Fanged Desire (Leyore Coven #3)

Chapter 7

Hunter

“Been a while since your last visit.” Caden, my ever-cheerful companion and personal confidant slouched into the room with all the urgency of a garden snail.

He sunk into the sofa opposite me, running a hand through salt-and-pepper curls in dire need of a trimming. “I thought you’d found some younger, hotter blood bag to satisfy your needs.”

“Please.” I leaned forward, shooing his boot off the coffee table between us. “None of those vampire wannabes could ever compare to you.”

“You flatter me.” Caden chuckled, his arm already extended, wrist offered with the casual familiarity of someone who’d done this many times before. “But is it really my criminal good looks that keep you around, or are you just not interested in putting on a show for the more… enthusiastic blood donors.”

“Little bit of both.” I hauled myself to my feet and perched on the edge of the coffee table in front of him. “Most donors want to be more than a quick snack. And my days of debauchery are over.”

“A pity really.” Caden feigned despondency, propping his head up on one knuckle. “I’m sure there’re plenty of pretty donors who’d jump at the chance of a contract with you.”

“A damn shame,” I said wryly, leaning forward and biting down gently on his wrist.

We had been meeting like this for years. Other donors had come and gone, contracts signed and nullified as my attention waxed and waned. Caden, however, was something of a staple diet. It was rare for my kind to avoid the allure of sensual feeding, but Caden and I had a different kind of bond.

“You know, they finally finished that new freeway over by Glenridge.” Caden’s voice was a rumble in his throat. A gentle giant of a man. “Took them months longer than they were supposed to. My commute’s still a nightmare, though.”

“Mhmm,” I mumbled, half-listening as my fangs punctured his skin and I felt the warm rush of blood fill my mouth. I savored it – the richness, the vitality – but it wasn’t the frenzy others might assume. It was just... routine.

Unlike my vampiric associates, I was not born a vampire – I was turned at the tender age of twenty-nine. While they could sate themselves on pretty much any kind of blood; animal, human, fresh or bottled, I was not afforded that luxury. Turned vampires had to get their blood fresh, straight from the source. And for us, only one source would do – human.

I settled into feeding, drinking my fill, while Caden launched into his usual monologue about work, traffic, and – of course – his family. His voice was a grounding hum in the background, filling the quiet space. I had never been one for deep conversations, but this arrangement, this strange mukbang-therapy-session hybrid, was comforting. I fed, he talked, and we both got what we needed.

“Kids are driving me up the wall,” Caden grumbled, absentmindedly drumming his fingers on the arm of the sofa. “And Marcy’s council meeting is next week. You know how she gets before those things – tense as hell. Kinda scares me a little. I’m afraid one of these days she’s gonna put a curse on my pickle just for looking at her wrong.”

Caden’s wife, Marcy, was a witch – a well-known one in supernatural circles these days. That was part of why our arrangement worked so well. Caden was used to the unusual.

I straightened up and wiped the corner of my mouth, licking the last drop of blood from my lips.

“I’m sure you and your pickle will be fine,” I reassured him, rifling through my pockets to fish out a band-aid. “Marcy loves you. The only one she’s gonna be cursing is me if I keep you longer than necessary.”

Caden gave a short laugh. “Yeah, true. But you know how witches are. Drama, rituals, dead animals in the freezer when you went looking for pop-tarts. Can’t help but feel out of my depth sometimes.”

The conversation lulled for a moment as Caden smoothed the band-aid over the puncture wounds on his wrist. When he met my eye, his expression softened and I braced myself for the incoming inquisition.

“How have you been holding up?” he asked gently.

My jaw tightened. I knew where this was going, and I was inclined to send the light-hearted conversation to a grinding halt.

“I don’t want to talk about her , if that’s what you’re getting at.”

Selene. The very thought of her always stirred up something – guilt, regret. Mostly a whole lot of self-loathing and a sprinkle of self-sabotage.

“She’s doing well,” Caden informed me anyway, ignoring my dismal attempt at disinterest. “Seems happy. Settled.”

I said nothing, directing all my attention to the very important task of staring at the floor.

