Poison's Kiss (Deadly Beauties 2)

"I really wish you wouldn't do this," Kane says softly, feigning concern.

"I really wish you'd stop pretending to give a damn."

He looks to Zee before we walk in and head up the stairs.

"You've broken the bond," he says in a near whisper, seeming hurt like the possessive night stalker he is.

"You told me to. I don't feel like discussing that right now. I want to deal with Thad, and then I'll fix you."

"Fix me?" he asks, seeming confused.

"You've got to do something about the witch blood addiction before you lose it. Drackus would kill you if you happened to lose it on me. I can promise it wouldn't be a quick death either. Dray wouldn't be able to stop him."

His jaw tenses, his whole body shifting, and I notice his hand shake before he steadies it.

"It was Drackus? That's who freed you from the bond?"

I just threw up in my mouth.

"That's disgusting on so many levels."

My nose wrinkles up, and he relaxes slightly. "How did you know-"

"Thad first, you later. Focus."

He tightens his lips, accepting my curt counter. We turn the corner to reach the long balcony that passes in front of all the rooms, and Gage instantly vaporizes, materializing in front of me as his arms wrap around my waist.

"Alyssa, you can't see it. I can't let you."

"I have to," I murmur softly while returning the embrace.

"No," he asserts. "I can't let that image be stuck in your head."

He brushes his lips against mine, and that's when Kane barges by, his teeth grinding as he does. I guess he finally did the math on who freed me from my bond. I'm surprised he even had to guess.

"Drackus will see you," I murmur against Gage's soft lips.

"I don't care. That could have been you in there. Thad stayed in your room since they were booked up when he got back last night. He called me because he didn't want to look like a pervert waiting in your room."

I don't have the ability to push the pain aside and find the humor in that statement. "Who would do this?"

Gage breathes out heavily before running a hand through his already disheveled hair.

"I don't know, but Dray and Drackus will find out. Dark angels have a handy power for such things. Combined with the things Drackus can do... We'll catch a clue."

"I have to go in there, Gage. Thad would do it for me."

He frowns, but lets out a relenting sigh while taking my hand in his. "Don't worry about Drackus. When you need me, use me. Believe me, you'll need me."

I shiver as we near the room, and his fingers lace with mine. We fall in behind Kane and Zee, but when they part enough for me to peer through them, I almost fall.

Bile rises to my throat, dizziness sinks in, and my whole body tries to go limp. Thad looks like someone ripped his throat out, bled him dry, and then painted the ro

om in his red stain of life lost.

His eyes have glazed over white, his body is stiff, and his hands are strung out, tied to the bed in true crucifixion style. His wrists have jagged cuts in them from where someone drained his blood. His pupils don't even exist. His feet are bound just as his hands, and his ankles are sliced in the same vicious manner.

I can't even recognize him with so much blood and gore going on. His blond hair is clumped with his own blood. The bed is drenched, just as his body. They didn't just kill him, they bled him slowly.