Poison's Kiss (Deadly Beauties 2)

"I wish I had that ability. I can only smell night stalkers when we're both in changed form. When they're in their human facade, their scent is totally different. The same goes for everyone, including you. Your scent will be different when you hit the immortal change and then go all witchy. You'll still smell like you when you're playing human."

"Witchy?" I ask, grinning.

"Witchy," Thad repeats, shrugging. "I have to track in changed form, but the scent has to be strong. Lycans can track in human form and follow a faint trail, but like all of us, they can't sniff out fey power unless the fey is in changed form."

"So, basically it's the same as auras," I grumble.

"Auras?" he muses, tilting his head to the side. "I wouldn't know. Changers can't read auras. We can only feel the effects of what you put off."

He adjusts his pants, winking menacingly.

"Such an ass," Gage mumbles, and then he turns to me. "It's different from auras. You can't read a fey's power unless they drop their guard intentionally. Even if they're in changed form, you still can't read their aura unless they want you to. You can sometimes see their emotions, but only if it's a very extreme emotion. It's the same even with humans. Unless you've got an aura stain... like yours. Then everyone either sees it or feels it."

Great. A tainted aura. I almost forgot. Thad's crude gesture now makes a little more sense. I have to figure out how to cap this off.

"I wonder why my aura stain isn't affecting their coven," I say while motioning toward Kane's house. "None of them even seemed to notice it."

"You won't affect women unless they prefer women," Thad explains, a devilishly excited gleam to his eyes. "As for the lads, they should have felt it. It's likely they'd never admit it though. If they've never come into contact with a mortal bonded to an immortal, they wouldn't even know what it was."

"He knew," I mumble, self loathing digging its claws in. "That's why he did it, more than likely."

He only claimed to have not known I was a virgin. That slimy bastard. Gah! Why can't I just hate him.

Gage discreetly shifts, doing his best not to let me see how affected he is. This is terrible. I just wanted a normal life for a little while, and instead, I threw myself into the most ridiculous immortal drama I can imagine.

"I have to go get ready for the ball. I'll see you guys there," Thad says as he leans over and kisses my forehead.

I giggle a little when his lips quickly find mine in a surprise attack, and then he rushes out of the room before Gage can scold him.

"I really hate that guy," Gage grumbles while coming to drop down beside me. "He can't ever keep his hands off of you."

I glance at the dark user with all of his bad boy sex appeal dripping into place. His dark hair sweeps his brow, his metal circle taunts me from his lip, and his spiked eyebrow ring just adds to the devilish allure.

His tight, black T-shirt is too sexy with his dark denim jeans cut low on his hips. I sigh as I grip my head. This toxic aura of mine is a pain in the ass.

"He's just doing it to be funny. He's harmless enough. Besides, I've zapped him off me before, so I know he's not too immune to my mortal powers."

One of Gage's eyebrows cocks up, and a smile plays on his lips.

"I really wish I could've seen that."

I frown, thinking back to the time I did that. Everything was so different then.

"It was... He played a cruel prank. He made me laugh afterwards, per the usual."

He stares at the wall, his jaw clenching for some reason.

"He's not supposed to be touching you. If your dad found out he was constantly trying to get your pants off, he'd rip him inside out. You better hope he doesn't find out you were duped by Kane, unless you want to see him dead."

My heart burns with that possibility hovering over me. Dad's territorial like that. He thinks if someone fucks with me, it's because they're not scared enough. Though they don't know I'm his daughter, he still takes offense. His ego is a crushing factor in my life.

"Kane can take care of himself. Besides, Thad knows better than to tell my dad anything like that. How do you know so much about him?"

"Your father?" he asks, and I nod in response. "It's a long story. But if I know your identity, then you know I can be trusted. And I don't work for him, which puts me a step above dog boy."

I laugh a little and then I stand up to head to my new room. "I need to change. You better be right about this ball. I don't want a repeat of the useless party venture you dragged me to two nights ago."

He frowns. "Heath will pay for that shit. I won't be leaving you alone tonight."