*****
Kriss had searched the places he thought a frightened fallen that had been imprisoned for longer than he cared to think about would hide. It wasn’t really the fallen he was searching for… it was Dean. After exhausting himself with all the churches and small areas of the city that evil avoided, it dawned on him that he might be searching the wrong type of places. It wasn’t as if he knew his prey intimately.
Going from one extreme to the other, Kriss started toward the heart of the city. Within hours, he was rewarded when he caught a flash of the creature running across the roof tops and leaping from one building to the next.
Following at a distance, Kriss took in the light coloring of the fallen along with the snow white wings that were now hidden from human sight but not his. He tilted his head to the side when the fallen chanced a look over his shoulder as if sensing he was being followed.
When the fallen turned his attention back to the streets below, Kriss had a feeling he wasn’t the only one on the hunt tonight.
“Just who are you looking for?” Kriss whispered under his breath stalking him for several more blocks. Following him around a corner, Kriss skidded to a stop when the other man was suddenly standing on the ledge of the building… facing him. It was the aggressive stance and fierce look in his silver eyes that gave Kriss pause.
For a moment, neither of them moved. Kriss used the time to focus his powers and peer into the other man’s soul. As the image of his soul sharpened, Kriss was expecting to see the glittering silver shimmer of a full blood, but to his surprise this fallen’s soul was tainted. His eyes widened realizing this man was a hybrid.
So, that’s what he’d sensed when the creature had exploded from the church. Kriss tried to determine if this hybrid was as bad as the full blown demon it had been imprisoned with. He felt a shove as his vision was pushed back and Kriss blinked. The only other person he’d ever run across that could block him from seeing his soul was Dean.
Inhaling deeply then slowly releasing it, Kriss decided there was only one other way to find out. Just as he started forward, the fallen gave him a smile that was nowhere near friendly and took a step back, disappearing as he dropped off the edge of the roof and out of sight.
Knowing an invitation when he got one, Kriss growled and with a running leap, he did a swan dive off the edge of the building in pursuit. Before he made it to the concrete four stories below, something slammed into his side and he felt arms tighten around him.
“No,” Dean hissed as he tackled Kriss in midair.
“I thought you wanted to find and catch him,” Kriss yelled suddenly angry. He’d been looking for Dean for days now and it pissed him off that Dean had obviously been close enough to know that he was there but wouldn’t come out of hiding.
“He’s not a rabbit,” Dean snapped as they switched direction and ascended back to the roof of the building. “Besides, I’ve been watching him for a while and would you like to know what he’s been doing?”
“What?” Kriss frowned.
Dean immediately stepped away to put distance between them. “He’s stalking Misery, the demon that trapped him in the cave.”
At that moment, the thin clouds above them parted allowing the moonlight to beam down on them and create the shadows on the roof that gave away their true identity. Dean had to look away from Kriss’s perfection… he always had to look away.
“Well, maybe he’ll let us help him get a little payback,” Kriss suggested. “It’s been a while, but together we could probably put her down.”
“I doubt it,” Dean gazed in the direction the fallen had gone. “Every time I get close to him, I can feel his anger and fear.”
Kriss stared off in the same direction knowing the truth. “Maybe he has a good reason to fear us.” He started to mention the fact that it was a hybrid… not a true blood fallen, but Dean cut him off.
“Doesn’t matter because he doesn’t trust us,” Dean stepped back to the edge of the building and looked out over the city.
He knew Kriss thought he had it all figured out. So this fallen wasn’t a full blood… he was close enough and that counted. Dean had seen into his soul several times in the last couple days and the evil that labeled most hybrids as demons was missing. In Dean’s eye, that made him one of them. On second thought… maybe it was time to let Kriss in on that little fact.
“He’s more true-blood than hybrid you know. His soul is different from ours, but evil does not live there… right now it’s full of fear, mistrust, and longing. I hope you haven’t changed so much that you can’t see the good within him.”
He knew Kriss had never maliciously hunted hybrids down and destroyed them without a very good reason. Kriss had been one of the last fallen to be sent here, long after the demon wars had ended… banished to this world just to get rid of some of the male population. Kriss didn’t know it, but Dean was so much older than that.
Dean had been one of the leaders of the rebellion that ended the demon war… even sending some of the pure bloods into the underworld for their senseless massacre of hybrids that were not demonic. Some things were a sin… no matter how you looked at it.
