Immortal Craving: Immortal Heart

by Magen McMinimy

  What he wanted? No, he had not gotten what he wanted… This infuriating woman, a woman he would have at one point laid his life down for, the woman he’d been in love with, had betrayed him.

  Most definitely not what he wanted.

  Kale followed her down the hall, reaching the room he assumed she’d just claimed as her own as the door slammed in his face. Kale knew Kat well enough to know that while she knew a Twilight’s spell was nearly impossible to break, she would still give it one hell of a try.

  Kale moved around the corner of the house just in time to hear Kat let out a string of curses. Kale moved to her open window and grinned at her frustrated scowl.

  “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

  Kale shrugged. “Yes, quite a bit in fact. Where would you go if you could get out? We’re miles from civilization.”

  “You’re a bastard, you know that?”

  Kale clucked his tongue. “It’s not nice to call names. We’re going to be stuck together till I get some answers,” he said, stepping in her window to tower over her. “Try to play nice, Kitten,” he said as she blanched and her back hit the wall behind her.

  Kale pressed even closer, caging her with his arms. “I have so many questions and until I have answers, it’s not even worth contemplating what will happen after I get those answers.”

  Katarina felt a shiver run down her spine, not sure if it was fear or lust. But the stone of his eyes told her he was not playing around, but neither was she—she had questions too.

  “Fine, what do you want to know?”

  “First off, how’d you get mixed up with a Trow?”

  “Jake has been helping me,” she said, emphasizing his name.

  “How exactly has Jake been helping you?” Kale felt a prick of jealousy as the Trow’s name slipped from Katarina lips.

  He shouldn’t be jealous but he couldn’t help the green monster that was bubbling up inside of him. Katarina was his, or had been, and while he couldn’t understand it, he still wanted her. He’d held her for a good thirty minutes as he flew them here. He’d been teased by her scent and the soft curves of her body. It was taking everything inside of him not to simply crush his lips to hers, to run his fingers against the firm curve of her breast and down the thin sides of her ribs to the dip of her waist so he could claim her and pull her hips hard against his own.

  Katarina smirked. “In every way,” she said hatefully. “Where is he?”

  Kale nearly snarled at her answer.

  “He’s with Cree and Lothar,” he ground out through gritted teeth.

  “No shit,” she snapped. “Where did they take him? I want to see him.”

  Kale growled, this time a low rumble from deep in his throat. “Well, I imagine he’s being held back at Hawk’s Eye and until I’m done with you and satisfied that every question I’ve asked is answered, you won’t get to see him.”

  Kat pushed off the wall, meeting Kale’s angry stare. “And I won’t answer a single question until I see him.”

  Kale chuckled. “As you wish, Kitten, but who do you think can last longer out here?”

  “Quit calling me that,” she snapped at him.

  It had once been something sweet. He never called her Katarina, it was always Kat, but when they were alone and he was feeling gentle, romantic, and loving, he’d call her Kitten. Right now, it felt harsh and cruel.

  “It’s what I always called you when we were alone. It used to make you smile. It even used to make you weak in the knees and a little wet.”

  “It was a lie,” she said, pushing past him and retreating into the attached bathroom.

  A lie—that’s what it had all been. All of it, every seemingly perfect moment was a trick. He’d used her to get his rocks off and then turned to Darion and demanded her death. Kat started the shower and slipped under the steaming spray of hot water. She needed to wash of the hurt, the anger, and get her head on straight if she and Jake were going to get out of this.

  ****

  Kale stood outside Kat’s bathroom door, in an attempt to convince himself to just walk away… to take a breath. He had stepped so close to her with the intentions of intimidating her. They both knew she was no match for him and that if he had wanted to keep her trapped, he could have. But it was a stupid move, because she smelled as good as he remembered and the heat that radiated off her was part of her seduction. She made him crave her heat.

  Kale stepped into the darkened hallway and pulled out his new iPhone.

