Epilogue
Kohl sat at the bar inside The Caves and watched Devon on the center of the dance floor, wearing an airy red dress and red shoes.
Her hair floated around her face, reminding him of the first time he saw her here.
Only this time, she wasn’t hiding in the dark.
And she wasn’t alone. Frank, her “BFF” danced with her.
They were the only two on the floor. The club didn’t open for another thirty minutes.
Music pulsed through his blood in time to the seductive movement of her hips. He loved to watch her lose herself to the music. It was the only time she was really free. He understood the feeling flowing between them. It was how he felt when he flew under the stars.
Now that he was more accepting of his “other half”, as Devon liked to call it, Kohl was working on his relationship with the beast inside of him, and they were finding a way to coexist. Of course, this meant there was three of them during intimate moments.
Devon didn’t seem to mind. She didn’t view the beast as something other, but rather just another part of him.
And Kohl was learning she was right.
Once he’d accepted this, he was finding it easier and easier to share in the dragon’s experiences as well, which meant there were times he got to enjoy basking in the sun, and the freedom of flying.
Someone jostled his arm and he tore his eyes away from the erotic sight on the dance floor with obvious reluctance.
Hawke settled onto the stool next to him. “Hey, man.”
Kohl took a sip of his beer. “Hey.”
“How’s the house coming?”
Kohl thought about the home he was building for him and Devon—lakefront property, with a windowless first floor and a large second story deck.
He’d also contracted for special windows upstairs, so he could watch her lay out in the sun in nothing but bikini bottoms. “Good. It should be ready just in time for summer.”
“That’s good.”
Kohl searched his friend’s face. He hadn’t come up here for idle talk. “Something else going on?”
Hawke waved hello to Devon, and she smiled back. “Now that things have settled down, we need to talk about the future of this coven.”
“Hawke, I already told you. I’m not cut out for that shit. And I don’t deserve it. Not after what I did to Jaz.” Sorrow filled him. In his mind, Jaz had been a victim in all of this as much as Devon was.
“Knock it off,” Hawke told him. “Jaz knew what he was doing. He was out for revenge. For the most part, the Master just told him how to do it. As far as I’m concerned, Jaz got what was coming to him.
” He took a long drink of his vodka. “You challenged the Master, and won. The role of coven leader is now yours. No one will challenge it.”
“Not even you?” Kohl had wanted to ask that question for a while now, but up until now, he’d always hesitated. He wasn’t sure why.
Hawke met his questioning stare. “Not even me.”
“That’s not right. You should be the next coven leader. You’re older, and you were the Master’s right-hand man. The others will follow you without question. And I don’t even remember half the fight.”
“There’s no question now, Kohl. They’re too fucking scared of you.”
“That doesn’t make me feel better.”
“It is what it is.” Hawke gave him a tight smile. “We need to make it official. Soon. Also,” he continued before Kohl had the chance to protest more. “I’ve been thinking. Since it appears you’re planning to keep her around for awhile, I think we should put Devon’s skills to use.”
Since he was the one who’d brought up that idea to begin with, Kohl tried to contain his sarcasm. It didn’t really work. “You’ve decided.”
Hawke grinned.
The song ended and Devon came over and grabbed Kohl’s beer while Frank headed toward the restroom. “What’s up, Hawke?”
“Not much, beautiful.” He winked when Kohl flashed his fangs and quite obviously pulled her closer to him. “At least he’s not hissing at me, anymore,” Hawke told her.
“You could just stop saying stuff you know will bring out my worst side,” Kohl suggested.
“I could,” Hawke agreed. “But why the hell would I when it’s so much more fun to rile you up?”
Devon held up her hands. “All right, guys. Put your penises back in your pants.”
Kohl gave Hawke a warning look. “Don’t say it, man. Just don’t.”
Hawke held up both hands in a gesture of peace. Walking behind the bar, he helped himself to a bottle of vodka. “Actually, Devon, we were just talking about you.”
“About me? Why?”
“We think it’s time you made yourself useful around here.”
“We were going to ask you,” Kohl corrected. “For your help.”
“What kind of help?”
Hawke rested his hip on the counter behind him. “We want you to make use of your hacking skills.”
She turned to Kohl. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea after what happened last time.”
“That wasn’t your fault, Dev. And you know it.” Kohl exchanged a look with Hawke, who gave him a nod. He turned back to Devon. “But I hope you remember how you did it. We want you to help us take out Parasupe.”
Taking another swig of his beer, she stared at him over the top of the bottle, then wiped her mouth on the back of her hand. She looked back and forth between the two vampires.
“Then we’re gonna need some help.”
The door opened and a woman with red hair came in the main entrance. She hesitated once she was inside, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. Looking around, she spotted the three of them at the bar, but made no move to come forward.
“I’ll go tell her we’re not open yet,” Kohl said as he stood. But Hawke stopped him with a hand on his arm.
“No. I’ve got this.”
Kohl glanced back to find his friend’s eyes firmly affixed on the woman. “Are you sure?”
Hawke gave him a nod, his attention never wavering from the stranger at the edge of the dance floor. Running his fingers through his dark hair, he stood and approached her.
She watched him come, a smile teasing her lips.
Keep Reading for a sneak peek of
Burn For the Dragon
Vampires and dragons are forbidden to mate…
When a local reporter with fiery red hair and fearless gray eyes marches into his vampire bar, Hawke's first instinct is to bite her tempting lower lip.
His second instinct is to get her the hell out of there, sooner rather than later.
No matter how sweet her scent or beguiling her smile, his job is to protect his coven, and it's a responsibility he does not take lightly.
However, he soon finds this particular human isn't so easy to forget.
Something about her has flicked a switch inside of him. One that was better off left alone.
Everly Taylor isn't sure what to expect the first time she walks into a local bar run by the supernatural, but Hawke sure isn't it.
His intense gaze notices more than it should, and his carefully poised confidence hides a vulnerability she senses more than sees.
Though her body immediately reacts to him, his dark presence is daunting.
But Everly refuses to let it intimidate her.
She needs his help. Parasupe has kidnapped her brother, and she has no idea why, and no one else to turn to.
But when Hawke discovers Everly is a dragon shifter, she becomes more than a distraction. She becomes a threat. And it will take an act of complete sacrifice to convince him she is worth the fight.
Keep reading…