Chapter 6

Chapter

Six

TALULLA

A m I dragging my way out of my dorm to go to a football game surrounded by half-drunk university students? Yes, I am, but only because my friends asked me to and I don't have anything to do right now. That's the only reason. And maybe because I'm hoping to see shirtless men.

Asmodeus and Cassandra are waiting for me on a bench right in front of my building. "Is the history department hoodie the only Bear Creek merch you own? Don't you have a football jersey?"

"Says the one wearing the matching T-shirt." I raise an eyebrow at her. "You know very well I don't own a damn football shirt, just like you don't. And why are you getting all worked up when Asmodeus is literally wearing a black shirt?"

"He doesn't go here."

"Yeah, well, this is what I have. Take it or leave it."

"We're such nerds," she replies, laughing.

We make our way to the school's stadium and take seats on the bleachers. Bear Creek is facing Arizona State. Do I know anything about football? Absolutely not. This is all I know, but looking at football players isn't so bad. Having night encounters with them? Also not so bad if you make it a singular occasion that you're never going to repeat.

The game starts, and while everyone looks at the players on the field, I look at everything else. It's hard to analyze everything when there are so many people in one place, but that's how I was brought up. Always look at your surroundings and make sure no vampire can take you out. Maybe that's why I still have a stake in my bag, which I never take out.

As I get lost in thought, I realize the game has ended and that we won, which is great but also unfair, knowing we have three werewolves on the team. Of the three who died, two were also part of it.

We reach the locker room, the steam of the showers filling the big empty space, and a mix of sweat and cologne hits my nostrils. "God, they stink," I whisper as we take a seat, waiting for our target.

"Well, well, well, who do we have here?" Scott Reyes, the quarterback of the team and also a werewolf, comes out of the showers with a towel hanging so low I can literally imagine everything. It might also be because I've seen everything of this man already. It's difficult to forget when he looks like a machine—which he does. "Talulla Popescu, if you're looking for round two, you might just be in luck. I think I broke up with my girlfriend earlier today."

"You know I don't go for seconds," I say before introducing my company. "These are Cassandra Drusus and Asmodeus Gratiadei."

"Ah yes, the detective witches. Looking for our serial killer?"

"Actually," I start, "we wanted to let you know I took care of it last night. Your pack is safe."

"You did?" he asks, his hands rubbing a towel on his wet hair. I can't help but admire his muscles moving and contracting as he continues to dry up. Maybe I do need to get laid. The thing is, I'm a little tired of meaningless sex.

I blink a few times, trying to get out of the trance I'm in. "Yeah, it was a new vampire. Odd, really."

Scott stops moving and looks straight at me before he asks, "Then why did my brother find a fourth body at the back of a club in a dumpster earlier today?"

"What?"

"Yeah, Tal. These bloodsuckers are going crazy."

"Which club?"

"Crystal Cave."

"That's impossible, Scott. My father's associates go there every night."

"If you're talking about Stefan and Andrei, I haven't seen them in weeks."

My eyes widen at his statement. I know they go there. It's one of the clubs they always make sure is clean. Always. "It makes no sense."

"I've been going hunting every night, Talulla. We all have."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

He laughs. "I don't need a vampire hunter. My pack can handle this."

I ignore his cocky comeback and look at my friends. "We should interrogate some vampires there. Might be our best option at this point."

"You're reading my mind." Cassandra smirks at me.

Scott grabs my wrist as I try to make my way out. "I thought you had retired."

"I am, but this is my school, and I can't just let this happen when I have the power to stop it. Especially when my father makes it his life's mission to piss me off."

Asmodeus is the one talking now. "Do you really think he did it so you would end up hunting?"

"It wouldn't be the first time."

"He let people die, Tal. I don't think he would go to this extent. I'm sure he has a reason for it."

Sure, he does. He always has a fucking excuse, but Emil Popescu always has an ulterior motive. He's that persistent. He knows I'll go there tonight, and he'll make sure to have someone ready to report that his once-adored daughter did indeed fall for his trap. Because it is a trap, but I can't risk other people dying just because he needs to prove something. "God, he's so infuriating," I whisper as I make my way out of the locker room. My friends follow closely behind in silence.

We return to my building, and after separating for the rest of the day, I go back to my room and work on my thesis for a few hours before I get ready to meet Cass and Asmo again to go to the club.

When we get to the door, the bouncer recognizes me right away and lets us through. When I would hunt on a regular basis for my dad, I used to come here a lot. Now I don't anymore. There's no time.

It takes me less than a minute to spot Scott's older brother, Kaden, the alpha of the Reyes pack. He's sitting in a more secluded area on a dark leather love seat. The dim lighting makes it hard to distinguish the color. Kaden is another one of those random encounters that happened once. Maybe I should be glad work and school take up most of my time lately. But as soon as he sees me, he's on the move.