Kriss had a flashback of wanting to kill Kane only to find a tattered but strangely pure soul staring back at him. He’d never encountered such an oddity. If Kane had been human or demon with that much damage done to his soul… he would have been pure evil. He should have been pure evil. It made him wonder if Dean was right… that maybe he’d lost his ability to play judge and jury.
Living among the humans for so long had taught him that even the best intentions always had a shady side of gray. He’d decided a long time ago that death was only for the truest form of evil and to let the rest work itself out.
“How long do you intend to stalk him?” Kriss asked curiously.
“Until he sees that I’m not a threat,” Dean answered cryptically.
Kriss tilted his head and looked at Dean, noticing several bullet holes in his clothing. “What in the hell have you been doing? You smell like smoke and those aren’t moth holes in your clothes.”
“Let me ask you something,” Dean didn’t look at Kriss, “Are you really here for me? Or do you just need a distraction because you’re avoiding your feelings for Tabatha?”
Kriss reached out, snagging Dean’s arm and spinning him around so that they were facing each other. “Why is it always a fight with you?” he demanded.
Dean jerked his arm out of Kriss’s grip, “Maybe it’s because I can see into your soul where you are blind.”
Kriss looked away and when he glanced back Dean was gone.
*****
Kane quietly opened Tabatha’s bedroom window and ducked inside. He’d been watching her through the windows but feeling her unrest hadn’t set well with him and the fact that he couldn’t read her thoughts was driving him crazy. All he could hear were almost silent whispers coming from her mind.
He glanced up at the ceiling wondering whose bright idea it was to make her the only one he couldn’t eavesdrop on when she was the only one he really wanted to hear. Kane kept the darkness pulled around him as he leaned against the frame of the open bedroom door and watched her move from the sofa to the entertainment center.
Tabatha turned the radio down. She’d thought the background noise would help to make the apartment not feel so empty but it was only annoying her. She missed her roommate.
Kriss had disappeared for weeks at a time in the past and she knew he could take care of himself, but it had never stopped her from worrying. That demon, her skin crawled at the memory, she’d been able to trap Dean even if it had only been for a couple hours. It was hard to wrap her mind around the fact that there were things out there that could hurt Kriss.
She again ran her fingers over her shoulder and down her chest where she’d been wounded, feeling nothing but soft unblemished skin. She thought she’d been so slick making Kane think she was under his thrall… the joke had been on her. Still, he’d told her not to remember seeing Misery… yet she did remember. Slowly raising the same fingers, she touched her lips wishing she could remember exactly what Kane had done to her.
Maybe she’d been under his thrall the whole time but for some reason only remembered part of it. He’d said that he’d been watching over her… following her. Tabatha felt the small hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and the room seemed to shrink.
Removing her fingers from her lips she whispered, “Kane, are you here?”
Kane gripped the door frame to keep from moving toward her but no power on earth could keep him from answering, “Yes.”
His voice was haunted, making Tabatha spin around searching for him. She was caught between disappointment and fear when she didn’t see him standing right behind her. “Am I so wicked that you have to hide from me?” her breathing was coming a little faster and she silently wondered if this was the equivalent of playing with fire.
Kane let the darkness disperse from around him and watched as her gaze landed on him. “Maybe I am the wicked one.”
Tabatha swallowed. He did look slightly wicked silhouetted in her bedroom doorway… she’d admit that. “Maybe you wouldn’t feel so wicked if you had knocked on the front door,” she offered, wondering just how long he’d been inside her apartment. Feeling a slight weakness in her knees, she turned and forced herself to calmly walk to the sofa and sit down.
“Would you have invited me in?” Kane asked curiously as he moved into the room. He noticed the way she turned around and pulled her feet up onto the sofa, tucking them close to her as she leaned back against the pillowed armrest.
“I’m not sure,” Tabatha answered. “Is this the first time you’ve been here?”
“No,” Kane didn’t bother lying to her. Why lie when he could just make her forget he’d even been here?
“Then I am inviting you in. Have a seat,” she pointed toward the other in of the sofa. If he was here to hurt her, then he’d already have done it… right? She watched the way he kept his movements slow as he did as she asked. It was a lie… she’d seen the speed at which he moved when he wanted to. He was being careful not to frighten her and that made her even more nervous.
Kane cocked an eyebrow, “Is this how you treat all of your stalkers?” he asked in all seriousness. “Invite them in for tea and crumpets?”
Tabatha shook her head, “I don’t drink tea and I hate crumpets. A cup of coffee and a bagel will do just fine.”
