Dark Beauty (The Deadly Beauties Live On 1)

I start to speak, but Dice beats me to it.

“Then you and I can take one, and the boys can fight over who shares with Kimber.”

He gives her a wink, and I half expect her to throw some power at him. Instead, she bites back a grin while shaking her head. Does Karma seriously have interest in him?

“You couldn’t handle me, incubus,” she says condescendingly.

He takes a step closer to her, invading her space, and in a low tone he mastered years ago, says, “I’m an incubus, love. Don’t forget that. Your human half would be screaming my name and begging for mercy, while your demon half begged me to never stop. Sex is my strongest weapon.”

He walks away, feeling all too confident, and Karma swallows audibly. Thad chokes on a laugh while following him in, and says, “Damn, Dice. All this time I thought you didn’t have any game.”

I cock my eyebrow and look over to Kimber who is covering her laughter with her hand. Poor Karma looks like her legs are about to give out.

“I’ll share with Kimber,” she says at last, still fanning herself.

I head in and smirk while dropping my bags in the smaller bedroom. Dice walks in throwing his arms up. “What the hell?”

“The girls are bunking up, and you aren’t sleeping in my bed. I don’t have a human half, and my warlock half really loves women. Sorry about your luck.”

“I’ve got the couch,” Thad calls out from the living room.

Dice groans while letting his head fall back, and I drop to the bed.

“What’re we doing tonight?” Dice finally asks.

“I’m going to look over some notes, eat junk food, and then I’m sleeping. There’s a bar down the road if you need a break.”

He fist pumps the air before strolling out. “Come on, hybrid girl. We’ve got a bar to hit.”

“Deal me in,” Thad says, and I wait with bated breath, praying with all my might that Kimber says the same.

“Kimber, you coming?” Thad asks her.

“I need to stay and make some calls.”

Her voice sounds much too close for my comfort, and I debate whether or not to just go. But as my car’s engine hums to life, and I slink back on the bed and retrieve my phone, preparing to go over all my notes.

Suddenly, there is a blonde bombshell in my room, crowding my space, and dropping down on my bed. Fucking perfect. I need a cold shower, and she’s wearing a camisole and jeans. I can’t even look at her chest without thinking of her bare tits on my skin.

“Can I help you?” I drawl, trying not to seem the least bit interested as I redirect my attention back to my phone.

“Let’s drink,” she says on a sigh, and there’s suddenly a bottle of whiskey shoved in front of my face.

Looking up, I can feel my eyebrows pinch together.

“Okay… why?”

She twists the cap off the bottle, and climbs up the bed on her knees until she settles down beside me.

“Because when people drink, they talk. When they talk, they get to know each other. Maybe if you get to know me, you’ll stop treating me like a porcelain doll that needs to be coddled. I noticed the fact we spoke to a harmless duster that was only taken into the prisons by mistake. While you and Thad went to question an ex-guard—a night stalker guard. I’m not as breakable as you might think, Gage. I didn’t come in and take over the Somage because I’m some girl that needs a guy to protect her.”

So she stayed behind with all the intentions of ambushing me. Why did I tell Dice about that bar?

Cursing the fact my plan backfired, I lean back and snag the bottle out of her hand. As I lift the bottle to my lips, I say, “Fine. Talk. Tell me why I shouldn’t protect the daughter of Drackus Devall. Why shouldn’t I protect the daughter of Calypso Devall? Tell me why I shouldn’t protect the queen’s sister. Why should I not protect Kane Ice’s sister-in-law? Because I’m not usually suicidal, and the fabulous four would team up to rip my spine from my back if anything happens to you.”

She glares at me, and I don’t think she realizes she’s pretty fucking adorable when she scowls. It’s not the least bit intimidating.

“Because I’m stronger than you think. I’m physically stronger than most all fey. It’s the gatekeeper in me. Don’t be deceived by my body. It’s just as misleading as my age. I’m not used to following, Gage.