The Wicked Kiss (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #2)(20)

The words were so simply said, but their weight was enormous. I couldn’t breathe for a moment.

“And is that something you would want to do?” I asked the question gently, so he would see that I was just curious.

His penetrating blue eyes were wide with alarm. “I would ruin you.”

I swallowed hard and gathered my courage, daring to say what I was thinking. “What if it was the only way? If I were dying or something, or in danger … you’d never do it?

Despite the ways we’re already bonded so completely?”

The glare he flashed me stung, and I winced. Why was I asking these things?

“For vampires, the exchange of blood can be a symbol of love or even a matter of convenience. For the living, it is worse than a death sentence. Would you really want me to do that?”

“I want to know that you would do anything I needed you to do, if it was necessary.

If I asked it of you.”

Though I wanted to push my questions further, the pained mask he wore convinced me otherwise. The tense atmosphere was an indication that my musings were best left inside my head for now.

“Alexa, don’t ask me to choose your destiny. You are mortal, and wolf. I can’t take that away.”

“I’m not asking you to choose.” I met his gaze pleadingly, willing him to understand what I was asking and why. “I’m asking you to do something only you can if I ever request it.”

Not that I had any intention of sealing my fate so solidly. I was still absorbing the reality of what he’d just told me.

“Look, all you need to know is that I am devoted to you. But, please don’t ever ask that of me unless you are more certain than you ever have been about anything else in your life.” Arys’ lips moved softly against my ear as he gently kissed my lobe. “I don’t want to be the bad guy. Not with you.”

I couldn’t resist the smile that danced over my lips in response to his words. “Baby, you’re not nearly as bad as you think you are.”

I glanced up to find that his eyes were closed. It wouldn’t take him long to fall into a deep slumber. Vampires sleep like they truly are dead. Though there was no coffin for this bed-loving vamp, he was otherwise dead to the world until sundown.

“I have to go shopping for a costume for the Halloween party at Lucy’s Lounge,” I said, for no other reason than to see if he was still awake. Changing the subject right about now couldn’t hurt either.

When he didn’t answer right away, I thought he was out. A low chuckle rumbled in his chest, and he said sarcastically, “Pray tell, Alexa, what are you going to be for Halloween? A werewolf?”

“That’s not even worth dignifying with a response. There’s nothing wrong with dressing up for Halloween. It’s fun.” And, it reminds me of being a kid, I added silently.

“I suppose it is, when you haven’t suffered through as many as I have. They all start to blur together.”

His voice was lazy, and I knew he was drifting away. I reached up to gently grasp a handful of his silky, black hair. It slid through my fingers with a softness that created a warm tingle in my veins.

“It’s exciting to be a superhero or your favorite TV character. You know, dressing up in a way that you would never do otherwise.”

Arys stirred slightly as he turned towards me, his arm going around my waist possessively. “Like a Playboy bunny?” His tone was teasing, and I couldn’t help but giggle to myself at the incredible odds.

I snuggled in beside him and gave in to the fatigue that pulled at my eyelids. I had absolutely no intention of telling either Arys or Shaz just how alike they could be. I doubted that it would be very well received.

Chapter Five

It wasn’t all that often that Shaz managed to score two nights off in a row. As the best crowd-pleasing bartender in town, his employer’s hated having to let him escape their clutches at all. So, even though we had just spent the past two hours in a typical Hollywood chick flick that failed to impress me in any way, it was worth it because we were together.

On our drive into the city, I had told him about Harley. He’d pursed his lips and muttered obscenities about Arys, which had made me reluctant to tell him the rest, about the blood bond. However, he was my mate, my wolf’s other half, and so I had to spill it all.

The look of horror on his face had me rushing to assure him that the blood bond was not something I intended to enter. It was just a vampire thing that, shockingly, could be applied to mortals. There had been an anxious energy oozing from him since, and I almost wished I hadn’t told. Maybe it just wasn’t that important.

The heater was on in Shaz’ little Chevy. I angled the vents so that I could put my hands up to the warmth. We were heading out of the city, back to Stony Plain. I flipped down the visor so that I could check my makeup in the mirror. My careful black liner was just as it had been before I left the house.

“What are you looking at?” Shaz asked, a lazy smile tugging at his full lips. “You always look incredible.”

“Aww,” I blushed, grateful for the darkened interior. “That’s very sweet of you to say. It’s also a lie.”

“Like hell it is. I don’t know another woman that could rock those pants the way you do.” His attentive gaze momentarily left the road to rove over my tight, black leather.