Kane smiled wanly at her. “How do you know I won’t hurt you?”
“If you were going to hurt me, you would have by now,” Tabatha answered, voicing the thought she’d had just moments before. On second thought she quickly added, “Despite the fact that I tend to get injured whenever you’re in the same vicinity.”
Kane inwardly winced at that and finally took the place she’d indicated at the other end of the sofa, turning to face her and leaning against the opposite armrest. He brought his right leg up, bending it at the knee and sat in a half Indian style with one arm folded over his stomach.
“So tell me love, why did you invite me in?” Kane asked.
“Why are you here?” Tabatha sidestepped the question.
Kane smirked, “You do know that it’s bad manners to answer a question with a question.”
Tabatha was momentarily taken aback by the way the smirk changed the contours of his face slightly, making him appear just as dangerous and seductive as she believed him to be.
“That may be true,” Tabatha said thoughtfully. “But I’m the one you’ve been following and I want to know why.”
Kane shrugged, “Because I want to.”
Tabatha glared at him, “Because you want to?”
Kane tilted his head to the side. “Why does a vampire do anything?”
Tabatha opened her mouth, closed it, and then opened it again not able to articulate an answer.
“Because they want to,” Kane answered for her.
Tabatha sighed, “Look, if you don’t want to tell me the truth then I can’t make you. But, if we’re going to be friends, we need to exchange at least one truth about each other.”
Kane’s eyebrows rose and he actually smiled, “Ah, so we’re going to play truth or dare now?”
Tabatha blushed remembering the few times she’d played the game while in high school… talk about embarrassing situations. “Without the dare and you will answer first.” she whispered.
Kane nodded, “All right. Since I’m the stalker, we will play by your rules.”
Tabatha felt a thrill run through her at his easy admittance that he was indeed stalking her. “Why does Kriss not like you? He won’t give me a reason why.”
“Because you don’t belong to him,” Kane answered a little too quickly.
“What kind of answer is that?” Tabatha demanded.
“Your turn,” Kane pointed out.
Tabatha grumbled, “Fine,” then she tensed not knowing what to expect.
“Do you like dogs?”
Tabatha blinked. That question was about the furthest thing from what she’d been expected. She relaxed then smiled fondly, “I love them. When I was little we had a little Yorkie puppy but he ran away. I never really got over it… I still miss him sometimes.”
Kane returned her smile with a slow smile of his own as their eyes locked, “You must meet my Yorkie sometime then… his name is Scrappy.”
Tabatha got cold chills through her body and literally jumped out of her seat when the phone rang. Getting up, she rushed to the phone to pick it up hoping it was Kriss calling in. Picking it up, she turned around to look at Kane but he was gone without a trace of him ever being there.
She did a quick search of her bedroom, only to find nothing. With a sigh, Tabatha pressed the phone against her ear, “hello?” she cringed when she heard Jason’s voice.
“What happened to you? You just disappear and don’t call me to let me know why?” Jason paced back and forth. “Damn it Tabby, You had me worried sick.”
Tabatha smiled into the receiver. Somehow being yelled at by Jason made her feel a little more normal. She quickly did the math in her head as she started explaining what happened without giving him a single detail about anything that had to do with the paranormal.
Kane moved the limbs of the bush over a fraction as he watched Tabatha relax for the first time since Trevor had dropped her off. His lips hinted at a smile as he listened to her tell the truth to whoever was on the phone and lie like crazy at the same time. His smile faded and his expression turned longing. What he would give to have her smile at him with such ease. Backing away from the window, he knew it was time to go… he could feel Kriss closing in on him.
“Hold on a minute Jason,” Tabatha frowned as she got the odd feeling of being watched. Turning her head toward the window, she froze seeing Kriss standing there watching her. “Jason, I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?” she turned and hung up the phone but when she looked back Kriss was gone.
Chapter 3
Mrs. Tully shook her head as she came out of Micah’s room and closed the door behind her before turning toward the crowd gathered in the hall. “He’s fine… still sleeping, but he is fine.”
“Then he’ll make a full recovery?” Quinn asked skeptically.
Mrs. Tully positioned herself between them and the door. “I mean it looks like he may have already made a full recovery. He doesn’t seem to have a single scratch on him.” She backed up a step and threw her arms out like a barrier when several of them tried to dart around her to go look for themselves.
“No,” she said firmly. “For now, I don’t want him disturbed. He’s in a deep sleep and that may be part of what’s speeding the healing. If you wake him up before he wakes up on his own, you may disturb whatever magic is being used on him.”
