by Trina M. Lee
“Be straight with me, Arys. Why do you want me to stay away from The Wicked Kiss? Because you’ve got more enemies than I’m aware of, or because you’ve got something to hide?” I sat back with my arms crossed over my chest. A toss of my head flipped a lock of hair out of my face and earned me an appraising glance from Arys.
“Perhaps both.” He waved a hand in a noncommittal gesture. The sudden shift in the atmosphere had me wary. “But, the fact remains, you are not safe there. And, I won’t compromise your safety.”
I took a deep breath and braced myself. “It isn’t yours to compromise.” He narrowed his eyes, and I went on before he could release whatever retort he held ready. “I won’t be told where I can and cannot go. I live my life taking risks every night. Risks that I don’t see you objecting to. So, I want to know, what’s with the sudden change?”
All I heard then was the weatherman giving the forecast for the next four days. Arys sat quietly, and I knew he was weighing his words, deciding what to tell me. There was mention from the TV that we most likely would not see snow until well after Halloween.
That sounded good to me. Alberta winters were harsh. Starting late was always a welcome reprieve from icy roads, head colds and frozen paws.
Arys slid from the recliner with a motion as smooth as butter. His robe flashed his broad, taut chest but otherwise stayed together, thankfully. He went to his knees before me on the plush carpet so that we were at eye level. Taking my hand in his, he interlocked our fingers, sending a wave of excitement and power crashing through me.
The tingle that burned in the palm of my hand traveled a steady path to my loins, which caused my heart to skip a beat.
“You are a predator that needs no assistance when it comes to you and your prey.
The risks you take are of your own choosing. My concern is that you will become the hunted in a place where you’re at a disadvantage. And, it will be my fault.” He took my other hand then, completing a circuit so the energy flowed freely between us.
The outcome of calling a lot of power had its drawbacks. There were negative repercussions, which is why I make a point to cross the boundary only when necessary.
Since Arys’ hungers had become my own, I had certainly learned my lesson. The things you put out always come back with a kick in the ass. Energy is the driving force of all magic and supernatural ability. But, every action has to have a reaction, and it’s rarely a pleasant one.
“I made the choice to go in there, and I made it out in one piece. It’s just a damn vampire junkie bar. Don’t make it bigger than it is.” I smiled to lighten the mood that had settled. His expression remained stone cold serious. “I never even realized you frequented that place. You always shit talk Kale’s patronage.”
“I don’t frequent that place. I remain firm on my opinion when it comes to feeding from the mentally unstable rush addicts in that club.” He leaned in to press a brief but strangely tender kiss on my lips. The metallic ring in his lip was cool against my skin.
“Look, Alexa, I’ll be frank with you. I have contacts at The Wicked Kiss. But, there are a lot of people that would enjoy wiping me out. They have their reasons. I am the most powerful vampire in the city. You have helped to clarify that. Anyone that wishes me dead has been walking this earth far longer than you have. And, that fills my heart with fear.”
It wasn’t an easy admittance for him. I could see the strain in his pinched features.
He gnawed his lower lip anxiously, grimacing when he bit the healing cut.
It went without saying that anyone possessing great power or ability of any kind was at risk. Jealousy and fear are strong driving forces behind the motives of the weak.
“Who are you worried about? It must be someone specific if you’re this upset about me going to the Kiss. What’s the deal?” I briefly reflected on the reactions to me when I’d been at the vampire bar. “Nobody seemed to want to do anything but snack on some potent Were blood. Until they realized I was the one they’d heard about. Then it was smooth sailing.”
The conflicting emotions in Arys’ eyes had me nervous. Was it possible that I’d walked right past potential death and hadn’t even known it?
“Then he wasn’t there. Thank God.” Arys closed his eyes and murmured what sounded like a small prayer. Of everything he’d said so far, that scared me the most.
In all the time I’d known Arys, I had rarely heard him reference the big boss upstairs.
Something about it set off an alarm that chilled me.
“Who? Who wasn’t there?” Panic gripped me, and I squeezed his hands painfully.
He seemed oblivious. “Tell me what’s going on. Who the hell am I supposed to be afraid of?”
I wanted to slap him across the face like they do on television, but I was the one feeling hysterical. I’d seen a lot of crazy shit in my life, but I wasn’t dumb enough to think that I was the biggest of the bad. If Arys had inadvertently endangered me, I needed to know.
“You’ve shared my most intimate and personal memories. You know the one vampire that I loathe more than any other.” His words instantly generated an image in my mind.
When Arys and I had joined metaphysically, we had shared every piece of our past memories. It had not been pleasant. We all have something we’d never share with anyone. Arys and I no longer had that luxury. At times, we’re literally inside one another.
Our shared memories were mostly a blur, but the most poignant ones had a way of standing out with amazing clarity.
The image was that of a vampire that had the charm and persuasion of Bill Clinton with the distinguished forty-something appearance of George Clooney. Looks were deceiving though, and I knew he looked nicer than he was.
Harley Kayson. I knew him only from Arys’ memories. And, they were far from good. Harley was a vampire with as much authority as a mob boss and about as many connections, too. He was a smooth talker with a penchant for gorgeous men in addition to his harems of women. He was the vampire that had turned Arys.
