by Trina M. Lee
“That’s just another reason why we need to keep our distance. He’s watching us.”
“I know. He proved that earlier tonight when he sent Brook to Father Andrew’s church. He’s going to make it tough to hunt this thing down.” I chewed my lower lip, lost in thought. There had to be a way to escape Shya’s watchful eye. “He thinks I’m going to die before he has a chance to use me as a sacrifice. Is it wrong that I kind of want it to happen?”
Kale frowned. “You don’t mean that. Giving in isn’t like you. Don’t you dare go down without a fight.”
I laughed softly. “If it wouldn’t drive you crazy, I would hug you right now. Thank you for caring in spite of everything.”
“Don’t thank me.” He waved away my gratitude. “I’m not a good guy. I wanted to let them try for Arys. Believe me, it was hard not to join in on that action.”
“I know,” I said, nodding in understanding. “But you didn’t. So you are a good guy. Still.”
Kale smiled then, a wistful action that reminded me of the sweet-natured guy he used to be. “Let’s not kid ourselves. I haven’t been a good guy in over five hundred years.”
Before I could tell him how wrong he was, Jez sat up suddenly with a loud gasp. She groped about in a disoriented stupor. “I think I’m gonna be sick,” she groaned, falling off the couch with a thud.
Kale and I both sprang into action. We got her up and moving toward the bathroom. Her balance was off, and she leaned heavily on me.
“It’s ok. I’ve got this,” I said, waving Kale away. “I’ll take care of the hair holding. Do you have something she can wear after I throw her in the shower?”
“Yeah, no problem. I’ll put some clean sheets on the bed too.”
No sooner had I gotten Jez into the bathroom and closed the door than she proceeded to vomit. I stood close enough to hold her hair back while she clutched the toilet.
Jez struggled to catch her breath. “Oh my God. Am I dead? Is this hell?”
“Not even close. It’s Kale’s bathroom.”
Another round of vomiting had me cringing. It was amazing the things people would do to themselves in the search for escape. I was no exception. I’d done my fair share of stupid shit.
“I feel like death. I’m such a fucking idiot.” She clutched the porcelain in a white-knuckled grip. Her body trembled, and she moaned, “Just put me out of my misery, Lex. Please. I’m begging you.”
“You’re starting to sound like Kale.” I winced when my voice echoed in the acoustics of the bathroom. “Sorry, Jez. You’re going to have to suffer before you’ll feel like yourself again. Come on. Let’s get you into the shower.”
The sounds of agony and distress never stopped. Every move she made had Jez groaning and gasping with more than a little cursing thrown in the mix. I dug around in the cupboard under the sink and managed to find some mouthwash and a comb. Kale was definitely lacking in the way of female-friendly vanity items.
After getting Jez dressed in some sweatpants and a t-shirt provided by Kale, I dragged the comb through her hair while she sat on the closed toilet lid. “Are you feeling any better?” I asked, carefully picking my way through her golden tangles.
“I feel like I’ve been turned inside out. It’s unbearable.” Her voice was soft, lacking her usual feisty enthusiasm.
“You know, eventually I’m going to grill you about tonight. But I’ll give you time to sleep it off and recover first. Then I’ll expect some honest answers.”
“I suppose that’s fair.” Jez was quiet for a moment. “Thanks, Lex. For taking care of me tonight.”
“That’s what friends do. I love you, Jez. Which is why I’m so damn worried about what I saw tonight. You really scared us.”
She was quiet for so long that I grew worried. I finished up with her hair and stood there, searching for the right words. Jez turned to face me, tears glistening in her glassy, green eyes.
“I don’t know what’s going on with me. I don’t even know who I am lately.” Jez looked so forlorn, so lost. “I’m scared.”
I pulled her into a hug, clutching her trembling frame tight against me. My wolf was eager to soothe her. Our beasts shared a connection that required no words. I would have given just about anything to ease her pain.
“I’m here for you,” I promised. “So is Kale. We’ll walk with you through this.”
