Poison's Kiss (Deadly Beauties 2)

My teeth grind together as I shake my head, wiping my tears as I let an exasperated, exhausted, and bitter laugh free. "You just love this, don’t you?"

"Alyssa, I don't even know what the hell is going on. Just get in the car, and you can tell me on the way back."

I push his hand away when he tries to tug me at the elbow, and Zee runs up to join us.

"Someone want to clue me in?" he asks, looking from me to Gage who is working hard to knock out the humans' memories from the last few minutes.

"Mr. Magic got frisky with the wrong girl," Dice chirps, acting as though he's getting high right now.

"Shut your mouth, Dice," Gage interjects when he joins us, then he turns to me. "Alyssa, please. I swear this is business."

I cross my arms, my heart beating too fast to keep a rhythm. "It sure as hell looked more like pleasure to me." Then I turn back to Kane who seems to be piecing it all together. "Zee can drive me back. You can take that twisted freak with you."

"Hey," Dice spews, feigning offense.

"Why are you taking this out on me?" Kane gripes, glancing over at Gage who is gripping his head.

"Because the two of you are the worst things that ever happened to me." Kane's face drops, as though I've wounded him. I don't care. I don't care that Gage looks like I've just ripped his heart out. "I want both of you gone. I can take care of myself."

Zee tightens his lips, but he nods - reluctantly so. Apparently I've also insulted him by taking a shot at Kane.

"Forget it. I'll call a cab. None of you had better return to my house. Your shit will be in the yard in a few hours. You can get it from there."

I start walking off, but Zee grabs my hand this time. "What did I do?"

I glare at him while he feigns innocence.

"You're with Kane. That's obvious. Right now, I'm alone. I'd rather be alone while I'm alone."

"What did I do?" Dice asks in confusion, like the idiot he is.

"You love this. You're feeding off of it. I know an incubus loves a good argument between lovers. It fuels you more than feeding. Go. To. Hell."

He raises his arms up, genuinely perplexed. "It's my nature. Don't hold that against me. Right now, I'm almost buzzing because it's so thick with sexual energy being released from your anger."

Gage starts to touch me, but I jerk back, leaving him to grab only air. "I mean it. I want all of you out."

I walk off, pulling out my phone and scrolling through web to find the number to a cab company. Screw them all. I'd rather die alone than with people so willing to break me around every turn.

With my mother struggling with her own issues, Frankie dealing with her, and Aunt Hilly going through her withdrawal from the light officials, my family is indisposed. I really miss Thad right now.

It's sad to say that I barely knew him, but he was my only real friend. Now... I don't have anyone.

No one chases me this time, and I'm thankful for that. I'm sick of all the ups and downs. I'm ready to just go back to being Alyssa Coldwell and enjoying my mortal life while it still exists.

As promised, I used my magic to throw everyone's shit outside, and then I recast the spell to keep everyone out. But I keep forgetting Kane is frigging immune.

He strolls in, unaffected by the death glare I'm offering him from the corner of my house. I hold my hot tea to me, letting the aroma try to bring me calmness. It's not working.

"Alyssa, we need to talk."

I say nothing. I just look away, refusing to acknowledge him. I keep hoping if I shut my eyes, I'll open them to see he has left me in peace.

"Fine. I'll talk," he says with exasperation. "Gage told me what happened, and I realize you're pissed at him, but that has absolutely nothing to do with Zee or me. You're still welcome to hate Dice. That guy's a prick."

Involuntarily, the corners of my lips try to tug into a smile, but I refrain, banishing the reaction too quickly for him to fully notice before he continues.

"You need us here, and we need you to be around. Personally, I'd like to have someone other than Zee vouching for my whereabouts at all times, since this bitch is trying to set me up. He's my best friend, so it'd be hard for them to take his word. You need someone vouching for you as well."