“Magic?” Jewel asked in confusion. She was starting to understand where the term ‘you learn something new every day’ had come from.
“Magic or miracle… they're both the same as far as I’m concerned,” Mrs. Tully smiled at the new edition to the cougar family.
“Already healed?” Steven said with disbelief then held the arm that was still in a sling up a couple inches and pointed at it, “This still hurts like hell and nowhere near healed yet.”
“This isn’t no time to be getting jealous over your brother's good fortune,” Mrs. Tully pointed toward Steven’s room, “Maybe if you listened to your doctor and stayed in bed, it would heal faster.”
Steven turned and looked down at Jewel. “Bed sounds really good.”
Jewel’s eyes widened and she blushed ten shades of red making Steven smirk.
Mrs. Tully just shook her head at the honeymooners knowing love was one of the best miracle healers available. He’d be fine within a couple days… exhausted but fine.
“I’ll make sure he isn’t disturbed,” Quinn added as he gazed longingly toward his own bedroom where he’d left Kat sleeping.
“Off with you too,” Mrs. Tully shooed him away.
Hopefully it would be several hours before either of the brothers would come up for air again. She silently wondered who Micah’s guardian angel was and where she could get one. Once the hallway was empty, she glanced back at Micah’s door one more time before making her way out of the club.
*****
Alicia felt his hand on her shoulder caressing her bare skin and she rolled toward him seeing the heated look in Damon’s amethyst eyes as he touched her. He was fully clothed … wearing all black. His hair was mussed and had never looked so sexy. She reached up and ran her fingers through the dark locks. His lips followed the action, kissing the vulnerable area of her wrist then smiling devilishly, letting her catch a glimpse of his fangs.
She inhaled deeply and rolled away from him… only to be caught in Michael's embrace. As she parted her lips in dazed surprise, Michael descended for a demanding kiss, stealing what little breath she had left. His hands were locked with hers as he pressed them into the soft mattress and hovered over her, making love to her with the deep kiss.
She felt a hot hand on her thigh… slowly drifting upwards under the long t-shirt. She knew it wasn’t Michael because his hands were on hers. When Michael released her from the kiss and whispered a path down to her neck, she turned her face to the side to find Damon still there… watching them with those unnerving eyes and touching her so intimately as if Michael didn’t matter.
As Damon’s fingers drew closer to her core, Michael’s passion also increased, making Alicia whither under him at the same time she strained toward Damon… wanting him to reach his goal. Just as the tips of Damon’s fingers swept their fleeting touch across her nether lips, Michael breathed his hot breath into her ear and Alicia felt the quick downward spiral of tingling spasms as she came hard.
Jerking up from the bed she blinked, at first seeing the silhouette of someone looking in her balcony doors. As her vision cleared, the image vanished. She sat there for a moment trying to catch her breath from the dream while staring out at the sun that was now pretty high in the sky.
Wrapping her arms around herself, Alicia noticed how hot her skin was and the way the cover felt against her as it flowed with her movements. It felt like a caress on her overly sensitive skin and she had a sudden flashback of the dream, making her quickly crawl out of the cover and stand beside the bed.
She looked down at the innocent blanket as if it had lost its mind then tried reasoning with herself.
Maybe she was wrong about going into heat and was just running a small fever from the injuries she’d suffered the other night behind Moon Dance and that had caused the erotic dream. She blew her bangs out of her eyes wishing it was easier to lie to herself. Either way, it didn’t matter right now because she didn’t have time to deal with it.
She glanced back out the glass door wondering how she could have slept this late when she hadn’t even seen Micah yet. Grabbing some clothes out of her suitcase, she snuck out of her room praying she didn’t run into anyone as she crossed the hall to the huge bathroom she’d found last night.
*****
Micah opened his eyes feeling like he’d been asleep for years. His first instinct was to not move knowing it would cause pain if he did but the memory of last night gave him a fight or flight reaction and before he could stop himself, he was sitting up. Looking around the room, his gaze stopped on his own image staring back at him in the mirror. The bandages were gone… so was the pain.
Sliding from the bed, Micah walked toward the mirror scrubbing at his eyes and wondering if he was hallucinating. As he lowered his hand to the dresser, it came down on a picture frame making it teeter and fall over. With quick reflexes, he caught it before it could hit the floor and brought it up to eye level.
