Freak Show (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #7)(50)

“And here I thought you called because you cared,” I said, using snide derision to cover up my hurt.

“Oh, but I do care. In fact, I care so much for you, Alexa, that I dusted a vampire to defend your baby sister’s honor when she passed through looking for you.”

That raised a red flag. A lump formed in my throat, and I swallowed hard. “Don’t touch my sister, Kale. I know you want to get to me and make me take you out, but that is not the way to do it.” As much as I tried to stay calm, I was sure he could hear the panic in my voice. I wasn’t sure how much more I could take. Vampires were going to be my undoing. Sometimes all I wanted was to go back to the days of just being wolf. The days when I hunted vampires, before I knew I would be one of them.

“I’m hurt that you would immediately jump to such a conclusion,” he said with feigned emotion. Like flipping a switch, his tone changed, becoming serious and sobered. “I said I’d make you crazy. I never said I would break your heart.” His words were like a dagger, sharp and slicing deep. I never knew what to expect from him anymore. Such a declaration wasn’t it.

I opened my mouth to say something, anything, to maybe apologize or plead my case. I didn’t know. He never gave me the chance.

“I’m glad you made it through the night in one piece,” he continued. “You sound tired. Go get some rest.”

He hung up, saving me from having to form words. It was starting to grow harder to recall when we last had a normal conversation. One of these days, I would let myself mourn the loss of what had never been and never could be. Maybe.

A shriek rang out, quickly silenced by a hungry vampire. A tremor rocked me. The tantric pull of incubus energy caused me to break out in goose bumps. I turned on the shower, ignoring the urge to go out there and throw myself into the sex-charged bloodletting.

The hot spray felt heavenly. Shoving all thought aside, I washed my hair and scrubbed my skin clean. More than once, emotion threatened to overwhelm me. I crammed it back down to the depths it had risen from. I stood in the steamy water long after I’d finished washing up. I wasn’t ready to get out and face reality yet.

The bathroom door opened, and Arys slipped inside. He wasted no time shedding his clothing. The large black dragon on his back drew my gaze. I scowled. I detested the constant reminders we both bore of Shya’s influence in our lives.

Nonetheless, I drank in the sight of his hard body. The large stake scar was no longer visible. His skin was flawless, without any sign of the abuse he’d endured. He hummed with renewed energy.

Arys’s skin was warm when he joined me in the shower. Pulling me into his arms, he murmured, “I need to feel you.”

Throwing my arms around his neck, I kissed him with a sudden yearning intensity. He tasted like blood. “You scared the hell out of me. Don’t ever do that again. You can’t shut me out. I still found you.”

He buried his face in my neck and inhaled my scent. His arms tightened around my waist. “I didn’t want to hurt you. We still don’t know every aspect of our link. I was terrified if I’d died, then it would take you with me.”

That hadn’t crossed my mind when Jez and I had been rushing out of the city in search of him. It was a chilling possibility. As rare as twin flames were, we had no way of knowing for sure how the death of one twin would affect the other. Especially considering Arys had died a human death long before I’d ever been born. Based on the yin yang theory that bound our power, we could only exist together by maintaining a balance. However, we were two separate beings born at very different times.

“Promise me you won’t do that again,” I insisted, sliding a hand up into his wet hair. A shudder racked me as Arys gently pushed healing energy through me. I wasn’t in bad shape physically though it did wonders to help my metaphysical weakness.

“I promise.” The hot caress of his lips on my skin freed me from the chains of fear and worry. His erection pressed against me, thick and ready. “Oh God, how I need you.”

His hands found my br**sts. I made a small noise of contentment when he rubbed my ni**les into taut points. Comfort was temporary but necessary. I needed him too.

It felt so good to put my hands on Arys. When I left his side back at The Wicked Kiss, I hadn’t ever really believed I wouldn’t see him again. Now that I was standing there with him, it started to sink in. We had come so close to being parted.

I kissed him again. Slow and sensual, our tongues entangled in an erotic dance. Things were bad, damn bad, but I was starting to get used to that feeling. Only moments like this would keep me sane, so I threw myself into loving my dark vampire.

Arys slid a hand between my legs. He stroked me with a finger, knowing exactly how I liked to be touched. A shock of pleasure slammed through me.

Every place our slippery, wet skin made contact created another spark. We were soon alight with the fire that united us.

Arys lifted my leg, hooking it over his forearm. He positioned himself so that he held my weight as he thrust inside me. The shower tile was cool against my back. The hot water cascaded over us, plastering my hair to my face. He pushed it aside with a gentle hand. Our eyes locked, and the heat between us grew as if we’d thrown gasoline on the flames of our passion. Every stroke of his rigid length coaxed a small sound of delight from me.

It didn’t take long for the steady push and pull of rising power to restore my strength. Feeding off our lovemaking wasn’t new for either of us. It was a fantastic way to build and devour much needed energy. And it was a hell of a lot of fun too.