  “Talk to me, Lothar,” he said, not bothering with a hello.

  “Not much to say as of yet, the Trow won't talk. All he keeps saying is he won’t say a word until he talks to Kat.”

  Kale growled, frustration and jealousy eating away at him. “Same thing she said.”

  “What’d you tell her?” Lothar asked.

  “I asked who she thought could make it longer out here.”

  Lothar chuckled, though it really wasn’t funny, but Kale had a stubborn streak a mile wide… he would turn this into some form of a competition.

  “Ok, well, keep an eye out for some company.”

  “Why? Who’s coming to laugh at my misery?”

  Lothar shook his head. “No laughter. Izzy made it clear to Bain, Cree and me, that she would make us all miserable if Bain didn’t take her to check on you before they headed home.”

  Kale couldn’t help but smile. Izzy was like a big sister and though he was centuries upon centuries older than her, she saw him and treated him as if he were a younger brother… and he loved that about her.

  “Alright, I’ll keep an eye out for them.”

  “Good. She’s bringing some supplies with her, though I think it was just a good reason to force my hand and tell her where you were and a good reason to force Bain to take her.”

  Kale chuckled. “All she’d have to do is bat her lashes and he’d do anything she asks of him.”

  “Are you implying that I have Bain wrapped around my finger?” a voice asked from behind Kale.

  He spun at the sound of Izzy’s voice and smiled sheepishly.

  “I gotta go; they just showed up.”

  Kale ended his call, but just continued to smile at them.

  “Are you going to answer her brother?” Bain asked, a shit-eating grin spreading like a wildfire across his face.

  Kale wrapped an arm around Izzy’s shoulder. “That is a much nicer way of describing what I was implying, but I’m not saying it’s a bad thing.”

  Izzy arched a brow at him, and then looked to Bain, “How do you suppose he would have said it?”

  “It probably would have been crass and would’ve had something to do with Bain being whipped by what’s between your legs.”

  Bain shook his head, while Izzy and Kale both turned to see Kat standing in the hall.

  Izzy smiled at Kale, knowing the very beautiful blonde was right, while Bain responded with a low chuckle.

  “I have no complaints about my current whipped position.”

  “Bain,” Izzy sighed.

  “I had wondered what the woman who had finally captured Bain’s heart would look like,” Kat said as she gave Izzy a long, lingering once over.

  Bain cleared his throat. “She’s spoken for, Kat.”

  Kat lifted her gaze and grinned at Bain. “I get it now. All the rumors I heard said she was beautiful… I’m not sure they quite did her justice.”

  “Rumors?” Izzy asked.

  “You’re the talk of the Fae. Even those of us who are hiding here in the Human World have heard of you.”

  Izzy looked to Bain, her blue eyes wide. “Did you know I was the talk of the Fae?”

  Bain nodded. “You’re the center of my world, sweetheart; it doesn’t surprise me you’re the talk of the Fae too.”

  Izzy shook her head and Kat smiled.

  Bain looked from Kat to Kale. “Is Izzy safe with her? Are there weapons in this house?”

  Kale cocked a brow at Kat. “None that she can get to.” H
e added pointedly, “Plus, she wouldn’t hurt Izzy.”

  Kat locked gazes with Bain. “I’m no threat to your woman. I have no reason to want to hurt her.”

  “Good, Izzy brought you some things and I need to talk to Kale. Walk with me, brother.”

  Kale gave Kat one last, almost threatening, look before heading for the front door.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Kat and Izzy sat in silence for a brief, uncomfortable minute.

  “So,” Izzy began, “I didn’t know what you might need, but I brought you a few changes of clothing and some toiletries.”

  “Thank you. Any ideas on how long the brothers plan on keeping me here?” Kat asked.

  “I suspect that has everything to do with you,” Izzy said, handing over the bag she had brought for Kat.

  Kat took the bag and peeked inside, her eyebrows pinching. “These are my things.”