“I was just starting to let myself get used to the idea of having someone who understood me. Someone who I didn’t have to play human for. We had this connection. It was better than I could have hoped. And then it was gone.” Tears spilled down Jez’s cheeks, and she clung to me like a lost child.
It took all my strength to blink back the tears of empathy that welled up. I wanted to fall apart with her. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, stroking her wet hair. “I’m so sorry.”
The night was fading fast by the time I got her into bed in the guest room on the main floor. I knew that Kale had a downstairs bedroom, but judging by the heavily covered window, it appeared as if he’d been spending some time there.
Jez was still pretty out of it, mumbling things that made sense to nobody but her. Being in Kale’s bedroom was awkward. Even more so when Jez begged me to lay with her.
I glanced at Kale who stood silent in the doorway. He wore a pained expression as he gazed at Jez. “You should stay with her a while. I’ll wait in the living room.” He disappeared, leaving me staring after his shadow as it retreated down the hall.
Shrugging out of my jacket, I laid it and the Dragon Claw on a chair near the door. Then I crawled in beside Jez and pulled her close. She settled in against me, her fingers curling in my hair.
It shook me to the bone to see her this way. She was one of the strongest people I knew. Nobody was safe from the repercussions of love. Cheesy romance movies paint a picture of a big love moment followed by a happily ever after. That simply isn’t reality. Love comes at a price, and it is never without challenge.
Lying there in Kale’s bed with the feel of him all around me, I thought about the many trials and complications of love. If only it were as cut and dried as the whole boy meets girl crap.
Jez mumbled, a soft murmur into the pillow. “Don’t leave me alone with him. It’s not safe. He’s a killer.”
“Jezzy, your blood reeks like a cocktail of poisons. There’s nothing enticing about it. Besides, it’s Kale. Of course you’re safe with him. I promise.”
“He’s like Jekyll and Hyde. I never know which one I’m dealing with.” Her eyes were closed, and she began to breathe deeply as slumber dragged her under.
I said nothing, knowing that Kale could hear us. In no time Jez began to snore softly. I stayed until I was sure she wouldn’t wake up, then carefully disengaged myself from her grasp. Trying to be quiet, I moved with silent footsteps to gather my jacket and dagger. With a look back at Jez, I hoped I was doing the right thing by leaving her with Kale. He loved her like a sister, and though he’d hurt her once, I trusted his devotion to her was strong enough to keep that from happening again.
I hoped that when I was vampire I would still see her as family, as pack. Though we were very different beasts, we shared so much. I never wanted to lose that.
Kale was in the living room, staring out the window at the fading night. “Do you need a ride?” He didn’t look at me when he spoke. There was a hard set to his shoulders. He was stiff and uncomfortable.
“No, I’ll call a cab. You should stay with Jez.” I hesitated, watching him closely. “You know she didn’t mean that, Kale. She’s not really afraid of you.”
When he continued to avoid my gaze, I knew for certain that’s what had him so tightly coiled. “She should be. I’ve given her good reason to fear me.”
“It’s just the drugs talking.”
“Is it?” He did look at me then. His mismatched eyes were haunted.
“Who was that guy back at The Spirit Room?” I asked, hoping to redirect his focus. “Or more importantly, what was he? Is there
something going on there that we should be paying more attention to?”
Kale shook his head. “Don’t worry about The Spirit Room. Things will take care of themselves there. Keep your attention on what matters. Shya and the rebel vampires. The guy getting high with Jez is a nephilim. The offspring of an angel or demon and a human. Nothing to worry about for the most part.”
I frowned and pursed my lips in thought. I wasn’t sure I agreed with that. Kale was right though; it wasn’t my problem. Not right now anyway. I had enough to deal with.
“We have to keep Jez away from there,” I said. “I felt something inside her during the healing. The dark part of her that is demon. It’s in there, and it’s waiting for something. Taunting death with guys like that can’t be good for her.”
Kale’s interest piqued. His eyes widened, and he nodded. “If he goes near Jez again, I’ll kill him myself. I don’t give a shit who his daddy is.”
