Alpha Mine (The Alpha Council Chronicles) (5 page)

Determination constricted the muscles of her face, drawing her brows tightly together. If Stephan didn’t want to play nice, that suited her. She might be attracted to him, who wouldn’t be with his handsome face and stunning eyes, but she certainly didn’t have to act on that attraction. In fact, she could be just as aloof and uncaring as Stephan seemed to be.

Kat stormed into the kitchen wearing a pair of skinny jeans which hugged her curves and accentuated her long legs. Her hot pink T-shirt stretched tight, emphasized her ample bosom. Carefully avoiding Stephan’s gaze, she lifted an apple from its basket on the counter and began to slice and core it without uttering a word of acknowledgement.

“Take it easy there, Kitty Kat. Any harder and you’ll cut through the counter top,” Marcus commented, obviously taking note of the unnecessary force she used on the apple.

“I won’t cut through the counter top,” she curtly replied through tight lips, her shoulders tightened with tension as she autopsied the apple. She spread peanut butter on each slice, gathered them into a plastic container, and after snapping on the lid, turned to leave.

Kat gracefully crossed the kitchen and gave Marcus a kiss on the cheek. “I’m off to work. I’ll see you after the show. Goodbye.”

She sauntered out of the kitchen without so much as a glance in Stephan’s direction, leaving the two men sitting in silence. She felt two sets of eyes follow her as she left the penthouse.

Neither of them flinched as the door slammed behind Katrina.

Stephan looked at Marcus and raised his eyebrows. “Your human seems to be in a bit of a snit tonight.”

“It may have something to do with the fact that you told her to get out after kissing her.”

“She told you about that, did she?” Stephan’s brow lifted questioningly.

“Yeah, she did. And I have to say, I understand why she might be a little angry. What the hell were you thinking?” Marcus demanded, leaning his forearms on the table.

“That happened a week ago. She should be over it by now.” Stephan folded his arms defiantly over his chest. “Besides, I don’t have to explain myself to you.”

Marcus gave an insouciant shrug. “Very well, but you might want to explain yourself to Kat. She thinks you hate her.”

Stephan didn’t hate her. In fact, he found her exciting, fun, and very sexy, but that was no one’s business but his own. “Why would I want to do that?”

“Because I can tell you are interested in her…and she is interested in you.”

Stephan raked a hand over his face. “I may be interested, but I don’t think she is. She’s barely said three sentences to me in the past week.”

Marcus shook his head back and forth slowly. “You don’t know anything about human women, do you? She is interested, that is the whole reason she hasn’t said anything to you. She’s pissed, and she is letting you know it. She’s waiting for you to make the next move.”

Stephan wondered if his friend’s rumination might have validity. “Perhaps,” the elder vampire admitted reluctantly. “Perhaps.”

Stephan glanced down at the table, took another swig and finished his blood as he mulled over Marcus’ revelation. He had noticed Katrina looking wantonly at him, caught her sneaking side glances when she thought he wasn’t looking. He could hear her heartbeat race when he looked at her.

But he had also noticed how she’d shown signs of perturbation, seen her hands fisted at her side when he spoke. There was no doubt Marcus was correct about her being upset, and he had to admit she had good cause to be. He’d been running hot and cold. And perhaps it was time to turn up the heat and let things get steamy.

****

Under Cathy’s watchful stare, Kat threw her purse into her locker so hard it ricocheted off the back and tumbled down to the floor, spilling its contents. Kat knelt down to retrieve the items as her friend quickly bent down to help her. “What’s wrong with you tonight, Kat?”

“Don’t even ask.”

“Why? What’s wrong? Please tell me. Maybe it would help to get if off that huge chest of yours.” Cathy handed her the compact from the floor.

“Well…” Kat paused staring down at the heap on the floor. “It’s Stephan.”

“You mean Marcus’ hot friend, the man who came in the other night when we were playing poker?”

“Yeah, that’s him. He’s a total jerk.” Kat fiercely stuffed the last of the items in her purse like a child throwing a tantrum while putting away her toys.

“Why? What happened?”

Kat relayed the story of their first kiss, leaving out the part about Stephan easing her migraine. Cathy rolled her eyes in disgust when Kat mentioned the part about Stephan yelling at her to get out.