  Izzy nodded. “Yes, they searched your place.”

  Kat narrowed her eyes, anger sparking in their green depths. “What are they looking for? What the hell do they want from me now?”

  Izzy shrugged slightly. “I don’t know all the details, but from what I gather, they wanted to see if there was anything that linked you to the humans who have been found dead at the hands of a Succubus.”

  “And they didn’t find anything because I haven’t killed anybody. If they had asked me that, I would have told them.”

  “But you know something about it… don’t you?” Izzy asked.

  Kat’s eyes drifted from Izzy. She didn’t want to answer that question. She wasn’t going to serve up one of her Succubi sisters for them to send her back to Darion.

  “How’d they find my home?”

  “That I don’t know,” Izzy answered honestly. “Bain and I met Uriah at your apartment and I gathered a few of your things.”

  Kat smiled. “I always liked Uriah. I suppose if anyone was going to completely invade my privacy, he would have been my choice. So, you wouldn’t know anything about my friend Jake then would you?”

  Izzy shook her head. “I didn’t see him or talk to him if that’s what you’re asking me, but I trust the brothers when they say he’s fine, but very worried about you.”

  Kat glared at Izzy. “I have little reason to trust them.”

  Izzy glared back at her. “From what I understand, they have little reason to trust you.”

  Kat shot up from her seat on the couch to lean over Izzy, her finger pointing inches from Izzy’s face. “You know nothing of what hell I went through or what your precious Kale did to me.”

  Izzy stood up, not one to take shit from anyone—even if Kat did stand a few inches taller than her. Izzy wasn’t going to let anyone, especially this Succubus, intimidate her.

  “I know that there are times I see the flashes of pain in his eyes and I know what Rowan went through to get him back. So while I may not know details, I know that whatever happened… hurt him. And that’s all I care about. You hurt someone I’ve come to care very much for.”

  “They’ve blinded you,” Kat said, glowering at Izzy.

  “No, my eyes are very clear and I see that you’re masking, what I’m guessing, is pain with anger. Take advantage of this situation and see if you both can’t find some closure… but let me make one thing very clear. I may be smaller than you and I may not have a whole lot of strength in me, but I do have Latino blood coursing through my veins and if you hurt him again, I’ll find a way to bring a world of pain down on you.”

  Kat stepped back and smiled. No wonder this feisty little woman had tied Bain down—she had enough fire in her to keep that bastard on his toes.

  “Izzy? Do we have a problem here?” Bain asked as he stepped into the living room.

  Izzy smiled and shook her head. “No… we have an understanding.”

  Bain and Kale exchanged uncertain glances with one another then looked between Izzy and Kat.

  “Oookay,” Kale dragged out the word. “I’ll see you two later,” he said, looking at Bain.

  “Yep, I’ll call you when I know something,” Bain said as he gestured for Izzy to come to him.

  Izzy smiled, grabbing a small duffle bag that she’d set next to the couch. She handed it to Kale and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I snuck a bottle of Patron in with some clothes for you,” she whispered and smiled widely at him.

  Kale chuckled and whispered back, “Thank you, Iz. You are a goddess among us.”

  Bain cleared his throat as he pulled Izzy against his chest. “Quit flirting with her, Kale—she’s my goddess.”

  Kale laughed. “You’ve always sucked at sharing.”

  “Let’s go, Bain,” Izzy said, pushing him towards the door. “We’re staying at my place. Call us if you need anything.” She then looked to Kat. “It was nice talking with you.”

  Kat arched a brow. “And you,” she smirked.

  Kat waited until she’d seen Bain and Izzy lift off the ground before she turned to Kale. “I like her.”

  Kale nodded. “She’s impossible not to like. Bain’s a lucky man.”

  Kat nodded. “She certainly has her opinion of me nailed down.”

  Kale narrowed his eyes on her. Where was she going with this?

  “Izzy’s the sister I’ve never had. She’s the one I talk to and she has taken a very protective role in my life. Family is the most important thing to her.”

