Quench(6)

Phoenix’s eyes flashed a red glow around the room that subsided slowly. He burst into laughter and the dust settled. Law and Dace chuckled in the corner. Phoenix grunted, “Yeah, it is a wonder we survived.” Long gray hair whipped around when he turned to the two men smirking in the corner. “Let’s bring your brother and his family back home?”

Alek’s head dropped. Just as Phoenix had, he’d read Viv’s scorching thoughts wondering how the sorry-assed cats had ever managed to feed and stay alive. She didn’t believe they were the smartest night creatures alive.

The woman had a serious death wish.

Trying once again to distract Phoenix, Alek flashed out to the balcony. “Who’s putting the fire out?” Flames crackled out of control and leaped around the arena, leaving a blackened path in their wake. He swiveled around to meet Phoenix’s steely glare. A smile lingered on his lips.

Fresh cold wind swooped down from the mountains, lifting desert sand into the air. It carried sheets of icy rain with it. That was going to make a hell of a news item for the front page tomorrow: High desert hit with unexplainable sleet and rain. Alek stifled the laughter the thought conjured up.

“You needn’t worry about who may or may not be my mate.” Green eyes pierced him with fire. “Think about your predicament and see if you can keep your eye on this woman.” Phoenix and the prince’s brothers disappeared in a shower of white light.

He turned toward Viv, who shook with silent fury.

“The bastard stripped me of my power to vanish. Who the fuck… What the fuck is he, Alek?”

Avoiding the question, he glanced back over the balcony and stared across the desert. Christ. Because of Phoenix she was unable to leave the palace and Alek was left behind to look after her. “No one knows who or what the fuck he really is. Vamp, cat or the devil. And, Viv, right now I don’t give a shit.” His cats hadn’t budged inside his body. No prowling, no snarling between them—their normal reaction if he even thought about not having sustenance from the prince for more than a day or two. In fact, his beasts were so at peace together he couldn’t believe it.

Something had changed.

He thought about the vamp stuck here with him and decided he wasn’t letting her out of his sight. Jesus, what was happening to him? It’s not like he’d ever have a mate but if he could, she would top his list. A very, very short list since he’d tasted her blood, it now only held one name. Viviana—a brown-skinned, foul-mouthed, kick-ass vamp. Not the sweet little Bengal tiger Alek had thought to settle down with. What a mess.

A deep sigh slipped past his lips.

No way would he get involved with anyone but since she was there a little taste of her charms, more of her life’s blood…she was damn sweet. His cock grew into a sizeable erection and pressed painfully into his zipper. Maybe I can keep her from knowing about my feelings and the tie to the prince. There was no way she’d find out about his desire for another man if he kept his shields in place. He wouldn’t share his blood with her. His mouth watered as he thought about enjoying her body, tasting her some more.

Damn, he was hungry.

Not for blood.

Alek turned his attention back to Viv.



Only a couple hours before sunrise.

Viv watched his strong, broad frame stand on the balcony. Multihued hair blew around him in the desert breeze. His tight ass and long muscled thighs tugged at her. Her body fought with her mind as moisture slowly gathered outside her channel, warm in the folds between her thighs. She throbbed with desire. Her fingers itched to run through his hair, her hands ached to slide down his back. Having and holding him wrapped in her arms overrode every other thought. Viv wanted to see him naked and stroke every part of his body. His cock would be big and hard. She’d already felt it, had intimate knowledge of it. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips and damn, she still tasted his blood.

This was bad.

He hadn’t answered her and she’d felt the lion patterns in his mind again when she attempted to probe there for information. That wasn’t possible. She’d picked up stories in her travels about Kind mixing blood, having the ability to be two cats. It drew her back to the fabled tales about Phoenix. Were they true?

Viv wasn’t going to hang around and find out. Cat had her number and she didn’t like it. She intended to put some space between them and fast. The strongest, purest blood in Europe ran through her veins. I’ll be damn if I hang around here and let some upstart Kind rattle around in my head. Again, using all her strength, she tried to leave.

“You can’t go.” He spoke softly and continued to stare off into the distance.