“That’s terrible!” Cathy said with disdain.

“I know. It’s just that for a few minutes, I thought there could be something between us.” Kat’s eyes clouded with unshed tears as she stared ahead sightlessly. “Like maybe we had feelings for each other.”

She shook her head, sending her blonde curls bouncing over her shoulders as she spun the lock on her locker. “But screw it. In fact, for the past week, he’s been running hot then cold. One minute he’s smiling at me or looking like he’d love to kiss me and the next he’s ignoring me.”

“Just another example of a man being a jerk.” Cathy leaned up against her locker with her arms crossed over her chest. “You know what they say; all the good ones are either taken or gay.”

“Yeah well he’s neither taken nor gay, so I guess Stephan must not be a good one.” Cathy giggled as Kat sighed.

The women sauntered down the white, florescent-lit hallway to the dressing room and grabbed their costumes from the garment rack. They slipped into the leather and lace creations with perfunctory ease before sitting down at their makeup stations to apply color to their faces.

“You going to be able to get over this guy?” Cathy attached fake eye lashes on her eyelids with a crinkled nose from the smell of the adhesive.

“What do you mean?” Kat asked with a tone of annoyance.

“It’s obvious you have it bad for him.”

“What are you talking about? I don’t even like Stephan.” Kat barked the denial out a little rougher than she meant to.

“Yeah, right. I can tell that by the look you get in your eye every time you say his name.”

“I don’t get a look.”

A sardonic grin graced Cathy’s face when she looked at Kat from her mirror. “Oh you get a look, trust me.”

Kat blew out a dismissive raspberry from between her painted ruby lips. When she finished slathering the pancake makeup on her angry face, she rounded on her friend. “Shut up, you don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Actually, we’ve been friends for many years.” Cathy lowered her voice. “I know you, girl. I’m telling you, you have it bad for this guy.”

The stage manager poked his head in the door just when Kat opened her mouth to deny her friend’s observation. “Five minutes ladies, let’s go,” he called, opening the door wide so the stampede of scantily clad dancers could exit. Kat and Cathy were the last to leave.

“Think about what I said,” Cathy suggested, giving Kat’s arm a little squeeze.

Kat walked silently to the stage, where she intended to dance off her frustration. Her mind raced through the past week, replaying her interactions with Stephan. She was sure he found her attractive, had seen the lust in his heated stare. Hadn’t she? He could be so cold and aloof at times. Was she misreading him?

Back and forth she wavered like a girl picking petals from a daisy. He likes me, he likes me not, he likes me, he likes me not, he…

Blissfully, she arrived on stage and took her mark, waiting for the curtain to open. She pushed all other thoughts aside to concentrate on the routine she would begin when the curtain parted and welcomed the reprieve from the thoughts of the sexy blue-eyed vampire.

Chapter 6

Gage looked down on his mate, Andrea, with loving eyes. She was his one true love, his heartmate. He’d known their souls were one the first time he’d tasted her blood and it made his world spin. She belonged to him, made solely for him and he’d protect her fiercely.

Tonight he awoke as he did most every evening, naked, wrapped in his lover’s arms, and hungry. Lazily he fingered Andrea’s brunette locks that lay pooled on her pillow.

They had been together for centuries, for they were what others of their kinds referred to as ancients, vampires who had been alive for more than five centuries. As the years went by, as was the way for vampires, their powers had increased so much so that the two of them together were near invincible.

Gage brushed a stray lock of hair from her eyes. “Hard to believe you are only one hundred years younger than me,” he mused, looking down into her young face.

He was proud of the many powers she had developed during her life time. Like him, she enthralled other’s to do her bidding, she read minds, and commanded people and items with her mind. But there was one thing he did that she still could not—dematerialize. Unfortunately, his Andrea had never learned how.

Without leaving their bed, Gage turned on the stereo. Marilyn Manson blared through the speakers. Andrea had developed a particular fascination with his type of music, though Gage could not understand the appeal. But if his heartmate liked that kind of music, then he’d gladly provided what she wanted. Gage issued a mental command for Andrea to wake from her induced sleep. “An-dray-ah,” he called in a soft sing-songy voice.

