Hawk (2 page)

Suzi had retired herself from donating, when she came to live with Tamera. Though no one ever left the donors. Once pledged, you’re in the society for life. But a donor could decide to stop providing the nourishment. Her mind traveled back to the night she had made up her mind to leave and change her life once and for all. She stood in the parking lot of the Sons of Sangue’s clubhouse, arguing with Kaleb over her spending time in his home, more specifically his bed. Kane had only meant to protect her and Cara Brahnam from a psycho primordial vampire wanting to kill Cara. He had no idea of the history she and Kaleb shared.

She had followed him into the night, proposing a perfectly doable living arrangement when he had shut her up with a kiss. And damn if that kiss hadn’t done the job. Her toes had curled and left her breathless as he sped away on his chopper. That’s when she knew she had to leave. Staying in Pleasant while he carried on with other women was no longer an option for her.

“So just like that, you’re going to chase after him?” Tamera asked, bringing her thoughts back to their discussion.

Suzi sucked in a deep breath. “It’s not like that.”

“You positive? Because it sure looks like it. You forget, I know Hawk too. You’re just setting yourself up to get hurt, Suzi.”

“That would require me to care again.”

Tamera laughed. “It’s three in the morning. Heading off to the Rave doesn’t already say that?”

Suzi knew the truth of it, but damn it she didn’t care at the moment. She had to see for herself that Kaleb wasn’t beating himself up for losing two of his brothers.
It could’ve been him.
And if she were honest with herself, then she’d admit that was the real reason she needed to see him … because it could’ve been him. Losing Kaleb, and never having the option to see him again, scared the living hell out of her.

“I may be the biggest kind of fool right now, Tamera, but Hawk may need me.”

Tamera shook her head. “Then you are a fool if you believe that. Hawk Tepes doesn’t need anyone.”

Chapter 2

Five empty bottles of Jack Daniel’s Black Label sat on the bar’s scarred surface and he felt none of the damned alcohol. Fuck his vampire genes for regenerating at such a high rate that he felt the lasting side effects for no more than a few blessed minutes. His morose mood had chased most of the Sons away, all of them except for Alexander who sat at his right, booted feet kicked up on the bar and nursing an iced tea. He understood, in some capacity, how Kaleb felt because he would’ve lost his head as well had it not been for Kaleb’s blown tire.

But rather than imbibing in alcohol—the man never did—he sat quietly sipping an unsweetened tea, lost in his own dark thoughts. The two hardly exchanged a word in the last couple of hours. Even Draven had retired to his office and allowed them their peace. Other than Kaleb and Alexander, the club sat empty, industrial music playing in the background. The ravers had gone home long ago after Draven had raised the house lights and closed the joint.

Kaleb swirled the last of the Jack in his glass before taking it to his lips. He downed the contents, feeling the burn in his esophagus. Sucking in a deep breath, he looked to the ceiling. Hunger gnawed at his gut. Maybe he should’ve taken advantage of the couple of donors who had braved his mood and approached him early on. Instead, he had sent them fleeing with a menacing growl. No one dared to approach him after that, which had been his intent.

“You going to sit here and drink another fifth?” Alexander asked, not bothering to look up from the condensation gathering on his glass. It wasn’t an accusation, just an inquisition.

“What’s the point?”

Alexander didn’t answer, only shrugged and took another sip.

Kaleb ran a hand over his mouth and down his jaw. “You know Wheezer and Red Dot died because of my actions,” he finally said, voicing what neither had since finding Nicolas and Steven lying prone on the asphalt.

Alexander slowly nodded, pursing his lips. “Yeah, but not much you can do about it now, is there?”

His anger rolled in his gut, mixing with the alcohol. Had he been a normal man, he would have been on all fours heaving his guts, or worse yet, dead from alcohol poisoning. But he wasn’t normal, and the only way to kill him would be to stop his heart from beating by a direct shot or sever his head from his shoulders. At least Nicolas and Steven had not suffered. After the Sons had returned with an enclosed trailer and carted off the corpses, Kaleb had tried to reach his twin again with no luck. The Knights had taken their place and traveled to Seaside, but Kane was nowhere to be found.

The whole fucking thing had been a setup.

All for retaliation. Kaleb knew it with every fiber of his being. He had broken a cardinal rule and taken a primordial life. The punishment was death, and Nicolas and Steven had taken his place. It should have been him. Moisture gathered in his eyes. Son of a bitch, his self-loathing couldn’t get any higher. He had made the decision to end Alec’s life. He had taken on that responsibility.