"Haven't seen you here in a while, Talulla," Kaden says as he approaches us.

"I've been very busy," I reply, looking around the club. It's filled with people dancing, the aroma of spilled liquor hitting my nostrils right away.

"Too busy to spend time with your favorite werewolf?"

"I don't see your brother around here, Kaden," I joke, looking around as if I am actually looking for someone else. And my eyes do fall on someone else. A vampire. Not any vampire—Flynn.

He winks at me as I turn back to look at Kaden, who is now holding his hand against his chest. "You wound me."

"We're gonna go grab a drink and look at all the exits," Asmo says before moving away from us.

"Wanna dance?" Kaden asks, wrapping his arms around my waist and moving me to the dance floor. I simply nod as I follow his lead and hook mine around his neck. I inhale his scent, a mix of sandalwood and sweat. Not terrible, but also not what can help me forget my problems. "We could have so much fun together," he says, pressing my body to his.

"What would your mate say about that?" Yes, because the alpha in front of me almost forgot this small detail about werewolves and how they're destined to be with another werewolf. It's a bond they can't avoid. They see each other, and no one else exists anymore.

"What if you are my mate?"

I snort. "Does that line really work on women?"

"It's not a line, Tal. We are so good together. It has happened in the past that alphas mated with other creatures."

And then, for some reason, I do something unexpected. I play along with what he's saying, almost hoping to be heard by someone . "Oh yeah? And what would you do if I was your mate?"

"I'd probably do anything you'd ask me to." His hand slides up and down my back, getting very close to my ass. His other hand travels up my belly, his thumb brushing awfully close to my breasts.

My mouth opens slightly. I haven't been touched like this in a while, and it's nice to feel wanted like this, but for some reason, it also feels terribly wrong because he isn't what I need right now. Not even one bit. "Good, because I'm trying to find some information about those deaths from your pack."

He rolls his eyes, chuckling. "Well, the cause of them is staring at us right as we speak."

"That was quick. Must be a new record for me."

"And he's walking straight in our direction."

"What?" I ask as he spins me around. Flynn Lancaster is walking in the middle of the dance floor with a glass of whiskey in his hand. He moves like a predator, his eyes locked on mine and his jaw clenched. Is he upset? It doesn't matter, because all I can see, even in this dark space, are his icy-gray eyes, so cold yet so deep. He exudes menace. A kind of danger I would dive into face-first without even thinking twice about it.

"If you wanted to grab my attention, Talulla, it worked."

I stop moving but keep my arms around Kaden's neck. "I'm working, Flynn. I know it might be hard to believe, but not everything revolves around you—unless you're the one behind all those deaths. Then, yes, I was trying to gain your attention."

He chuckles, his arm brushing my back and sending shivers all over my body. "I don't drink from dogs. I have a much finer palate."

"Hey, don't touch her!" Kaden yells at him, but Flynn's eyes are on me. He doesn't pay attention to anything else but me.

"I might drain this one if he keeps touching you though." His jaw is still clenched as he lowers his face to mine, his cheek touching my own. "I thought your father's pets hunted here," he whispers into my ear. My eyes close as his tobacco and vanilla cologne overrides every other smell around me. It takes me a moment to come back to my senses and get back to the situation in front of me.

I tell Kaden to wait, and grabbing Flynn's hand, I walk us toward the bar. Feeling his fingers interlocking with mine is supposed to feel wrong, yet I can't help but notice how such a small gesture makes me feel at ease. "I'm helping the Drusus coven, you Neanderthal. No need to go all alpha on me. I don't even know you."

"And rubbing your ass all over an actual alpha is your way to do things?"

"Another member of his pack was found dead earlier today, and who I rub my ass on isn't any of your concern."

I swear I hear him growl. "Talulla."

"Stop making that face, Flynn. You're gonna get wrinkles."

"What are you doing?"

"None of your business."

"You made it my business when you decided to walk into a cave full of vampires who can't wait to taste the daughter of Emil fucking Popescu."

A wild smirk appears on my face. "Worried about me, fangs?"

"I'm worried about the massacre you'll leave behind and that I'll have to clean."

"If you're nice, maybe I'll stake you as well," I reply, winking at him and then walking back to the middle of the dance floor where not only Kaden is waiting for me but a vampire as well.

I lock eyes with Flynn once more as I let the vampire rub himself all over me. My hands roam all over my body, squeezing my tits a little to give him a show—a show he can't participate in. He's sitting at a table, and I can't help but notice how his knuckles look even whiter than usual as he grips his glass so tight I know he'll break it at any moment.

Good. He can be jealous.

Who does he think he is asserting his territory on someone who isn't his?

