Immortal Craving: Immortal Heart (13 page)

Kat lowered the blinds in the apartment. Jake had already excused himself. He seemed to lighten up while they were at
McIntyre’s.
She swore she even saw him smile once or twice while she was out on the dance floor with Matt.

The human had gotten a little
handsy and once that happened, Kale was right next to her telling her it was time to go. She didn’t mind, though she was still tired and they were only a few hours from daylight.

Kat watched Kale as he paced the private balcony. She noted the solid, long gait that was his standard, confident stride; his muscles flexed under his fitted, dark jeans and T-shirt with lithe perfection. The sculpted mounds of his ass had always been one of the many
part of his body she’d loved digging her nails into. As if he sensed her watching, Kale turned towards her, an arrogant smirk lifting his lips as he strode towards her and back into the apartment.

“Something on your mind, Kat?”
Kale asked as he came in from the balcony. He’d been on the phone off and on ever since they left the bar.

She smiled at him, hitting a button on the remote that corresponded with the blinds that fell between the panes in the balconies French doors.

“What did Lucas have to say?”

“He can’t trace her phone.”

“Why not?” Kat asked.

Kale shrugged. “It’s probably turned off, but what we do know is she isn’t here so there’s no reason for us to be. It would be helpful if we could leave
sooner rather than wait until sundown to head out.”

“Do we have any options for getting Jake out of here during daylight?”

Kale smiled. “As a matter of fact, we do. We won’t be travelling in style but it’ll be safe for your boy.”

“Is it really that hard for you to call him by his name?” Kat asked, a bite of exasperation bleeding into her tone.

“Why does it bother you, Kat? He is your boy, right? He’s the one you want to leave with once we’re done with all of this.” Kale wasn’t being cruel; he wasn’t angry or attacking her request to disappear once she’d fulfilled her usefulness.

“He’s my best friend. He’s taken care of me and he sacrificed his freedom for my own. He’s important to me, Kale.
Will you please try… just try to be respectful and courteous to him.”

Kale tilted his head and smiled at her. It wasn’t sarcastic or laconic—it was simply a genuine Kale smile.

“I’ll try,” he conceded. “You should get some sleep. Our transportation will be here around ten.” Kale lifted his gaze to the digital numbers on the microwave. “That gives you… oh about six hours. Use them wisely, little Succubus.”

“Good night, Kale.”

Kale grinned and watched her hips sway down the hall towards her room.

Kat smiled as she closed her bedroom door. Leaning her forehead against the cool wood, she took a deep breath.

****

“That looks like something the FBI would use to transport prisoners,” Kat noted as they approached the shiny black van Kale had acquired for their road trip.

“Something
like that,” Kale mused. He opened the back doors and smiled at Jake. “It’s light tight, though.”

Jake gave the interior a quick once over. It looked more comfortable than what the humans would use to transport their criminals. It held two long, cushioned benches against windowless sides.

“This will work,” Jake said, climbing into the back. Once inside, he noticed a small, black two-way radio.

Kale smiled when Jake looked at him questioningly. “In case you need something. We can’t open the window.” Kale gestured to a square covered with blackout fabric and duct tape that apparently hid a window between the
back seating area and the cab of the van. “So you’ll have to use the radio to communicate,” he clarified and tossed their bags in back with him. “Are we ready to go?” he asked, looking between Kat and Jake.

Kat looked unsure as she eyed Jake in the back. “Do you want me to sit back here with you,
Jakey?”

Jake shook his head. “Nope, I’m going to try and catch up on some shuteye.”

“Alright, if you’re sure,” she said.

“I am, now let’s
get out of here and get this over with.”

Kale shut Jake in back, walked to Kat’s side, and opened her door.

“Thanks,” she said softly and slid into her seat. Kale dipped his chin and closed her door as she pulled her seat belt over her shoulder and locked herself into her seat.

“So where are we headed?” she finally asked as they pulled out of the underground parking facility.

Kale smiled a Cheshire grin at her that spoke volumes of the trouble she’d just settled into.

“Kale?” she drew his name out. “Where are we going?”

“We’re heading to Nevada.”

“Where in Nevada?”

“We’re heading to
Vegas
,” he said excitedly.