“Good.” I was satisfied with that, though I couldn’t help but hope it didn’t come to that.
“I’ll call my cleaning lady and have her bring some groceries over. Jez will be safe here.” Determination shone in his eyes. Again it was a tiny but reassuring glimpse of Kale’s sane side.
“I know.”
“I hate that she fears me.”
A question burned on the tip of my tongue, one that I could not bite back. “And what about me? What about when I fear you?” I think I was hoping for more reassurance, seeking the Kale I longed for.
His expression changed in an instant. Gone was the friendly concern for Jez. Replacing it was a mask of malevolence. “I love it,” he said with a deadly, stone cold seriousness.
“You said you want to back me,” I challenged, trying to understand the many faces of Kale. “How can you do that when you’re on this nutjob mission to destroy yourself? Does being my second affect your promise?”
Kale’s promise to force me to end him hung over my head, a constant shadow that hovered in the back of my mind. I kept expecting it to blow over. It never did. Always we somehow came back to it.
“No. It stands.” There was a dramatic pause as we stared at one another. “I’m yours, Alexa. And I’m here for you. But once it’s all over, you have to set me free.”
That was my cue to leave. I wasn’t ready to have this argument. Besides, I didn’t trust myself around Kale. The urge to smack him was as strong as the urge to kiss him. Would just a little taste of that honey-sweet energy be so bad?
The answer was a resounding yes. So I lurched into motion, careful to avoid Kale’s personal space as I headed for the door.
“Take care of Jez. I’ll call you later.” I was relieved when he didn’t follow me.
Once outside I called a taxi and paced the length of Kale’s block, waiting.
Chapter Nine
It was almost dawn when I got home. No sooner had I stepped foot onto my property than I knew with absolute certainty that there were two vampires and a werewolf inside my house.
With a groan, I shoved the door open. I kicked off my shoes, closed and locked the door, then made my way down the long front hall to the kitchen and living room at the back of the house. There I found Arys, Jenner, and Shaz gathered around the island in an intense discussion. They looked up at my approach, each falling silent in turn.
“Did you find Jez?” Shaz asked with a slight sniff in my direction. “You smell like her. Is she ok?”
“You stink like Sinclair too,” Arys added, his expression grim. The forced calm and the glint in his eyes conveyed his irritation loud and clear. He was spoiling for a fight, and I’d just arrived. He must have been stewing a while.
“We found her. And she’ll be fine. Thank you for asking, Arys.” I said his name with annoyance. “She was partying at The Spirit Room with a bunch of humans and a nephilim. We found her snorting coke. She’s at Kale’s now sleeping it off.”
Shaz swore softly. “Damn. I’m sorry to hear that.”
“That one is a loose cannon,” Jenner said. “I saw it the moment I met her.”
“I hardly think you’re in a position to make that kind of judgment call. Jez is suffering from the loss of a lover. It’s normal for her to act out. She needs help, and she’ll get it.” I glared at Jenner. “Why are you here anyway?”
Arys jumped in before I could really lay into Jenner. “I thought it best for us all to stay together. You shouldn’t be alone right now. It’s not safe.”
There were many ways I could respond to that. Right off the bat I wanted to beat him over the head with my shoulder bag. Instead, I dropped the bag on the island and shrugged out of my jacket before going to the fridge.
“That’s hilarious, Arys. Really. You’re cracking me up.” My sarcasm dripped as I grabbed a bottle of water and turned back to face him. “Seriously though, what the hell is Jenner doing in my house?”
“Hey,” Jenner protested with hands up in mock outrage. “I welcomed you into my nightclub. It’s practically a home to me.”
“You also forced me to get on stage in that same nightclub for your enjoyment.” I flipped him my middle finger before taking a large drink of water. I was dehydrated and suddenly starving. Healing took a lot out of me. I would need to replenish the energy I’d expended metaphysically as well.
“Yes, and we know how that turned out, don’t we? I’m pretty sure you got the better deal that night.” The calm but intense hatred that spread across Jenner’s face was deadly.
