Bitten Beauty (The Deadly Beauties Live On 3)

Considering we’re both naked and the taste of her blood is in my mouth, it’s obvious we’ve had sex, and I get a little sick. How could I have fucked her and not remember it?

She murmurs my name in her sleep, and her grip on me tightens. My fingers run through her hair as I lean back against the headboard and blow out a breath.

The last thing I remember is the rage… The all-consuming, mind-numbing, dark rage. Then nothing.

But Leah is in my bed, and she’s alive. Safe. Precious. Perfect. Mine.

Mine…

I stand up and shake my head, staggering like I’m drunk as I grab a pair of jeans to tug on. I’m in my room at Gage’s house, so obviously nothing too bad went down. It doesn’t look like I got my ass handed to me, considering I feel stronger than ever and not the least bit sore. Other than feeling inexplicably drunk, I feel great.

Leah’s bare ass taunts me, and I bite my knuckle, debating whether or not I can just walk away from that right now.

Priorities. Answers first. Fuck later.

I grab my phone off the floor, wondering how it ever got there, and check my messages. Nothing. No calls, no texts… nothing.

Pulling the door open, I jog down the stairs, and head into the living room. Everyone is congregated on the sofas or sprawled on the floors, and they all have books open, studying them as though our lives depend on it right now.

I clear my throat, and all eyes swing to me. Karma’s eyes widen, and she leans into Dice while watching me with a little fear.

Weird.

Chaz, who went missing, looks pissed and guilty at the same time. Ella looks… Fuck. Ella looks like she’s about to cry.

My phone buzzes in my hand, and the text flashes across the screen from Dice.

DICE: #Crickets #BlackEyesAreFreaky #GetTheHolyWater

I cock an eyebrow at him, and he shrugs nonchalantly.

“Care to tell me why it feels like I consumed two tanks of liquor?” I ask everyone, dropping to a chair and leaning back while they continue staring at me like I’m a fucked up science experiment.

“It’s a power high. You’re still coming down twenty-four hours later,” Chaz explains. “I shouldn’t have fucking left. I… I’m sorry, Zee. I never fucking thought anything like that would happen.”

Ella’s lip trembles, and she looks away.

“What exactly happened?” I ask, confused. “How’d I lose twenty-four hours?”

Karma pretty much climbs into Dice’s lap, and he looks at me.

“To sum it up, you went crazy. Like Drackus crazy, only you seem to be a hell of a lot stronger than him. Something that is pretty fucking scary to witness, from what I’ve heard. I wouldn’t know, because everyone fucking left me behind. Idiots. I’m awesome. I could have helped.”

Thad glares at him, and Dice shrugs again. “What? I am. I saved your girl from the chains, didn’t I?”

“Like a dog with a bone,” Roslyn mumbles, looking over at Dice to roll her eyes.

“Did I hurt anyone?” I ask, keeping them on target.

Gage pushes away from the wall he’s propped against and goes to sit down close to Kimber. “You killed a guy that works for Slade. After you made something freaky happen to him.”

My jaw grinds, and I shift in my seat.

“I don’t really give a damn about that. As long as I didn’t hurt any of you, I’m good with that. What are you looking at?”

Ella flips a page, refusing to make eye contact with me.

“Well,” Dice drawls, “We—” He motions between him, Karma and Chaz—“are trying to figure out what makes a Gemini die without risking our own damn lives. He has to have a weakness. It’s pretty fucking disturbing to know there’s another one out there just like him that we can’t seem to find. What happens when there are two Slades to fight?”