Part 15 (1/2)

Chapter 19.

I fisted my hands in his t-s.h.i.+rt, hanging on for dear life as he kissed me. I could taste the soda he just drank and a silky dark flavor that reminded me of creamy chocolate pie. I wondered if this was what he meant when he said that cambions had a certain taste. If it was, it was definitely delicious. I wondered if I had the same delectable zest and that was what Trevor tasted as he slid his tongue over mine.

But as quickly as the kiss had started, it was over and Trevor pushed away from me.

I blinked stupidly at him and licked my lips. They still tingled as if I'd been running the end of batteries over them repeatedly.

”Holy h.e.l.l,” I murmured as I stared at him. But he wasn't looking at me at all. He was staring at something over my shoulder.

Quickly, I swirled around and spied Devon glowering in the corner. She was snarling, those tiny but sharp kitten fangs of hers flas.h.i.+ng between her pink glossed lips.

I glanced back at Trevor and it became clear. He kissed me because he had to prove our cover not because he was overwhelmed with the urge to. As if I'd drive him to it by the sheer awesomeness of all that was me.

Somehow I felt violated all over again.

”Warn me next time, okay?” I murmured at him, angry that my body was still on overdrive.

He wiped at his mouth. ”Yeah. Hopefully there won't be a next time.”

”f.u.c.k you,” I mouthed quietly, and then said, ”You're worse than they are. At least I know they aren't human.”

My hands fisted at my sides. I was so angry, and yes, hurt. I had thought that kiss was real. It had seemed real, at least to me. To Trevor it obviously meant nothing. He had even wiped it off his lips as if obliterating it from existence.

”I'm out of here.” I turned on my boot heel and marched toward the back door.

I pushed past the other road crew, other equipment jockeys and a couple of security goons. They'd smartly gotten out my way. I reached the back exit and pushed through it, stomping out into the back alley.

I didn't know where I was going to go or even how I was to get there. I had barely ten bucks in my jeans pocket. But I had fury and determination on my side. That would take me somewhere away from here at least.

I managed to make it to the street before Trevor caught up to me. ”What are you doing?”

”I'm leaving. What does it look like?”

”Don't be stupid, Salem.” He tried to grab my arm again. But I wasn't having it.

I curled my fists into his s.h.i.+rt then pushed him back to slam him up against the brick wall. I got right into his face. He didn't struggle against me. He could probably see that I was seriously p.i.s.sed. I wondered if my eyes were black. I was sure of it, because there was a red haze around him.

”Don't touch me again, unless you mean it. I'm tired of being treated like a throw-away blow-up doll.”

He placed his hands down to his sides. ”I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking.”

The heat of his body swirled over me, mingling with mine. Leaning into his neck, I inhaled deeply. He smelled like that chocolate pie I was craving earlier. I sniffed along his throat again.

”I'm hungry.”

He searched my face. ”I know. I can see it.”

I swallowed down the spit though I wanted to swallow Trevor. Suck out his essence and feed the deep hollow ache inside.

”Just a taste,” I growled, with a voice that was foreign to my ears. I could sense the change coming, like a s.h.i.+ft in the weather.

I looked down at my hands on Trevor's chest. My nails lengthened and darkened into talons. With the tip of my tongue, I traced my front teeth, feeling the tips of fangs. I guess I had my answer if cambions got fangs like succubi. Because, h.e.l.lo, they were there.

That little tidbit reminded me too much of Devon and I backed off from Trevor. I didn't want to be anything like that Tokyo pop b.i.t.c.h.

Panting, I opened and closed my hands willing them to return to normal. Slowly, the talons receded into my fingertips.

”That's good. You controlled it.”

”I still want to kick you in the junk for being a d.i.c.k.”

He laughed as he pushed off the wall. ”I know. I deserve it. I'm sorry for kissing you without asking. I'll ask next time.”

”Next time?” it thrilled me to see him duck his head with embarra.s.sment. Maybe he wasn't as indifferent to me as he liked to let on.

”Well,” he sputtered, ”not that I'm going to or anything like that.”

I smiled a little at that. Maybe I could forgive him for being a douche. ”I'm still hungry.”

”How about Chinese? I saw a place a couple of blocks over?”

”Only if you're paying. Cuz I'm broke.”

”Yeah, I'm paying.” He motioned toward the street. ”Let's go. Unfortunately we have to be back in a couple of hours for the show.”

Resigned, I followed him out.

As we walked the two blocks, I asked him, ”Do you get fangs when you, you know, go all dark side?”

He shook his head. ”Nope. I think it's a girl thing.”

”Great, just what I need. It's like having two tiny b.o.n.e.rs in my mouth.”

A loud raucous laugh burst out of him and he slung his arm around me. ”You're killing me, you know that?”

I didn't shrug off his arm as we continued to the restaurant and he didn't remove it.

I tried not to read anything into it but it was difficult when my heart was thumping so loud it echoed in my ears. I just hoped he didn't notice.

Chapter 20.

A few hours later we were back at the club going through the last of the set up. The club would open in a bit and Malice would take the stage shortly after that. It would be my first gig since the big transformation. I wondered how different their music would sound to me. Would it all be static in my ears like it had been before when Chloe had played them on my iPod? I guess I was going to find out which didn't thrill me one bit. If I never heard their music again it would be too soon.