“And control,” I murmured, more to myself than to Lena. “I think I can do it.”
Lena frowned and pressed her lips together into a tight, thin line. “I don’t have to tell you to be careful. You’ve heard it from me more than enough times. But … be careful.”
I smiled at the older lady. Both a witch and a genuine soul, Lena was special in many ways. I always took what she said to heart, though I didn’t always follow her advice. It was much too late for regrets. I was sick of the questions and confusion. Now, I needed to focus on moving forward and taking charge.
“Well,” Lena rose from her seat, rinsing her tea mug in the sink. “If you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll do my best to help you. I do have some resources I can look into.”
“That would be great. Thanks. I always appreciate your help.”
The sound of the front door opening drew my attention. Jez gave us a quick wave as she passed by the kitchen, chattering away on her cell phone. I considered going to her office to chat with her but decided against it. I wanted to get to The Wicked Kiss by midnight. When Lena was ready to leave, I gathered my things and walked her out to her car. One could never be too safe around our office building.
I gave Lena a friendly hug before watching her little car disappear down the street. I really should have coffee with her more often. We hadn’t been keeping in touch as much as usual lately. I hated that.
No sooner had Lena’s tail lights vanished from sight than oncoming headlights replaced them. Kale’s Camaro was like a loud black shadow against the white, snowy night. Hmm, shit. I hit the unlock button on my car keys but knew I’d never manage to avoid him without looking like a total ass.
Crossing my arms, I leaned against the door of my car, ignoring the way the cold metal cut through the warmth of my long skirt and jacket. I was a little apprehensive but shrugged it off when Kale parked next to me.
“Hey.” I tried my best for casual, hoping I didn’t sound like an actor reading cue cards. “How’s it going? No Wicked Kiss tonight?”
A toss of his head moved a short brown lock of hair out of his eyes, those eerily beautiful eyes. Kale could really enthrall a lot of people with his eyes. He could work them to his advantage, if he wanted to. I couldn’t help but wonder what he’d been like in the beginning, back in his brutal, killer without a care days. Of course, I had no desire to know firsthand.
“No. Not tonight. I have something else to take care of. Something for Veryl. He’s been rather weird and ‘hush hush’ about it. I don’t even have all of the details yet.”
My mind instantly went to Lilah, and the day she’d come storming out of Veryl’s office, refusing to do his dirty work for him. It smacked of something dark and nasty. If a demon as high in rank as she evidently was didn’t want any part in whatever Veryl was up to, I sure as hell hoped Kale wouldn’t either.
“Well…be careful. Maybe it’s none of my business, but Veryl seems to have some shady dealings going on. Don’t let him suck you into anything.”
Kale pocketed his car keys, a frown creasing his brow. “Oh yeah? Like what?”
“I don’t know. You’d have to ask Lilah.”
“Interesting.”
I could see that he was mulling that over in his head so I reached for the door handle of my car. “I should get going. I actually am going to the Kiss tonight. Gotta hold up my end of a bargain.”
“What was that?” Kale cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow.
“What?” I didn’t have to pretend not to know what he meant.
“That look in your eyes when you said that. Hold up your end of a bargain. What are you up to, Alexa?”
I chuckled but made a note to work on my poker face. “Nothing yet. I can be honest with you though, right? Harley won’t be around much longer. Not if I can help it. He’s a pile of dust and bone. He just doesn’t know it yet.”
A moment of silence ensued while Kale looked at me as if trying to decide if I was joking or just stupid. It was then that I noticed the subtle vibration of his aura. It burned with power that wasn’t his, but mine. Days had passed since he’d taken my blood, but my power still smoldered within him. Now that was intriguing.
“And, you’re telling me to be careful?” Kale scoffed. “You really need to start taking your own advice. Things have been weird at the Kiss lately, weirder than usual. There have been incidents. A lot of blood games and dead girls.”
