“They’rehere – holy fuck, they actually came out before curfew and are downstairs rightnow.”
Mybreath caught in my throat. I tried to swallow down the flash of nauseaassaulting me. I wanted to believe she was talking about One Direction or theBiebs, but since there wasn’t actually a rule about them being out aftercurfew, I knew it was not any humans that had her panties in a twist. It wasthe ash.
Idropped my eyes to my wrist. My slender gold watch was telling me that it wasfar too early for those creepers to be out. So what the hell? Even though Iwasn’t hammered, I was regretting the heavy alcohol choice by now. I wanted aclear head if I was going to be around the ash. They got the drop on me once.
Neveragain.
Irealized I was clenching my fists, so I relaxed them and let Tessa drag meacross to the dance floor to get a closer view. Sure as shit, there they stood,two tall, gorgeous men. One had dark hair and gave off a creepy vibe; the otherwas a yellow blond and looked like a bad guy’s sidekick. The women surgedcloser to them, some practically dry humping their legs. I shook my head. Suddenly,Tessa ripped her hand from my grip and bee-lined it in their direction. Oh hellno! She must be hammered. She wasn’t that stupid was she? Completely sober now,I pushed my way through the gaggle of girls until I reached the front.
Iarrived in time to hear: “Tessa! With a T,” my best friend slurred.
ThenI realized that she was sitting on dark-haired creeper’s lap. Anger flooded mychest. It was before curfew and she was drunk – this was so wrong.
“Tessa!”I said in my best mom voice, gripping her arm and yanking her off his lap.
Nowthat I was closer, my nose was assaulted with scents of copper and musk. Bad boyglared at me with those goddamn black and silver eyes. The eyes that haunted mynightmares.
“Hey,relax, honey, we’re just having some fun. Right, Jessa?” His voice was allsmooth and low.
“It’sTessa,” I ground out. “And fun’s over.” I held Tessa against me. She felt likea dead weight and I wondered if the alcohol was getting the better of her.
AsI went to turn around, his arm snaked out and grabbed my wrist, holding tightenough to cut my watch into my skin.
Whatthe actual fuck?Twice in one day.
Myvision went a little red then, thoughts flashing across my mind in rapidsuccession. You know how you kind of wonder if you’re capable of murder?Everyone has the wild thought on occasion. I had definitely wondered before.
Well,this moment gave me my answer.
Ipushed Tessa behind me with my free arm, thankful that she managed to stay onher feet long enough to stumble away. I turned back to the owner of the handgripping my arm.
“Let.Go!” The sound of my own voice scared me. It was raw and animalistic.
Hiseyes started to pulse then, like with the ash in class, and he licked his lipsas he looked me up and down. He did not let me go; he started to yank mecloser.
Wronganswer.
Myfree hand flew out, my palm straight, and smashed into his nose. I felt thecrack of cartilage, and almost immediately blood covered my palm. His griploosened and I wrenched myself from his hold, before doing a quick pivot, preparedto grab Tessa and flee. A hard grip landed on my shoulder, dashing those plans.Fear was taking hold of me, saturating my movements and sending my thoughtsinto a tizzy. I tried to focus, forcing my defense instructor’s words throughthe fear.Deep breaths, don’t panic.In one swift movement I spun,prepared to kick the guy who was holding me right where it counted. Ash or not,a knee to the nuts hurt every man alive.
Idid not hesitate, going straight for the shot, but of course no human stood achance against an ash. He moved quicker than my eye could track. Somehow hemanaged to step outside my range but still fill the space with his presence.Sucking in a ragged breath, I halted my attack, watching him with caution. Itwas a new ash standing before me, not the creeper or his sidekick. Somehow Iknew immediately that this one was not like the other two. They had beenannoying d-bags, but just normal run-of-the-mill ash. This new ash wasdifferent. Everything about him screamed dangerous. Pure and simple.
Thelonger I stared, the more I felt compelled to examine him. Every single one ofthese creeps were beautiful, designed as first class chick magnets and killingmachines. But I had been right the first time; this ash was so much more.
Holygods of everything sexy,what have you created here?
IfI was completely honest with myself, at one point in my life – around mymid-teens – I had found ash and vampires fascinating. I’d never been in Tessa’sleague of obsession, but I’d acknowledged their beauty.Never since that night though … but this stranger was doing all sortsof things to my body and blood. Something about the way he wore a cagedlethalness like a second coat, his movements so smooth and contained. He wasscary – scariest male I’d ever seen, and yet he created a sense of calm andsecurity inside me. And he was drop dead gorgeous.
“Are you okay?” His strong baritone voice cut through my hormones.A scuffle behind him drew my attention before I could answer. There were twoblack-clad ash behind him. They had the pair of original ash d-bags laid out onthe ground, hands zip-tied behind their backs.
Unable to help myself, my eyes slid back to the lethal male. Hewas at least 6’2 and all muscle. His unruly chestnut hair hung in loose wavesacross his forehead. He wore black military fatigues, and everythingabouthim screamed danger. It might have been the glint in his black eyes, or the waythe silver seemed to be larger and more distinct than other ash, but he wasdefinitely not a man to be fucked with.
Ineeded to pull myself together. I didn’t bother to answer his question. I startedmoving away from them, grabbing Tessa, who must have at some point passed outon the floor. The tequila was finally kicking in for her. As I sidled close bythe hardass ash in the fatigues, the silver of his eyes started to swirland his features hardened even further as he looked me upand down.
I put my hands up. “Don’t get any ideas. This blood is your buddy’s.”
What was with their eyes?Did the swirlof colors mean it was feeding time? I didn’t want to stay and find out.
Theash didn’t stop me, but his gaze never left my face. There was something hiddenthere in those black depths. Something calculating. He was assessing me and Iwas not okay with that.