Arys had been working the streets of New York City more than three centuries ago when Harley’s mistress had taken a liking to him. She was the last client Arys would ever entertain. Once Harley discovered the angelic beauty she’d brought home to play with, the greedy vampire simply had to have Arys all for himself.
Harley had envisioned the stunning, dark Arys to be the partner in crime he’d always longed for. But, despite Arys’ enjoyment of the vampire lifestyle, it hadn’t always been that way. Arys had been a troubled young man that resented Harley for making choices for him, especially the one to leave his human life behind. It wasn’t a case of foreboding vampire syndrome but rather the fact that it hadn’t been his idea. Arys was too headstrong and confrontational to be what Harley wanted him to be. He was no one’s sidekick.
As far as unhealthy predator and prey relationships go, those two had one of the worst. They had parted ways on the worst of terms. Of course, Arys having burned Harley’s house to the ground with his vampiress lover inside may have played a role in that.
“Why would he be in Edmonton? I thought the last time you saw him he was living in Vegas.” Fear caused my spine to tingle uncomfortably. A knot formed in my throat, and my stomach hurt.
Harley was a sick bastard who divided all people into two categories: those who could be toys and those who were just food. I couldn’t help but wonder which one I’d be.
“He was. And, still is.” Arys stood up, pulling me with him. “Harley owns The Wicked Kiss, Alexa. That’s why I don’t want you there. He owns a string of them across the entire country.”
I tripped over the question on the tip of my tongue. “He owns it? Thanks for thinking to share that information sooner. Are you trying to get me killed?”
“You’re going to get yourself killed. And, I’m sharing it with you now.” He reached out for my hand, and I surrendered it but didn’t budge from where I stood.
He gave my arm a gentle tug, pulling me toward the darkened ha
llway and the bedroom beyond. “Come, lie with me.”
“Arys, I can’t.” I resisted, though I wanted desperately to cling to him. “I have to go home and get some sleep.”
He never let go of me, forcing me to walk along beside him. “You can sleep here. I won’t bite.” He raised a dark eyebrow then and grinned. “Unless you ask me nicely. And unfortunately, there’s more.”
“I’m not doing anything to reward your bad behavior. And, what do you mean, there’s more?”
He visibly shuddered. The tangy scent of fear came off him in small traces, but it was still there. On most other people, the scent would have been enticing. On my dark vampire, it was all wrong.
“He’s here because he knows about us. Being my sire, he likely sensed the changes in me despite our lack of communication. He’s curious to see if I’ve blood bonded you.”
He pulled me in close so that my nostrils filled with the wonderful scent of him and placed a kiss on my forehead. “Come to bed. I just want to hold you until I fall asleep.”
It was such an unexpected request that I couldn’t deny it. I followed him in to the bedroom, which was even darker than the living room. It was always impeccably clean and smelled like scented candles. I knew how soft the thick black comforter was, and I began to anticipate getting under it.
Arys wasted no time dropping his robe over the desk chair in the corner. He looked like a marble statue of some great angel. I let my gaze linger over him as if he were a fine piece of artwork. When he caught me staring, he actually looked embarrassed. That’s no easy feat for that vampire.
“For a girl who isn’t looking for any action, you’ve sure got the hunger in your eyes.”
My cheeks warmed as I began to take my clothes off. “Just admiring the view.” I left my lacy black bra and panties on and climbed on the bed.
We sat awkwardly in the bed side by side. It occurred to me that we had never been in this room together without being in the throes of passion. When we were together, it was usually a combination of metaphysically driven intimacy and the predatory urges and gratifications we desired by nature.
It wasn’t that we had no deeper emotion for each other but rather that we had never acknowledged it. The sweet romantic side of me only came out with Shaz. Likewise, the worst of my predatory nature was reserved for my time with Arys.
He moved quickly to pull me into an embrace that was as tender as it was surprising.
“This is new for us.”
“It is.” I got settled against him so that my head was on his chest, one leg thrown over his as I snuggled into the feather soft blankets. “It’s … different.”
Arys rested his head against mine, one hand idly stroking my hair. “I like it.”
This softer side of him was certainly unusual. Rather than create an awkward moment by making mention of it, I chose to go with the flow. Maybe I was being too analytical, imagining this newfound sensitivity.
My mind was filled with nagging questions that wouldn’t go away. Now was as perfect a time as any. When I couldn’t take it anymore, I blurted out, “So tell me about the blood bond. Isn’t that a vampire thing? Can it be done on mortals?”
Arys tensed beside me; his hand gripped mine tight. “Oh yes, it can be done. With extreme consequences.”
I waited patiently for him to continue, flashing him an expectant look when he didn’t. He relented, but he didn’t look happy about it.
“A blood bond between vampires is like … a marriage of sorts. It’s a true commitment, one that you truly can’t escape until death. It forms a permanent telepathic link between both parties. Vampires rarely form blood bonds, especially with mortals.”
“Why?” I was intrigued already. He didn’t want to tell me this. I could tell. “And, why would he expect you to form one with me then?”