He gazed at the girl staring back at him with bright blue eyes. She wasn’t smiling but it didn’t distract from her beauty. Her long blonde hair hung in abstract waves around her melancholy expression.
He could hear others in the rooms around him but he could only think of one person he wanted to see… Alicia. And she was at Michael’s. He wasn’t sure how he knew but he did. Michael was the reason no one remembered her being at the mansion last night.
Setting the picture back on the dresser, Micah silently got dressed then opened the window. Landing on the hard packed ground outside he felt his muscles take the impact with ease and paused, wondering how it was that he felt better now than he’d felt before he’d been thrown into Anthony’s little torture chamber. Figuring he’d find out soon enough, he headed toward Michael’s to make sure Alicia was okay.
*****
Michael opened his eyes seeing nothing but blue sky and blinked. He’d fallen asleep on the roof of the church again. Sitting up he gazed across the street just in time to see Micah approaching the front door. Michael froze. The cougar was walking with the stealthy grace most were-animals only wished they possessed. He closed his eyes and thanked whatever god was listening, then flinched when a voice came from directly behind him.
“The shows over there… why are we over here?” Kane said with a smirk.
*****
Damon shrugged on a black shirt not bothering to button it. Pushing his fingers through his hair, he opened his bedroom door and leaned against the frame to stare across the hall. He could hear every sound she was making from within the spraying water, but that didn’t intrigue him half as much as the sounds she’d been making in her sleep a little while ago. He wondered if she had any idea their beds were only separated by a thin layer of sheet rock.
He growled at the interruption of his thoughts when he heard the knock down stairs. Pushing away from the doorway, he made up his mind to get rid of the unwanted guest as quick as possible. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d scared someone into not sticking around.
Jerking the door open, Damon cocked an eyebrow at the stranger. “What?”
“You’re not Michael,” Micah frowned recognizing the man who had been with his sister last night. He thought Michael lived alone. Seeing the man standing there half-dressed and blocking the doorway made Micah want to make sure he hadn’t just left the same bed his sister was in.
“Okay, neither are you.” Damon said in a deadpan voice.
Micah felt the beast within him try to raise its head. “Where’s Alicia?”
The way the man said Alicia’s name made it dawn on Damon just who was darkening his doorstep. Last night the cougar’s face had been swollen, bruised and bloody… nothing like the rival he was now going to slam the door on.
Damon looked Micah up and down with a critical gaze deciding he didn’t need this kind of headache. “She’s indisposed. Come back tomorrow.” He tried to shut the door but the bigger man was quicker than he’d expected and was inside the room by the time the door closed.
“I can smell her.” Micah growled becoming annoyed. “Alicia!” he called out not liking this man more and more by the minute. He knew the guy had been part of the rescue last night, but that wasn’t going to get him very far if he didn’t tell him where Alicia was.
Micah started up the stairs but suddenly, Damon was standing on one of the higher steps staring down at him. Their eyes locked and Micah felt a moment of unwelcome fear… that is until the towel-clad girl come running down the stairs toward him.
Alicia had heard Micah yell her name and being so excited, she didn’t take time to dress but just grabbed the towel closest to her and took off toward his voice. As she rounded the corner, her eyes lit up when she saw him standing there looking like he always had… perfect.
“Micah,” she whispered feeling like she was going to cry. At first her steps were slow, but the closer she got, the faster she ran until she fearlessly threw herself on him, almost causing both of them to topple backwards down the steps.
Damon turned the moment he’d seen Micah’s eyes widen on something behind him. He’d been speechless seeing her standing there clutching the towel around her… her hair soaking wet with sparkles of water dripping to the hardwood floor. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the wall as his gaze followed her past him then toward the man she loved.
Damon lowered his head, letting his bangs fall down to shadow his eyes. His gaze turned into a glare when she wrapped her arms around Micah, giving a new meaning to jumping a guy’s bones. The gods must have had mercy on him when she didn’t wrap her legs around the man’s waist… though the image of that towel riding up would have been priceless.
Micah wrapped his arms around Alicia and lifted her up against him for a bear hug. He closed his eyes and just held her for a moment. The first thing he noticed was that her skin was hotter than his. He pressed his face into the crook of her neck wondering why her temperature was so high.
This was just another thing to blame Quinn for. He’d only been gone two weeks and they had let her get sick. Micah frowned, not remembering Alicia ever getting sick.
“Are you running a fever?” he asked as he let her slide back to her feet. He smiled seeing she was still shorter than him, even though she was now standing on a higher step, but then his eyes were drawn to the still healing bite mark on her neck. He brushed her hair to the side to get a better look but before he could say anything about it, she cut him off.
