Poison's Kiss (Deadly Beauties 2)

"No. Not until you let me explain. Alyssa, I'm trying to find a lead."

"By sticking your tongue down another girl's throat? I guess you're really taking one for the team. Go play some more. You've got nothing stopping you now; not that anything was stopping you before."

"Damn it, Alyssa. I was just working a fucking angle. We have to hurry and find-"

"An angle?" I blare in interruption once again. "You were definitely working an angle. Which angle was next? Her legs around your waist? Your body over hers? If you'll excuse me, I've had enough visual scars left behind by your angles for one night!"

He holds me tighter, refusing to let me go.

"I won't let you leave until you listen to me. This is nothing. She's nothing. It's a fucking job, Alyssa - a means of gathering Intel."

"Let. Me. Go."

"No," he says, his stubbornness steadily becoming nothing more than a futile attempt to maintain control over the situation.

"Don't make me hurt you," I growl, my eyes still flipping through their random shades.

"Alyssa, you can't hurt me. I'm twice as strong as you while you're in your mortal f-"

Before he can finish that foolish statement, he's sailing backwards, digging up dirt and rocks and then slamming into the lake with a thunderous splash. When he starts to

climb out, feeling the weight of my hit in his chest, I hit him again with another powerful blow, this time using his body to tear down trees across the yard.

The loud crashes draw out startled and curious spectators. I'm forced to stop tearing the dark user apart. His eye isn't cut because of the trees; it's because of my power. That second slap of force caught him like a right uppercut.

He spits out blood in near shock, never having known the strength I've held back for the safety of others. I stare down at him, kneeling when I reach him so I can whisper.

"Don't forget where I come from. Stay. The fuck. Away. From. Me. Or I'll finish the job."

The darkness in my tone is unmistakable. The powerful high is taking me, and I love it. The grass beneath me wilts before turning to ash, and Gage's eyes widen, stunned and engrossed in the show of power consuming me.

Thunder rumbles across the sky, sounding out my rage, and I lift my head back to revel in the harsh rain that begins pelting like bullets against my face.

"Alyssa, you have to stop, baby," Gage says, but that just pisses me off more.

"Baby? You're one stupid son of a bitch. Call me anything again, and I'll cut your tongue out."

As the earth cleanses me, I feel the high slipping, the darkness falling away with the rain. At least it's brief when it comes, but it's so painful when it goes.

I gasp hard as it flees me completely, and the rain hides the tears that start to fall.

"Don't ever, ever speak to me again," I choke out through strained emotion.

I turn away, ready to walk back to Edgebrook even if it takes me days. I refuse to stay here.

"What the hell?" Kane asks as he rushes over to Gage.

"I just really fucked up. Stop her. Don't let her go alone."

I don't want the night stalker who broke my heart seeing me fall apart at the hands of another follower of the dark. I decide to run and leave them behind. I can find a car on the way. I need out of all of this.

"Alyssa!" The very sound of Kane yelling for me threatens to infuriate me all the more.

"No! Go away!"

He grabs me from behind and whirls me around.

"It's too fucking dangerous for you to go storming off into the night. Get in the car, and I'll drive you home."