Only Vampires Cry Blood (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #3)(51)

I dropped the mental wall in my mind, letting him see and feel what I saw and felt.

My sexual awareness was instantly heightened. I concentrated on all of the emotion I felt for Shaz.

Arys didn't use words to communicate, but I could feel both his lust and his envy in response to what I showed him. He lingered in silence so long that I contemplated slamming my mental door on him. Before I could decide, I felt him slip away, leaving me alone again with my thoughts.

Even when trying to lose myself in my white wolf to escape Arys, I couldn't. My dark vampire always found me.

Chapter Thirteen

“Ok, spill it. I want to know everything, and I have been dying for this moment since I found you two all over each other.” Jez grinned before taking a sip from her fruity cocktail. “You were all over each other, weren't you? Because from the looks of that bite you had, you guys had something hot going on.”

“Sh!” I glanced around anxiously, fearful that we would be overheard. “I don’t want anyone to know about that. It was nothing.”

Jez raised a fine eyebrow and assessed me. “Right. It was nothing. Then tell me what happened. You can't withhold details like that. It’s not fair.”

I stirred the ice cubes in my drink with a straw and sighed. I’d known this interrogation was coming. I hadn’t anticipated that it would be in Lucy’s Lounge when Kylarai and Julian were at the bar ordering drinks.

“Jez, there has got to be a better time for this.” When she said nothing but stared with that feline expectance, I continued. “Kale was there during a hard time. I was upset because of Arys, and Kale was this source of comfort, of power. That’s all.”

She pursed her lips and studied me so hard I squirmed in my seat. “So you and Kale didn’t sleep together?”

I shook my head vehemently, my eyes straying to where Ky and Julian stood in line waiting. “No. Most definitely not.” I didn’t bother to add that if Jez herself hadn't interrupted, I likely would have. The thought both shamed and embarrassed me.

“Well, maybe you should bang Kale,” Jez said, catching me by surprise. “Lord knows the guy needs it. He is pretty hard up for you, and don't try to say that isn’t true.

You know damn well it is.”

I bit back the defensive retort that had been ready on the tip of my tongue.

“Whatever Kale feels for me, it’s all power based. And, that includes sexual attraction.”

Jez threw her head back and laughed. “Right. Whatever you say, Alexa.”

She flashed me a smile and a secretive wink that instantly raised my suspicions. Oh, I didn’t like that at all.

“Do you know something that I don’t?” I asked sharply. I loved the girl dearly, but she was a major gossip and enjoyed being in the know when others were out of the loop.

If she knew something, if Kale had confided in her, I wanted to know.

She shrugged and quickly looked down into her cocktail glass. She was so obviously hiding something. “I don’t know anything, just that maybe some things go deeper than power alone.”

“Did Kale tell you something, Jez?”

I knew she wanted to spill it. The need to tell was practically oozing off her. I waited, knowing she would break faster if I stopped pestering her. I continued to sip my drink as casually as I could muster, as if whatever she knew didn't really matter much.

“Ok,” she finally relented. “I already grilled Kale about you guys. He also said that you didn't sleep together. He then said it was none of my business.”

“Uh huh.” I nodded, impatience causing me to drain the last of my whiskey in one large gulp.

“But, he did add something.” She fiddled with the slice or orange adorning the side of her glass. I narrowed my eyes in annoyance. “He said that he didn't think he could ever sleep with you, even if it was just for kicks or for some power play. He said that if he did, he was sure he'd fall in love with you.”

I felt like I’d been hit over the head with a cast iron frying pan. The only thing missing was the sound of the impact reverberating in my ears. I looked to my empty glass for help. Damn, I needed a waitress. Stat!

No, no way in hell was Kale feeling things like that. I refused to accept it. I said as much, and Jez rolled her eyes at me. I grew frantic in my search for a waitress.

“Did you at least tell him how stupid that was? Or, that he was out of his mind, and no way in the world can he ever possibly have feelings like that for me?” I sounded desperate, and I grimaced.

Jez caught the eye of a passing waitress and beckoned her over. After we ordered another round, she turned to me. “You are nuts, you know that? You never just eat this stuff up. You always stress it.”

“Um, yeah. Of course. This isn't something to celebrate.”

“Well, you didn’t bang him yet, so who cares? Stop freaking out so much.” Jez’ eyes landed on someone behind me, and she lowered her voice. “Incoming.”

I busied myself by digging in my purse for cash as Kylarai and Julian took a seat at our table. Julian looked relatively uncomfortable, and I allowed myself a moment to enjoy that.

I was determined to have a relaxing evening with my friends, Julian excluded. The past couple nights had taken their toll on me. I chose an evening out at Lucy’s for a few reasons; one of them being that Shaz was there, even though he was working. Another was that I needed to occupy myself with something normal, something that didn't involve a trip to The Wicked Kiss or hunting and killing.