Only Vampires Cry Blood (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #3)(36)

“Kale,” I growled. “What the f**k? Can't a girl have a little fun?”

He swore softly, a string of curse words strung together into one. “I hate it when you're all vamped up like this. And, you are totally drunk. You reek like booze.”

“I am not drunk.” I was vehement despite the fact that I tripped over my own feet trying to keep up with him. Maybe I'd had more than I thought.

I let him guide me, leaning on him for support as I licked the bloody smears from my fingertips. It was such a tease. Kale looked down at me from his tall frame, a pained look crossing his face. His car was parked at the end of the street, and I protested when he opened the door and gently shoved me inside.

“I can't leave my car, Kale. And, where the hell are you taking me anyway? Please say it's to kill something.”

When we were both seated in the dark confines of his classic car, he faced me. “You should have called me before coming here. You could have killed that guy. Don't you think at some point someone would have noticed you tearing him to shreds?”

I didn't respond. Instead, I slowly licked the last of the blood from my fingers. Kale watched me pensively, and I knew that he was enticed. I was so wicked in this frame of mind and knowing that didn't change a damn thing. Overcome with bloodlust, pain and the way Kale's eternally hungry power called to me, I was merely reacting. Thinking had gone out the window.

“Oh so what?” I replied flippantly. “After the night I've had, a little fun is in order.”

“Good Lord, you're out of your mind.” Kale started the car and pulled into traffic.

“You need to sober up, in more ways than one from the looks of it.”

“And, I'll bet you're just the guy to help me out with that, aren't you?”

“You are so lucky that I fed tonight. I took care of that long before you arrived at the Kiss. It's going to take a lot more than batting your pretty eyes to get to me.”

I grinned, loving the challenge I heard in his voice. “Oh yeah? How much more?”

“Not funny, Alexa. This madness, this whole strange thing between us, it's got to stop.” He eased the car to a stop at a red light and fixed me with a serious gaze. “I'm here because I care about you, and you're going to get yourself into a lot of trouble out here alone. But, we have our own unspoken issues, and sooner or later, they're going to spiral out of control.”

I pondered this, but in my drunken, Arys-influenced state, I just found it funny. The seriousness all over Kale's face got me giggling like a first time drunk. I sucked the tip of a clawed nail, delighting in the trace of blood caught beneath it.

“I need to kill something, Kale. You know exactly what that feels like. This night has been a bust, and I don't really f**king care anymore.”

“That's the bloodlust talking not you.” The traffic light changed, and we started moving again. There was no sign of the man I'd attacked anywhere.

“So, where are we going? You won't let me kill anything so this had better be good.”

I savored the taste of human blood on my tongue, aching for more. My actions tonight had proved Harley right already. I needed to accept the bloodlust as a part of me that wasn't going away.

“We're going for a drive. Maybe a walk down by the river. And, if I have to, I'll give you my own blood to bring you back down to earth.”

That got my attention and brought an evil grin to my lips. “Um, what? Have you lost your mind? You know that's a sure fire way to cross the line of our issues. Don't you think?” The thought of Kale's blood dripping onto my tongue was powerful enough to flood me with an erotic heat. I actually had to crack the window open to let the winter air cool me.

Ignoring my words, he changed the subject entirely. “Tell me about Arys. What happened with him tonight?”

I groaned and ran a hand through my hair. I didn't want to think about it but talking about it was the safest bet for me right then. The memory of tasting Kale's blood during an intense and unexpected kiss was still as vibrant and fresh as if it had been yesterday rather than months ago. No, that had to be avoided at all costs.

After stopping by an all night drive-thru to get me a coffee, Kale parked at a nice spot overlooking the river. From our location, we could see the lights from the vehicles on the bridges that spanned the rushing water, joining one side of the city to the other. I missed the stars. I knew they'd be visible in Stony. There were many reasons why I didn't live in a major city, but nature had to be the main one.

Kale listened attentively as I recounted my whole night, including my visit with Harley. Not only did I tell him about the argument with Arys, I even confided the things I'd seen in Arys' thoughts and actions.

It was easy to talk to Kale. He was neither my lover nor one of my girlfriends and that put him in a totally different category. I never worried about his reaction or opinions the way I did with the others that were close to me. Strangely, by the time I'd finished, I felt at ease with the many things roiling about inside me.

“You are not a naïve idiot, and you know it,” he admonished once I'd finished speaking. “You are young and mortal. That's different. This is just the beginning for you.”

“Not if Arys kills me like he apparently wants to.” The bitterness was heavy in my tone. “Talk about sleeping with the enemy.”