“That’s putting it lightly.”
“I’ll stay alert, but it’ll be sunrise in a few hours. I imagine wherever he is, he’ll be heading home soon.”
I swallowed hard and glanced up and down the empty hallway. “Unless he comes back here.”
“Maybe you should leave, Lex. You know how he gets around you. If he’s all f**ked up, he’ll be unpredictable and dangerous.”
“Call me if you see him. Otherwise, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
I turned quickly when I felt Arys approach. He wore a frown and hummed with an anxious energy. His attention was immediately drawn to Kale’s room, and I cringed.
“You must be so impressed.” He grinned. “Isn’t this exactly the kind of thing you told me I couldn’t do here?”
“Laugh it up.” I gave him my best fake, bitter laugh.
Arys surveyed the interior of the room with a nonchalance that only increased my discomfort. “So Kale’s acting like a vampire again. It’s about time. But, you should tell him not to leave his dead whores lying around like this. It’s bad for business.”
“I know how much you must love this, but please, let me deal with it before you rub it in my face. I get it, ok? I made a huge mistake thinking I could change anything around here. Ha f**king ha!”
“Lighten up, Alexa. Don’t be so uptight about this place. It is what it is.” His voice dropped, and he pulled me close. “Look, I want you to take off right away. Go home. Shaz, too. I’ll meet you there in an hour or so.”
The sudden change in his tone and mood scared me. “Why? Where are you going to be?”
“I will explain everything when I get to your place. Just go. And, please don’t decide to be stubborn right now.” The worry in his eyes was the only thing that kept me from protesting.
“Alright. I’ll head home right away. But, you’d better have a damn good reason for pulling the stubborn card.”
“I do.” Emotion filled his tender kiss. With a gentle touch, he stroked a hand down the side of my face, and I knew from that gesture more than any other that something awful was happening.
I watched him retreat back down the hall and through the doorway into the front of the club. I hated having to wait for answers. But, I trusted Arys so I’d do my best to be patient. In the meantime, I would head on home.
I was contemplating what to do about Kale’s leftovers when the rear entry at the far end of the hall opened and in strode the vampire himself. I turned to face him with a glare, hoping it didn’t waver when a wave of his dark energy washed over me. Worse than touching a live-wire, the jolt that went through me felt like I’d just been hit by lightning.
As Kale drew closer I could see that his eyes were solid black. His pupils were so enlarged it was impossible to see that his eyes were really two different colors from heterochromia iridium. He was soaring high alright; no doubt about that. The rush of the kill had many effects. I wasn’t eager to see it on a vampire who had kept himself on a short leash until now.
I was relieved when Kale stopped several feet away. I had a feeling he did it more for his benefit than mine. I tried to shield against the pull I sensed from him, but my nature yearned to respond to it. I wanted to taste it, to feel it glide over me like a metaphysical second skin. Kale and I shared the same weakness: each other. My power always wanted him.
“Does ‘What in the f**k?’ cover it?” I stared into his dark, glassy eyes, hoping to see some semblance of sanity in them. “I can’t believe you did this.”
“You can’t?” Kale tilted his head to the side and looked me up and down. “I’m not an amateur. I was going to get rid of the mess.”
Dressed all in black with his leather duster cloaking him, Kale looked as good as he always did, but I was more lured by the flow of power surrounding him. I knew how good it would feel.
“When did you start killing again?” I focused on my irritation, ignoring the honey sweet, coercive vibe that called my power to him.
“Does it matter?” Crossing his arms, he leaned back, against the wall opposite me. The weight of his gaze unnerved me.
“There’s no point in talking to you right now, is there? I have to get going anyway. I’m going home.”
“Already? But, I just got here.” His smile was more than a little evil. The last time he’d looked at me like that, the bastard had bit me.
I regarded him warily. “I’ve tried calling your phone for hours. Now I see why you were ignoring me. What you do is your business, Kale. I can’t stop you. But, this stuff shouldn’t be happening in here. You’re f**king looped, and you know it. We should talk when you come down off this high. Not now.”