I turn away from him and face the bloodsucker who has been keeping his face way too close to my neck. "Hey," I say, showing off the fakest smile ever.

"Hello, pretty treat," the vampire replies, continuing to sniff me, and for a moment, I feel his tongue trace my neck. Gross. "Wanna continue this dance in a more private place?"

Ah, gotcha. "We can go out that door." I point to the exit where I know Cassandra and Asmodeus are waiting.

"Perfect plan," he replies, holding my hand and moving through the crowd toward the door. He's too focused on getting his meal to even notice that Asmodeus slips me a stake right as he steps outside the door.

The problem is that I miscalculated the bastard. Because as soon as we get outside, we're not alone to play our little game where I ask him questions and he doesn't reply to any of them, so I end him.

No, I am surrounded.

FLYNN

I don't fully understand what's happening to me anymore. The more I see her, the more I crave to make her mine. I down another glass of whiskey before I turn to look at the bane of my existence. Did she really have to wear those leather pants? God, she's cruel. And don't even get me started on the little fabric she calls a shirt. That show she gave me earlier almost sent me to heaven.

I look around, and there she is, walking toward the back door with a fucking vampire. I guess she did find what she came here for. That's what she does, after all. She kills my kind, and I should probably get that fact tattooed on my forehead. Maybe that will convince me to stop playing with fire.

Her friends are at the door, waiting for her, the blonde moron giving her a stake. I wonder how she would feel on top of me with that stake ready to pierce my heart. Yeah, I might need to go to a vampire therapist or something. I clearly have a problem. I stop looking at her and glance at the rest of the vampires in the club. There were about ten, all sitting at a table.

Shit.

They're not in here anymore, which means…

I run to the back door as fast as I can, and Cassandra stops me right as I'm about to go outside. "Let her work, Flynn."

"Do you want her to die?"

"What are you talking about?" Asmodeus asks.

"There were ten vampires sitting at a table over there." I point to the opposite side of the club. "They're not there anymore. Now, I'm sure she's good, but that many vampires is a lot even for me, so please step aside before your friend becomes dinner."

"And why would you help us?"

"You might be right to be worried about what I am, but know this one thing," I start saying, getting closer to the Drusus witch, "I never asked to become this. Now move."

Cassandra swallows some air and moves to the side, following me as I walk onto the scene.

Talulla is right in the middle of a circle, stake in hand, ready to attack at any second. "Well, well, well, thank you for waiting, guys. I see you've got a very pretty meal out here."

"Who are you?" one of the vampires asks. They're all in bloodlust. They probably haven't fed in days, and when vampires don't feed, they tend to go a little insane.

I run in front of him and tighten my hands around his throat. "I'm your worst nightmare." Then I do exactly what I said I'd be doing. I grip his neck so tight I draw blood. My fingers sink inside his body, and then I pull backward, tearing his throat out of him. He doesn't even get to scream.

The head still dripping from my hand, I turn to look at Talulla with a smirk on my face. "I thought you wanted to play, little hunter. Let's play."

That's all I have to say before the other vampires start to attack us. One after the other, they fall dead to the ground. The witches help as well.

I turn to look at Talulla once more as she dances with the stake in her hand, a hypnotic melody of deadly moves.

She's ready to pierce the vampire under her when another one comes out of nowhere and jumps right onto her back. His hands tighten around Talulla's body, making it hard for her to do anything.

I don't even realize I'm moving until I'm holding the bastard who tried to sink his fangs into her neck, ready to rip his skull open.

"Wait," Talulla says, gasping for air. "We need to ask some questions."

I growl but rein myself back from delivering the killing blow. My grip remains tight as she gets close to us. "Why are you attacking werewolves?"

"Why would I tell you?"

My grip tightens once more. "You might want to answer her. I really don't like impertinent imbeciles."

"We didn't attack them, okay? It was just one guy who did."

"Well, I staked that one guy last night, so tell me why another body showed up today."

"I don't know," the vampire replies, and my grip tightens once again.

Grabbing the vampire's jaw, I turn his face to me. "Let's see if you're telling the truth," I start saying, getting ready to compel him. "Do you know who's behind those deaths?"

The vampire's pupils enlarge for just a moment, letting me know the compulsion is actually working. "No, I don't."

Crack . My hands move so quickly that he has no time to say anything else.

"Why did you do that?"

I raise an eyebrow at Talulla, who has her arms crossed. Is she upset? "He didn't know anything."

"I know, but I was ready to stake him."

The corners of my lips lift into a smirk as I look at her hand, gripping the wooden piece so tightly. My cock begins to throb in my pants at the sight. "You can stake me any time you want, darling," I say, starting to walk away from them. "Especially if that is how you look when you hold it."