Caden was a friend of Selene’s, he had been both before and after our relationship went catatonic. Now he existed as the last lingering thread that connected us. He seemed to think filling me in on her wellbeing would do me some good.

After a beat of heavy silence, Caden spoke again, more gently than I deserved. “You didn’t ruin her, you know–”

“I know.” My voice was tight, my answer too quick leaving my lips.

“You’re allowed to move on.” Caden leaned forward, waiting for me to meet his gaze. “Selene’s fine, and you’ve got your own life to live.”

I let out a dry chuckle, and felt it echo through the hollow cavern in my chest. “Easier said than done.”

“And yet, I have a feeling you’re already halfway there.” Caden’s tone shifted and he shot me a sly smile. “This dancer you mentioned a few weeks ago. Kinsley, was it?”

My eyes narrowed, but I appreciated the change of topic. “I only mentioned her once. It’s not that serious.”

“Oh sure,” Caden teased, his grin widening. “Once. But that’s all I needed to know you’ve got a crush.”

“Careful,” I warned, but there was no malice behind it. “Keep that up and I’ll tear your arm off.”

He laughed, not remotely fazed by the threat. We both knew it was hollow. “Seriously though, are you into her? She sounds like quite the catch.”

“It’s not like that!” I protested, shoving his shoulder lightly. “I just thought she was interesting. God forbid I look twice at another woman.”

Caden shrugged, climbing to his feet and rifling through the mini fridge in the corner. “All right, all right. You say she works at Micere? She must be fairly new. I’ve been there a few times over the years and I’ve never seen her around.”

It was my turn to shrug. “I don’t actually know much about her. She’s kind of a closed book.”

In truth, I was curious about Kinsley's background, even more so after what happened the last time we met. I had promised myself this burgeoning interest wouldn’t go anywhere, but the dancer still lived rent-free in my head 24/7.

“Well, sounds like you two have one thing in common.” Caden fished out an energy drink from the fridge – Jordan’s brand – and popped the cap. “You know, I have seen that skinny blond stripper you were bitching about. Ethan, I think? Got to hand it to him, the guy knows how to put on a show.”

“He also knows how to get in the way,” I grumbled, despite my earlier gratitude for the blond’s intrusion.

Ethan seemed to have Kinsley’s best interests at heart, and I couldn’t fault him for not trusting me in the slightest. But the immature, and let’s be honest, horny part of me was mildly irritated by his consistent cock-blocking.

Caden noticed my grimace and chuckled, chugging down his drink before gesturing at me. “Look at you, you’re radiating jealousy. This woman clearly has her claws in you.”

I flinched at the imagery. Kinsley wasn’t the one with claws. She was human. There were so many ways a human could get hurt.

I shifted uncomfortably, crossing and uncrossing my legs. “Like I said, It’s not like that.”

Caden raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “By the way, does Jordan know about your extracurricular activities? You know, hanging around with the employees of Micere while she’s got you negotiating with the elves? Micere is elf owned. Seems like a dangerous game to me.”

I frowned, fingers drumming lightly on the table. “Jordan doesn’t need to know everything. Besides, I’m not doing anything wrong. Technically.”

I knew what Jordan would say if she were to find out about Kinsley: It’s dangerous. For the dancer, and for the fragile deal we struck with Elliot. There was no telling what the elf-man would do if he knew he had bargaining material. I tried not to let any of my mixed feelings on the subject show on my face.

Caden didn’t push, but his look told me enough. He wasn’t buying it.

Still, I wasn’t about to explain myself. Not when I could barely comprehend my own actions. I watched him drain the last of his drink and move to leave, with Kinsley front and center in my mind.

The club wasn’t far, but it felt like eternity as I sped down the street. My thoughts wandered back to the last encounter with Kinsley, the tension still fresh, the pull undeniable. I knew it couldn’t go on, not with the inevitable consequences looming over my head like a storm cloud.

When my phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me temporarily from the fray, I didn’t have to check the screen to know who it was. Jordan’s timing was impeccable, as always.

With a sigh, I hauled the phone out and pressed it to my ear, pulling up on the sidewalk and bracing myself. “Jordan.”