Kat returned Kale’s grin. Vegas
was one place she’d dreamed of visiting since she found herself living in the Human World. And she was hoping that they could have a little fun while they were there.

A thought struck her. “Does Hawk’s Eye keep an apartment in Vegas?”

Kale shook his head. “Nope, we sure don’t.”

“Where will be staying?” Kat asked.

“Somewhere on the strip.”

“Where on the strip?” she
asked, a little exasperated.

“I’d tell you but it’s nowhere you would have heard of.”

“Really? Now I’m even more curious.”

“You’ll just have to wait, but I promise it won’t disappoint.” He gave her sidelong glance, his face still stretched into that infectious grin.

Kat tried to hide her smile but she had to admit that while they were headed there to find Brie—because she was killing people—she was still excited to see the city. She had a feeling pictures just couldn’t do it justice.

The nine-hour drive put them there near dusk. Thankfully, Kale was able to pull into another underground parking garage. Kat knew that Jake’s
aversion
to the sun was problematic at times, but she wouldn’t admit to Kale that it made things hard for her from time to time. It didn’t matter to her—she would have sat in the cab of the van and waited for nightfall before ever leaving him behind.

“Ok, so you were right,” Kat said as they got out of the van. “I have no idea where we are.”

She’d eyed the storefront of the two-story building they’d pulled under. It was a pretty basic-looking novelty store that boasted a large closed sign.

“We,” he said, pulling open the doors to the back of the van, “are at Desert Brew.”

“Never heard of it,” Jake said, jumping from the back.

“That’s because it’s an exclusive resort,” Kale said, grabbing his and Kat’s bags.

“And you and the brothers are members?” Kat asked as they walked to the elevator.

“
Somethin’ like that,” Kale said smiling, and then hit the ‘L’ button for the lobby.

The doors opened into something of a garden oasis. It was Grecian in style, with large marble statues, indoor fountains, high ceilings with massive chandeliers that looked like they held thousands of candles, and light, venetian-plastered walls. The front of the
building had dark tinted windows that kept the setting desert sun from threatening Jake.

“Hello, Kale.” A very pretty Elf rushed from behind the front counter, her deep brown eyes wide and happy.

She threw her long, slender arms around him as Kale dropped their bags to wrap his arms around her petite waist.

She brushed her honey-colored locks from her face when she let go of him and smiled.

“Sorry,” she said as light, rosy flush colored her cheeks. “That was unprofessional.”

Kale laughed. “You don’t have to be professional with me, Cass. We’re past that.”

Cass
—so that was the pretty Elf’s name—laughed lightly. “I suppose we are. Who’ve you brought with you?”

Kale raised a brow at Kat. She was sure she was glowering at the very beautiful Elf who had one of her hands resting on Kale’s forearm. She may be fighting her body’s call for Kale, but the Succubus within her wanted to break the other woman’s fingers as they wrapped gently around Kales muscled arm.

“Cass, this is Kat and Jake,” Kale introduced them.

The Elf stuck her free hand out to them, her smile wide. “It’s so nice to meet you. I’m the manager here at Desert Brew.” She looked back to Kale. “Your rooms are ready.”

“Rooms?” Jake asked, obviously surprised they weren’t staying in some suite that forced them to all be together.

Kale smirked. “Sort of—she means the penthouse is ready.”

Kat and Jake both snorted.

“It’s quite beautiful, luxurious actually,” Cass assured them.

“I bet,” Kat quipped. “So tell me—how did an Elf get a job at a Vegas resort?”

Cass smiled at Kat and then looked to Kale. “She doesn’t know what this place is, does she?”

Kale shook his head.

“Desert Brew sits on a strictly monitored Middle World Portal—everyone here is Light
Fae. The Light encourages and supports our people’s desire to experience the Human World.”

Kat and Jake both did a visual sweep of the room… there were probably twenty or so people milling around and not a single one was human. There were other Elves, a pair of
Valkyries, Fairies, Nymphs, Casters, Imps and… others she had no idea what they were. They confused her senses and her vision seemed to waver the longer she tried to stare at them in an effort to determine what kind of Fae she was looking at.

“What are they?” Kat asked as she blinked against her blurred vision.

