip with the razor edge of his fangs. Her blood beaded on the pink flesh, and the scent was so sweet and fiery it sent a spike of pleasure shooting through him to his gut.
He gently pulled her lip into his mouth, laving his tongue over the soft flesh for a long moment before it healed. That small taste of blood swelled through his system like the ripples on a pond, not ceasing until it had crashed into every corner of him, further changing him. The drive to mark her became irresistible. It was a craving that nearly matched his need to taste her.
Running his tongue over his canines, he could taste the metallic flavor of his own blood just as he speared his tongue past her lips, pressing his erection harder into her denim-covered pussy. When she gave a soft moan and met the thrust of his tongue with hers, Gabe began to rock his pelvis against her, pushing her higher.
His fingers slid around to wrap firmly over her jaw, holding her back from him.
“Do you feel the hunger, little one?”
IT WAS LIKE lightning ripping through her. So bright. So hot. Her canines dropped with a rush of exquisite pain, a hunger rising up in her that burned through her belly and spread out into her limbs. She could smell the spicy heat of his arousal, taste it on her lips as it radiated away from his flesh in heavy swells. She wanted him on her lips, to feel the thick, hot rush of him across her tongue. He belonged to her.
Kel growled low in her throat at his restraining hand, giving a small jerk of her head but his fingers slid down to wrap around her throat. That little display of control only made the hunger sharper, the pleasure stronger.
“You want to taste me?” His breath was hot against her lips. The sharp sting of his fang sliding over her lip again made her arch her hips harder into his, seeking that pulse of pleasure from the contact. The hot, rough glide of his tongue over her bottom lip sent another pulsing wave of heat through her belly, tightening her scalp with its intensity. She was so close. So hungry.
Eyes boring into his gaze, she felt a low, frustrated rumbling rise up in her chest. It was a feral sound, her beast surging against her control.
The dark blond crescents of his thick lashes lowered as he rotated his hips against her again with a low sound of pleasure.
“Only when you’re screaming my name.” His breath was hot against her cheek. “When I’m balls deep in that hot pussy. Only when you want this as bad as I do.” His lips sealed against hers, then his hot tongue thrust into her mouth. The taste of his blood flashed through her and her body jerked hard against him as a tiny, bright slash of light arced through her body.
It both gave her relief and left her even hungrier. Her breath hissed past her lips; her head arched back under the pressure of his hand against her throat. Those green eyes studied her intently, the gold ring expanding around his enlarged pupils almost mesmerizing her.
Chest heaving from the intensity of the tiny orgasm, Kel’s eyes clashed with his. Challenging him. She knew it. And he knew it. She wanted him. Even hungered for him with a strength that was terrifying. But he could never have her. Not in that way. Never a Ferrar.
It was clear in her eyes, and she knew he could see it. A muscle ticked in his jaw, a tiny flicker of red ringing his pupil for one brief moment.
The phone at her waist jeered at her and she jerked away, her eyes still clinging to his. Confusion and mistrust and desire swirled in their depths in equal parts. The phone jeered again. With a curse she ripped it open. “Sheridan.”
Gabe watched the blood drain from her face as she listened for a moment. Those liquid eyes hardened. He could sense the rising tension in her, and he immediately dropped his hand to his thigh and the blade hidden beneath the long jacket.
“We’re on our way.” Kel inhaled deep and blew her breath out as she replaced her phone. When she turned back to him her eyes were cold. “They found a body.”
Chapter Five
Kel stood about five feet away and stared down at the draped body. It was small. A young girl. The cold, fetid smell of death pervaded the place, still saturated in the scent of the girl’s fear. Her stomach rolled with nausea but she viciously pushed it away. She hated this part of the job. It never got any easier, regardless how many times she had to investigate Arcane murders. She could feel Gabe’s heat radiating behind her and his presence was…soothing.
She glanced over her shoulder at him and met his eyes. Their green depths were cold and reserved, but his body crowded her, close enough for his heat to warm her. Still irritated with him over what happened in the café, she didn’t want to find comfort in that proximity to him. She’d never admit it to him, but his being there helped. When she breathed, it was more than just death that filled her. She could smell him, and the warm spicy scent of him centered her. For once, it wasn’t that hard slam of need she experienced from his scent. The arousal was still there, an ever present burning, but right now his presence gave her a sense of ease.
Taking a deep breath, she started forward and knelt dow
n next to the medical examiner. Gabe followed; she could feel him standing alert behind her.
The medical examiner was a full-blood, unmated female Sanguen. When she darted an appreciative glance up at Gabe as she peeled back the edge of the sheet, Kel felt a tiny stir of irritation eddy through her. Shrugging off the sensation, she nodded her head toward the body. “What do we got?
“Female. Between the ages of twelve and sixteen. I’d say closer to twelve.” The examiner lifted a grayish lip on the girl to reveal her teeth. “Canine development is consistent with a prepubescent Sanguen. Two puncture marks over the external jugular. Would you like Incog’s team to process the body?”
Kel nodded, her eyes riveted to the pale face of the girl. She had dark brown hair that fanned out around her small shoulders. Two ragged holes marred the expanse of her neck. She looked so young. Something inside Kel shifted, tightened. Her claws burned at the tips of her fingers, and she clenched her hands. She would nail this bastard.
Carefully pulling the sheet farther back, she looked down at the girl. Her clothes were no more than rags. Definitely a child from a Triumvirate home. Holding the sheet up with one hand she leaned in closer, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. The smell of death was difficult to discard. It lay heavily over all other scents. Pushing the nausea back she focused on the other smells.
Kel wrinkled her nose. Jimmy’s scent was all over the girl. As well as at least two other distinct smells. One seemed vaguely familiar, a scent she’d come in contact with before. It was acerbic, almost like antiseptic. It sent a chill racing down her spine and a quick flash of memory racing over her; one of crashing, glittering blood red beads scattering across a hardwood floor. Gabe shifted behind her, and she jerked away from the memory.
The ME was looking at her with a strange expression. Kel glanced behind her at Gabe. He’d moved a step closer, that preternatural ring of gold pulsing in his eyes. His hand lowered to the hilt of one of his strange blades as those eyes searched her face. She remembered what Dr. Mahoney had said about emotional telepathy and wondered if he’d picked up on the little pulse of fear that had gone crashing wildly through her at the unknown scent.
