Dark Beauty (The Deadly Beauties Live On 1)

Chaz—Alyssa’s duster friend—is standing far away from Amy—his ex-girlfriend/lycan. Apparently she found a new night stalker to bond with, because those glowing blue eyes are definitely possessive as they look down at her.

Deke and Sierra are in a corner, both of them conversing with Dice’s mother. And Thad makes his way over to Drackus just as Calypso joins Alyssa to talk to Kimber. Then, the only girl in here I don’t know, steps out of a room, almost rushing toward Kimber when she spots her.

I have to draw in a shocked breath because she looks so much like Alyssa that it’s a little scary. Has to be Ella.

“Don’t get any ideas,” Zee warns from close beside me, and I turn to cock an eyebrow in confusion.

His lips twitch, as though he’s restraining a smile, and he uses his head to gesture toward Ella.

“She looks a lot like Alyssa. I was telling you not to get any ideas. That’d be a little creepy, dude.”

That has me rolling my eyes. “I can assure you that I’m not interested in Ella.”

He snorts derisively, as though he doesn’t believe a word out of my mouth.

“Oh,” Dice drawls, coming to stand beside us, “Gage has other tastes these days, night stalker. Don’t worry about the sweet little Ella.”

I glare at him, and Zee looks between us as his brow furrows in confusion. Dice’s eyes dance with flakes of humor, taunting me silently. Fortunately there’s no chance for Zee to question the mischievous incubus, because Drackus is taking charge and making loud demands to Liza.

“Get your witch here. We need to hear it from her, Liza. I’d really like to know how she can suddenly give us all the rings’ new locations.”

Liza glowers at him, fearlessly staring him down, even though he could blink and kill her if he wanted to. Let’s just hope she doesn’t piss him off.

“She’s coming. She’s going to do the spell, but she needs your help to complete it. It’s powerful, and it’s dangerous, but she’s willing to risk her life to do it because she genuinely wants to help. I need your word that you won’t harm her. A large blood oath, Drackus. I need it.”

What the…

“Why in the hell would you need our blood oath?” Drackus barks. “Blood oaths involve too much magic, and it could hurt this town of mortals for us all to do it.”

“I only need the blood oath from the most powerful ones in here. No harm will come. We’ll only take from the king and queen, you, the princess, Calypso, and the two gatekeepers.”

Drackus turns a glare on Dice at the same time I do. “You fucking told her?” I growl.

His gaze turns studious toward his mother. “I’ve never told her anything about the company I keep.” He takes a step toward Liza. “How do you know about the two gatekeepers?”

She doesn’t even glance his way. Her eyes remain locked on Drackus’s. “Do the blood oath. Or lose the rings.”

Drackus walks away from her, cursing lightly, but his eyes catch mine briefly. She doesn’t perceive me as a threat, which means whatever she knows is restricted. With one look, Drackus is letting me know to deal with something if I have to, and I offer the slightest nod to signal that I understand.

“Stay away from this woman, whoever she is,” I whisper to Kimber.

She looks up at me with determined, fearless eyes, and I almost groan. “I have to do a blood oath, apparently, so I won’t have much of a choice. I don’t like knowing I won’t be able to touch someone, but they’ll be able to touch me.”

Her temper matches Drackus’s so well. I’d almost think they were blood related if I didn’t know the truth.

She crosses her arms over her chest, her eyes glaring toward the window as Dice’s mother walks outside to procure whatever she’ll need for the oath ceremony.

Alyssa and Kane walk away with Calypso, cursing as they break the skin of their wrists. Thad does the same, but I grab Kimber’s arm before she can bring blood.

“You’ll notice one name wasn’t one that list,” I whisper, and a small but knowing smile curls on her lips.

She glances over her shoulder to see the powerful four not paying us any attention. But Ella’s eyes are trained on my contact with Kimber. I ignore her gaze, because I don’t give a damn if she has figured it out or not.

Kimber takes a step closer to me, finding my eyes again. When her smile broadens, Zee groans loudly. “You have to be fucking kidding me.”

Kimber rolls her eyes, but winks at me before walking over to join her family, and Ella bites back a grin while following her. The two blondes reach their family, and I watch as Kimber breaks the skin on her wrist.

“You really are an idiot,” Zee grumbles, and I turn to face the dark-haired night stalker with tight lips and blue eyes full of disapproval.