“Yeah, yeah. Courtesy of the Arys and Harley reunion, I’m sure.” I rolled my eyes and laughed it off. I didn’t want to give him the opportunity to say or do anything to change my mind. I was hell bent on seeing this through.
I pulled open the door of the car and started the engine. Kale stepped closer, forcing me to drop down into the driver’s seat. I looked up at him, refusing to feel intimidated because of our last encounter. Intimidation was pleasantly absent. However, temptation rarely was these days.
Leaning in close, Kale’s voice dropped. “I fully believe that you can handle Harley, but what the hell do you plan to do in the aftermath? He may have allies that will come after you, and the bar, what about that? And Arys…”
“I can handle Arys,” I replied much too quickly. It gave away my inner doubt. Arys may very well hate me after I killed his sire. That wasn’t going to stop me. “As for the bar, I have a bank account filled with Raoul’s money. Money that’s really not much good to me. I’m sure I can use it to pull the right strings and get the ownership of that place transferred.”
An idea struck me then, and Kale’s eyes narrowed when a slow, sure smile spread across my face. “Actually Kale, that is something you may be able to help me with. I’ll need someone to take over legal ownership. Who better than you?”
“Oh, you bad little wolf. You have been doing some thinking, haven’t you?”
“I have,” I said with a nod. I met his eyes steadily, wanting him to read how very serious I was. “You know the Kiss better than anyone. You can run it, and I can work behind the scenes, restore a sense of order there. A place like that in our possession could be beneficial in many ways. Think about it?”
Kale paused, a typically dramatic vampire move that made me want to roll my eyes at him.
“If you can pull off killing Harley and keep Arys from losing his mind over it, I will do whatever you ask.” He gave me a pointed look, one that told me I was facing a bigger challenge than I wanted to admit.
“Don’t doubt me, Kale. You know that just makes me more determined.”
“Not doubting, just saying.” With a sexy smile that flashed fangs and a wink, he sauntered away. “Have a safe night, Alexa.”
* * * *
After what seemed like hours of listening to Harley go on about how the root of my power was all in my mind, I grew openly bored. Leaning on the small table in his room, I rested my chin in my hand and gazed at the ceiling.
“Am I boring you, Alexa?” He snapped suddenly. “Do forgive me for the lack of excitement. What were you expecting? A field trip?”
I started to resist a smirk, then thought better of it and let it spread over my face. “Something like that. I guess I don’t make a very good student.”
“Then why are you wasting my time?”
“Oh, give me a break. You’re getting what you want out of this so humor me.” I gave my long hair a toss and fixed him with an icy stare. I couldn’t shake that image of him and Arys, and I choked on my hatred. “You keep pounding this mind over matter shit into my head. I get it. It’s all about envisioning what I want to do with the power. But, how about some actual hands on action? A demonstration, if you will.”
Harley crossed his arms over his chest and met my eyes with a gaze so chilling mine must have looked pitiful in comparison. Damn vampires.
“A demonstration? Like what? You must have something specific in mind.”
I sighed and leaned back in my chair. Since making up my mind earlier about Harley’s imminent demise, I felt much c
almer around him. I’d never been this relaxed inside The Wicked Kiss. I was self-conscious though, hoping I didn’t give anything away with my words or actions.
“What about the big things? Like healing? Or manipulating the form of a person or object?”
He continued to stare at me. With his arms crossed over his expensive black suit, he looked like a secret service agent from TV. All he needed was a gun and dark sunglasses. I shrugged but offered nothing more. If he couldn’t show me those things, I was done here.
In a blur of motion, he was suddenly beside me, gripping my arm in his cold hands. It startled me, which had clearly been his intent. He gestured to my exposed forearm.
“Cut yourself. A nice deep one. You have claws.”
“Seriously?” I gawked up at him, struggling not to leap out of my seat and jerk away.
“Of course. How else do you expect me to show you healing?”
I guess I hadn’t thought that far ahead. Surely, we could employ someone else in the Kiss for that. Though, I suppose that wasn’t really fair. I wanted to know so it was fitting I’d be the guinea pig. At least I got to inflict my own injury. That seemed safe enough.