“Are you crazy,” Alicia wiped at the tears blurring her vision. “Last night I thought you were dying… and now?” she cupped his cheek with her hand wanting so much to kiss him. “How are you standing here bigger than life?”
The front door opened and Micah looked over his shoulder seeing Michael and a blond-haired man staring up at them.
Alicia wondered if the gods were making fun of her when she chose that moment to remember she was more naked than not. Shifters usually didn’t worry about things like that as much as humans did, but she could still feel the lingering effect of the dream she’d had only a few minutes ago.
Locking eyes with Michael, she could see the instant heat in his gaze then held her breath as his eyes lowered to her breast.
Micah moved his sister more in line with his body so she was hidden from the men below. That’s when he glanced up the stairs toward Damon. His view was now better than anyone else’s. To his surprise, Damon wasn’t staring at Alicia. Instead, his angry gaze was directed straight at Micah’s hands where he was still holding her.
Feeling the silent threat, gold flared within Micah’s pupils as they enlarged. He had a feeling he was looking at the owner of the bite mark Alicia was wearing.
Leave it to Kane to notice the fact that Michael was frozen to the spot and Damon was about to commit murder. Kane quickly thought of a way to break the ice. “Alicia honey… I think you forgot something important upstairs.” He smirked.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Micah said keeping his eyes on Damon, “Go get dressed while I talk to Michael.”
Alicia quickly kissed him on the cheek then turned to run back up the stairs. She almost missed a step when she saw Damon only a couple feet from her. His shirt was open and his pants were zipped but not buttoned, causing them to ride dangerously low on his hips. She felt her cheeks flame even hotter as the dream came back like a dirty thought in a nice clean mind.
The look in his eyes as their gazes met was dark and dangerous… soaked in sexual tension. She hoped she was imagining it as she felt that gaze follow her past him and the rest of the way up the stairs.
Micah wasn’t the only one who watched the exchange between Alicia and Damon. It took Kane elbowing him in the back before Michael finally turned his attention to the man coming down the stairs. Clasping hands with the cougar, he nodded toward the living room, “I’m sure you have questions.”
“If he doesn’t then I do,” Kane announced wanting to make matters worse. He’d complained before about hearing other people’s thoughts, but it was times like this that made it all worthwhile.
The funniest part was the fact that Damon had no clue Micah and Alicia were siblings… though he would give Damon credit for detecting the fact that she harbored a not-so-sisterly crush on her clueless brother. But, if the dream she’d been having a little while ago was any indication… it wouldn’t be hard for Michael or Damon to change her mind.
Michael blinked trying to get the image of Alicia in that towel out of his head so he could focus. He wanted to get the obvious out of the way first. “I didn’t expect to see you out of bed this soon.”
Kane heard Michael’s heart rate speed up and wondered at it. Trying to listen in on his thoughts, he was disappointed to find complete silence. Nice, his little Michael was keeping secrets.
“I haven’t a clue,” Micah answered honestly then changed the subject, “I thought you lived alone.”
Kane rolled his eyes when he heard Michael sigh in relief.
Upstairs, Alicia ran for the bathroom where she’d left her clothes. Frowning at what she’d unthinkingly picked out to wear, she decided it wasn’t good enough. Micah had said he wasn’t going anywhere and she trusted him, so she went back into her room to find something nicer. She wound up blow drying her hair and even adding a touch of makeup before she was satisfied.
She glanced in the mirror seeing that the color was still high in her cheeks and that her eyes were overly bright. Waving her hand as if to erase the facts, she rationalized that it was just because she was happy that her brother was back and somehow uninjured.
”That better be all it is,” Alicia mumbled self-consciously trying to second guess her first diagnosis. The last thing she needed right now was to be in a house full of attractive men and be in heat. It didn’t happen often, but if a female shifter went in heat without a mate, then the female had two choices… lock herself away and suffer for as long as it took, or have a string of one night stands until it was over. Or at least that’s what the girls she’d gone to boarding school with had told her.
“Either way,” Alicia cocked an eyebrow at her reflection. “Getting out of this house is a good idea for everyone.”
Packing all of her stuff back into the suitcase, Alicia figured she might as well take it downstairs since she would be leaving with her brother. She’d miss the freedom but smiled softly knowing she would be near Micah again. Still lost in thought, she left the bedroom and turned the corner to go downstairs only to run into what felt like a brick wall.
