Nexi welcomed his touch; the warmth of his body was a much-needed comfort as frost laced her veins. The man’s eyes dimmed, screams quieted, and his fists that had banged against the vampire’s back lowered. One thing, though, became glaringly obvious. “Supernaturals don’t know Haven can do this, do they?” No one could be that stupid.
“No.” Kyden leaned more firmly against her. “Haven is highly protected.”
Nexi wasn’t blind to the fact that he moved close to comfort her, and she didn’t mind it either. “I can see why.”
The sounds of the vampire gulping the man’s blood made her stomach turn again, and the reality of what she witnessed horrified her. Before she could stop herself, she whimpered, and suddenly, a large, warm hand wrapped around hers.
“Breathe,” Kyden murmured.
She couldn’t take her eyes off the dying man and the raw fear that lay in the depths of his eyes, which all brought her back to the horrible memory of her parents. Her heart hammered and her breath caught in her throat, as a firm finger came under her chin, forcibly turning her head.
Kyden’s eyes were warm. “Breathe, Nexi.”
Trapped in his hold, she was reminded she was in the present, and she couldn’t change what had happened. This man wasn’t her parents. Releasing the breath stuck in her lungs, she squeezed his hand to stop hers from shaking.
Mercifully, it didn’t take long before the man died.
The vampire tossed the carcass aside and wiped the blood off his face, then the vision froze. Nothing should surprise her, considering what she’d already been through and seen, but watching the vampire stuck in time in front of her rendered her speechless.
Kyden nudged her lower back, urging her forward. “You need to memorize the vamp. Pick out anything that’ll help you identify him. Scars, a tattoo—any distinguishing features.”
In a few short steps, Nexi closed in on the vampire. He definitely looked like a typical vampire—cropped black hair, hollowed out cheekbones, big sparkly fangs, and dark sunken eyes, which glowed slightly from his recent meal. “Why would he do this?”
Kyden circled the vampire. “Some vamps, especially new ones, have trouble controlling their bloodlust.”
Had anything ever sounded so absurd? “Some can control it?”
“Most do.” He gave the vamp’s face another good hard look before he joined Nexi. “The majority of vamps will only take what they need to survive, glamour the human, and carry on with their business.”
A warm breeze swept through the night, but it did nothing to ease the coldness in her bones. She snorted. “Now I’m getting why this has to remain a secret. A human would be crazy to ever allow that.”
Kyden jerked his chin in agreement, then he turned to Haven. “You’re done here.”
The vision faded, leaving only the drained body, and Haven placed her hands upon her hips. “Dream on. I’m going with Nexi.”
Kyden drew his sword from his scabbard. “Finn would hand me my ass if you were put in danger. You’ve never come with me before and I don’t plan to change that. Please don’t argue.”
Haven nibbled her lip, regarding him, then she accepted defeat. “You’re right, he’d bury you.” She bounced over to Nexi, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Be safe.” Then she skipped off, and within three steps, she’d vanished into the portal.
While seeing someone disappear into thin air was enough to leave Nexi shaking her head in shock, watching Kyden stab his sword into the man’s stomach made that last event not nearly as baffling.
Before her eyes, the man’s face became fuller, and his fancy suit once again hugged a middle-aged body. Even the decomposed-flesh scent in the air cleared, and Nexi leaned in, noticing the man had an added gunshot wound to his head. “That is beyond freaky.”
Kyden sheathed his sword, turning to the street. “Freaky, maybe, but necessary.”
She grabbed his very thick, very muscular forearm, enjoying how his muscles flexed beneath her fingertips. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
He looked to her fingers around his arm before his eyes slowly caught hers. “Not that I’m aware of. I imagine, though, you’d care to enlighten me.”
She swallowed hard and dropped her hand, fighting the warmth pooling low in her belly. “If you haven’t noticed, you’re wearing a leather kilt and are half naked. What’s the plan, hide in the shadows and be all spy-like?”
