The Wicked Kiss (7 page)

“This is new for us.”

“It is.” I got settled against him so that my head was on his chest, one leg thrown over his as I snuggled into the feather soft blankets. “It’s … different.”

Arys rested his head against mine, one hand idly stroking my hair. “I like it.”

This softer side of him was certainly unusual. Rather than create an awkward moment by making mention of it, I chose to go with the flow. Maybe I was being too analytical, imagining this newfound sensitivity.

My mind was filled with nagging questions that wouldn’t go away. Now was as perfect a time as any. When I couldn’t take it anymore, I blurted out, “So tell me about the blood bond. Isn’t that a vampire thing? Can it be done on mortals?”

Arys tensed beside me; his hand gripped mine tight. “Oh yes, it can be done. With extreme consequences.”

I waited patiently for him to continue, flashing him an expectant look when he didn’t. He relented, but he didn’t look happy about it.

“A blood bond between vampires is like … a marriage of sorts. It’s a true commitment, one that you truly can’t escape until death. It forms a permanent telepathic link between both parties. Vampires rarely form blood bonds, especially with mortals.”

“Why?” I was intrigued already. He didn’t want to tell me this. I could tell. “And, why would he expect you to form one with me then?”

“If a bonded vampire dies, their mate feels it. They may not even survive it. And a mortal, they risk such things as insanity … and worse.” He paused again, and I thought I was going to have to beat the words out of him. Then he continued. “Alexa, a blood bonded mortal is destined to rise as a vampire upon their mortal death.”

The shock was audible in my ears, like a beat of thunder inside my head. That was heavy duty.

“But werewolves-,” I began, only to be abruptly cut off by Arys’ hiss.

“Are still mortal.”

“Oh…” I was silent for a moment, absorbing this startling new twist. “But, there has to be a reason why it would be done, why some mortals would find it worth the risk.”

My mind was going faster than my mouth, like usual. His frown indicated his unease with the subject matter. I wanted to know.

“I’m sure there are many reasons.” His voice grew soft, and he looked away, at the mirror on the bureau that reflected our image back at us. “He expects me to bond you as a life mate, to make you mine beyond your mortal death. To ensure that you cannot die just once. That is why the bond is called the wicked kiss. Which obviously, is where Harley obtained the name for his little blood donor bar.”

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.

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.

“Hot damn, you are fine.”

I laughed then, a bubbly sound that only he could bring out of me. The truth was that I had dressed just for him, knowing he would appreciate the pants paired with a low cut, white top made of flimsy, sheer fabric. It thrilled me to hear how much he really loved it.

“Be careful, babe,” I warned teasingly. “If you keep talking like that, my ego will go through the roof.”

I felt his sidelong glance and met his jade eyes. He was serious when he said, “You don’t give yourself enough credit. I love your modesty though, it’s sexy.”

My response was to stick my tongue out and make a very unlady-like noise. His compliments felt good, but I didn’t know how to take them. I just got all fluttery and weird inside.

Shaz reached to fiddle with the heater control before smoothly sliding his hand onto my thigh. “So, do you want to drop in at the Lounge or just head home?”

The clock on the dash read 12:37 am. It was still pretty early. Even though it was a weeknight, Lucy’s Lounge was guaranteed to be packed.

“Let’s hit up Lucy’s. We’ll just stop in for a beer and then head home. I’d kind of like to turn in early anyway.” I added just the right inflection to my tone so there was no mistaking my meaning.

“Are you sure you want to go to the Lounge?”

“Yes.” I grinned at his sudden change of mind.

Lucy’s Lounge was packed when we arrived. Crossing the threshold of the brightly lit building instantly thrust us into a sea of sensations and energies. Most of the metaphysical stuff I could shield out, like the rush of so many human bodies packed into one place. The dizzying assortment of smells and loud noise were not so easy to combat.

Something about amazing heels instantly makes one walk like a sex goddess. As we made our way through the crowded entryway, I felt the eyes of several men on me and even a few ladies, too. Though it’s footwear that I don’t wear regularly, I had made an exception for an evening out. I appreciated the four inches that it added to my petite five-foot-one.

