Only Vampires Cry Blood (2 page)

When my instinct turned to desire, I feared the craving to feel him inside me while I drained the life from him. A swarm of images swam together behind my eyes, one blur of blood, sex and death. I ached to feel his naked flesh, to taste his blood as it flowed. I leaned into him, alive with the vampire power that lived within me. The need to take all that he had to give was rooted in my core.

The balance of the wolf saved me, preventing me from taking it too far. With a snarl, my wolf rose to the surface. The true predator inside me broke the hold that the vampire's hungers had over me. I sprang into action, swinging a clawed hand before he could free himself from my allure. I punched into his chest with a rib breaking motion that caused us both to cry out. My hand slid through things that were warm and wet until I reached his heart and tore it free.

It lay heavy in my hand, slick and dripping with blood. The vampire rocked unsteadily on his knees before hitting the ground, hard, face first. I winced and scrambled to my feet. His remains instantly began to fade to dust and ash. I dropped the heart and brought my fingers to my lips, tasting his blood. I watched until there was nothing left of him but pieces that I kicked into the snow.

There was no denying it anymore: I couldn't go on like this. As the conductor of my power, I should not also be victim to it. This had to stop before I did something I truly regretted. Losing control wasn't an option. It was losing control with Arys that got me into this in the first place.

Power like that which Arys and I possessed was rare. It affected me differently because my heart continued to beat. Only one person had the knowledge that I needed to master it completely, and Harley Kayson wasn't someone that would dole out that kind of information without a price. Not to mention, Arys would die twice before he would let me anywhere near Harley again.

Staring into the mix of bloodied ash and snow, I couldn't help but feel that something had to give. I couldn't live this way, lacking the piece of the puzzle that put me in charge.

It took so little to strip my control away.

A siren sounded off in the distance, startling me out of my thoughts. Making my way back down the deserted street, I tasted the blood that lingered in my mouth and grimaced.

I was a risk to myself and everyone around me.

Stars shine especially bright in the absence of city streetlights. Those who never experience the true beauty beyond the city limits don't even know what they're missing, but I do. Staring into the vast night sky with the wind ruffling my hair, I admired the beauty of the stars unobstructed by flashing lights and the roar of traffic.

I strolled through the parking lot to the front doors of Lucy's Lounge. The shabby little nightclub was the hottest thing that Stony Plain had going for it, and I loved it to bits. Though my small hometown was just ten minutes down the highway from the big city, it felt like it was a world away. You'd never find a traffic circle or a one way street here.

Arys was here, and I wanted to talk to him. It couldn't wait until whenever he decided to stroll over for some love. It was Tuesday, which meant he'd likely be playing poker and taking his opponents for everything they had. Typical vampire, he can never have too much of anything.

I was still buzzing from the power high of the kill. It was like an adrenaline rush that wouldn't subside. I felt the connection between myself and the earth, the energy that flowed in everything. It was amazing. A slight giddiness caused me to grin to myself as if I had a dirty secret. It felt better than if I'd just slammed a few shots of good tequila. I had to pause before entering the building to take a deep breath and get a hold of myself. If I didn't shield hard, I was going to be vibing off every person inside, which quickly becomes overwhelming.

A stop at home to scrub my nails and change into clean jeans and a long black dressy sweater had been done with haste. I wanted to track Arys down before he impulsively followed something warm blooded out for a bite. I could easily open the mental door between us and access his mind. He’d always wanted to toy with that ability, but it freaked me out. It felt invasive and unnatural from both sides. I loathed making use of it unless absolutely necessary. As of yet, it wasn't.

Nodding to the bouncer at the door, I smiled tightly and brushed past. Though my fangs and claws had since receded, the power humming through me, like a medium-grade drug hit, caused my wolf to refuse to lie silent inside me, instead pressing the surface of my being. A complete shift to wolf was the most natural way to burn off the excess energy roiling about within me. The urge was there, but I did have control over that one thing.

I blinked furiously a few times as my sensitive eyes adjusted to the dim and oddly yellow lighting. The stage was empty tonight. Instead of a live band, the DJ had the sounds of classic rock booming through the speaker system. I didn't waste time scoping the place out. I had a moment where I was torn between locating Arys and going to the bar where Shaz Richardson, the Alpha male werewolf and my mate, was busy serving up drinks to the awaiting line of patrons. The choice was stolen from me when the atmosphere shifted, and my dark vampire emerged from the crowd to capture me from behind in his arms.

Pulling me against his hard body, he brushed his lips against my ear and whispered,

“You are on fire, my love. What have you been up to?”

