Arys watched me with cool blue eyes and a curious expression on his forever-young face. “What’s your deal, Alexa? What brings you on a vampire hunt tonight?”
“I was just passing by. I felt you down here.” I licked my dry lips, and my head filled with visions of tearing into warm flesh. I could almost sense blood, hot on my tongue, as its intoxicating scent filled my nostrils. I wanted to consume the life within the girl’s blood. I shook my head, and my vision cleared. “You shouldn’t be killing in town. It’s dangerous.”
“Let me worry about that, my lovely wolf.” Arys studied me hard, and I wondered if he somehow knew what I’d just seen. With a hand on my back, he guided me out of the alley towards the glow of the light. “But, I am curious what had you hot footing it out of here so fast last night.”
I told him about Raoul as we walked, giving him my best rant, one that would have been wasted on Kylarai and Shaz. The energy of his fresh kill buzzed around Arys, which gave me goose bumps and a constant tingle down my spine.
“You shouldn’t have gone to him.”
“I know. I thought maybe he was in real trouble. Lord knows why I’d even care.”
“I certainly don’t see why you do. Every time you give him a chance, he lets you down. There is so much more out there. Why limit yourself?” He laid a warm hand on my forearm and gave a gentle squeeze. I couldn’t mistake the meaning of his words nor deny the warm heat that rose to meet his touch.
My breath caught as his energy danced along my skin and raised the little hairs on the back of my neck. His magnetic pull remained familiar, but the flow was different. The living, breathing power of my wolf rushed to the surface to meet the dark, icy power of the undead. If Arys’s sharp gasp was any indication, he was as surprised as I was.
His hand moved down my arm until he had entwined his fingers in mine. With this more solid connection, our two very different powers joined into one that took my breath away. A warm glow hummed all around us. Pleasure raced through my blood, and I wanted more. Arys’s pupils dilated in response. I could feel him peering into my soul.
I felt him in my head, a gentle touch on my mind. In the same moment, we shared a thought, a memory. He saw through my wolf’s eyes as she raced through the forest, answering the call of the night. Bloody images flashed through my head and the rush of sinking fangs into a soft, slender neck entranced me.
I wanted more. I wanted to climb inside him and roll around in all of that power. He took a step and closed the remaining space between us. The heat grew into a fever, something I fought to escape before it consumed me.
“Arys, stop.” With all my resolve, I pulled my hand from his and shoved him back. He blinked at me a few times but didn’t step out of my personal space.
“That was amazing. I would never have guessed you could do that,” he said. The look he gave me was undeniably full of desire.
“I didn’t do anything,” I stammered. He wasn’t buying it.
“I knew you were more than a shifter, but I didn’t realize how much more. This is more than a human’s natural ability.” His expression was serious, but he sounded drunk. The energy had buzzed me, too. It continued to throb through my veins. “You’re a metaphysical dream, Alexa. I’ve known vampires like you, but never one whose mortal heart still beats.”
“I’m not a vampire, though. I don’t need to take from others to survive.”
“Your energy calls like something that has never been human. It seeks something from me.” He shook his head in wonder but never took his eyes off me.
“The energy, it’s not always sensual,” I offered lamely. I didn’t know what to say, and I was feeling very ill at ease.
“No?” Arys raised an eyebrow, but a satisfied grin spread across his handsome features.
I did my best to fight the blush that crept across my cheeks. My face felt hot, and I wanted to offer any lame excuse just so I could escape the sudden awkwardness.
“Arys, I have to go. Duty calls.” Not exactly a lie, but he looked at me like he knew damn well I was making a getaway.
I had to, though. He shared so many of my abilities, and my power seemed to really like him. The metaphysical attraction had been progressing over time, and I didn’t fully trust myself around him anymore.
Needless to say, I skipped the sirloin steak dinner that I’d been anticipating. I made up for it by stopping by Swiss Chalet to grab a delicious chicken dinner on my way to see Lena.
She’s one of just two humans that Veryl works with. She’s a natural witch and a truly amazing spell caster. Lena was white witch to the core. All of her spell casting focused on things like healing, strength and protection.