“Why don’t you head out, Xander. I don’t need a damn babysitter.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“It is and you fucking know it.”

“Any of us would’ve done the same thing. That primordial deserved what he got. Maybe we need to let Mircea know that. I’d be willing to go to Italy on your behalf.”

Mircea II of Wallachia, brother of his great grandfather many times over, Vlad III, was stepfather to Rosalee, the one responsible for this whole mess and his twin’s mate, one Kane couldn’t unsaddle himself from. Once a vampire takes a mate, it’s for life. Kaleb’s only regret? That he hadn’t taken Rosalee’s life along with Alec’s. After all, the primordial had been acting on her orders. Rosalee had wanted Kane to pay for having her banished to Italy for the cause of their son Ion’s death. Too bad for Kane it hadn’t ended his life-long chain of taking her as a mate.

“No one needs to go on my behalf, Xander. This is my battle. I’ll deal with it and answer for my actions.”

“You wouldn’t have to if fucking Viper hadn’t been dicking that detective bitch.”

Kaleb knew the truth to that, but he’d be damned if he’d blame his brother. Kane loved Cara, that much was obvious. And because of that, Kaleb would respect his decisions and therefore stand behind him. Even if that meant answering to the primordials for Alec’s demise. If he had it to do all over again, he’d rip his head off with his bare hands instead of using the knife. Alec Funar had been a sick fuck and got his just end.

Kaleb bared his suddenly elongated fangs on Alexander, his ire held barely in check. “You won’t refer to Viper’s woman negatively. Regardless of how it came about, he loves her and we will respect that. Besides, Cara’s one of us now. There’s no changing that.”

Alexander nodded, thankfully letting the topic of Kane and Cara drop. His brother needed to hightail his ass back to Pleasant and stop hiding from his actions. Surely once he’s back in the day-to-day activities, the rest of the Sons will come to accept Cara. She may not be able to mate with Kane because of Rosalee, but in Kane’s eyes Cara was his only. His mate was dead to him. As so, the Sons needed to see it as such, regardless of club rules. Kane had broken the rule to turn Cara without club permission. Because of his actions he had stepped down as club pres, Kaleb taking over the reins. He had paid the price and should be forgiven for his actions.

“I’m heading out.”

Kaleb grit his teeth, knowing he should do the same. Staying here and drinking all the Jack in sight wouldn’t make a damn bit of difference. Maybe it was time to head back to the clubhouse.

“Round up the brothers tomorrow. We’ll need to deal with the bodies … give them a proper send-off.”

“You going to be okay?”

“Yeah. I’ll be heading out myself here in a few. I promised Draven I’d turn down the lights.”

“Be safe, my friend.”

“You as well.”

Alexander placed his half-finished glass of tea on the bar, then turned and headed for the entrance. Kaleb heard the door open, then whoosh closed, followed by the soft click of the latch. Finally rising, he walked behind the bar and started tossing the empty Jack bottles into the trash. Taking his and Alexander’s glass from the bar, he placed them next to the sink for tomorrow’s bartender to clean. Footfalls caught his attention before his nose picked up the sweet scent of her return.

Fuck my life.

Why the hell did she pick this exact moment to walk back into his life? Not when his willpower had all but abandoned him. Damn her to hell and back for her lousy timing, and damn him for desiring to leap the short distance and take her into his arms. As he glanced up to see Suzi Stevens’ standing before him, the bar the only barrier to keep him from doing what he hungered for, their gazes locked and held. His heart beat heavily, drowning out the industrial music. Jesus, his fangs still in their elongated state now ached for appeasement, while he watched her nervously stroke the vial dangling about her neck. The vial that gave him permission to take his fill.

A white billowy, button-down top dropped past her waist, unbuttoned to just above the rise of her breasts, hiding her pert tits from his view. A pair of black yoga pants completed the lower half, hugging her like a second skin. His gaze strayed and held on her long, lean legs. He could easily imagine picking her up and having her wrap those muscular thighs about his waist, her sweet center hugging the erection now plaguing him.

Hawk scrubbed his face with his palms as he tried like hell not to envision her sweet, plump lower lip that she drew between her teeth, or the crystalline blue eyes that held concern for him. He needed to get a handle on his emotions. Desire ruled his dick, which at the moment couldn’t be trusted at making sound decisions.

“Hello, Hawk.”

