Silence followed his words. Declan was stunned and didn’t know what to say.
“Who killed her?” he prompted, his voice much more subdued.
Kaden stared back at him, his face filled with anger, the quiet, dangerous kind. “Demons,” he spat. “She was waiting for me in my room.” Kaden’s eyes dropped to the floor. “I found her, after they’d . . .” His voice drifted into nothing and silence filled the room.
“Shit,” Declan whispered
“What does all of this mean?” Ana was exasperated and began to pace the length of the room. “So he has a mark? So what?” Her arms were moving all over the place; animated didn’t come close to describing her. “I have fangs, you have—” She stopped as their eyes met.
“Abs to die for?”
Ana growled, “You always were so . . . so . . .”
“Charming?”
“I was going to say flippant. This isn’t a joke, Declan. Kaden’s life is on the line, as are the lives of six other people.”
“I’m well aware of that.” His tone was biting. His cut-and-dried mission had just fragmented into one hell of a problem and he had no fucking clue what he was going to do.
“I need to know that you’re on our side.” Ana stood beside Kaden and glared at him. “I won’t let you turn him over to the Seraphim. I don’t believe they have his best interests in mind, and obviously neither does Bill.” She cocked her head to the side. “You have two choices, so what’s it going to be?”
The world narrowed then, like all the air had been sucked from the room, leaving only him and the vampire. “Okay,” he whispered, “I’ll play . . . what are my choices?”
“You help us find the others on the list and breathe not a word to anybody.”
He was at her side in an instant, smiling wickedly as she jumped. Good. He wanted her off-kilter. “What’s the second?” His voice was rough and he watched her mouth closely as she spoke.
“If you don’t . . .” Her hand was around his neck before he could react.
“If I don’t . . .” he whispered, his eyes still glued to her lips.
Her nails dug into his flesh but he felt no pain. Slowly his eyes rose until they locked onto hers. Something flickered within their depths, a raw need and hunger that she quickly cloaked.
“If you don’t I will suck every single drop of blood from your body and leave you to rot at the bottom of the Mississippi.”
Declan burned inside and leaned down until his lips were beneath the soft lobes of her ears. He felt her shiver as his breath swept across her flesh. That they had an audience was forgotten. At that moment there was only Ana. He grinned wickedly. Oh, the things he could do to her.
“Promise? ’Cause, babe, you lost me after the word suck and I don’t give a shit where you leave me.”
She pushed him away. “I’m being serious.” She was pissed, her color high, and Declan wanted to run his fingers through the thick auburn waves that fell down to her ass.
His gaze moved to Kaden and then back to her. He was done playing games.
“I am, too.” He moved toward her, taking the last few steps until he’d crowded her against the rickety table. His eyes were flat and for the first time in what seemed like forever, he was relaxed. He had a plan. Declan O’Hara was going to take what he wanted and damn the consequence.
“I’ll help Kaden because it feels right. He’s just a kid. As for the others on the list, I’m game for that, too, but . . .”
The energy in the room shifted as Ana arched an eyebrow. She kept her eyes trained on him and she nodded toward the door. “Kaden, give us a few minutes.” Her tone brooked no argument, though the underlying compulsion helped and the teenager left.
“What exactly do you want, O’Hara?” Ana asked when they were alone. Her eyes were huge, hung like jewels in her pale face, and her hair caressed her body like a silken blanket.
She looked like an angel but he knew the truth. She was a heartless witch who’d been yanking his chain for years. He smiled wickedly. He would never have an opportunity like this again. Declan O’Hara was gonna have his cake and enjoy eating every last fucking crumb.
His hand slipped along her jaw as he bent toward her.
“What I’ve always wanted,” he
said simply. “You.”