Only Vampires Cry Blood (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #3)(74)

Harley’s death haunted me. It lingered like a bad scent or a painful memory. I couldn’t escape it because it had cost me Arys.

“Let’s go for drinks.” Jez approached, a bloody stake in her hand. “I’m buying.”

It was tempting. Drowning my sorrows in a bottle of whiskey was right up my alley.

It was also false comfort. Still, Shaz was working his last night at Lucy’s Lounge, and my house was empty. Why not?

“What did you have in mind?” I looked from Jez to Kale, an eyebrow raised in expectation.

“Let’s hit the casino for shits and giggles. I bet Kale can find himself a drunken young thing to play with. We’ll get loaded, win some or lose some, and wake up with a hell of a hangover.” Jez put her arm around me, steering me toward Kale’s Camaro at the end of the block.

Two hours later, I’d lost two hundred bucks and won a pathetic twenty. It wasn’t looking good for me. I allowed Jez to drag me from the slot machines to the craps table. I followed her lead, having no idea of what I was doing. My biggest concern at that point was the waitress and my next drink.

I watched as Jez won more money than I’d even dared to gamble. Kale lingered near the blackjack table, occasionally trying his hand. He didn’t seem to be doing any better than I was. I became convinced that Jez was stealing our thunder.

She was so caught up in her winning streak, she didn’t even notice when we took our leave from gambling and moved to watch the cover band that played a series of top 40

songs. I certainly had no problem letting her foot the bill for the evening. Even though a part of me couldn’t stop thinking about Arys, wondering where he was and what he was doing, I felt content to be out with my friends attempting to have a good time.

I was more than a little tipsy but not to the point of raging drunk. I let Kale order me another drink as we listened to the clang of slot machines all around us. The flashing lights and loud people were both annoying and welcome.

“So,” Kale began after a few minutes had passed. “How are you really doing?

You’re so good at putting up a strong front, but you can’t be without feeling.”

“I’m existing.” I heard the words spoken in my voice, but they didn’t feel like mine.

“Does it hurt that Arys is MIA? Hell yeah. But, can I do anything about it? No. He’ll come around when he’s ready or maybe he won’t and that’s that. It’s over.”

Kale leaned closer so as not to have to raise his voice quite so loudly over the music.

His scent filled me, but my wolf lay quiet, taking no interest in him. It was always the vampire coiled like a snake in my soul that thrilled at Kale’s close proximity. I sighed and ignored the unbidden thoughts that danced in my head.

“Arys left town over a week ago. Please tell me you had some idea. I don’t want to be the first to tell you.”

I met Kale’s eyes, finding sympathy and hating it. I wasn’t an emotional charity case.

I searched the dance floor before us, watching a young couple gyrate to a recent hit song.

Anything to divert my attention from that look Kale was giving me.

Of course, I hadn’t known Arys skipped town, but the thought had occurred to me many times. Shaz had tried to assure me the vampire wouldn’t do that, but I knew his reassurance was false, as had he.

“I’ve had my suspicions, but you’ve just confirmed it for me.” I cast a sidelong glance at my vampire companion then. “Funny how you and Arys rarely interact, and yet you know so much about each other.”

“Oh?” Kale raised a brow, looking uncertain. “Why do you say that?”

I thought back to Arys telling me that Kale was in love with me. He’d been so sure of it. I debated keeping it to myself. Kale was family though. We definitely had our odd moments. Good Lord, he’d almost screwed me on my own desk, but he was a true friend regardless of anything else. I knew that.

“He told me that you’re in love with me.” I forced myself to meet his eyes when I said it. I felt the blush that stole over me, my cheeks growing hot. I didn’t say another word about it, simply left that statement to linger between us amid the constant clang of jackpots being won and money being dropped into slots.

Kale’s gaze dropped, and it was in his sudden inability to look me in the eyes that I knew Arys had been right.

The band came to the end of a fast song, launching into a slower melody that had dancers coupling up. I was vaguely reminded of school dances back in junior high. A song like this would drive girls and boys to the opposite sides of the gym. It was so different in adulthood.

The warmth of Kale’s hand was startling as he slipped his fingers between mine. He said nothing, merely flashed me a soft smile and tugged me onto the dance floor. I barely had time to abandon my drink before he pulled me into his arms.

I felt awkward in his embrace. I couldn’t find my rhythm, and I felt like a total fool stumbling along with him. He held me so that our bodies touched, and I cringed when my heart raced, knowing he would sense it.

Drawing my arms up around his neck, he leaned close and murmured, “Relax.”

Calm swept through me, followed by the awareness that he was doing it, manipulating my energy with his. Gradually, I began to move with him to the music in a fluid, natural motion. Kale’s energy taunted me, enticing my hunger for his power as it often did. I had more control now. It tempted, but it didn’t command my attention.