“It’s not a joke, Alexa,” Arys broke in. He shot a warning glare Jenner’s way before refocusing on me. “Things are in motion. Shya’s going to drastic lengths to get that scroll, and we can’t be sure how far he’ll take it. We can’t afford to underestimate anyone right now.”
I moved about the kitchen, pulling a pan from beneath the stove and fetching eggs from the fridge. If I didn’t feed the mortal hunger, it would worsen the metaphysical hunger, something I didn’t want to deal with in a house filled with supernatural males.
“So you think that the three of you can offer me some kind of protection against Shya himself?” I asked, slicing up a tomato. I briefly entertained the idea of flinging the knife at Jenner but decided against it. “Come on, Arys. You know better than that.”
I could feel his heavy gaze upon me as I prepared my sandwich. Like usual, there was something Arys wasn’t saying. I knew him so well.
“I know that we can’t afford to be careless. We’re not taking any chances with your safety.” Arys spoke as if his word was law. The usual. He had to know I was going to rip him a new one later when we didn’t have an audience.
“What are you going to do, Arys? Follow me everywhere in case Shya pops in? And then what? You can’t fight off that demon.” It wasn’t my intent to insult his manhood or his good intentions. Still, he wasn’t being realistic.
He sat there scowling at me with a storm raging in his midnight eyes. I was dreadfully aware of the other two men watching our exchange. That’s when it hit me.
“Arys,” I began, speaking softly, like I would to a skittish animal. “Is it really Shya you’re trying to protect me from by having them here? Or is it you?”
“Alexa,” he spoke my name like a warning. He offered me nothing else. No denial or confirmation, and that was confirmation enough for me.
Jenner sat there smirking, enjoying the awkward moment of pending conflict. I wanted to hit him.
Shaz was quiet, watching us without missing a thing. He knew how quickly the conflict between Arys and I could boil over, although he’d never seen the worst of it.
“Look, Lex,” Shaz jumped in. “It’s just temporary. Until we know more about the scroll’s whereabouts. Maybe we can’t keep you safe from Shya. But we can damn sure try.”
It was obvious to me that Shaz was trying to get me to back off Arys. I’d hit a nerve that Shaz seemed to be aware of.
“Fine, I get it.” I relented, letting it go until I got Arys alone. “You want to keep me safe, and I can appreciate that.
But you guys can’t hover over me all the time. I need my space, or I’ll go crazy.”
“You can’t go off alone,” Arys insisted. His brow was set in a hard frown. The darkness filled his eyes, a warning of the wrath to come.
Time was running out. My death was fast approaching. I couldn’t waste precious minutes arguing with him. “I know you want to find a way to stop Shya, but no matter what happens with him, I am still facing death. Gabriel saw it. Again, tonight. So instead of finding a way to avoid it, you need to find a way to accept it. I have.”
My proclamation hung in the kitchen, an open challenge issued to my other half. Arys’s struggle was understandable. For over a hundred years, he’d known I would die at his hand. Though he tried to downplay it, I knew he craved my death as much as he feared it. If the tables were turned, I’d be losing my mind.
I dropped the knife on the counter and went to him. He was tense when I pressed in close, slipping my arms around his neck. “Please, don’t fight what’s meant to happen.”
“Is it though?” he questioned. “How can your death be something I simply accept as what is meant to be? I just can’t wrap my mind around it being a good thing.”
“You don’t have to. I don’t get it either. But I’m starting to figure out that the more I question things, the more questions it creates. The answers reveal themselves in time.” I kissed him, a soft press of my lips to his. The power humming within him teased my senses.
Jenner snorted. “Well, isn’t that downright disgustingly poetic?”
I pulled away from Arys, anger driving me. I grabbed Jenner’s hand and forced my fingers between his. My power might have been weakened, but it wasn’t dead inside me. It took very little effort to connect with his energy.
“I have more than enough assholes in my life right now, Jenner,” I hissed, jerking hard on his aura. “If I have an opening in the future for another, you’ll be the first to know. Until then, keep your snarky comments to yourself, or I’ll be forced to do bad things to you. Got it?”
