Greed (The Damning Book 1)

by Katie May

  discovered that she had been with him...

  Control your anger. Control.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt your fun,” Bash said, eyeing my rumpled

  bedsheets with distaste. “Have you finally given up on your mate?”

  I gritted my teeth together to keep from screaming at him. He wouldn’t

  known - he never met his mate - but it would’ve been impossible for me to be

  with another woman. Z was my soul, the better half of me, and the thought of

  touching someone else made me physically ill. It wasn’t just the bond causing

  me to feel that way. It may have been the force that brought people together,

  but it wasn’t the glue that kept them as one.

  I loved her.

  I always have.

  I didn’t know how to say that all to Bash. To tell him that it would’ve felt

  like ripping my arm from my body at even the thought of cheating on her.

  That I couldn’t sooner hurt myself than I could harm her. Until he had a mate

  of his own, he would never understand.

  Just like Z wouldn’t understand if I were to tell her that S was her mate as

  well. I knew it the second I had seen them together. It was a secret I would

  take to my grave. How would she react if she knew that one of her mates had

  been killed? How would she react if she discovered that I could’ve prevented

  it?

  Something on my face must’ve given me away, for Bash cursed loudly

  and brought both his hands to his blond locks, pulling at them.

  “Fucking shit. She’s here, isn’t she? Your mate is here. Damn it.” He

  kicked at my couch. “Everybody has their fucking mate now. Fan-fucking-

  tastic. Who needs free-will anyways? Not us apparently. Not fucking us.”

  I glanced at Lupe, eyebrow raised, but he subtly shook his head.

  Don’t ask, the eloquent gesture seemed to say, and I obediently clamped

  my mouth shut. It would only make matters worse to retort.

  Lupe cleared his throat, cutting Bash off in mid-rant. All eyes turned

  towards the Shifter expectantly.

  “I scoured through my books looking for any information about this

  Aaliyah person. Obviously, she is targeting Killian, but the question is why?”

  No shit, I wanted to say. Did they really barge into my bedroom to

  reiterate what I already knew? Death would occur if that was the

  case...preferably with a variety of weapons.

  Damn. Z was rubbing off on me already. Soon, we would get him and her

  matching knife sets. My little psychopath.

  “Did you find anything?” I asked tersely.

  “No.”

  Of-fucking-course.

  “But…” Lupe continued, noting my barely concealed rage. “While I

  didn’t find anything about Aaliyah, I did find something on the dead bodies

  of the men that had gone after Killian.”

  Lupe reached into his pocket and grabbed out a piece of paper. I leaned

  forward to take a closer look.

  It was an unfamiliar symbol, tiny black lines morphing into thicker red

  ones to create a demented circle. It was unlike anything I had ever seen

  before. Frowning, I surveyed the drawings closer.

  “This was on both bodies?” I asked in clarification.

  Lupe nodded solemnly.

  “Tattooed on their backs, just beneath their right shoulders.”

  I glanced at it once more, positive I had never seen such an intricate

  pattern before. However, I knew someone who might’ve.

  “My mate,” I began, “might have an idea where this is from. I’ll talk to

  her tonight at the dinner.”

  “Mine too,” Killian cut in.

  Dair nodded. “Same.”

  From somewhere in the shadows, Ryland began to laugh. It was the first

  genuine laugh I had heard from him in years. My eyes widened in surprise at

  hearing the jovial noise.

  “What are you laughing at?” Bash asked darkly, whipping his head in the

  direction the noise had come from. I could dimly make out the silhouette of

  my Shadow brother.

  “You guys are all a bunch of dumbasses,” Ryland said simply after his

  laughter had subsided.

  “Excuse me?” Dair asked softly. Again, he was the only one who didn’t

  seem upset by Ryland, just confused and slightly curious. I wondered if it

  was a Mermaid thing to be constantly in a state of bliss and nirvana all the

  time or a Dair thing.

  “You’ll see in time,” Ryland said around another laugh. “Fucking

  dumbasses.”

  TWENTY-FOUR

  Z

  Iwalked into my room, body humming with the remnants of pleasure

  from my encounter with Devlin, only to see...me. Assassin me. Posing

  in front of a mirror.

  “You’re a sexy bitch, aren’t you?” The Me said, shooting finger guns at

  the reflection. “Sexy bitch with curves in all the right places.”

  “Diego,” I began, pinching the bridge of my nose. “What the hell do you

  think you’re doing?”

  He jumped, startled by my voice. Even without seeing his face, I knew he

  would be smiling sheepishly.

  “Getting into character.”

  “And that involves strutting and finger guns?” I asked, quirking an

  eyebrow. Now that his embarrassment had faded, Diego was left with his

  usual surplus of sass. He put his hand on his hip and cocked it to the side.

  “I need to practice shooting people. Duh.”

  “I don’t even...no words.”

  “No surprise. I usually make females speechless,” he said smugly, turning

  back to the mirror. He struck another pose, this one involving a leg kick and

  more crotch than I ever wanted to see.