Kale followed her batting gaze and smiled. “That would a group of young
Sprites.
”

Both Jake and Kats gazes flew to Kale. “They don’t look like any Sprites I’ve ever seen,” Jake noted in a thoughtful tone.

“What kind of Sprites are they?” Kat asked.

Kat couldn’t see through the magic that had been cast over them. Desert Brew employed multi-talented Casters; some to keep the spell around the building in place and others to help their
more obvious guests blend in with the humans. Kale could see through the magic that cloaked the Sprites, but he could also see what they would look like to the people outside the walls of Desert Brew. Their resort really was full-service.

“The two females are Flower Sprites and the two males are Fire Sprites.”

Kale had a soft spot for the small Fire Sprites. They controlled the unpredictable element just as he did. They also left orange smoke in the wake of their wings of flame. The flower Sprites were more delicate, with petal-like wings and soft, pastel-colored hair and dust that followed them when they flew.

Kat shook her head in awe. “All I see is a group of blurry teenagers.”

“That’s the goal—well, aside from the blurry part—though the humans will see them as your everyday, average vacationers,” a soft voice commented.

Kat turned slowly as Kale bent slightly at his waist and every other creature within the spelled room followed suit.

“Kale, stand up straight. You know I hate when you slouch,” Rowan joked as she took Kale in her arms for a quick hug.

She may be their queen but she never liked it when her warriors, who were more her brothers, treated her as anything other than family.

Kale smiled like a dopey little kid… Kat recognized the look as that of a man who loved and respected the one who ruled over him and his people.

“What are you doing here?” Kale asked.

Rowan smiled and shook her head in what Kat thought might have been mirth.

“I had to come see it all for myself.” She eyed Kat briefly, her smile turning to something of regret and sorrow… maybe even pity. “My warriors tell me we may have been harboring ill will to the wrong
Fae. I am sorry we accepted what Darion told us as truth. I hope you will come to believe me when I say regardless as to what Darion said you had done, if I, if any of us, had known you were still alive, we would have fought for you.”

Kat nodded. “Thank you?” It came out sounding like a question.

Rowan’s smile shifted slightly, taking on what could only be described as shrewd. “Yes, well, even if it would have only been to bring you to our lands and decide our own form of justice.”

Kat’s brows pinched together and Kale had a surprised and unsure look on his face.

“She means had you not been able to convince us of your innocence,” Cree added, sneaking up on their small group.

Rowan dropped her shrewd smile then, almost shaking herself from whatever had just passed over her. “Yes, of course, and with the
Fae that we employ, I believe we would have found the truth as it is now known.”

Kale nodded. Jake relaxed a fraction next to Kat as she allowed a mask of indifference to slide over her pretty features.

“So, not that I’m not happy to see the both of you,” Kale said, turning to Cree, “but what’s going on? Why are you here?”

Cree sighed. “We’re here for Kat’s meeting with Rowan.
Lothar told me about Kat’s demands for helping us and Rowan felt it was only right for her to know what future lies in front of her once this business with Brie is settled.”

Fear flicked across Kat’s face though she masked it quickly.

“May we use your office, Cass?” Rowan asked.

Cass nodded. “Of course, right this way.”

Rowan smiled at Cree. “Why don’t you and Kale take this opportunity to catch up?”

Kale and Cree both narrowed their eyes, both finding discomfort in Rowan’s request, though for very different reasons.

Cree gave in to Rowan’s very obvious, don’t-argue-with-me stare. “Fine, but Jake stays with us.”

Jake began to argue but Kat grasped his arm and shook her head. “It’s fine. I’ll see you guys in a little bit.”

Rowan lead Kat to Cass’ office, the door shutting with finality—telling the three men who would wonder what happened behind that closed door that this was a private meeting.

“You told her you would do whatever you could to help her—I didn’t hear you utter one word in her favor,” Jake said accusingly to Kale.

Kale glared at Jake. “In case you didn’t notice, I was surprised to see my leader and ruler here. I didn’t have a chance to say anything.”

Cree smiled as he took Kat’s bags from Kale. “Come on, boys. Let’s get you
two settled.” He looked to Kale and smiled. “She’ll be fine.”

Kale raised a brow. “Are speaking with knowledge gleamed from the future?”

Cree chuckled. “Nope, I’m speaking from knowledge gained from my wife.”