Damon reached his arm out and wrapped it around Alicia’s waist, pulling her flush against him to keep her from falling down the stairs. Being in a bad mood, he had planned this little encounter if for no other reason than to prove a point… that he wasn’t the only one feeling this attraction. He wanted her to notice before Micah took her out of his reach.
The moment he touched her, he could hear her pulse speed up. Already feeling justified, he let his hand slide just under the rim of her short shirt and across her soft skin as he righted her. He had to admit Micah was right about her having a fever.
Alicia’s lips parted as she inhaled sharply and gazed up at Damon feeling every inch of him pressed against her and liking it. He was mad at her… she could see the anger in his eyes. And why shouldn’t he be. She’d tried to kill him… and in return he’d saved her life. She owed Damon more than one debt and it wasn’t right to just leave with Micah without telling him how grateful she truly was.
She would be leaving in a few minutes and that alone gave her the courage she needed. Rising up on her tip-toes, Alicia placed a slow gentle kiss on Damon's lips wondering if it felt the same way to him as it did to her. He smelled wonderful and his skin was smooth and cool to her heated lips.
“Thank you,” she whispered as she withdrew.
“For what?” Damon asked feeling like she’d just thrown him completely off balance.
“For saving me again,” she smiled.
For a moment, Damon felt the heavy weight that had been crushing his chest ease… until she had to go and ruin it.
“And for helping to bring Micah back to me.” Alicia picked the suitcase back up and started to slip past him, but to her surprise Damon grabbed her upper arms and backed her up against the wall, pinning her there. He leaned down within an inch from her and she watched his dark eyelashes lower as he gazed at her lips.
“If it’s rewards you’re handing out, then let’s up the stakes.” Damon slashed his lips across hers, showing her the difference in the kiss she’d just given him and the one he needed. He made sure it was one she would remember for nights to come.
Damon was ready for her to push him away or even fight to get free of his hold. When she did neither, he intensified the kiss feeling his own head rush. To his amazement, she was suddenly kissing him back and with just as much passion.
Feeling like she had turned his punishment back on him, he ended the kiss just as quickly as he’d instigated it and backed away from her… this time jerking the damned suitcase up himself. Turning, he started down the stairs two at a time, leaving her standing there in a daze.
Alicia took a moment to relearn how to breathe. She hadn’t been able to stop herself when he’d kissed her so demandingly… she’d wanted more. She still wanted more. Damn it. What gave him the right to turn her on like that then leave her like this? Rubbing her temple, she gave him the benefit of a doubt. If she was in heat… would a vampire feel it?
“No,” she answered her own question. It was a shifter thing. She was sure of it.
Damon was already in the living room relaxing on the sofa beside Michael when Alicia got the courage to come downstairs. Or at least he made it look like he was relaxing… not that she was staring. She looked away when he gave her that damned smile and turned her attention to Micah who was sitting on the huge overstuffed love seat. He was leaning forward, lost in conversation with Michael.
Micah glanced up as Alicia came further into the room. “So I hear you’ve taken up suicide missions as a hobby. You know, I was only gone for a couple weeks.” He patted the cushion beside him and slid his arm across Alicia’s shoulders as she sat down. After what Michael had just told him, he wondered who had been in more danger… him or Alicia.
Alicia nodded trying to keep her gaze averted from Damon’s. She shifted it to Michael's and felt the butterflies take flight in her stomach. She finally decided: out of the vampires, Kane was the safest… though she doubted anyone would agree with her.
“I owe all three of them a huge thank you.” She tried not to flinch when she felt Damon's glare. Feeling a touch vindictive, she gave him a slow smile letting him think she would. She quickly learned who would win that staring contest and turned her attention to what Michael was saying to her brother.
“The city is dangerous right now,” Damon pointed out. He had saved her three times, though she was only aware of two of them. Add Michael and Kane's saves to that list and that was five deaths avoided within the last couple weeks. He suddenly didn’t think it was very safe for her to leave their side.
“I agree,” Micah shrugged sensing Damon’s protectiveness. Michael had informed him that Damon was his brother and had come offering to help. When he’d questioned him about the bite on Alicia’s neck, Michael had confirmed she’d gotten it during an attack behind Moon Dance. That still didn’t mean he trusted Damon. Something in his blood told him the vampire was a threat.
Tightening his arm around Alicia and praying he was making the right decision, Micah directed his attention back toward the owner of the house. “And that’s why I hope Alicia can stay with you guys for a little while longer. Right now, this is the safest place for her.”
