Fear the Wicked (Illusions Series Book 2)(6)

A bark of laughter escaped his lungs. "Yeah, I've heard what you're doing in there. You scared the crap out of Tracy's friend."

I didn't know who Tracy was, and I didn't know the name of her friend. But I could say that if either of them had been in my room since the time I moved in with Alan, they were just more woman within a sea of faces.

He must have picked up on my thoughts. "Elena? Blonde with big-" He held his hands up to his chest, his lips stretched into a grin. "If she wasn't Tracy's best pal, I would have dragged her into my bed a long time ago."

A brow arched over my eye. "I'm surprised you're sticking to one woman at a time. That wasn't like you in college."

"And I'm surprised you became a priest," he responded, his hand running through his shaggy blond hair as he leaned back in his seat. After taking another swallow of his beer, he dropped the weight of the glass onto the table. The beer sloshed up to spill over the rim.

Without looking at me, he lowered his voice and asked, "Was it because of Cassandra?"

Hearing the name drove a spike of anger down my spine. Cassandra was one of the last people I wanted to discuss. "Tell your friend if she has an issue with me than she should stay the fuck away."

Another burst of laughter shook his shoulders. "I'm not saying she's complaining. Just that you scared her."

"I have to piss," I said, not concerned with the pathetic concerns of a prissy bitch who liked to dabble with a man such as me.

Alan watched as I walked away, his face blending into the crowded bar as I wove my way around different groups standing between our table and the back hallway. I'd almost made it into the dimly, lit space leading to the bathroom when a hand landed on my shoulder.

Pivoting on my heel, I clenched my fist before meeting the stare of a red headed woman.

"Hey," she called out over the loud music. Playing it off, she feigned surprise, her green eyes widening subtly. "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else."

She was lying.

But even still, the room spun around me, memories creeping in that dragged me back to a small parish in the middle of nowhere - to green eyes that had mistaken me for someone else and had ended up flat and lifeless as a result.

I fought to push them away.

"No problem," I answered before brushing her hold off my shoulder and stepping toward the hall.

Before I could go far, she called out, "My name is Kristen, by the way."

Like I gave a damn about her name.

The shadows of the hall wrapped around me as soon as I turned the corner. I'd almost reached the men's room door, when the same voice called out again. "You know, it's polite to tell a person your name when they tell you theirs."

I stopped, not bothering to turn back and look at the woman. "I didn't ask you for your name."

"But I gave it to you anyway. How does that make you feel?"

She was just flirting, just toying with a man she found attractive on her night out. It was only fair to warn her.

"You don't want to know me. I can promise you that."

"Yet, here I am."

Glancing at her from over my shoulder, I cocked a brow and looked her up and down. Beneath the long red hair, her face was unmarked by lines of age. I guessed her for twenty-one, twenty-three at most. Not as young as Eve, but still just as stupid.

Narrow shoulders led down to a decent sized chest, the upper swells peeking out from above the tiny blue shirt that hid nothing. Her stomach was flat, her hips rounded, her shapely legs sculpted by the tight jeans she wore. It was obvious she hadn't worn a bra. I wondered if she’d even bothered with panties.

Regardless of the tight body that called to the carnal parts of any man, it was her hair that caught my attention. The same color as Annabelle's, it had more of a wave, but the length was just the same. I smiled at the whispered thoughts running through my head.

"You should be careful of who you tease, Kristen. You never know what kind of man you're facing."

I gave her the warning nobody had ever thought to give Annabelle.

Her gaze studied my body as thoroughly as mine had studied hers. "You look like the type I'm after."

A grin stretched my lips. "What kind is that?"

A full mouth parted, white teeth barely visible beneath the scarlet lipstick she wore. "The kind that can show a girl a good time."

Turning fully, I checked the hall to ensure we were alone. Not another soul existed within the shadowed interior. With one measured step toward the woman staring me down, I was damn close to being on top of her. She had as much intelligence as she did sense of personal space.

Maybe it was the look in my eyes, or maybe it was the malicious energy rolling off me, but she understood then that she was locked down by the attention of a predator. Taking a step back, she smiled hesitantly.

I closed the distance and laughed softly when her back hit a wall.

Canting my head to the side, I kept my eyes trained on hers.

Speckled within the soft green were flecks of brown. Not exactly like Eve's had been, but close enough. My voice was a bare whisper, just loud enough to be heard over the echo of music rolling down the hall. "What do you consider a good time?"

My fingers trailed up her arm. Goosebumps broke over her flesh, her wide eyes rounding. Brushing my thumb over the side of her breast, I looked down to see her nipple beading beneath her shirt.