I turned in his arms to face him, and my breath was stolen when he ever so softly traced my lower lip with his tongue. Sparking, our power reached for one another, meshing into a mix of the blue and gold that represented our individual energies. It was only visible to those with the psychic ability to see energy.

If I thought the power was hard to handle on my own, I always remembered how different it was when I was with him. It ran at a much higher intensity; the chemistry between us was dangerously explosive. Yet, it was also easier to manipulate and control.

With a content sigh, I sucked his tongue into my mouth, only now enjoying what we gained from each other. When I was in his arms, everything was different. He tasted like blood, human blood. It created a ravenous longing deep inside me, and along with it, a physical need to have him take me and possess my body.

When he pulled back to peer into me with his insanely blue eyes, my knees weakened, and my heart faltered. Lord help me, but the man was a god. I could stare at him endlessly and never tire of it. He inclined his head slightly, indicating that he awaited my reply. A chunk of jet-black hair fell over one eye, and he gave it a sexy toss.

I bit my lip in frustration. My lust for Arys may have been power driven right from the start, but it was all him. No amount of metaphysical energy could have made me want him as bad as I did. It was just the very sweet icing on the cake.

“Nothing but the usual. Chasing down nasties and making them wish they'd never called me your bitch.” I couldn't resist the temptation to nibble gently at the silver ring in Arys' lower lip. It matched the one in his nose as well as the larger one in his left nipple. I suddenly could not wait to get home. “You're coming by my place tonight, right?”

“Someone called you my bitch?” A grin crossed his handsome face, revealing pearly white fangs. I figured he'd like that. “You must have kicked the shit out of him.” He paused to plant a series of small kisses on my lips while denying me the passionate kiss I longed for. “Oh yeah, I'm coming by tonight. I'm going to take advantage of that tightly wound energy when it snaps.”

“Good. That's what I was counting on.” I went in for another kiss, and he teasingly dodged it. When he playfully bit at the sensitive spot below my ear, I had to remind myself that we were in public. The erotic thrill of arousal had my body responding to him as a throb began between my legs. “You are such a damn tease.”

Arys chuckled, sending a ticklish shiver down my spine. The man totally got off on making me as hot for him as he possibly could before giving in to my pleas and demands.

He knew just how to play me to achieve the response he sought.

“What about your wolf? Will he be dropping by tonight?”

With a pointed look toward the bar, he drew my eye to Shaz, my platinum haired wolf. The intention behind Arys' words wasn't lost on me. It wasn't often that my men shared their time with me, but it did occur on occasion. The thought brought a particular memory to mind, and I smiled to myself.

“Why? Do you want him to?” I asked teasingly, stroking Arys lightly beneath the chin as I watched Shaz mix a fancy cocktail and hand it to a perky brunette.

Wait a minute; I recognized that perky chick. My good mood soured, and the territorial venom filled me until I was clenching my teeth. Casey lived in the same apartment building as Shaz. Apparently, they'd dated casually before he and I managed to sort out our chaotic issues. According to Shaz, it had been innocent and not serious in any way. Yet here she was again, sipping the drink he made her and beaming up at him like a gum-chewing teenybopper.

I didn't realize I'd taken a step in the direction of the bar until Arys' hand closed on my wrist. He raised an eyebrow in question, and I shrugged.

“Let's go over there. I have to confront this relentless piece of work. Or tear her head off and stuff it up her-,”

“Alexa!” Arys admonished, cutting my words off with a quick press of his lips to mine. “Such unlady-like behavior. At least get her outside before we make short work of her. Who is she anyway?”

I shot him a dirty look. “She's nobody important. And, what do you mean by ‘we’?”

“Well, you can't have all the fun without me.” He grabbed me playfully, right in the ticklish spot between my ribs. It earned him another glare. He knew how much I hated that.

I led the way to the bar, and Arys ambled along behind me, in no rush to watch me act like a jackass. The urge to defend what I felt was mine was like the need to breathe.

There was no defeating it. I wasn't the jealous type in any over the top, psychotic regard.

However, I was wolf, and all I saw was a human female treading on my turf.

Bypassing the line at the bar completely, I sidled up beside Casey with a grin that couldn't have been anything but predatory. She was giggling at Shaz and touching his arm but turned quickly when I filled the space at her side.

Her face went from bubbly and flirty to stone cold in an instant. She was taller than my five-foot-one, and she made a point of looking down at me. If her sneer was supposed to frighten me off, she would have to do better than that.

“Hey, babe.” Shaz attempted a lighthearted greeting, and I ignored the warning look he gave me. “Can I get you anything? It's on the house.”

“No, thanks.” I never took my eyes from Casey to look at him, but I could feel his discomfort. “I just came to ask if you were coming by tonight after you're done here.”