* * *

Six months of denying what she felt for Kaleb Tepes and it sailed right out the window now that she stood before him in his vampire form. Beauty at its finest. Jesus, did they make them any hotter? One look and her libido decided to kick in from its dormant state. Not really what she needed at the moment, knowing full well Kaleb would be able to detect her rising desire from a mile away, let alone a few feet with only a bar separating them.

Not fair.

No man or vampire should be allowed to possess that amount of sex appeal. But she would be damned before she ever allowed him to use that to control her. He had caused her more mental anguish than any human being ever had the right to. She had lived this long without the likes of Kaleb Tepes, and she would continue to do so. Steeling her resolve and her shoulders, she raised her chin and faced him head on.

Remember, he only has the ability to hurt you if you allow him.

His dark black curls lay in soft disarray, brushing his shoulders, adding to his untamed presence. It had to have grown at least an inch since the last time she had laid eyes on him. His obsidian black eyes, fringed with impossibly long black lashes, held her in place, her image reflected in their mirror-like quality. His nostrils flared and the tips of his fangs protruded just below his upper lip as his red tongue darted out and moistened them. A shiver passed through her, already knowing what that tongue was capable of.

“I don’t suppose you came here to fuck me.”

Well, that kind of talk certainly wasn’t going to help her rising desire situation. Not when her libido all but rose up and said,
“Yes, please.”

“Crude as ever I see.”

His nostrils flared again. No denying she hungered for him and he knew it.
Bastard.
He could smell it. Pointless to refute what he already knew to be the truth.

“I came to see if you’re okay.”

He shrugged, bracing his hands on the bar top. The corded muscles in his arms tightened. She’d never get tired of looking at him. Kaleb looked as if he’d been carved of stone. Tattoos traveled his right shoulder to the wrist in a sleeve of color, while his left sported a black tribal cuff winding about the biceps in an intricate pattern.

“Why don’t you bring your pretty little ass over here and I’ll show you how okay I am.”

Suzi closed the distance, leaving the bar as a separator, and laid her pocketbook on the surface. “You can joke away what happened all you want, Hawk, but I know you’re hurting inside.”

“You don’t know shit about me.”

“Look, Hawk—”

“No.” He pointed a forefinger at her. “You’re a cold-hearted bitch. You’ve already proven how much you care about another being. Why don’t you take your righteous ass back out that door and go back to wherever you’ve been hiding the last six months. I don’t need you.”

Tears welled in her eyes. She knew Kaleb still held his nephew against her, and the fact that she didn’t mourn his death as he thought she should. But he didn’t know a thing about her and Ion’s relationship. Kaleb had never given her a chance to explain, and in the end, it had been better to leave him with his beliefs.

“I loved Ion.”

“You sure had a funny way of showing it when I told you about his death.”

Suzi gritted her teeth. She would be damned if she’d allow him to guilt her into a confession. She would take her and Ion’s secret to her grave. She owed Ion that much.

“I didn’t come here to bring up old wounds.”

“Then why are you here?”

“Because I fooled myself into thinking I cared…” She stopped herself from saying
about you
. “I heard about Wheezer and Red Dot. I had to come to see if you were all right. I’m sorry now that I did. I should’ve let you wallow in your self-hatred.”

He stared hard at her, enough so she wished she could read what was going on behind those black hypnotic eyes. She wasn’t sure if he wanted to leap the counter and strangle her, or kiss her senseless. Though she preferred the latter, Suzi knew the repercussions of those actions would crush her. Before she could stop him, he vaulted the bar effortlessly and now stood mere inches from her. She could smell Jack Daniel’s on him, that and his intoxicating musk. Her heart nearly leapt from her chest.

Kaleb leaned in, his nose brushing the soft skin beneath her right ear, causing a flutter in her lower abdomen. His canines scraped across the delicate flesh, telling her he was a hairsbreadth away from biting her.

“I find I’m ravenous.”

“Your problem, not mine.” Suzi stiffened her spine, ready for him to do as he desired regardless of her wishes. “I didn’t come here to offer you nourishment.”

His right arm snaked around her, keeping her from fleeing. The fingers of his free hand toyed with the glass vial. “You’re a donor. You offer me what I need.”

“I can’t stop you from feeding.”

“I hear a
but
in there.”

“I’m retired.”

Kaleb stood back, releasing Suzi to stare down at her. Then he chuckled. His mirth misplaced given the situation.

“I don’t find that funny.”

“No?” He raised one black brow. “I find that rich. Suzi Stevens who offered her blood up to any Son who asked.”