“You better not be bull shitting me.” I held out my free hand, focusing ever so slightly. My fingernails lengthened into razor sharp claws and for a split second, I had the urge to bury them in Harley’s throat.
Instead, I carefully dragged one long claw along the flesh of the arm Harley held. It stung, but it was bearable. Blood welled up from the gash, and I glanced at the vampire, curious to see his reaction. There was none. Harley had had centuries to perfect his poker face. He was much better at it than I was.
An injury like the one I’d just given myself would have normally healed up overnight. I watched as Harley released my arm and held his hands over the wound, careful not to touch. His eyes were intent on the bleeding cut. My skin began to grow warm and then tingled as he tapped his power.
“Envision it as healed,” he whispered without meeting my eyes. “See it in your mind, whole again.”
My jaw dropped when the stinging wound sealed up as I watched. The pain disappeared and nothing remained but a smear of blood. The place where the cut had been tickled a little, giving me the urge to scratch. I reached to touch it, finding smooth, unblemished skin.
“Just like that, huh?” I was breathless, awed by what Harley had just done. He made it look so simple.
“Just like that. You know how to focus energy. You just have to drive it into your source and direct its path.” I didn’t miss the dark glare he shot me when he added, “And, that’s something I know you can do.”
My cheeks warmed at the memory. So, Harley was holding a grudge. It had been months since I’d tried to kill him. Arys had stopped me. Regardless, I was planning to finish what I’d started then.
I wasn’t about to defend myself for something I didn’t regret. “Oh come on now, don’t pretend part of you didn’t like it.”
He huffed and paced away from me but said nothing. I smiled to myself.
I wanted to push the issue of getting Zoey back into a human body but wasn’t sure how to approach it. Just spit it out? Something about it felt taboo, as if I were inviting disaster by even considering it.
I was trying to find the right words when an icy chill shot up my spine. My senses were on fire as Arys’s unmistakable presence made itself known. He was here. Just my damn luck. I hated the trepidation that filled me as he drew closer. My eyes went to the door, and I waited with baited breath.
He had to be fuming, sensing my presence as well. Well … fuck him. I had just as much right to be here as he did. I was ready when the door swung open, a stubborn expression already in place on my face.
Harley’s gaze strayed to the door, his eager smile just another reason for me to kill him. The bastard had likely been expecting Arys. Neglecting to mention it wasn’t going to win him any points with me.
I was ready to be stubborn if Arys came in with attitude. I was prepared to tell him off if he backed me into a corner in front of Harley. What I wasn’t prepared for was the way my heart fluttered and dropped at the sight of him. Oh, Lord.
Arys’s jet-black hair was always messy in a sexy bedroom way, as if he’d just rolled out of bed after lovemaking. Now it was also damp from a recent shower. I couldn’t help the image of him that flashed through my mind, naked and wet.
Like usual, he looked good enough to eat in his casual attire, blue jeans and a black t-shirt that hugged his hard body just right. His fierce blue eyes landed on me immediately, and I sat up a little straighter in my chair.
He pinned me with a heavy stare, one that left a flaming heat within me, as he slowly looked me over. I was no idiot. Though I hadn’t expected Arys to show, I’d known it was possible so I’d worn the black halter-top with the plunging neckline, the one I knew he loved on me. I hid a grin when his gaze strayed to my cleavage.
“Hello, Arys.” I nodded, unable to resist giving him a suggestive smile and a wink. If he thought he had the advantage here, he was going to discover how wrong he was.
Frowning, Arys let the door close with a slam. “Alexa … I didn’t expect to see you here.”
Better get used to it, I thought. Boy was Arys in for a surprise. I was almost afraid of how he might react when I killed Harley. I couldn’t let that hold me back though. It was going to happen.
“Are we done here?” Harley was looking at me with hunger in his eyes. He appeared a little too gleeful for my liking.
