I hadn’t cried since I was four years old. The day my mother abandoned me to Trinity in a dark alley. I’d cried for days and days, begging for my mother to come back.
She never did. I never saw her again.
When I finally stopped crying, I swore to never shed a tear again.
Until now. Now, tears pooled because my control slipped and nothing else mattered except blood.
Nothing. And it was going to destroy so much more than me and my baby.
A tear glided down my check as I grabbed the closest person to me, a twenty-something guy standing at the bar with disheveled shoulder-length, dirty-blond hair and grunge clothing. He was too intoxicated and bewildered by the sudden attention of an attractive redhead and didn’t question my motives.
I leaned in to him, my hand sliding up his chest to his neck, where his pulse throbbed beneath the pad of my finger.
Thirsty. I was so thirsty.
I wrapped my arm around his neck, drawing him in closer, smelling the sweet scent of blood crying out to me.
He grinned from ear to ear, his soft hazel eyes dancing with pleasure at what he’d managed to snatch for the night. “Hey, baby.”
I pulled him closer, my lips inches from his neck, tongue flicking out to trail a path along his naked skin.
“Fuck, yeah,” he slurred.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered and lowered my teeth to his neck.
I shot the white ball and it hit the green stripe, sinking it in the corner pocket. I knew he was watching me. Knew the second he appeared in the alley behind the bar, his scent growing stronger as he made his way into the bar.
Of course, the egomaniac would want retaliation. The fiery Wraith was the most arrogant man, or being, I’d met.
First Waleron’s surprise visit at the apartment and now Edan. This was turning out to be one bastard of a day.
I laid my pool stick on the green felt and nodded to the guy I was playing. “I forfeit, buddy.” I slapped a twenty on the table, picked up my bubbly water, and sauntered toward the bar.
Edan leaned back against it, elbows resting on it, red eyes penetrating as he watched me approach. The red hue was scary because I knew what it meant, pissed. I could attempt to run, but Edan was a Wraith, and running would only piss him off more.
I slid onto the stool next to him and placed my glass on the bar. “Took you long enough. I expected you sooner,” I said without meeting his piercing eyes. “Beer?” I knew damn well he’d refuse. Wraiths stayed clear of alcohol as it made them unpredictable.
“You’re a bitch,” Edan said. Okay, so he didn’t need to warm up with idle chitchat. “No one uses me, especially not a fuckin’ woman.”
“Great to see you in my part of the world, Edan,” I said.
“Slut,” Edan spat.
I shrugged. “I got what I wanted, didn’t I?”
His eyes flamed an orange glow, and if I didn’t cool it, he’d ignite this bar into flames. I took a sip of my sparkling water and the fizz tickled my throat. I actually liked Edan. He’d treated me well enough and the sex had been incredible.
“You’re mighty brave after pissing off a Wraith. I could have you incarcerated in our realm in seconds.”
Yeah, he could, but the Wraiths and Scars were on the same side. If he pissed off the Scars, all we did for the human world would be obliterated. So, my guess was he’d rant, rave, threaten, and then leave.
“Well, get it out of your system. I have shit to do.” I pulled my cell out of my back pocket and glanced at the screen. “I’ll give you two minutes.”
Edan’s arm shot out so fast that I didn’t have time to stop him. He knocked my water from my hand and it toppled over the end of the bar and shattered. Oh crap, here we go.
“Hey, man,” the bartender yelled.
I gave him an apologetic wince. “Sorry, Dave. Won’t happen again.”
Edan snagged my forearm, yanking me off the stool and up against his broad chest. I felt his cock through his jeans because it was hard as hell. Edan got off on a good fight; the Fire Wraith was impulsive and hot-blooded.
He grabbed my chin, but his fingers were gentle. “I want you. Right fuckin’ now.” His graveled voice was deep. “You owe me.”
Whoa. Time to cool his cucumber. “I used you. The sex was good, but not that good. Be pissed and hurt and spit fire, but that’s the truth.” The second lie tumbled from my lips easily. The sex had been great, and he’d given me more than he knew. He had shown me that not every man would hurt me out of anger. Despite his fiery attitude, Edan would never harm me physically. And that was why I felt guilty about using him to help Balen.
His hand dropped from my chin. “It’s because of him, isn’t it?”
“You just called me a bitch and a slut. I don’t think this is about anyone but you and me.” Another lie.
“I could take you with me.” Edan’s fingers splayed over my waist.
“You could and I’d hate you for it.” I stepped from his warmth. “I have to go.”
I turned to leave when he gently linked his fingers with mine. I sighed. Edan was not making this easy.
“Delara,” he whispered, “I care about you. What we had was—”
I placed my finger on his lips. He immediately grabbed it between his teeth and brought it into his mouth. Crap, wrong thing to do.
“Edan, please don’t,” I said.
“I can’t believe what we shared was all bull. Tell me it was real.”