I gave Casey a pointed look, but she refused to take the hint. Instead, she made a show of looking me over before scoffing. “You've got to be kidding me.” Her gaze was drawn behind me, and I knew she was looking at Arys. “Weren't you just locking lips with him?”

She gestured to Arys, and I shrugged. “What business is that of yours?”

With a sweep of her hand, she tossed her hair over her shoulder and fixed me with an icy stare. “It isn't really. But, forgive me if I thought that meant you were finished with Shaz.” She rolled her eyes as if I was out of my mind. Maybe I was, but she was still lucky I didn't pluck those pretty, little orbs from her head and drop them into her drink.

“Casey,” Shaz interjected, clearly feeling trapped behind the bar. “This isn't the best time. Really.”

Neither Casey nor I looked at him. We were intent on each other, and I wished so badly that I could bare my fangs at her and send her screaming into the night. Would it really be so bad if I just knocked her out? Surely, that couldn't be as big a deal as leaving her in bloody pieces.

“Finished with Shaz?” I laughed at that. “Maybe I just have the best of both worlds.”

Her eyes darted from me to Shaz, and when he didn't deny a thing, she slammed her drink down on the bar. “Well, isn't that so sweet for you all? I'm sorry I bothered.” Before Shaz could feel guilty and play the nice guy, she spun on her heel and made for the exit.

I couldn't help but feel a little bad, not about approaching Casey but about the dark look that my white wolf wore. He, too, had acted out when his territory was infringed upon, but this time, I felt like I wasn't being fair. And, as much as I knew that and felt ashamed of it, that only went so deep and then I just didn't care.

Was the vampire in me giving me an undeserved complex, a sense of entitlement, or was I just a super bitch? Either way, I wasn't about to change, and the fact that I really didn't want to scared me. Why was this always about struggling for and losing my remaining hold on my quickly fading humanity?

“Well, that was nice, Lex.” Shaz leaned on top of the bar, fixing me with a look I knew well. He wasn't going to guilt me. It wasn't in him to do so. “I do have to live in the same building as her, you know. If I go home and find a dead animal stuffed in my mailbox, I'm holding you responsible.”

“I'm sorry.” Shoving Casey's abandoned drink aside, I reached for his hand, and he surrendered it willingly. “Ok, that's a lie. I'm not sorry. But, that was one of those territorial things you're always going on about. You know damn well she just wants to bang you. And, I don't blame her for that. But, it's my duty to squash those intentions.”

“Fair enough.” Shaz brought my hand to his lips, breathing in my scent before placing a soft kiss on my knuckles. He glanced at Arys who waited a few feet behind me.

“What are you two up to? You feel pretty vampy…and your skin is so hot.”

“I'm headed home right away. I'm pretty wired. I feel like I've been hit by lightning.”

It was so easy to get lost in Shaz' enchanting green eyes. One thing I could not fault Casey for was her attraction to him. He was heartbreakingly beautiful in both human and wolf form.

He nodded and looked to the growing line of people waiting for drinks. The only other bartender that he worked with was hurriedly trying to pick up his slack. “I'll stop by later, after closing.”

I was reluctant to leave him after the dumbass move I'd just pulled. However, we all have a duty to do, and right then, cashing in on the drunk and disorderly was his. My cheeks burned with embarrassment when I turned back to Arys.

“Am I a control freak or is that just me?” I asked.

“Seriously?” Arys took my hand, interlacing his fingers with mine. “You are a little nuts. But, you're no worse than either of us.”

I frowned, contemplating his response. I guess I could live with that, so long as I never became as dominant and possessive as either of my men were. I couldn't help but look back at Shaz over my shoulder. He graced me with his heart-stopping smile, and I felt a little better about running Casey out. But really, who wouldn't have?

Arys was right though. He and Shaz were worse. They had actually come to blows, and though they have somewhat of an understanding, it was tense and fragile at best.

They were two very dominant and extremely different men. Of course, if Casey had wanted to fight it out, I would have been more than happy to sink my teeth into her. I guess I had an unfair advantage, though, as she was the prey and I, the predator.

We made our way outside, not so far behind Casey. I could see her punching numbers furiously into her cell phone as she looked up and down the street. I turned to go towards my car, and Arys nudged me lightly in the side.

“She's all yours, if you want her.”

Six months ago, I would have been shocked to hear him say that. Now, it was almost expected. He should have known better, though, than to instill the thought in my head. I stared after her even as I forced myself to put one foot in front of the other. Even as we drew closer to my bright red Dodge Charger, Casey was looking more appealing than ever.