Blood's Fury (Deadly Beauties 1)

"Just tell me what to do, Frankie. My hope is running thin."

His exasperated sigh follows my words as he thinks almost loud enough for me to hear his thoughts.

"I don't know, Alyssa. I really don't know. We're heading to the Old Shot right now. It's a night stalker bar on the north end of town. Thad is going to shake down some of their men, see if they give us anything."

I sit up immediately, a prickling sense of fear spreading as I walk out onto the balcony and shut the glass door behind me.

"You can't go to a night stalker bar. One whiff of your blood and they'll be all over you."

"That's not how it works, Alyssa. They'll never know I'm a warlock. They can't smell it in our blood. They don't even know what they're drinking unless they've tasted us before. Don't give them more credit than they deserve. I'll keep my identity a complete secret. Don't worry. How are things with loverboy? Did your spell ever cast correctly?"

Should I tell Frankie I'm a poor excuse for a witch and can't cast a simple protection spell without locking everyone in or out? Should I tell him about all the times I've tried and failed this past month after he fought me on the decision to stay with Kane? I don't think so.

"No problems. Just worry about finding Mom."

"I miss you, kiddo. Keep your chin up. I'll call you if we find out anything."

"I miss you, too, Frankie."

I hang up as the weight of my mother's disappearance bears down on me without remorse. Just as I'm about to go back in, Gage is suddenly right in front of me, scaring the hell out of me.

"Sheesh! Stop doing that shit," I gripe while ineffectively slapping his immortal body.

He chuckles, playfully swatting at my pathetic swings. The dark user has been on my nerves for a while, but he's hung around and watched my back. I'm not too crazy about the fact he bought the house directly beside Kane's, but at least he's not sleeping in the trees.

"Sorry," he lies. There's not an ounce of a genuine apology in his tone.

"Sure you are," I mumble while glancing through the glass window.

"Relax. Pretty boy and his buddies are engulfed in a game of Grand Theft... something or another. He's not coming in any time soon. Mortals."

I let a small smirk free, but my inner turmoil instantly banishes it. He starts to say something when I finally notice the metal ring in his lip. Without thinking, my thumb brushes over it.

He almost shivers under my touch, which offends me.

"Don't like a light user touching you?" I scoff, trying not to sound as insulted as I feel.

I pull away and lean against the railing to stare away from him. He lets a laugh free and leans up beside me.

"It just caught me off guard. You like?" he asks while motioning to the steel circle.

I'd never tell him that he's the kind of guy who is sexy enough to pull it off. I refuse to feed the immortal male ego. He knows it looks good though, and it's obvious he realizes I think so.

"It's fine."

"You know I can read all the colors around you right now," he pokes, making me squirm. "You should guard your aura better."

"Did you come to try and make fun of me, or did you have something of any relevance to say?"

My patience has run thin, and I'm sick of his usual frustrating openings.

"I just sent your hound a message to check out the Old Shot. An informant of mine assured me there was a lead worth tracking down. I was coming to find out if your light warlock had told you yet."

"He told me. I don't like him going into a night stalker bar, but he assured me there was no way for them to know who or what he is."

He casts his gaze behind him once, checking for anyone who might be listening in, and then he turns his attention back to me.

"Shouldn't be. So, you look tired. Haven't been sleeping much?"