We had a deal, his knowledge for my blood. I could swear he’d planned for this, to feed from me in front of Arys. What a way to make the guy squirm. I hated Harley, but I had to admire the way he worked.
“Almost,” I replied, without tearing my eyes from Arys. “I still have that one question, about manipulating things into a new form. You dodged that one.”
Arys glanced from me to Harley before crossing the room to take a seat on the couch. It bothered me a little that he sat as far from me as he could get, but I shrugged it off. I wasn’t playing games with anyone anymore.
“Be more specific. What is it that you want to manipulate?”
It was hard to meet Harley’s penetrating stare. I didn’t want to come right out and say it. I took a deep breath and ignored the sound of people down the hall that sought to distract me.
“A woman. A hybrid that’s stuck in wolf form. I want to get her back into her human body.”
I waited for a response. The quiet in the room quickly became deafening. Of course, Arys would know whom I meant. Harley didn’t need to know. He just needed to tell me what I needed to do and how to do it.
“You know that what you’re asking is incredibly huge, right?” Harley drew closer to me, stopping just a few feet away.
“Obviously,” I replied with an eye roll. “Otherwise, I would have already done it.”
“Don’t be too cocky, wolf,” Arys added as he regarded me with a studious expression. “You endanger yourself with that attitude.”
I bristled at his use of the word “wolf”. It was what he often called Shaz when being disrespectful. I did my best not to react. He didn’t need to know that I was affected by it. That’s what he wanted.
Focusing solely on Harley, I continued as if Arys hadn’t spoken at all. “Please, just tell me if it’s possible. If it isn’t, I’ll forget it.”
“Oh it’s possible. It’s also possible to make matters worse for her if you don’t have the ability to pull it off.”
“And do I? In your expert opinion, I mean.”
Arys shifted uncomfortably on the couch, but neither Harley nor I looked his way. We were intent on one another. I searched Harley’s eyes for any sign that he was lying to me, or about to.
“Your blood bond with Arys has secured your abilities,” he said with a glance at Arys who sat clenching his jaw. “But until your death, until you rise as a vampire, you can’t access them fully. Maybe you could do this if you can perfect your focus like I’
ve shown you. But … it’s unlikely that you can do it without the help of your other half.”
Harley gestured to Arys, and my heart sank. I believed what I was hearing. I had no reason not to. Arys had no reason to help Zoey. The last time they’d seen each other, she’d plunged a blade into him, and at my command, he’d tried to kill her.
I pushed the hair back from my face and sighed. “Ok then. That’s all I needed to know. Thank you.”
“If you two want to talk further about this…” Harley glanced from me to Arys.
“No,” I said in a rush. “That’s fine. We can discuss it later.”
Harley clapped his hands together loudly. The sound irritated my sensitive ears, and I grimaced.
“Well then,” he announced with obvious delight. “I believe you owe me a little something.”
I nodded, sneaking a look at Arys. He sat stiffly, watching Harley and me with feigned indifference. He could fake an expression, but he couldn’t stop me from picking up his tension. I had to wonder if he’d come here because he knew Harley would be taking my blood tonight. Did he not want us to be alone? What was he so afraid of?
“Fine. Let’s get this over with.”
I rose from my seat, uncertain if I should offer him my wrist or neck. I assumed he would have a preference.
The atmosphere grew heavy with Harley’s bloodlust. It rose quickly and violently, provoking my own inner hunger. I wasn’t the predator this time though.
“I cannot wait to taste you again.” Harley approached me swiftly, suddenly standing too close, invading my personal space. He licked his lips like a hungry animal.
I took an instinctive step back. “Yeah, just a taste. The moment I feel you going beyond that, I’m going to defend myself. Got it?”
Arys got to his feet then, drawing near without hovering. “The wrist, Harley.”
Those simple words were enough to have Harley rounding on Arys with eyes blazing. “You weren’t part of this deal. You have absolutely no say in this. You can leave, or you can watch. But, keep your mouth shut.”
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