One of the local bands from the city was rocking out on the stage to the far right. The sign behind them read, “Squeezeplay.” They fit right into the laid back, middle-class bar scene with their bad hair and groupie girls gathered around the stage.

Once we got through the traffic-jammed entryway, I was able to take stock of the entire place. To the left were the pool tables, all of them occupied. The clacking of pool balls was only one of many things contributing to the roar of the club.

The werewolf energy in the club was strong. Zak and Julian were at the pool table closest to us, shooting pool and sneaking glances in our direction. I had only seen them once since Raoul’s death. Julian had made it clear that he didn’t trust me as the remaining Alpha in this town. Not now that I was so heavily involved with a vampire.

No male wolf in this town had attempted to take Raoul’s Alpha status, which made me the top of the heap. Of course, none of them could best me; none matched me in power and ability, and we all knew it. And, Julian didn’t like that. He didn’t like vampires, and he didn’t like me. Too bad for him.

Arys wasn’t there, at least, not yet. I was almost hoping that he wouldn’t be in tonight. It was too soon to have him and Shaz in the same building.

Shaz clasped my hand warmly in his own, and we made our way to the closest waitress. One plus of having your boyfriend work at the local hot spot was the no-waiting clause. Since he knew everyone, we didn’t have to join in the long line at the bar. The ginger-haired waitress smiled and greeted Shaz with a friendly smile.

“What can I get you guys?” She grinned at me, and I instantly liked her. It doesn’t take me long to get a vibe for people. Most of Shaz’ co-workers were great people that he enjoyed working with.

As Shaz ordered our drinks, I took a moment to glance around again. I could have sworn that I felt Kylarai’s spicy energy. I was surprised when she exited the ladies’ room and made her way toward Julian and Zak. Sensing us, she looked over suddenly and gave a small wave. What was she doing here with them?

Before she noticed it, I squashed the frown that tried to form on my features. I waved back and smiled, hoping I didn’t look as suspicious as I felt.

“Let’s find a table,” Shaz said, leaning in to speak close to my ear. “I wonder why Ky is with those guys. Weird.”

It certainly was. I followed Shaz to a table across the bar from where Ky and the two male Weres shot pool. It gave us a good view of the stage. The lead singer was screaming now, but surprisingly, it didn’t bother me. I enjoyed the occasional screaming rock song, when the mood struck.

After the waitress brought our drinks, Shaz turned on me with a grin that shocked me to the soles of my feet. I couldn’t help but be awestruck by how sensational he looked.

His platinum hair was slightly messy, as if he’d run his hands through it too many times.

His green eyes were bright and shone with amusement. He was dressed head to toe in black jeans and a tight black t-shirt, and I was struggling to prevent myself from openly drooling. The creamy white skin of his well-toned arms was taunting me with the need to run my hands over all of his hard curves.

When he gave me a knowing look, I raised my eyebrows in question. He leaned in so that his lips brushed my ear, sending a hot tingle down my spine.

“You have to dance with me. I’m just waiting for the right song.”

“What?” A jolt of nervous energy slammed through my system. The thought of dancing didn’t sit well with me. I was usually only inclined to do so after many drinks.

“You heard me.” He winked and smiled slyly. “Any excuse to get you into my arms.”

I laughed nervously and took a sip of my drink. “Oh, come on now, we don’t need to dance for me to be in your arms.”

He just shook his head. “Nice try, lady. You’re not going to get out of it this time.

I’m usually stuck behind the bar. I want to take advantage of this.”

He had a point. He didn’t get to do this often. One dance couldn’t hurt, could it? Not if I could manage to avoid tripping over my own feet.

I couldn’t help but peek at Kylarai. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that she was here with Julian. His casual touches and intense stares weren’t missed by me.

“Are you going to go talk to her?” Shaz asked, nodding in Ky’s direction.

I considered that scenario. It was plausible, but I didn’t want to talk to Julian nor did I want to put Kylarai on the spot.

“Not right now. She’ll fess up at home.”

It was nice, relaxing in the bar with Shaz, a drink and a live band. I wished that we could do this more often. Of course, if I was willing to accept Raoul’s money, we could both live the rest of our lives and never have to work again. I had too much pride for that.