“Hunter!” Jordan’s voice burst through the speakers, champagne bubbly and bristling with excitement. “I just wrapped up the meeting with the builders, and we are so close. The stores are going up in a few weeks and the elves are onboard. This is going to open so many doors for us!”

I clenched my jaw, forcing a smile into my voice as I shut the car door and started walking. “That’s great!”

“Great? It’s incredible! And it’s all because of you . Your groundwork with Elliot, everything. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

My step faltered, a knot of guilt tightening in my chest. I tried to push it aside, to match the redhead’s enthusiasm, but the words came out flat. “I’m glad I could help.”

Jordan, usually perceptive, didn’t seem to notice. She was too swept up in her excitement and, by the sounds of it, ten thousand cups of coffee. “I’ve already started planning the next steps. Once we’re in their territory, we can start expanding into other Elvish markets. This is huge – also, Sky says hello.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. I had always been Jordan’s right hand, the one who handled the messy parts of our business dealings. But this time… my heart wasn’t in it the same way. Not when my nights were filled with thoughts of Kinsley.

And the elf deal? That was dangerous. One wrong move, and everything could come crashing down. If Jordan knew where I had really been spending my evenings, how close I was to putting the deal at risk…

“Also, while I have you –” Jordan’s voice took on a more casual, inquisitive tone. “I’ve been hearing some whispers. Word is you’ve been hanging around Micere lately.”

My pulse quickened. Unlike the others in our circle, Jordan couldn’t access my mind. Not to speak, and not to pry. There was no way she could have read my thoughts – and yet, she was right on the money.

I forced a light chuckle, the kind that put temperamental clients at ease. “Yeah, I’ve been keeping an eye on Elliot. He’s slippery. Figured it might help to learn his habits, see if there’s anything we can use to keep him on our side.”

I tried to not dwell on how easily the lie slipped out.

There was a pause on the other end, and for a moment I wondered if Jordan could hear the deceit in my words. But then her voice returned, warm and full of pride. “Smart. That’s why I trusted you with this to begin with. But just remember, Hunter, this deal is everything right now. I need you focused. No distractions.”

I slowed to a halt. Across the street, Micere beckoned with neon signage, dark doors wide open and welcoming. Jordan trusted me, relied on me. And yet, here I was, night after night, risking everything just to see Kinsley.

It’s time to call it off . It hurt to acknowledge, but a decision had to be made. Whatever this is with Kinsley, it needs to end.

For everyone’s sake.

I set my jaw. “No distractions. Understood.”

I knew what I had to do, but crossing the street felt like running the gauntlet – an impossible voyage to a painful end.

I thought about leaving, wiping Micere and its inhabitants from my mind and never setting foot inside the club again. But I wasn’t one for ghosting, not anymore at least. I had cut the habit after Maxine had the audacity to dub me a heartbreaker.

I owed Kinsley a real goodbye.

But the dancer was nowhere to be seen. Micere was pumping, packed to the brim with writhing bodies, but the one person I was looking for wasn’t on stage or in the crowd.

Maybe outside? I wasn’t sure if Kinsley smoked, but it was worth checking. With a quiet sigh, I slipped through the back entrance, stepping into the alley that led to the parking lot.

I sensed her before I saw her, the scent of fear and adrenaline hitting me first.

Kinsley was in the parking lot, but she wasn’t alone. She was surrounded by a group of men I didn’t recognize. One of them had her by the arm, twisting the limb behind her back as she kicked out at another. The look on her face was one of fear, and a vicious, burning anger that mirrored my own.

My vision tunneled, narrowing on the cluster of culprits as a primal rage surged through my body, blinding hot in my chest, faster than my own heartbeat. Every muscle tensed as my fangs itched to extend, the urge to rip and tear overwhelming my senses. I couldn’t reveal myself, not here on elf turf.

But I could beat the shit out of them with my bare hands.

I stepped forward, every inch of me vibrating with fury. At that moment, I was no longer thinking about Jordan or the deal or any of the lies I had told. There was only one thing on my mind: Kinsley. And getting her out of there.

And God help anyone who tried to stop me.