  “You’re a freak,” I muttered, but I couldn’t help but gnaw on my lower

  lip in worry. Were we really doing this? Was I really going to put his life on

  the line? The mere thought of it made my stomach twist and contract

  painfully.

  “I’m going to be okay,” Diego said softly, noting the fear on my face. He

  had always been observant, especially after S’s death. He knew I was

  struggling before I even knew it. “We’re going to be okay.”

  While his confidence was contagious, doubt still niggled me, the ever

  persistent bastard. Doubt and guilt.

  The guilt, I realized, was irrational. Nothing had even happened yet, but I

  was still preparing myself for the worst case scenario. It was the easiest way

  to get through life: expect and accept the worst.

  Reaching around me, Diego swatted my ass.

  “Now why don’t you go get your pretty butt in that sexy dress.”

  I stuck my tongue out at him, but obediently walked into my bedroom

  where the dress was still draped across my dresser. After my rendezvous with

  Devlin, I didn’t feel as dirty putting on the purple number as I once would’ve.

  I haven’t forgiven him for what he had put me through, but I didn’t hate him.

  How could I when I understood all too well the enticing pull of self-sacrifice?

  We were one and the same, him and I.

  Clicking my tongue, I shimmied out of my clothes and into the dress.

  Mali would insist on makeup and elaborate hairstyles, but I much preferred

  my natural look.

  My eyes widened as I took in my reflection in the bedroom mirror. My

  hair hung in disheveled blond curls arou
nd my face. The dress itself was tight

  on my chest, reaching up to clasp around my neck, before protruding

  outwards in a silky, purple skirt. Even I had to admit, despite being the cynic

  I was, that the dress was gorgeous. It accentuated my considerable cleavage

  and my toned stomach. Smirking at myself in the mirror, I grabbed a

  necklace off of the dresser and a golden charm bracelet. Both items were

  gifted to me by Diego for my birthday a couple of months back. The necklace

  was designed to protect me against any harmful spells, and the bracelet was

  supposed to vibrate when danger was near. Both pieces of jewelry had a “one

  and done” spell on them. If there was any day to use them, today would be

  that day.

  After a moment of hesitation, I sheathed two knives on either thigh. It

  wasn’t the most convenient location, but it would have to do. I surveyed

  myself one last time in the mirror, pursing my lips in an attempt to bring

  color to my cheeks. It was only then that I saw the lumpy outline beneath my

  quilt. A very human looking outline.

  My dagger was in my hand before I could even blink, my steps tentative

  as I made my way to the sleeping figure.

  Who the hell was in my bed? Was it Mali?

  Dagger raised slightly, I pulled back the blanket. I was greeted by the

  sight of closed eyes and a contented smile. It was a man - a familiar man. It

  took me a moment to place where I had seen the shock of brown hair and

  high, chiseled cheekbones before.

  The Vampire from my dreams.

  Only, just then, he appeared to be very very real. His eyelashes feathered

  against his cheeks, twigs of ebony. Even in sleep, his face was vulnerable and

  serene. He had no idea that a skilled assassin held a knife inches from his

  slumbering frame. It would be so easy to stick the knife into his heart, to end

  his life.

  But I couldn’t do it. It wasn’t just because he was sleeping, though I hated

  hurting people that couldn’t fight back, but because an innate voice within me

  rebelled at the idea of hurting him. I squeezed my eyelids shut, hoping that he

  was only a figment of my imagination, but one glance confirmed that he was,

  in fact, real. He let out a sigh of pleasure, burying his face further into my

  pillow with a sharp inhale.

  Damn it. Damn him. Damn myself for having a damn conscious.

  My heart warmed as I watched him. Almost instinctively, I moved to

  push a strand of hair behind his ear. I wondered if it would feel as soft as it

  looked.

  It did.

  He stirred at my touch, but didn’t wake. Despite this, I could’ve sworn I

  heard him mumble beneath his breath, “Mine.”

  Yours.

  With one last glance at the mysterious figure, I hurried out of my

  bedroom, being extra careful to shut the door quietly.

  What the hell was wrong with me? Not only was I allowing him to sleep

  in my room, but I was making his experience more comfortable? What was

  next? Foot massages?

  Mali had arrived at some point during my strange encounter with the

  Vampire and was deep in conversation with Diego. They both froze when

  they caught sight of me, Diego whistling appreciatively, and Mali blinking

  rapidly

  “Damn Z. You look hot.” Mali sounded honestly stunned, as if I had

  somehow transformed into an entirely different person.

  “Bitch, I was born flawless,” I responded, smirking.

  “If I was into girls, I would so tap that ass,” Diego teased. Dramatically

  tossing my hair over my shoulder, I winked at both of them.

  “My sexual prowess is out of this world.”

  “Take me to your spaceship,” flirted Diego, and I snorted at how bad of a

  pickup line that was.

  “Oh and by the way…” I grabbed my purse off of the desk, checking to

  make sure my knives were still inside. A girl could never be too prepared.

  “Which one of you guys let the Vampire sleep in my bed?”

  The expressions on their faces were priceless.