“I don’t pretend to understand how to act spy-like.” His brows drew together with his frown. “Guardians’ gear has a magical glamour placed upon it. You, as a supernatural, will see the guardian gear. Humans will see regular street clothes.”
She stated the obvious. “Then why did I see your whole get-up that first night in my house when I was still human?” At the slow arch of his brow, she didn’t need him to explain. “Because I wasn’t really human, right?”
He nodded. “You, as in your true self, are a supernatural. The glamour on our gear only works on humans. Even if your magical abilities were blocked, making you mortal, you’re genetic makeup is supernatural. Therefore, the glamour wouldn’t work on you.”
Nexi didn’t recall ever seeing any half-naked warriors walking down the street, but maybe that was because she’d been such a homebody. She figured, too, if she had seen such an image, she would’ve assumed it were a costume and explained it away. “Well, that glamour thingy is—” She scanned over his squared chest glistening with moisture from the warm night, down to his rippled abdomen before she forced her attention to his grin. “Convenient.”
Chapter Four
A glass balcony wrapped around the upper level of Crimson Rose. The walls of the dance club were painted black with a crackled blood-red faux finish. Steel tables were scattered around the large rectangular room and candles on top provided a warm glow. The dance floor was straight ahead with a large, gold cage hanging from the ceiling that held two female vampires grinding to the techno music.
On a Friday night in Salt Lake City, clearly the vamps in attendance were looking for fun. Too bad Kyden wasn’t here to indulge, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t enjoying himself. He leaned against the bar and turned to the source of his amusement.
Nexi’s mouth had dropped open the moment she spotted the crowd on the dance floor, and ten minutes later, it still hadn’t shut. Up until this point, she hadn’t seen this many supernaturals gathered in one place. Even in the Otherworld, the Council’s Guard was typically working or sleeping. It wasn’t often everyone gathered at the same time.
She currently eyed a vampire and a mortal groping each other. Kyden, though, was tempted to do the same with her. At the images racing through his mind, he shifted on his feet as the shorts under his kilt felt too tight.
Leaning an elbow against the bar, he considered Nexi’s appeal. He preferred women with a bit of bite to their personalities. This woman had more than enough to tempt him. For the past month, no matter what had come out of his mouth, even if he’d been gentle, she’d practically removed his manhood with a few sharp words.
Maybe that was why he found her so alluring. Perhaps that was even why he’d offered to train her. He’d be fooling himself if he didn’t admit he wanted to explore his interest in her, and he’d taken the chance to ensure he could.
“I’m so confused.”
He blinked out of his thoughts, discovering Nexi’s eyebrows were furrowed over her pretty eyes. “Confused?”
“Human’s can’t see the fangs, right?” She finally glanced to him, her expression tight with confusion. “The glamour you have on your whole getup works for vampires, too?
He nodded.
She pursed her lips, giving the crowd another look before turning to him again. “I just saw a mortal lick a vampire’s fang. Meaning, he wasn’t using his glamour on that human.” Her frown looked adorable. “I thought humans didn’t know about supernaturals?”
“Most don’t.” He admired her soft-looking skin, the sweet freckles on her nose, and the gentle curv
es of her face. Forcing himself to look her in the eye again, he focused on her question. “The mortals in the club are either in love with their vampire, or are addicted to the high they get from them.”
“The high—like a drug?”
He chuckled at her wide eyes. “When a vampire feeds, it’s intensely erotic. I’m sure you can imagine how addictive something like that could be for a human.”
She hesitated, gave him a long look. “Actually, no, I can’t imagine that.” She shuddered with a disgusted expression. “Besides that bit of grossness, aren’t they worried they’ll tell everyone about…you know…their secret?”
Kyden glimpsed to the dance floor and watched a human woman stare adoringly at a male vamp, wondering how to explain. “The blood sharing can create a bond. Think of the mortal as the vampire’s pet. They’re extremely loyal to their vampire and would keep this secret if it was asked of them.” When the crease between her brow lessened, he added, “More importantly, vampires live by strict rules enforced by their leaders, which keeps things safe.”
Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Now you’ve lost me, which is actually surprising since I didn’t think I could possibly be more confused.” She pushed off the bar, turning to face him dead on. “The Council doesn’t rule over vampires?”
“In a way they do.” She stared intently at him, and his damned fingers twitched to grab her and make her forget these thoughts altogether. “But vamps and wolves have their own leaders who preside over them, just as Briggs explained to you with the Patriarch. Vampires, though, are governed by Mistresses.’”
Disbelief flashed over her expression, so he added, “Think of it this way: the Council protects the mortal lives in gratitude for allowing supernaturals to flourish in this realm—a treaty made back at the beginning of time—even if mortals don’t know it. The supernatural leaders in the Earthworld provide safety to the supernaturals that live here.”
She gave her head a bewildered shake. “Sort of like the government and police force, but just weirder?”
He chuckled. “Much like that.”
She exhaled and looked out to the dance floor, as the music switched to a slow, seductive song. Her eyes were inquisitive as she studied the crowd. He liked that about her; she held a tenacity to find answers. No matter how crazy this must be for her, she took it all in stride, and that he respected.
He also liked how her jeans hugged her lower half, as well as the tightness of her black tank top showing off enough cleavage to keep his interest. She had quite the sexy, toned body, a body that he currently couldn’t stop looking at while imagining what lay beneath those tight clothes. He knew his type, and Nexi was his type, and then some.
Kyden had always stuck to more casual relationships than anything he’d call meaningful. Nexi, and her fiery personality, made him rethink that choice of lifestyle. In fact, he intended to start pursuing that avenue to see if this chemistry with her could lead somewhere.
Her sudden sharp inhale jerked his focus to her face, then he realized she had caught his examination. Her cheeks were pink and she nibbled her lip, drawing his attention to a lovely mouth.
“I…” she hesitated, then said on a quick, raspy breath, “Why do you think the vamp who killed the guy is here?”
With her one-liner, all the heat rushing his veins fled, replaced with cold frustration. “Consider this another lesson: vampires can hear you in a noisy club.”
She slowly turned to the dance floor, as did he.
Every pair of vamp eyes was fixed in their direction and the crowd was now quiet. The mortals on the dance floor stopped dancing, looking around, confused and panicked, since clearly they hadn’t heard what Nexi had said.
“You know,” obvious irritation made her voice snappy, “you could’ve mentioned that a little earlier. Then I wouldn’t be looking like an all you can eat buffet.”
Kyden regretted that he hadn’t thought of it, too. Until Nexi had voiced their reasons for being at the club, most would’ve assumed they were here for pleasure since he hadn’t acted yet. Now with the real purpose exposed, the vampires parted, clearing off the dance floor. No one wanted involvement in the Council’s troubles.
The second a path cleared, displaying the tables at the far end of the dance floor, Kyden locked onto one vamp. From experience, he knew well enough that only someone guilty would hold his stare so intently, and he was pleased the tracker, Alazar, hadn’t been wrong about the vamp’s location.
Pushing away from the bar, the vampire also stood from his chair, then he bolted for the door. Kyden rushed forward and called to Nexi, “Stay with me.”
The crowd moved out of his way swiftly and when he brushed past the bouncer at the door, he heard Nexi behind him. Once outside, the warm air engulfed him and he sprinted toward the parking lot. When he spotted the vampire, who stood between two parked cars, he slowed to a brisk walk.
The night was quiet, the stars above him were bright, and the parking lot was empty except for the cars, which pleased him. He didn’t want to have human memories to deal with afterwards. Clean and simple, that’s how he preferred his assignments. Especially considering he had Nexi, an untrained guardian, with him.
An odd sensation of protectiveness filled him as he approached the vampire. One thing was certain: he didn’t like this vampire anywhere near her.
Part of that reaction only confirmed his interest in her, since he’d never been protective over a female guardian before. The other part of him wondered if the level of confidence the vampire radiated was the reason.
