Shadow Blood: Kallen's Tale (Witch Fairy #4.5) (15 page)

This seems to hit home with Xandra.  “I’m sorry,” she mumbles softly. 

It is definitely time to get her out of here.  Hooking my arm around her waist, I say to the room in general, “We will be upstairs if you need us.”

Xandra is quiet until we get to the stairs.  “Kallen, I don’t want to go to sleep.  You know what’ll happen.  What if I hit on Kegan again or something worse?”

“You hit on Kegan?” Alita’s shocked voice asks from behind us. 

So close.  A flight of stairs.  A stupid flight of stairs is all that was keeping us from more confrontation.  I close my eyes and shake my head.  This is the longest night ever. 

Xandra and her shame turn towards Alita.  “It wasn’t me, it was the soul barnacles.” 

Doubt is crawling all over Alita’s face.  I am not the only one with jealousy issues I see.  Collecting herself, Alita says, “Isla has a question for you.  She wanted me to come and get you before you retired.” 

My hopes of privacy shattered, Xandra nods and walks back to the living room.  I hang back to explain to Alita what Xandra meant.  “It is not as it seems,” I say.

Alita tries to smile but she is feeling too fragile at the moment.  “Of course.”

I cannot help a chuckle.  I lift her downcast chin so I can see her eyes.  “Do you really think that I would be okay with the Fairy I love going after my cousin?”

A spark of hope flashes in her eyes.  “No.”

I sit down on the steps and pat the spot next to me.  “Xandra is not alone in her body I am afraid.  While in the Shadow realm, some pieces of souls attached themselves to her.  When she is asleep, these bits of soul are able to take control.”

“And make her hit on Kegan?”

“Yes,” I say but there is something she is holding back.  “What are you thinking?”

“Nothing,” she says avoiding my eyes again.

“Alita, we have been friends too long for you not to speak your mind to me.”

She sighs and looks back at me.  “Do you think it means that Xandra secretly has feelings for Kegan and this just gave her the opportunity to act on it?” 

Wow, that hits me like a rabid Tasmanian devil attack.  “No.”  I shake my head and say it again.  “No.”

Alita looks so guilty for having asked the question that I am able to curb my own rising doubts.  Picking up her hand, I do my best to reassure her.  “The only person in this house who wants my cousin is you, though I have no idea why.  You can do so much better than a kangaroo like him.”

She laughs.  “I do not and no I cannot.”

I shake my head.  “You have no idea of your beauty, do you?”                                

“Now you are simply teasing me.”

I am about to say something else when I hear Xandra’s footsteps.  Alita and I both look her way.  “Did I interrupt something?” she asks.

A smug grin finds its way to my lips.  I am not the only one in this relationship with a jealous streak.  “I was simply explaining to Alita about your unusual behavior.”

“Oh.”

Alita smiles up at Xandra.  “I understand that it was not really you who behaved in such a way.”

Xandra flushes.  “Did he tell you I have voices in my head, too?”

Alita’s eyes get big and she seems intrigued.  “You can communicate with them?!”

Xandra grimaces.  “Um, I’m not nearly as excited about it as you are.”

Alita giggles a little bit.  “I just think that it is a wonderful opportunity to learn.  You can explore the thoughts of others and you could probably learn a lot about history from firsthand accounts.”  Leave it to Alita to always find a bright side to things.

Xandra is not convinced.  “So far, I’ve only learned that they can control my body when my mind’s asleep.  This experience hasn’t made my list of fun things to try this year.”

“No, I suppose it would not,” Alita laughs.

I have had enough of conversation for the night.  Standing, I say, “Alita, I am stealing her away from you.” And I do.

Chapter 23

When we are finally alone in Xandra’s bedroom, I sweep her off her feet and carry her to the bed.  “You were jealous of Alita,” I smirk. 

“I was not,” is her adamant response but her face belies the truth of that.

“Imagine how you would have felt if I had my arms around her and was trying to kiss her,” I say laying down next to her.

She gives me a sour look.  “Are you going to tease me, or are you going to kiss me?”

That is a stupid question.  “Kiss you,” I murmur against her lips just before claiming them in a kiss that makes my mind go numb.  All there is in the world is her lips beneath mine and her skin under my exploring hands.  Sinking deeper into the passion, my hand slides up the silky smoothness of her side, under her shirt, and she arches into me.  She tugs at my shirt, trying to get it off. 

Which tugs me right back into reality.  I cannot believe I am going to do this.  With a feral growl, I tear myself away from her and roll onto my back

“Uh, what are you doing?” Xandra asks a little out of breath.  Hurt and confusion lace together in her voice.

“Trying to keep the promise you made to your mother,” I say as I reluctantly sit up and pull my shirt back down.  I really hate her mother right now.

Xandra groans and rubs her hand up and down my arm, leaving goose bumps in its wake.  “Can’t we start keeping our promise tomorrow?”

She is killing me.  If she keeps touching me like this, I am not going to give a damn about what her mother thinks.  “Oh, you have no idea how much I would like to take you up on that,” I say in a voice that sounds strained even to me.  Standing up and out of her reach, I add, “I think I will take a cold shower.”

Xandra laughs but there is disappointment in her eyes when she asks, “Does that really work?”

Not at all.  I lean down and give her a long, lingering kiss.  “Not as well as it should when it comes to you.”

“Then skip it and come back to bed.”

I shake my head and chuckle.  “Perhaps it is not only me who needs a cold shower.”  I definitely need a cold shower.  “I will be back in five minutes.”  I move to make my escape trying not to see the cute little pout on her face.

I am not fast enough.  She stops me at the door when she says, “Okay, will you make me some pajamas before you go?”

