I watched as Shaz held up a finger, a claw protruding from its tip. In one swift motion, he sliced a clean cut a few inches long down the inside of his forearm. He clearly hadn’t trusted me to do it. What kind of hunger was he seeing in my eyes?
I didn’t know how bad I wanted it until it oozed to the surface of his skin. Licking my lips, I eagerly reached for his arm, gliding my tongue over the rich, crimson nectar slowly, to savor the pleasurable shock as it hit my system.
Shaz moaned, and I smiled to myself as I sucked lightly on the small wound. He never came right out and said so, but I knew part of him got off on this. Bloodletting was never a part of sex with us like it was with Arys. However, the scent of his arousal and the obvious erection straining beneath his jeans said more than the words he refused to say. I wasn’t going to push it. Shaz would come around in his own time.
There was a roar in my ears as the powerful Were blood quenched the vampire’s hunger dwelling deep within me. I wanted more than Shaz’ blood. I drew on his energy, pulling it into my core, careful not to drain him. It was like taking a deep breath of fresh air. When I raised my head from his bleeding arm, everything seemed crisp and clear.
I kissed him then, a delightful press of lips. He opened up to me, tasting his blood in my mouth. If Ky and Zoey hadn’t been right upstairs, I would have climbed on top of him and made love to him right there on the kitchen floor. As it was, I had to cut it short and deal with the matter at hand.
Shaz lingered downstairs, not wanting to make Zoey more uncomfortable than she already must be. I ascended to stairs to the bathroom, hesitating at the door. I could hear the soft sound of Kylarai’s voice inside, soothing and calm. I knocked lightly, waiting until she told me to enter.
Zoey sat on the closed toilet wearing one of my robes. Her hair hung long and wet.
Kylarai stood beside her, carefully brushing her tangled locks.
Kylarai turned to me with a small smile. “Her arms hurt too much to lift this high.
The shift really did a number on her physically. Do you have any Tylenol or anything?
That may ease some of the aches.”
“Yeah.” I nodded absently. “I’ll dig some up.” I didn’t want to talk about Zoey as if she weren’t in the room so meeting her cerulean eyes I said, “Are you ok? Is there anything I can get you?”
Zoey opened her mouth to speak, coughing before she managed to reply in a hoarse voice. “Some water, please.”
I felt extremely awkward so I turned to go. Her raspy voice stopped me before I’d made it out the door.
“Alexa?”
I looked at her, waiting with breath held. I didn’t know what to expect from her.
She’d been a total lunatic last time I dealt with her. I was nervous, unsure of her mental state.
“Yes?”
“Thank you. For helping me.”
“No problem. I’m glad I was able to.”
After I delivered the painkillers and water to Zoey, I waited impatiently for her to feel well enough to come downstairs. The only bedroom up there was Raoul’s, the same room where Zoey had murdered Belle, a pack member that boned Raoul on a regular basis. Zoey had been after any woman that Raoul felt for, feeling the need for vengeance against the womanizing man she’d felt abandoned her. I didn’t think it was a good idea for her to stay in that room.
In the end, it was decided that Zoey would go home with Ky and stay in the room that had previously been mine. It seemed to be the best idea. Though very soon Zoey and I would have to sit down and really talk. We’d never done so, and I felt there was much we had to share. We were linked to the same man, regardless of the difference in how.
I sent Zoey off with Ky, equipped with a change of clothing and a promise that we’d talk soon. We had many things to discuss from legal and financial to personal. I hoped it went well.
If anything, Kylarai was a better person for Zoey to stay with than I was. They too had had their own physical face off, but Ky was the type that could sweep that under the rug and blame it on circumstance. She was a special person with a beautiful soul. I owed her much.
The door closed behind them, and Shaz turned to me with a grin. “Go get ready. I’m taking you out tonight.”
* * * *