He’d never seen a supernatural not regret taking a mortal life. In fact, he couldn’t recall a single time it’d happened. However, what bothered him more was how the vamp stared at Nexi behind him. Hot rage flickered through his veins, and if the vamp thought he’d get close to her, he thought wrong.
To garner his attention off her and onto him, Kyden said, “State your name.”
The tall, thin vampire grinned. “Silas.”
Kyden sensed an odd difference in this vampire, though he couldn’t tell exactly what was off. Silas’s cropped black hair, crooked nose, and slanted dark eyes lent him an unnerving air, but Kyden’s instincts flared with a warning that he needed to proceed with caution. “You will answer for the life you’ve taken.”
“I have nothing to answer for,” Silas said, noticeably satisfied.
That brought Kyden to a dead halt only a few feet away. He didn’t bother to draw his sword, but he tightened his muscles in preparation. He studied Silas for a moment longer before awareness simmered over him, and he recognized the difference in this vamp.
An odd sense of power emanated from Silas and raised the hairs on Kyden’s arms. Not age necessarily, but something almost authoritative… “Do you deny you took a mortal’s life tonight?”
Silas peered over Kyden’s shoulder to Nexi, his eyes positively glowing. “No, I don’t deny it.”
Kyden’s muscles twitched, a burn filling his veins to extract retribution for the life Silas stole. Not only had Silas not regretted the kill, but he didn’t deny it either. Kyden hadn’t seen that in all his eight years as part of the Guard. Which was a good lesson for Nexi to learn, and why they couldn’t only depend on the trackers. A scent wasn’t enough proof a supernatural committed the murder. Now, he assumed, Nexi realized exactly why Haven had been protected since birth. Her magic had made the Council’s Guard stronger.
While Kyden could’ve pissed around with Silas, he’d learned long ago that listening to excuses was pointless. Take a life and die—that one Otherworld law ruled his life, and soon it would rule Nexi’s, too.
Kyden reached for his sword, and Silas’s smile turned dark, the vamp’s focus sliding to Nexi when, without any warning he vanished. Kyden heard Nexi’s gasp before he managed to exhale himself. He scanned the area in a fast sweep, only greeted with a dark night and an empty parking lot.
Nexi rushed to his side. “What. The. Hell?” She spun in a tight circle, then stared u
p at him with frantic eyes. “How did he do that? Is there a portal around here?”
Kyden approached the area Silas had vanished and he squatted down, pressing his hand against the rough pavement. A tickle rushed up his arm and raised the hairs, which indicated magic. “No portal.”
She blinked, her expression portraying the same concern he had within himself. “Vampires don’t have vanishing abilities, right?”
He shook his head. “Vampires don’t possess magic.” He pondered, knowing there could only be one logical assumption. “It’s possible a witch is helping him, but most witches stay out of trouble.”
She snorted, looking down at the spot where Silas had stood. “Well, apparently not anymore.”
“Apparently not,” he agreed.
Chapter Five
The warm, moist breeze raised goose bumps across Nexi’s skin. Only her deep sigh, plus an owl hooting in the distance, broke the silence. At her feet were leaves and dirt, not what she expected to find after she and Kyden teleported out of Salt Lake City.
Confused, she turned to Kyden and asked, “I thought you said we needed to go and tell the Council about the vanishing vampire?”
He ran a hand through his hair, his bicep doing that sexy flex. “We do.”
“Sorry to break it to you.” She waved around at the forest in front of her. “You took a wrong turn. This is still Earth.”
“Yes, I know.” His mouth twitched. “Turn around.”
She spun on her heel and when she caught the sight of the meadow behind her, time slowed. “How did…who…what?”
Kyden stepped in close and his arm brushed hers, only increasing the goose bumps trailing her skin. Of course, now they rushed across her for a reason other than the breeze, which happened to be the feel of his masculine body against hers.
“When the Council assigned me to find you after your first escape from the Otherworld, Zia told me you liked to come here. It’d been the first place I looked for you.” He paused, his eyes searching hers. “I thought after tonight, with it maybe being hard on you, this might make you happy.”
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