A snarl began low in my throat. I waited for him to get closer. Perhaps if I could drag him in between the buildings … my mind wasn't thinking beyond that. This time I was saying “fuck it” to sanity and going with what felt good. The initial abandon felt euphoric.
I timed my attack so that I came at him from one side, knocking him into the darkened space between the buildings. He let out a sound of surprised fright, but it was easily drowned out by the traffic on the street. I straddled him before he could move, wrapping my fingers tightly around his throat. Baring my fangs, I moved in to spill his blood with an unnatural eagerness.
Strong arms grabbed me from behind, dragging me to my feet. The scent of leather and the sensation of Kale's intriguing power drew my attention instantly. My intended victim was practically forgotten. He scrambled to his feet and ran swearing and yelling down the street. My clawed nails were coated with blood from where I'd pierced his flesh. I couldn't resist bringing a finger to my lips, licking it clean while Kale watched with wide eyes.
“Alexa? What in the hell are you doing? You know what, never mind. You can tell me in the car. Let's go.” He grabbed my wrist and pulled me along beside him. I was still trying to process the sudden turn in events.
“Kale,” I growled. “What the f**k? Can't a girl have a little fun?”
He swore softly, a string of curse words strung together into one. “I hate it when you're all vamped up like this. And, you are totally drunk. You reek like booze.”
“I am not drunk.” I was vehement despite the fact that I tripped over my own feet trying to keep up with him. Maybe I'd had more than I thought.
I let him guide me, leaning on him for support as I licked the bloody smears from my fingertips. It was such a tease. Kale looked down at me from his tall frame, a pained look crossing his face. His car was parked at the end of the street, and I protested when he opened the door and gently shoved me inside.
“I can't leave my car, Kale. And, where the hell are you taking me anyway? Please say it's to kill something.”
When we were both seated in the dark confines of his classic car, he faced me. “You should have called me before coming here. You could have killed that guy. Don't you think at some point someone would have noticed you tearing him to shreds?”
I didn't respond. Instead, I slowly licked the last of the blood from my fingers. Kale watched me pensively, and I knew that he was enticed. I was so wicked in this frame of mind and knowing that didn't change a damn thing. Overcome with bloodlust, pain and the way Kale's eternally hungry power called to me, I was merely reacting. Thinking had gone out the window.
“Oh so what?” I replied flippantly. “After the night I've had, a little fun is in order.”
“Good Lord, you're out of your mind.” Kale started the car and pulled into traffic.
“You need to sober up, in more ways than one from the looks of it.”
“And, I'll bet you're just the guy to help me out with that, aren't you?”
“You are so lucky that I fed tonight. I took care of that long before you arrived at the Kiss. It's going to take a lot more than batting your pretty eyes to get to me.”
I grinned, loving the challenge I heard in his voice. “Oh yeah? How much more?”
“Not funny, Alexa. This madness, this whole strange thing between us, it's got to stop.” He eased the car to a stop at a red light and fixed me with a serious gaze. “I'm here because I care about you, and you're going to get yourself into a lot of trouble out here alone. But, we have our own unspoken issues, and sooner or later, they're going to spiral out of control.”
I pondered this, but in my drunken, Arys-influenced state, I just found it funny. The seriousness all over Kale's face got me giggling like a first time drunk. I sucked the tip of a clawed nail, delighting in the trace of blood caught beneath it.
“I need to kill something, Kale. You know exactly what that feels like. This night has been a bust, and I don't really f**king care anymore.”
“That's the bloodlust talking not you.” The traffic light changed, and we started moving again. There was no sign of the man I'd attacked anywhere.
“So, where are we going? You won't let me kill anything so this had better be good.”
I savored the taste of human blood on my tongue, aching for more. My actions tonight had proved Harley right already. I needed to accept the bloodlust as a part of me that wasn't going away.
“We're going for a drive. Maybe a walk down by the river. And, if I have to, I'll give you my own blood to bring you back down to earth.”
That got my attention and brought an evil grin to my lips. “Um, what? Have you lost your mind? You know that's a sure fire way to cross the line of our issues. Don't you think?” The thought of Kale's blood dripping onto my tongue was powerful enough to flood me with an erotic heat. I actually had to crack the window open to let the winter air cool me.