His mate stretched her arms above her head, and Gage captured them in one of his large hands. His other hand lightly traced a line down her soft throat, over her collar bone, and finally down to her breast. He cupped the weight of it in his palm as his lips found the other breast, already puckering up to greet him. As he suckled, he slipped his hand under the covers finding the juncture of her thighs wet and ready for him. “Good evening, my love,” he said as he blanketed her with his body. “Did you sleep well?”

It was a rhetorical question because Gage knew she had slept deeply, he made sure of it. As he did every morning he’d issued a mental command, sending Andrea to sleep until he alone would awaken her. It was one of the things he insisted on; needing to ensure his mate would be well rested and cared for.

Having lived through much in his long life, Gage was a powerful male who held onto the old ways. He had been the lord of his castle, literally, and expected all the rights and privileges afforded to one such as him. He was the decision maker and his word law. He expected everyone in his household to obey, even his mate. Some might think him high-handed, but he did what was necessary to assure those under his domain were safe.

“You know I slept well.” Andrea smiled up at him and moved her hips seductively under his heavy erection. Beneath her thick lashes her eyes darkened when her gaze roamed over his face and down his neck. “But I am rather hungry.”

He slid one hand behind her head, bringing her mouth to where his shoulder met his neck. “Take, my mate. Take from me,” he commanded.

Gage felt the warmth of her breath whisper over his skin when her mouth closed over his flesh and her fangs sank deep. His shaft jumped in response to each draw of her mouth. He closed his eyes, savoring the erotic sensation. It would have been so easy to give into the temptation to stay in bed with his heartmate, but they had things that needed attention.

After Andrea licked the small wounds on his neck closed, Gage pushed down his own hunger and slowly removed himself from their bed, offering her his hand.

“Come, my dear. We have much to do tonight. We have many arrangements to make for our gathering.”

Andrea placed her hand in his, allowing him to escort her to the bathroom. In no time, Gage sat behind his mate in a steaming tub of hot water, enjoying the feel of her naked body touching his.

He soaped a washcloth as he spoke. “Are you looking forward to Halloween, my dear?”

“You know I am. Auguste Roux has agreed to be our chef for the evening.”

“The world famous French chef?” A moan escaped from his mate’s lips while he worked the cloth over her body.

Andrea nodded her head and leaned back against him. “I wanted to make this year extra special, since it is the tenth year of our little gathering.”

“Auguste will be perfect. Being a vampire, he will know how to prepare the food in such a way that our guests will have no trouble digesting it.” She opened her thighs for him when he headed south with the soapy cloth.

“I rented a room at that hotel on the strip for the ball Friday night to kick off the festivities.” Gage kissed the top of her head and she continued. “And Saturday evening will begin at our home, where Auguste and his staff will serve the finest delicacies from around the world.”

Gage grabbed the soap and lathered the washcloth before beginning to cleanse his own body. “I’m sure the drinks and food will be as plentiful as the sand in the desert, but of course, all the guests will save room for the final course of the evening.”

Gage licked his lips in anticipation, knowing the evening would culminate in a trip to the Red Rock Canyon for the night’s entertainment. Waiting for the vampires would be a group of humans, specially selected by him and his mate. They would release the humans into the canyon while Gage’s guests were told to wait patiently, because the couple wanted to afford their guests an opportunity to indulge their baser predatory nature to track their meal rather than just have it handed to them.

“I am so looking forward to our event.” Gage could not keep the excitement from his voice as he stood, offering a hand to his mate.

After handing her from the tub, he gave her a towel, seeing to her needs before his own.

“Thank you,” Andrea said, taking the towel. “If only hunting clubs hadn’t been banned by the Vampire Enforcement Squad.”

Gage hissed his disapproval at the mention of the agency. Gage and his friends were part of a small group of vampires in the world that did not recognize the Vampire Enforcement Squad, or as it was otherwise known, VES, as having the right to police the breed. He believed in the freedom to be what he was and allow his basic instincts to rule his behavior rather than the VES. And because VES agents were stationed throughout the world, including Vegas, Gage needed to be very careful with his gathering.