Oh yeah, I will make her some pajamas.  Sheer black nighties have become a specialty of mine.  God, she is so beautiful.  I have to hold on tightly to the doorknob to keep from racing across the room and showing her how beautiful.  Instead, there is awe in my voice as I whisper, “Perfect.”

Xandra giggles again.  “I don’t think this falls under the fully clothed category.”

Who cares?  I sigh.  I should.  “I suppose not.”  I replace the black nightie with green pajama pants and a black tee.  Funny, she is still just as sexy.  I have to get out of here.  “I’ll be right back,” I say and I walk out of the room before I act on every thought that is going through my mind at the moment.

Once in my own room, I let the water run a moment to make sure it is nice and cold.  Then I plunge ahead, nearly waking the whole house with my reaction to the jarring sensation of becoming an icicle.  Son of a bitch.  I have never actually done this before.  I stay under the water for as long as I can, but that is not very long.  I hop out, my entire body covered in goose bumps and numbness has spread throughout my body.  But none of that matters when I think of Xandra lying on her bed in that black negligee.  Well, this was a futile exercise.  One that I will not partake in again.

Making my way back to Xandra’s room, I am surprised to find her out of bed.  Damn it.  I was so wrapped up in my hormones, I forgot that she is not supposed to be left alone.  She must have fallen asleep and god knows what the other souls are making her do. 

I need to do a cursory check of her room before I tear off through the mansion.  The door to the toilet room is open so I know she is not in there.  I open the door to her bathing room and every single thought I have ever had seeps out of my brain and I am left mute and spellbound.

Xandra is here.  Wow.  Is she ever here.  And a cold shower seems the farthest thing from her mind at the moment.  Naked in the bath, she has decided her sleeping time is time better spent exploring her own body.  Inch by glorious inch.  Her hand lingers in the places I would kill a thousand Fairies to be.  Every cell inside of me has paused in its activities so that all of my body’s attention can be focused on the beautiful seductress before me.

“Xandra.”  That came out strangled and pleading.  But I am not sure what I am asking her – to stop what she is doing or to invite me to participate.  Oh hell, who am I kidding?  I know exactly which of those I want to do.  “If you are trying to negate the effect of my cold shower, you are doing a very good job.”

A sexy, sultry smile spreads across her beautiful face.  She stands up and begins to wring out her long black hair, affording me the opportunity to drink in every iota of her perfection.  A fact that she is well aware of since she is arching her body in ways that are meant only for seduction.  “You should join me,” she purrs.

Yes.  The word slams into my mind so hard I almost lose my balance.  She definitely has me under her spell.  If only it was the Witch Fairy I love speaking.  My loyalty to her is what gives me the strength to stay rooted to my spot at the door.  “You are not Xandra,” I say quietly. 

She will not be daunted so easily.  “The body is the same, regardless of who is driving it.  I can see your desire, your need.  What harm is there in indulging yourself just a little bit?”

She would have me take advantage of Xandra’s body without her being aware?  Disgust fills the places in my mind where lust is now long gone.  Turning away from this creature who is not Xandra, I walk out of the room and slam the door behind me. 

I keep walking until I am out of Xandra’s room and in the hallway.  Each step brings more anger and pain.  I need to find a way to get those creatures out of Xandra.  In the meantime, I need some distance between her and me before I do something drastic that may cause harm to Xandra, not just her soul barnacles as she calls them. 

Alita’s door is open and I find myself walking inside.  Thank god she is still awake.  I plop down in a chair across from her bed where she is reading.  “I need to ask you to do something for me,” I say in lieu of a greeting. 

“Okay,” Alita says slowly, sitting up.  “I do not have to kill anyone, do I?”

“Maybe me,” I grumble.

Wrinkles form on her forehead.  “Why on earth would you say that?”

I sigh and look out the window.  “Because I am finding it increasingly difficult to refuse my girlfriend.”

Alita is still confused.  “Refuse what?”

I turn back to her and cock my head until pink washes onto her cheeks.  “Oh.”

“Yeah,
oh
.  The other souls inside of her seem to take great pleasure in driving me insane.”

“But what can I do?” Alita asks.

I stand up and start pacing.  “I just need some time away from her to clear my head.”  I stop and look at her.  “Will you please watch her tonight?”

“You mean babysit her?”  Surprise is clear in her voice.

I nod grimly.  “That is what I mean.  She cannot be trusted when the other souls take over.  I should not have left her for even these few minutes.  Will you go to her and keep her out of trouble?”

Alita stands up from the bed.  “Of course.  I will go right now.  But what should I do if she will not stay with me?”

I had not thought of that.  “Call for help.  One of us will come running.”  Especially me.  I do not want any more incidents between Xandra and Kegan.  I do not believe Alita does either. 

Chapter 24

My normally comfortable bed seems to be made of rocks this evening.  It is impossible to find a spot that feels right.  I know it is because I do not have a beautiful, sexy Witch Fairy lying next to me but I really need to get some sleep.  That has been in short supply lately. 

After spending several hours tossing and turning and getting possibly an hour total of sleep, I give up.  I rise from my useless bed and take a shower.  A warm one this time.  After drying my hair and dressing, I head down to the kitchen.  I need some food in my stomach.  Maybe that will give me the strength I need to resist Xandra’s little friends.

Tabitha is in the kitchen pouring herself a cup of tea.  She is surprised to see me and almost drops her cup.  “Did you leave that girl alone?” she grouses.  Guess I am not the only one who did not sleep last night.

I shake my head and grab the eggs from the icebox.  I will make my own eggs because at the moment, I am terrified that Tabitha will kill me if I ask her to do it.  “No, Alita is with her.”

“Give me those,” she says, grabbing the eggs from me.  “The last time you tried to cook eggs I spent three days scraping the walls and counters.”