  Diego pointed to Mali at the same time she pointed at him. Rolling my

  eyes, I muttered, “Children.” Diego’s attempt to persuade me that he was all

  man was interrupted by a knock on the door.

  Mali’s nostrils flared, and her face paled drastically. Diego stood up

  straighter, a poor impersonation in my mind to resemble me. Nobody could

  do me like me and my badassery, but then again, I was kind of biased.

  “Stay behind me,” I whispered to Diego. If it was someone at the door

  attempting to harm “Z”, they would have to go through me and the many

  razor blades I kept hidden in my hair. Steeling myself, I opened the door with

  a ready, albeit fake, smile.

  The smile disappeared from my face when I took note of the two Shifters

  standing in the doorway. The Shifter prince and princess. Lupe and Atta. My

  eyes instantly roamed the impressive physique of the big man in front of me.

  I hated Shifters, hated them with a passion and intensity that went beyond

  anything normal, but yet I could only feel wave after wave of lust as I stared

  at him. The broad shoulders, clearly defined beneath his black suit jacket.

  The dusting of hair on his rounded jaw. The golden flecks in his eyes,

  highlighting the blond strands in his dark head of hair.

  I felt anger at my body for betraying me so easily. He was the son of the

  man responsible for human work camps all across the globe. He was

  inherently evil.

  But his warm smile was anything but evil.

  Mali appeared at my side, eyes locked on Atta.

  “What are you guys doing here?” she asked darkly, and I blanched at the

  venom in my best friend's voice. What had this girl done to make Mali so

  furious?

  I crossed my arms over my chest, and Lupe’s attention immediately

  drifted to my breasts straining against the purple fabric. I heated under his

  scrutiny, imagining his long tongue swirling over my nipples. His large hands

  cupping my ass as he hoisted me against a wall. Those plush lips ravaging

  me.

  And then I pictured Lupe on one side of me and Devlin on the other. Both

  of their lips touching every bare inch of my skin. My face flushed at the

  fantasy, and I quickly shook my head.

  Damn hormones.

  “We thought we would walk you to the dinner tonight,” Atta said

  cheerfully, eyes still fixated on Mali.

  Diego moved up behind us, bedecked in Z’s attire, and both Lupe and

  Atta narrowed their eyes at him. I could’ve sworn I saw jealousy burn in

  Lupe’s gaze. That jealousy only amplified when Diego placed a hand on my

  shoulder and gave it an encouraging squeeze.

  I couldn’t help but snort at Diego’s attempt to comfort me. He thought I

  was silent because of my hatred for Shifters, not because I was debating

  whether or not I wanted to jump one right then and there. If only he knew

  what a twisted bitch I actually was.

  “I need to go help set up,” Mali blurted, shouldering me out of her way.

  Without another word, she hurried in the direction I knew the kitchen to be.

  That lying bitch. I would torture the information out of her if I had to.

  Atta watched her go, lips t
urning downwards in what looked like

  disappointment. The truth hit me like a stack of bricks; I staggered in my

  heels, instinctively grabbing Lupe’s impressive bicep to keep myself steady.

  “Holy shit! Are you guys mates?” I hissed at Atta, nodding in the

  direction Mali had disappeared down. The blush reddening the Shifter

  princess’s face was the only indication I needed.

  Wow. That was...unexpected.

  I knew that Mali had dabbled with females in the past, but to discovered

  her mate was one must’ve been a shock. That little bitch hadn’t even

  bothered to tell me! It would explain her itchiness and irritation. What it

  didn’t explain, however, was the distaste in her eyes whenever she stared at

  Atta.

  I wondered if my own opinions of Shifters somehow tainted Mali’s

  feelings for Atta turning lust into fear and disgust. Guilt pierced my chest at

  the thought.

  There was a distinct difference between good and evil. I couldn’t help but

  recall Killian’s explanation of the various facets in nature. I knew I was being

  unfair towards both Atta and Lupe. They weren’t the same Shifters that had

  harmed me, killed S. I couldn’t group an entire species into one box because

  of my history with a few evil ones. That made me just as bad as them, the

  monsters I needed to stop.

  Taking a shuddering breath, I flashed Atta a soft smile.

  “I’m Zara. Mali’s best friend. A pleasure to meet you.” My hand couldn’t

  help but tremble as I extended it for her to shake. It had just occurred to me

  that this was the first time I had willingly touched a Shifter. Shock flickered

  across her features briefly. Just as quickly, a radiant smile blossomed on her

  face, and she shook my hand.

  “Atta. I am so happy to meet you. You are absolutely gorgeous. Is that

  weird to say? That’s weird, isn’t it?”

  “Atta, stop talking. Please,” Lupe said. He ruffled his sister’s flaming

  hair, and she swatted at his hand half-heartedly. Turning towards me, Lupe’s

  expression turned appraising. “I don’t believe we have been properly

  introduced. I’m Lupe.”

  “Zara.”

  This time, when I extended my hand, he bent down to press his lips

  against my knuckles. My skin tingled at the contact, especially when his large

  tongue moved to lick at his lips. What I wouldn’t give to have that tongue on