Part 17 (2/2)

He was close enough to touch. And that's what I did. I trailed the tips of my fingers down his wet chest. I could hear his quick intake of breath and feel the way his muscles reacted to my light touch.

He allowed me to touch him even as he backed me up against a wall. What was with him and walls? His control was as frayed as mine. His aura flared crimson, dark and dangerous and delicious. I wanted to lose myself inside the colors. I wanted to give myself over to it, to him.

”Trevor,” I breathed, barely able to think coherently. ”I want...I want...”

That was all I could get out before a scream pierced the fog of my euphoria.

Chapter 22.

I pushed away from the wall, past Trevor and headed for the door. He reached for my arm.

”Don't do it, Salem.”

I dodged his hand. ”I can't let her die. Not when I can save her.”

”You'll blow your cover. You'll ruin our plan.”

But I wasn't hearing him. I burst out into the hallway, listening for more screams. I wasn't completely sure which rooms the band occupied.

Another sound came. It wasn't a scream as much as a pitiful mewl, from someone beyond the scope of fear and hopelessness. I knew that sound, because I was sure I had made it before.

I bounded to the right, certain it came from somewhere nearby. I stopped three doors down and waited. The pathetic whimper came again. Louder, more p.r.o.nounced. I swiveled around and stared at the door behind me. I put my hand on the handle.

”Don't.” Trevor was behind me.

”I have to.”

”He might kill you.

I looked over my shoulder at him. ”I feel dead already. It's just logistics really.”

I twisted the door handle. I didn't really expect it to open. And it didn't. Maybe the distraction alone would be enough to save the girl inside.

I jiggled it some more, then I started pounding on the door with my fists. When that didn't work, I backed up a little and started to kick the door with the bottom of my boot. The door rattled from the impact.

Other hotel room doors opened and patrons peered out to see what all the racket was. I looked at the elderly woman four doors down.

”Call security, why don't you?”

She ducked back in, hopefully doing what I dared her to do.

I lifted my leg to boot the door once more, when it opened and instead of hitting wood, my boot ended up in Thane's large hand.

s.h.i.+rtless and looking dangerous, he glanced at my foot then at me. His eyes were jet black and they made me s.h.i.+ver.

”I'm pretty sure you have the wrong room.”

He pushed my leg back and I stumbled backwards nearly landing on my a.s.s. If it hadn't been for Trevor catching me, I would have.

”You better have a d.a.m.n good reason for disturbing me.”

”I...”.

”We thought you were in danger.”

I whipped around to gawk at Trevor.

He looked at me briefly then back to Thane. ”I overheard someone in the crowd say they were going to jack you up.”

Thane smirked. ”Is that right?” His gaze pinned me like a tack through a b.u.t.terfly. ”And what do you say sugar pop? Why are you really kicking down my door?”

His gaze probed me. It was sickening. My stomach protested at the violation. But I made myself keep his gaze and nodded. ”It's what Trevor said.”

”Hmm, I kind of doubt it.” He took a few steps forward menacingly.

Thankfully, security took that moment to show up. It was only one guy, and he was fat and out of shape to boot, squeezed like a tube of sausage into his uniform, but he had a radio, a baton, and a Taser on his belt. Besides he was a witness. It was enough for me to relax a little. Maybe I wouldn't die tonight.

”What is going on? The front desk has received several noise complaints.”

I wasn't sure what to say. I glanced at Trevor then at Thane. And that was when I saw movement behind him. It was all I needed to make a decision.

”We work for the band here.” I indicated Thane who was now standing out in the hall, the open door behind him. ”And we found out that someone broke into his hotel room. A really unstable groupie.”

Everyone looked at me like I was bonkers.

Quicker than I thought I could, I streaked past Thane and grabbed the drugged girl stumbling around behind him and yanked her out into the corridor. Thankfully, she was clothed, but her mascara streaked her face like she'd been crying, which I knew she had been. I had heard her cries for help.

She looked around, bewildered, confused, like she'd just woken up from a very vivid f.u.c.ked up dream. I would know. I was still trying to wake up.

”Here she is.” I thrust her toward the security guard. ”She's pretty unstable. I think she's on drugs too.”

I didn't look at Thane but I could sense his rage growing at having been denied his next meal. Payment for what I'd just done was going to be harsh. But I didn't care. I'd just saved this girl's life. Anything he planned to dish out would be worth taking.

The guard looked at all of us, like he didn't believe one single word.

The girl peered at him curiously. ”Are you here to help me?”

”Do you need help?” he asked.

She slowly looked over her shoulder at Thane. The fear was evident on her pale face and in her wide brown eyes. When Thane sneered at her, she flinched and shuffled drunkenly closer to the guard.

”Please, can you take me home?”

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