“If a bonded vampire dies, their mate feels it. They may not even survive it. And a mortal, they risk such things as insanity … and worse.” He paused again, and I thought I was going to have to beat the words out of him. Then he continued. “Alexa, a blood bonded mortal is destined to rise as a vampire upon their mortal death.”
The shock was audible in my ears, like a beat of thunder inside my head. That was heavy duty.
“But werewolves-,” I began, only to be abruptly cut off by Arys’ hiss.
“Are still mortal.”
“Oh…” I was silent for a moment, absorbing this startling new twist. “But, there has to be a reason why it would be done, why some mortals would find it worth the risk.”
My mind was going faster than my mouth, like usual. His frown indicated his unease with the subject matter. I wanted to know.
“I’m sure there are many reasons.” His voice grew soft, and he looked away, at the mirror on the bureau that reflected our image back at us. “He expects me to bond you as a life mate, to make you mine beyond your mortal death. To ensure that you cannot die just once. That is why the bond is called the wicked kiss. Which obviously, is where Harley obtained the name for his little blood donor bar.”
The words were so simply said, but their weight was enormous. I couldn’t breathe for a moment.
“And is that something you would want to do?” I asked the question gently, so he would see that I was just curious.
His penetrating blue eyes were wide with alarm. “I would ruin you.”
I swallowed hard and gathered my courage, daring to say what I was thinking. “What if it was the only way? If I were dying or something, or in danger … you’d never do it?
Despite the ways we’re already bonded so completely?”
The glare he flashed me stung, and I winced. Why was I asking these things?
“For vampires, the exchange of blood can be a symbol of love or even a matter of convenience. For the living, it is worse than a death sentence. Would you really want me to do that?”
“I want to know that you would do anything I needed you to do, if it was necessary.
If I asked it of you.”
Though I wanted to push my questions further, the pained mask he wore convinced me otherwise. The tense atmosphere was an indication that my musings were best left inside my head for now.
“Alexa, don’t ask me to choose your destiny. You are mortal, and wolf. I can’t take that away.”
“I’m not asking you to choose.” I met his gaze pleadingly, willing him to understand what I was asking and why. “I’m asking you to do something only you can if I ever request it.”
Not that I had any intention of sealing my fate so solidly. I was still absorbing the reality of what he’d just told me.
“Look, all you need to know is that I am devoted to you. But, please don’t ever ask that of me unless you are more certain than you ever have been about anything else in your life.” Arys’ lips moved softly against my ear as he gently kissed my lobe. “I don’t want to be the bad guy. Not with you.”
I couldn’t resist the smile that danced over my lips in response to his words. “Baby, you’re not nearly as bad as you think you are.”
I glanced up to find that his eyes were closed. It wouldn’t take him long to fall into a deep slumber. Vampires sleep like they truly are dead. Though there was no coffin for this bed-loving vamp, he was otherwise dead to the world until sundown.
“I have to go shopping for a costume for the Halloween party at Lucy’s Lounge,” I said, for no other reason than to see if he was still awake. Changing the subject right about now couldn’t hurt either.
When he didn’t answer right away, I thought he was out. A low chuckle rumbled in his chest, and he said sarcastically, “Pray tell, Alexa, what are you going to be for Halloween? A werewolf?”
“That’s not even worth dignifying with a response. There’s nothing wrong with dressing up for Halloween. It’s fun.” And, it reminds me of being a kid, I added silently.
“I suppose it is, when you haven’t suffered through as many as I have. They all start to blur together.”
His voice wa
s lazy, and I knew he was drifting away. I reached up to gently grasp a handful of his silky, black hair. It slid through my fingers with a softness that created a warm tingle in my veins.
“It’s exciting to be a superhero or your favorite TV character. You know, dressing up in a way that you would never do otherwise.”
Arys stirred slightly as he turned towards me, his arm going around my waist possessively. “Like a Playboy bunny?” His tone was teasing, and I couldn’t help but giggle to myself at the incredible odds.
I snuggled in beside him and gave in to the fatigue that pulled at my eyelids. I had absolutely no intention of telling either Arys or Shaz just how alike they could be. I doubted that it would be very well received.
Chapter Five
It wasn’t all that often that Shaz managed to score two nights off in a row. As the best crowd-pleasing bartender in town, his employer’s hated having to let him escape their clutches at all. So, even though we had just spent the past two hours in a typical Hollywood chick flick that failed to impress me in any way, it was worth it because we were together.
On our drive into the city, I had told him about Harley. He’d pursed his lips and muttered obscenities about Arys, which had made me reluctant to tell him the rest, about the blood bond. However, he was my mate, my wolf’s other half, and so I had to spill it all.
The look of horror on his face had me rushing to assure him that the blood bond was not something I intended to enter. It was just a vampire thing that, shockingly, could be applied to mortals. There had been an anxious energy oozing from him since, and I almost wished I hadn’t told. Maybe it just wasn’t that important.
The heater was on in Shaz’ little Chevy. I angled the vents so that I could put my hands up to the warmth. We were heading out of the city, back to Stony Plain. I flipped down the visor so that I could check my makeup in the mirror. My careful black liner was just as it had been before I left the house.