And, I’m sure it would get boring.

There was a break in the music, and the singer shouted out that they were about to play the last song of the night. The girls around the stage hooted and hollered. Local bands received a lot of attention if they were good. More than one rock band had gone on to make it after getting their start in a small town like this.

Something kept drawing my attention across the room to the pool tables where Kylarai was. She was at the same table with the guys, but something wasn’t right. A completely different guy had joined them, and he was up in Julian’s face, too close to be anything but confrontational.

I froze, watching the scene play out before me. The human male was obviously calling the angry Were on. I couldn’t tell what had started the altercation. Kylarai made an attempt to come between them, and the guy shot her a venomous look. His mouth moved quickly as he spat a nasty remark at her.

Julian said something in response, and the man shoved him hard. This wasn’t going to go over well. I nudged Shaz and was on my feet by the time the first punch was thrown.

A werewolf in a bar fight was always the winner. I didn’t want to see Julian break this guy’s face. I couldn’t let it happen.

Fighting my way through the people that stood between the pool tables and me was a frustrating setback. I managed to cross the distance in time to see Zak pull Ky away from the chaos as if she were a breakable doll. The punches were flying fast. Those in the nearby vicinity were becoming aware of the fight as the guys crashed into chairs and tables in their brawl.

A few bystanders were daring enough to try to split the fight up, but each of them backed off when they quickly failed. Shaz was right beside me; his long legs carried him much faster than my shorter ones carried me. The heels didn’t help my speed.

Shaz was a blur of black and white as he leaped into the middle. He quickly tackled Julian, whom he had no problem taking down. Two more bystanders grabbed a hold of the other guy who struggled violently against them. Julian struggled to break free of Shaz’ controlling hold. As soon as he was steady on his feet, I was in his face.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I growled angrily. Amidst the music and commotion, nobody could hear me clearly but Julian.

He was breathing hard when Shaz released his arms. A trickle of blood ran from his nose. His eyes were wild, all wolf, daring me to keep talking.

“Have you lost your mind?” I wanted to throttle the life out of him for such blatant stupidity.

“Back off, Alexa.” Julian glared down at me from his six-foot-three stance. “This has nothing to do with you.”

Fury burned through me, and I felt my control slip. Right then, I just wanted to kill him. “You will respect me as Alpha wolf, Julian. If you want to expose yourself by being an idiot, you won’t be doing it in my town.”

He eyed me with a smugness that made me want to scream. It took all I had not to backhand the arrogance off his face. “What are you going to do about it? Sick your vampire on me?”

He actually had the balls to taunt me. Big mistake. I could feel Shaz a few feet away, simmering with anger. Kylarai and Zak hovered uncertainly nearby. Everyone else had gone back to their own business now that the brawl was over.

“It isn’t him that you should be afraid of.” I smirked with a conceit that wasn’t the norm for me.

All it took was a thought to throw enough power at Julian to slam him back a few feet. I didn’t even raise a hand. He reached out quickly to catch himself on the side of a pool table.

His dark gaze was filled with hate, which I took great satisfaction in. I had something he didn’t, and that made me the dominating force.

To say I was shocked when he got up in my face then would be a gross understatement. I was blown away. The dark haired werewolf was suddenly growling down into my face with a mouthful of bared fangs.

“If you want to fucking threaten me, bitch, then you better be ready to follow through on that.” He was close enough to kiss, the intrusion into my personal space a blatant show of disrespect.

Before I could take a breath to respond, Shaz was between us, shoving Julian away from me with a push that would have taken most people off their feet. He followed up with a second shove that had Zak moving to their side, as if he thought he could break them up if they decided to go at it.

The dark fury that blazed in Shaz’ eyes, like jade-green fire, almost caused my heart to stop. I had never seen such raw hate written in his gaze as long as I’d known him. It frightened me even as it excited.

“I don’t care who you fucking think you are; I will kill you before I allow you to talk that way to Alexa. You’re a fucking nobody, pal.” Shaz was poised to strike if Julian so much as blinked the wrong way.

“Guys, come on.” Kylarai’s gentle voice was chiding. She was afraid they would fight. “This is all a misunderstanding.”