The Darkest Kiss

“I don’t care.” He spun around and clomped down the stairs. “I refuse to risk full commitment.”

“But he’s not asking you to risk it, Rhoan. He’s just asking to move in with us and become part of our family. Why is that asking too much?”

“It’s a risk—”

“Life itself is a goddamn risk! As Liander being caught by a serial killer proves.”

He muttered something under his breath. I caught the words “bitch” and “ridiculous,” and smiled. “This bitch is going to kick your ass to kingdom come if you don’t start acting sensibly where Liander is concerned.”

He snorted softly and strode across the living room, snatching an old photograph up and thrusting it in my direction. “This is it.”

I took the photo from him and then looked around. “Where’s the phone? My cell’s in the car.”

He pointed to the left, then crossed his arms, his nostrils flaring. “Why is Qui

“Because I was getting emotional hits from you, and it was shaking me up so badly I couldn’t drive.” I picked up the receiver and dialed Jack’s number.

“I suppose I should be grateful he couldn’t pass the threshold, or my ass would be history.”

“Too right it would be,” Qui

“Christ, first my sister tells me off, then her lover.” He paused. “How come you two are together again? When did that happen?”

“We are not together, as such,” Qui

Rhoan raised an eyebrow as he glanced at me. “Fu

“Having sex doesn’t mean we’re together. It just means we were horny,” I answered, then said, as Jack picked up the phone, “Boss, we’ve got problems.”

“Sal told me. You and Rhoan okay?”

“Yeah, we survived the encounter. Rhoan’s thinking a little more clearly now.”

I looked at Rhoan as I said it. He grimaced, and thrust a hand through his hair. His body was still taut with tension, and the smell of his anger and frustration stained the air. He was in control, but only just.

“What about Liander?”

“He’s missing. I think Aron Young might have him.”

“Why? What is his co

“As far as I can see, the only co

“For twisted minds, it often doesn’t have to be. What do you need?”

“I need a trace on a van and the following names. Liander’s not dead yet, so he’s been snatched rather than killed outright. Young knows we’re onto him, so maybe he’s gone for the rest of them, too. Maybe he’s pla

“It’s possible. Give me the details.”

I read the names out, then added the plate number the bouncer had given me. “I’m about to head on over to Vi

“Just be careful,” he warned. “Emos don’t have to be touching to suck emotion from you. She and her crew can drain from a distance if they wish.”

“She wouldn’t want to try it on Rhoan right now. Trust me on that.”

“I can imagine.” His voice was dry. “You sure you two are unscathed?”

“We can walk, we can talk, and we can certainly throw a punch or two. We’re fine.”

“Good. I’ll contact you as soon as we have any info.”

“Thanks, boss.”

I hung up.

“So who is this Vi

“An emo vamp who has set up camp in one of the abandoned government housing towers. I mentioned her before, remember?”

“No.” He frowned. “When?”

“After the premiere—when you and Liander came home pissed.”

Darkness ran across his face, and he took a deep, shuddering breath. “Yeah, I remember. Let’s go see this Vi

I gave him a hug, and his arms wrapped around my waist, holding on to me briefly. I could smell the fear on him, smell the pain. Feel the quivering in his limbs that was a mix of anger and the need to hit out, to hurt those responsible.

Vi

I pulled back. “Qui

He nodded and thrust a hand through his hair again. “It’s gone quiet on that front.”

“He’s okay, Rhoan. You’d know if it were otherwise.” I turned and headed for the door, so he couldn’t see the worry in my eyes. Him getting nothing from Liander was not a good sign.

It meant he was getting weaker, that the link between them was fading.

He couldn’t die. God, fate, and whatever else might be up there watching—please don’t let him die.

Qui

Qui

“Where to?” he asked, glancing at me as I climbed into the front. His eyes were alight with anger and concern, and just a hint of hunger. He might have fed off me earlier, but the smell of blood was on me, and it was teasing his vampire senses to life.

I gave him the address, then sniffed back the blood still ru

He shrugged and shoved the car into gear, taking off so fast the tires squealed. “I am old enough to control my hunger, Riley. And there isn’t that much blood.” He glanced at the rearview mirror. “Though there deserves to be.”

“Try losing someone you love and see how you react,” Rhoan retorted.

“I have. And people died because of it. My point, however, is that Liander is not dead, and you should not be acting like he is.”

“For fuck’s sake, did you have to bring him along?”

For all the a

Hopefully, those hours wouldn’t contain death. Not Liander’s death, anyway.

We sped through the darkened streets at breakneck speed, Qui

The shattered sides of the old government housing block came into sight. Spots of light gleamed here and there, but mostly the building was dark. My gaze was drawn to the top floor. No lights shone there. But then, Vi

Qui

“There’s a lot of them in there,” Qui

“At least forty,” I commented.

“How in the hell can one vamp control forty fledglings?” Rhoan asked in disbelief.

“She’s not a blood vamp.” I pushed through the shattered front doors. Footsteps scattered and the slight taste of fear touched the air. I glanced at Qui

His smile was decidedly dark. “Last time you were here, you weren’t accompanied by one of the old ones.”

“They can tell what you are?”

“No. I’m letting them know what I am. Trust me, in an emo’s nest, it’s always better to advance warn what sort of trouble they’ll be getting into should they try any tricks.”

Rhoan frowned. “What sort of tricks are emos likely to get up to that would be different from a blood vampire?”

Qui