Gypsy Freak (All The Pretty Monsters #2)(20)
I’m clutching a psychotic vampire to keep him from tearing apart a rabid wolf, while wearing the sheet from a Van Helsing’s bed, and the jacket of Damien Morpheous. Just a typical…whatever day this is.
I really miss Anna right now.
“Stop!” I shout, causing Emit to snarl at me. “Please stop. You’re hurt and bleeding, and I don’t have on my bra to help you,” I go on.
I think that’s the wolf version of a confused expression on his face.
He glances from me to Arion, and takes another step before growling louder.
“Relax. Violet and I made introductions not long ago at all,” Arion states, sliding his hand down my back and stopping just above my ass as he smirks. “Though it smells like she and Vance have made much more fun introductions even more recently.”
“It was a sight to behold,” Damien adds with a smirk, as I try to pinpoint exactly how searching for my mother’s death spot landed me in this position.
When Arion sniffs my neck, I go stiff. “You do smell prettier when you’ve been pleasured,” Arion goes on, gripping me tighter.
Shera steps out, licking blood from her fingertips, and she winks at me.
How did I forget that she kidnapped me?
Emit’s wolf begins to pace, as the fur slowly starts to recede. It’s not a pretty process to watch him turn from wolf to man, but it’s like a gory train wreck you can’t help but stare at with curious fascination.
As the fur is replaced by fleshy skin through a rapid transformation, he stands from his crouch, lips curled back as his claws stay out. “Let her go,” he says in a raw, animalistic tone that is quite terrifying.
I feel Arion’s grin against my neck as he places a small kiss there. Gently, he lowers me to my feet and pats me on the ass like I’m a good girl.
“Sure. So long as she accompanies me to my Welcome Home party tomorrow, she can even leave with you and tend to those nasty wounds.”
Emit starts growling again, and Damien sighs dramatically. “You’ve lost tonight, mate. Try again on another,” he tells Emit.
Emit, very naked and cut up all to hell, reaches out his hand, gesturing for me. Arion leans over to my ear, “I’ll pick you up tomorrow at seven.”
“No,” I say while turning and glaring at him.
He just grins at me. “Then I’ll kill the rest of the wolves here myself, before putting him underground.”
He turns like he’s about to do just that, and I grab his hand. His claws retract immediately, like he’s careful not to cut me, which is slightly reassuring.
He turns a cocky, expectant look toward me. “Fine,” I bite out. “Seven, and no one else gets hurt tonight.”
Emit turns and stalks toward the front where it sounds like the battle has ceased. His wolves retreat when he makes some sort of howl in the air, though they sound extremely pissed about it.
Arion thumbs my chin, and then he’s gone, a ghost of a tremble left in his wake.
“Hard to fight someone who moves that quickly, eh?” Damien asks Emit’s back.
Emit tenses, looks back at me, shakes his head, and walks away again.
Damien comes to lift me from the ground, but I bat his hands away, determined to walk on my own, despite the deeper snow back here.
“I think I just agreed to a date with a psychotic vampire,” I grumble as Damien grins.
“I bet I seem like the much lesser threat at this particular moment. It might not be so bad having a creepy guy hanging around who can move quickly and hide you from sight.”
I start to tell him something…but forget what…it is…
Shaking out of my foggy thoughts, I follow him to his vehicle, where he opens the passenger side door for me.
I say nothing as we follow the running wolves toward Emit’s home, since every time I try to talk about things pertaining to Arion, my mind seems to fog, and the memories start to slip.
I don’t want to forget everything again, so I keep my mouth shut.
When we pull up to Emit’s house, Damien just sits still. “Are you not going in?”
“To watch you nurse the wolf? No thank you. If you plan to fuck the wolf, though, please give me a call. Otherwise, I have business to attend to that involves Dorian’s loose turner.”
“What?” I ask incredulously.
“Another problem that’s fortunately in no way yours. In fact, I never want you around Dorian.”
I turn in my seat to face him, my lips pursing.
“Why?”
It’s unnerving how gorgeous he is and how complex he is. One second I hate him, and the next I feel safe with him. Which is weird, since he’s the one who took me to a vampire and werewolf battle like he thought it was an excellent plan.
“Because, unlike me, he’s quite charming all the time. I’m a little out of practice,” he tells me, leaving it at that. “And he’s quite possibly the only person I genuinely hate with every fiber in my body,” he adds like that’s important.
“Well, I think one Morpheous stalker is plenty, so no worries,” I tell him as I push out the door.
He grabs my hand, pulling me back, and I watch as he stares at me.
“I’m rather serious. Dorian is an unforgiveable boundary of mine.”
Instead of asking why, I just keep staring at him. After a few beats of silent pause, he finally decides to elaborate without me prompting him to do so.