The Wicked Kiss (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #2)(5)

Now that he was out of the bed, his presence seemed to grow. It was intimidating. I stood my ground when he came towards me, my pulse quickening in my veins.

“Why are you so nervous?” He asked softly, leaning in to reach behind me, to the hook on the back of the door where his finely pressed pants hung.

When he closed the short distance between us, I could feel the energy trickling from him to tickle me wherever it touched. I rubbed my arms but didn’t step away from him like I wanted to.

“Why do you think?” I looked up into his intense light and dark eyes, more than a little concerned. “You’re wired. Been doing a little binging, huh?”

Kale’s pupils were dilated. They shone with a strange, translucent shimmer. He made no attempt to get out of my personal space, and that instantly raised a red flag for me.

“I wouldn’t hurt you. You’re not food to me. You know I see you as an equal.” His words said one thing, but his actions said another. His clothing hung forgotten in one hand; his gaze transfixed on my throat, despite the choker I wore.

“Then why are you thinking about what I taste like, Kale? I think you need to take a step back.” I was careful not to move too much, cautious to avoid doing anything to set him off. I wanted so badly to gather the energy at my core in case I needed sudden defense, but if I did, he’d know.

He gave his dark head a slight shake before turning away from me. His energy grew strained; his sudden distress caused the power level in the room to rise further.

“Dammit, Jennifer! Get out of the bathroom and get out of here. I don’t have time for your dramatics right now.” I’d only heard that vehemence in his tone when we were hunting to kill.

I had a hard time believing he really found the awkward donor thing to be worth the hassle. It made me kind of glad that Arys frowned upon this lifestyle. I don’t think I could handle him becoming this involved with random women who were supposed to serve one purpose only.

When Kale glanced my way again, the shame was evident in his eyes. Maybe there was a really good reason he chose this way. I knew he’d been forced into a lot of things in the past, things that were beyond evil. I was clearly getting the feeling that there was much more to Kale’s preferences than I wanted to know. He was pushing it with this binging. It was junkie behavior and not at all healthy.

The angry sounds coming from the washroom filled the strange silence. Kale stood staring at the door as if he really didn’t know what to do with himself. He seemed to be fighting a battle within himself, one he was bound to lose, again. Perhaps that was it right there; he enjoyed the pleasure that came with giving in.

I could relate to that. After Arys and I had bonded our energy, we’d ended up sharing both our strengths and weaknesses. I’d slaughtered a man during a moment of uncontrollable bloodlust. There hadn’t been much left of him when I was done. Of all the things I’ve ever had to deal with, the affliction of the vampire’s hunger was the most terrifying.

Feeling odd, I cleared my throat. “Look Kale, just get dressed, and I’ll drive you home.”

He banged on the bathroom door, avoiding direct eye contact. “What about my car?”

As an afterthought he added, “It’s still out there, right?”

“Yeah, we’ll deal with it.”

The door to the bathroom swung open, and Jennifer strode out, a small overnight bag in her hand. “Have fun with your newest flavor, Kale. Don’t call me anymore. You’re much too back and forth for me. That’s not what I’m here for.”

Kale sighed but only muttered, “Good riddance.” I couldn’t help but wonder about the tension between them. I thought this was supposed to be some sort of business arrangement, like high-class prostitution.

The glare that Jennifer shot me was pure venom, and she even dared to go so far as to shoulder her way past me. I grabbed her elbow, reacting without thinking about it.

Before she could reach the door, I had her pressed up against it.

In one blink my brown eyes went from human to wolf and four sharp incisors filled my mouth, two on the top and bottom. I growled into her face, a jolt of excitement filling me as the fear rolled off her skin.

“I am not whoever or whatever you think I am. And, the next time you step out of line with me, consider yourself dead.” I smiled as I spoke. “Because I don’t stop at just a little.”

The color drained out of her face, and she nodded her head vigorously. Her eyes were wide with horror as she stared at my fangs. They were twice as long as any vampire’s, a good two inches or more. Vampire fangs are sharp and extend an inch or so longer than the rest of their teeth all the time. Mine only show up when the wolf comes out.

Jennifer didn’t dare squeak a word. Though I felt Kale’s high-strung energy behind me, he never moved to intervene. Smart vampire.

When I decided she knew I meant business, I let her go and stepped back. She stunk like wounded prey, and I wanted her to leave before any of Arys’ temptations got the better of me.

The door slammed in my face upon her hasty exit, and I physically had to resist the instinctual urge to follow her. My body hummed with energy that was quickly growing.

I’d need a release soon, like the impact of a good chase, or risk the consequences of building up too much, too fast. Ten deep breaths didn’t make me feel much better.

“I am not prey in this place. Don’t ever compare me to humans that ask for it again.”