It was amazing how one simple request could change the atmosphere of a whole room.
“What?” Alicia shrank away from him. How could she tell her brother that right now this house was probably the most dangerous place in the world for her… much less this city?
Damon cocked an eyebrow hoping he was getting ready to see a horrible break up. He was an idiot anyway. What man in his right mind would leave their girlfriend in a house full of guys? Yeah, he’d be happy to throw the idiot out the front door… or window. Whichever was the handiest… or the closest.
Feeling her moving away from him, Micah reached out and grabbed her shoulders, making her turn toward him, “Alicia, you know I love you with all my heart, but think for a moment.” He ignored the growl that was coming from the sofa. “We just attacked the werewolves and killed their alpha. Anyone dumb enough to seek vengeance will be coming after our family. Plus, Michael tells me you’ve already been mauled by monsters.”
Alicia shot Michael a quick ‘thanks a freaking lot’ look, then turned it on Kane when he opened his big mouth.
“You do seem to be a magnet for the soulless,” Kane added trying not to laugh out loud at the fact Damon was counting the ways he could kill Micah without anyone knowing. The poor cougar didn’t realize how much trouble he was in. Knowing Damon would do it, he decided to drop the bomb. “You might want to listen to your brother on this one.”
Alicia growled at Kane then took the time to give Damon a threatening look, daring him to put in his two cents worth. When Damon gave her a slow, almost wicked smile, she knew he could blow her out of the water. She quickly turned back to Micah, not giving Damon enough time to tell on her, “If we are in so much danger, then maybe we should just take off together and not tell anyone where we’re going.”
Micah frowned at Alicia, tightening his grip on her arms for an instant knowing he was missing something. He searched her face and again took note of her overly bright eyes. Letting go of her arms, he pressed the back of his hand to her forehead narrowing his gaze.
Alicia pushed his hand away feeling defeated and in a world of trouble. The last thing she’d wanted to do was insinuate he’d run away from anything. That was one thing Micah would never do and they both knew it. If he figured out why she was… overheated, then she’d be lucky to see the light of day for months.
“I’ll stay on one condition,” she conceded.
“What’s that?” Micah raised an eyebrow.
“At Night Light, Quinn put the guards on me to the point that I had to dress up in disguise just to leave the club without being followed. If I stay here, then I come and go as I want to… no babysitters.” She made her voice firm. “I am not a baby.”
“No, you’re not,” Micah smirked down at her then turned to look at Michael for conformation.
“Agreed,” Michael nodded. “If it’s freedom she wants, then she shall have it as long as she’s living here.”
Damon kept his mouth shut because he didn’t agree to the amount of freedom, but no one had to know that little fact. He inhaled slowly, letting most of the tension drain from him now that she wasn’t leaving and murder was off the list. Brother… Micah was her freaking brother.
Michael’s phone vibrated as a text came in. Reading it he looked up at Micah. “It seems your sister isn’t the only escape artist among us.”
Chapter 4
The alley became a bit darker than the rest of the city as Misery descended on it to check the rip in the dimensional wall she’d created with Kane's blood. She liked the fact that the humans couldn’t see it, though she was sure some with a stronger sixth sense would avoid the alley.
Letting the darkness implode, she stepped forward choosing the child’s form as she knelt beside the opening. She didn’t dare touch it for fear that it would drag her through the barrier, but she could now feel demons gathering on the other side. Those demons could see the rip and that was the purpose of its creation. Misery let some of her own evil slither down her body in dark smoky tendrils and giggled as it seeped into the crack.
Within moments, the same thing happened but this time in reverse. Misery’s back arched and her eyes turned blood red as the snaky darkness squirmed its way up her body then sank into her aura. The other side would wait until Misery gave them a sign… then they would have their strongest attack from the other side.
Misery’s expression turned mischievous. She’d been careful up till now… feeling the pure blood fallen tracking her movements. Now was not the time to become careless but she needed the power it would take to break through the portal. Misery’s expression slowly changed into one of anger as she felt a presence behind her.
Exploding into a cloud of darkness, she reformed as she attached her corpse’s form around the demon that had been spying on her. “Misery will give you a closer look.”
Zeb didn’t flinch as the rotting arm tightened around his neck and he was suddenly staring down into the rift. “Would you banish Zeb for offering his help?” His plump lips twisted in a sneer, “Such lust I feel from you. What is it Misery is hungry for?”