  “And you’re her family,” Kat said.

  “We all are,” Kale said proudly.

  “And thus, she see’s everything one-sided, I’m the bad guy… Will you ever give her all the details of what happened to us? Or will you let me take the blame for all of it?”

  Kale snorted. “What version would you have me tell?”

  “The truth, Kale… The truth would be the best place to start.”

  “You and I must have a differing view of the truth in this situation, because in no way would the truth as I know it make you any less guilty.”

  Kat was fuming as she stomped towards Kale, one elegant finger poking into his chest.

  “You are a grade A bastard. You left me at the mercy of Darion! I wish he would have killed me. I would have gladly accepted death over what he did to me.”

  “Perhaps you should have considered what would come of you when you decided to screw me over,” Kale shot back.

  Kat’s palm flew at Kale’s face. He caught her wrist before it made contact and pulled her to him.

  “Be careful, kitten.” Kale dropped his nose to her neck, taking a deep breath and pulling her scent deep into his lungs. “I’ve been dreaming of the things I would do to you once I found out you were still alive. Don’t. Tempt. Me.”

  Kat shivered, her libido flaring to life at his words, but her brain wasn’t so sure those words were speaking of any kind of pleasure. There was a cold detachment swirling beneath the surface of his softly spoken words.

  “Let me go,” she whispered softly.

  Kale stepped back, releasing her wrist with a smirk that had her wanting to attempt the slap once more.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Kale sat alone in the living room, the bottle Izzy had brought him on the coffee table. He leaned back, lounging in the large leather chair, the finger of his one hand tapping against the arm of the chair, while his other hand manipulated a ball of fire. His gaze was glued to the dancing blue, orange, and yellow—the flames calmed his edgy nerves.

  But still something was off. He felt it bone deep. Whatever had happened in the last fifteen years had changed Kat. Hell, the last fifteen years had changed both of them, but what killed him… What he had a hard time figuring out, was why she blamed him. She had gone to Darion—she had sent that Pixie to set him up, to get him to cross into the Dark’s land. She had done all of that. Everything that steamed from that afternoon had been consequences of her own actions.

  So why the hell was she so angry with him?

  He really did want to try and have an actual conversation with her. Maybe it was a little mas
ochistic, but he wanted to know why she had felt the need to end what they had in the way she did. He still wanted answers.

  “This is a familiar sight, though I never thought I’d see it again,” Kat said, leaning against the wall between the hall and the living room.

  Kale lifted his gaze from the flames to Kat. Her hair was still damp from the shower he’d heard her taking—her second one since they’d arrived. She leaned so nonchalantly in her red silk robe. She was as he always loved seeing her; no makeup, her hair wild and free, and her body barely covered. Her long legs were crossed, calling to him to spread them—Kale shook his head and focused back on her face.

  “Be careful with that small blaze, Kale. One of us can’t escape this house.”

  Kale smirked, tossing the ball of flames in the air and then flicking his hand towards the fireplace. The ball exploded against the brick of the hearth; the lightly charred logs lighting in a display of heat and licking flames.

  “You forget, fire is the one thing I always have complete control over.”

  Kat’s eyes moved from the now roaring fire to the bottle of alcohol on the table. Kale followed her gaze and smiled.

  “You want some?” he asked, pouring a shot and holding it out towards her. “If I remember right, you once shared my love of Patron.”

  Kat nodded. “I still do,” she said, pushing off the wall and moving to take the shot glass from him.

  Kale studied her face as she took the shot. She looked ashen, with pale purple circles under her eyes. The makeup she’d worn earlier had hid the fact that she was either sick—which rarely happened to any Fae creature—or she needed to feed.

  “When was your last feed, Kat?” Kale asked as she handed him back the shot glass.

  She arched a brow at him. “It’s been a few days.”

  “I’d say by looking at you that it’s been more than a few days,” Kale said, pinning her with his gaze.