Poison's Kiss (Deadly Beauties 2)

"I haven't ever trusted anyone with this. Mom told Frankie and some of her people, and Dad told some of his most trusted group. This is the closest I've ever come to telling anyone."

"How did you keep this a secret? Everyone knew Drackus and Calypso had a daughter. How did you keep them from finding out it was you?"

Steadying my breath, I answer, "Mom prepared for that. She knew the day would come where she might have to fake my death, but she planned on raising her daughter. So, when she learned she was pregnant, she and Drackus told the councils they were separated. A few months later, she announced she was pregnant. She made herself look like a total slut when she told them she didn't know the guy's name.

"She named that child Alyssa Coldwell on paper, but no one ever met me. Then she returned home to be with my dad. After she had me, she announced another pregnancy - a false pregnancy. Airis Devall was the child everyone knew Drackus to have. My dad still calls me that name.

"The councils got restless when they weren't allowed to meet me. It's only mandated that a child born from immortals be registered, not seen. Mom had been right to be suspicious about all the enemies that might come out and seek justice by using me against them. I spent almost ten years confined to the house, never going anywhere.

"Then Mom left Drackus; said she couldn't do it anymore. He's not exactly the nicest guy, as you're well aware. We moved in with one of my mother's best friends, Shay, and she trusted only her with ou

r secret. The rest of the coven knew me as the first daughter, Alyssa. Aunt Hilly came to visit some, but no one else. I became Alyssa Coldwell, and Airis Devall stayed with Drackus... so to speak.

"Early on, at the age of ten, shortly after my parents' true separation, an opportunity presented itself to kill Airis Devall forever. I was attacked, but it was a young, weak night stalker. At ten, I killed him myself. But no one knew, and Airis Devall had the chance to die.

"At seventeen, Alyssa Coldwell almost died as well. A night stalker had been tipped off. Someone told him I was a witch, and he hunted me until he found his chance to strike, and it was brutal. Any other mortal witch would have probably died, but the strength my parents' blood offered gave me the extra time I needed to be saved.

"Mom disguised the scar with Aunt Hilly's help. No one knew about the attack or how close I came to dying. Then Alyssa lived on, and Drackus never even came to check on me.

"I've never looked back. I all but cut Drackus out of my life. The first night stalker who attacked me had been hexed by someone who was an ally to Drackus. He wanted vengeance. The second one wanted vengeance as well. I don't know how he knew who I was, but he did. Drackus had done something to his coven. I never got the details - never really needed them. It was enough to know Drackus would only ever bring me harm. Until this whole ordeal with Castine, I hadn't spoken to him since I was ten."

He brushes my hair from my cheek, his green eyes burning into mine. He isn't even looking at me any differently. How is that possible?

"Airis, eh? I sort of like it."

I laugh lightly, considering that's not even close to being what I expected him to say.

"Well, don't get used to it. Airis is dead - as far as everyone's concerned. Besides, Airis is the name that ties me to Drackus's darkness. I prefer the light. Alyssa is all you get."

His eyebrows cock up as a sweet smile floats across his lips. "So I get Alyssa? Sounds good."

I shake my head, feeling foolish for my wording. "That's not what I meant. Let's go in before they send out a search party."

"I suppose that would give new meaning to a witch hunt."

I laugh involuntarily, and he snickers, too, as he pulls me to him, keeping his arm over my shoulders as we head toward the lobby. This feels so much like it did when we were together, but I'm more relaxed now than I ever was then.

That's so stupid. I'm more relaxed now that I know he's a night stalker? Sheesh.

I'm comfortable with Kane, more so than I thought possible after the rude awakening, but I'm also comfortable with Gage. Both of them are extraordinary in their own ways.

We enter the lobby, making everyone think we're a happy couple as Kane keeps me close to him. I'm cold, so it's nice to have an immortal's warmth. Then something strikes me as we get on the elevator.

"Isolis was cold to the touch, freezing actually. Why? How?"

His lips tighten.

"Too much witch's blood. I've seen it happen before. If a night stalker starts living primarily on the blood of a witch, he or she suffers the frosty touch. How much did he touch you?"

I shiver, making Kane tense. "Enough to know I'm glad Dice showed up when he did."

As the numbers start ticking up, carrying us to the fifth floor, Kane surprises me with his random turn of conversation.

"What's going to happen when Gage shows back up? Are you going to be with him even though it feels so right to be with me?"

My stomach twists and turns like an agitator in an old washing machine. I dread finding out what the answer to that will be. Fortunately, I don't have to voice my concern because the doors to the elevator open, revealing a smirking Dice.

"I assumed the lot of you would be a few minutes longer," he teases, his odd English accent irking me.