Poison's Kiss (Deadly Beauties 2)

"How did you know-"

"Zee called me to tell me you ran away from them. I was pissed at first, but they said you were with your dad. I thought they were full of shit until I saw you."

"He can't stop me from leaving," I murmur, avoiding his soft eyes.

"No, but he'll find a way to make you stay. Trust me. In the meantime, I'm supposed to keep my hands and other body parts to myself."

He laughs a little, drawing Drackus's attention, but he turns away when he feels satisfied nothing is going on. He's acting... like a protective dad. The question is why?

"Great. As if this night wasn't weird enough." He laughs at my disgruntled release, and then I continue. "Drackus really doesn't have to worry about that. I now know better."

Gage laughs again, and his grip on me tightens as our bodies meet, no air dividing us any longer.

"You keep saying that, but you know as well as I do what's eventually going to happen. Next time I won't let anyone interrupt us no matter what I have to do."

I smirk, feeling a plan form. "Then kiss me here and now."

A wry grin pops up, and he jerks me to him a little more forcefully, letting me feel his length from his aroused excitement.

"Fine," he starts to break all the rules, but I quickly push him back.

He snickers as he gently pulls me back to him. "Didn't think I'd call your bluff, did you?"

Reflexively, I smile, wishing I could stop as I roll my eyes. How long is this song? I swear it's outdone November Rain.

"I'm starting to see why Drackus is so determined to keep you away. You're ballsy."

He winks while brushing my hair from my face, softly tilting my chin up so that my eyes are forced to meet his.

"If he wanted to keep me away, he shouldn't have let you in here with that dress."

Before I can finish, the dreadfully long song comes to an end, and I'm freed from his spell. I rush away before he tries to dance with me again.

As I near the end of the hall, a memory from my past flashes through my mind. I see the old library full of books that have only withstood time because of the spells cast on them.

My father's own personal collection isn't as grand as the library of the light council, but it's definitely impressive. And then the pang of misery strikes. It's almost as though I can feel Kane in my head.

I have to distract myself, and there are plenty of leather bound pages in here to do just that.

After an hour of reading, I realize I at least need to hear his voice. The pain of missing him only grows with every second. Without any real forethought or planning, I dial his number and sit down by the fire in

the library.

"Alyssa? Are you still with Dray?" Kane asks, seeming worried.

"Sort of. Are you still at my hotel room?"

"No. I'm in a room next door. Zee and I decided we'd get a few rooms - camp out until we knew for sure Castine wasn't coming."

Great. There's no way I can be around him with all of this going on with me.

"Can I take an opportunity and capitalize on this moment of civility you're offering?"

He sighs, and I can almost hear his body going through the withdrawals and need for my blood. I shouldn't have offered it so freely. My blood is so much stronger than the typical samples he could get from other witches. I know how to help him though, and I will.

"Yeah," he finally says after a long pause.

"Was any of it true?"