Quench by J. Hali Steele Page B

time.”
    “Why do the Fates fuck with us? We didn’t ask for this.”
    “No one asks for trouble, man, but it comes sometimes. Meet
it head-on.”
    Walking back inside, Alek fell heavily into the overstuffed
chair by the desk.
    “Case, she knows about Nikol. I can’t be with her because
Viv deserves a whole man, not the half-assed man I’ve become.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    “She needed strong blood to start the healing process. Royal
blood. I gave it to her and it sort of aired my dirty laundry. She knows how I
feel about him.” Leaning back in the chair, he rubbed his hands over his face.
    “Alek, she’s a goddamn vampyre. Hell, she’s not going to
give a crap about who you screwed, male or female.” Case chuckled. “If she’s your draga , and she is because her smell is seeping from your pores, I’d only
worry about the next female or male you touch.”
    “Her name’s Viviana.” Alek glared up at his longtime friend.
“Talk about her like that again, I’ll rip your guts out.”
    “Good. I made my point. Look, I have to go. Why don’t you
bring her to the club tonight, have dinner with me and Tres?”
    “No way, you’re not getting me to perform for you so you can
get your jollies with your old lady.”
    “Don’t call her old, I can still kick your ass. Though you
do smell more and more like a… Wait, hold on.” Case leaned down and sniffed
until Alek swatted him away. “Shit, man, you’re both cats now. I’ll be damned.”
    “Something weird pulled it out of me yesterday morning. My
life is a mess right now.”
    “Smell better if you ask me.”
    “Case, get out.” Alek sent a wave of energy that helped
blast the other man into the atmosphere.
    Son of a bitch. Now you think you’re the king of beasts.
    Go to hell.
    The warrior’s laughter lingered long after he disappeared.
    Alek settled back in the chair. Could his friend be right?
Vamps were different, a carnal group if ever there was one. Cats would do any
female, hairy or not, but bloodsuckers would do anything, man or woman, when
they were horny.
    “Lord, maybe she’s been with other women.”
    Blood heated and burned a path through his body. What would happen if he met one of her ex-lovers? If any bastard looked at her sideways
he’d rip the heart right from his chest and shove it up his…
    Oh hell, she was his draga . For sure.
    He stood and paced, wearing a path across the floor.
    Okay, how to convince her hairy was good? Think, Alek. How
do you show her the beauty of being a cat?
    The sun sat high in the sky and that meant she’d be dead to
the world. Plus the injury weakened her. Being close, knowing Viv was okay,
would help him think clearly.
    He should check on her.
    Alek dematerialized to where she rested. Slipping into bed
beside her, he wondered if she’d feel his presence. He kept his t-shirt and
slacks on just in case.
    Lying on his side, he gently pushed the wild platinum hair
from her face and enjoyed the silky feel of her cool brown skin. She’d been too
weak to redo the plait she loved. He decided against using magic. He could do
it. Shifting her slightly, he began to braid Viv’s hair. Done, it looked loose
and crooked but at least she wouldn’t wake up with hair in her face.
    He sat against the headboard and considered his predicament.
    If she was what he was, she could be with him now, running
in the sun, frolicking in the lake—
    That’s it!
    At some point in her life she’d been alive. Viv must miss the sun. He’d show her all the wonderful things she could do in daylight
and still be a vampyre. Seeing the sky light up in the morning, watching the
sunset—it made up for the fear of transgressing.
    Shit, as a vamp she could turn rogue. They both had their
demons to fight, one no worse than the other, right? Wrong. For every rogue,
ten transgressors roamed. The beasts hadn’t learned yet to fight the bloodlust
as well as vamps had.
    She wouldn’t have to fear the hunters like the cats