Bad Mouth

chapter Seventeen


Sunlight still blasted through the penthouse when Kade awoke. Guess the debilitating rays weren’t adequate to quell his anguish enough for a long sleep. Last night had been the worst of his four hundred seventy-two years.

He didn’t want to admit he cared about his parents. He’d always loathed so much about them, even as he fought to near death for them over the centuries, down to blood and bones on occasion. Everything he did now was ultimately for them and for the Dominorum—things he did that would end in his execution now that Val knew some of the details.

And tonight he’d give her even more. She’d discovered enough information on her own, and it wouldn’t be long before she found out the rest. Get rid of her. That was Ezra’s train wreck of a solution. But he couldn’t even think it without twisting a knife in his gut. She’d dug into him deeper than his own soul.

It wasn’t her body that drew him, though he craved it like a drug. He wanted to f*ck every opening, lick and bite every inch of her skin. He’d known thousands of women over the years just as sexy. Almost. They’d all been vampires. He’d never lowered himself to screw a human. Humans were food.

She’d shoved a hook in him the first day. Humans either worshipped him or feared him and nothing else. She’d done neither; she treated him like a real person. A precious gift no one had offered him before. Even Ezra didn’t treat him that way, that beloved bastard. After centuries, Ezra still held him apart as the royalty he was.

And he’d returned her gift with lies. He was a monumental ass, though he’d had good reason to keep her in the dark. Would she understand his purpose, his duty, or would she serve him up to the Ancients for execution? He leaped from his bed and pulled on clothes to protect him from the sunlight as he moved around the penthouse. He knew of only one thing he could do for her, to bring her peace of mind, and he only had a few hours to do it.

He plowed through every dresser to find his spare cell phone. “Luc,” he said once he’d gotten through. “I could use a hand. Guns with you?”

“No, but I know where he’s at. Whatcha need, leech? And what’re you doin’ up? It’s the middle of the day.”

“Like I didn’t notice? Can’t sleep, but I can’t go out either. This is where you come in. I need you and Guns to track down one of the deranged.” He heard a big sigh on the other end.

“You’re not asking for much, are ya?”

“Well, I guess if you’re not up to it…”

“Hells yeah, I’m up to it. I’ll grab Guns and we’ll get on it. Anything else, oh slave driver?”

“Yes, I need you and Guns here by sunset.”

“On top of finding this dipshi—never mind. We’ll be there.” Luc laughed. “So who’s this deranged fellow? It’s not like there’s only one, unfortunately.”

“William Parrish. Last known sighting downtown on the roof of the World Journal.”

“Seriously? That guy’s America’s Most Wanted. Do I get the reward when I find him?”

“No, but if you don’t, you’ll get my boot so far up your ass you’ll taste the leather.”

“Roger that, boss. I’ll call when I find something.” With a snicker, Luc added, “Enjoy the sun.”

Despite his predicament, Kade chuckled as he hung up. Lucca and Gunner had begun to relax around him, He’d thought fighting side by side might loosen them up, but only time had worked. They’d feared he’d eat them but never seemed wary around Ezra or Killian or even Declan. He’d thought it was because he was a Dominus, but Ezra was one, also. Then again Ezra came across as a big p-ssycat. Kade knew better. The humans didn’t.

Never at ease with humans, he’d passed his orders through Ezra, but maybe his self-imposed distance had contributed to their discomfort with him.

He wasn’t stupid enough to believe finding Will would redeem him to Val, but he needed to give her something. It didn’t matter if she ever forgave him—they had no future. As a vampire, he’d live to the ripe old age of two thousand years or more if luck allowed. She could never stomach the consumption of human blood to turn for him. She deserved to be happy. She deserved to have a family. What the hell did he know about that? He was crude and violent. He had nothing of worth to offer a woman like her.