Chapter 24 #2
I ignore Luca’s frantic voice and pull with all my strength, removing the sword from Alistair’s gut. The sucking sound it makes as it exits his body will stick with me for a long time. It’s the worst thing I’ve ever heard. So bad, actually, I think I’ll add it to my nightmare rotation.
Alistair groans, then goes silent. Too silent. I press the tattered remains of his shirt into the wound. My panic spikes as the suction on my wrist slows.
“None of that,” I snap. “You’ve got to suck harder, dude. You’re not dying in the damn street after I jumped in to rescue you. Someone has to tell Celine how heroic I was.”
“Did you kill all of these—”
“Help or shut up,” I hiss at Luca.
“What do you need me to do?” His voice is solid, and it makes me feel a little calmer.
“Put pressure on the wound or take over as his blood bank. I can’t do everything.”
I bite my lip as another wave of desire swamps me. I don’t tell Luca this, but my new fear is that I might come in my pants. I’m going to have a stern talk with my cock later for betraying me this way.
Luca kneels at my side, balling up his flannel shirt and pressing it against Alistair’s stomach. It’s got to be excruciating, but Alistair barely stirs.
With one hand free, I yank on his hair until his eyes snap open. “You’re biting me like a baby,” I taunt. “Do better or die—your choice.”
Alistair growls, and with his fangs buried in my wrist, the vibration sends a disturbing combination of pain and pleasure ricocheting through my nerve endings.
He grabs my forearm and holds it to his mouth, red eyes searching my face.
I can’t help it; I start panting and moaning like I just booked my first porno.
“Do you have a boner?”
“Why would you think that?” I demand, clinging to my dignity through sheer denial.
Luca chuckles, and the sound makes me shiver. “Because Alistair has his fangs inside you, and I’ve seen the effect that has on a person.”
I gasp, relieved beyond relief, then laugh out loud. “Kinky. He’d get along great with my brother.” Luca raises one eyebrow, and I hear myself rambling. “He’s an incubus demon. His blood . . . You know what, never mind. I’m oversharing.”
“What happened?” Luca asks, dipping his head toward the bodies.
“I left the bar and was walking back to my place when I heard the fight. I don’t know what started it, but these three were all over him.
I finished them off, but one of them had already stabbed him.
” All of my practice with partial truths comes in clutch, making me sound the perfect amount of innocent, surprised, and reluctantly heroic.
“Mmm.”
I study Luca. His brow is furrowed, and I don’t miss the tired but loaded look Alistair gives him. Irritation flares up as I realize they’re hiding as much information from me as I’m hiding from them.
“I’ve never seen this many angels in one place,” I say. I’ve earned the right to do some fishing. “Is Vegas some sort of celestial hot spot?”
“Mmm,” Luca hums again noncommittally.
“Cool,” I drawl. “I’ll shut up and think about how close I am to ruining my favorite pair of jeans.”
“Mmm.”
“If you say ‘mmm’ again, I’m going to lose my shit.”
“How did you kill them all without getting hurt?” Luca is prying now, not even bothering to hide his nosiness.
I laugh. “That’s rich. You get to interrogate me, but won’t answer any of my questions? Not happening, you broody asshole. If you’re going to act secretive, I am too.”
“I’m making conversation,” Luca says, peaking under the blood-soaked flannel shirt. “I think it’s closing up, Ali.”
“Yes. I can tell.” Alistair pulls back from my wrist and licks the wound slowly, his eyes darting between me and the discarded sword. “Although, I’m not sure if my prognosis would be favorable if Ciprian hadn’t happened along.”
“Happy to be of service.” I salute him sarcastically, pretending I don’t hear him subtly questioning the story of how I found him.
“I’ll call in a favor and have someone come get the bodies,” Alistair says, wiping his bloody phone screen on his jeans, then scowling at the dead angels.
Luca sighs. “I’m more worried about what we’re going to tell Celine.” He glances at me and closes his mouth.
“Why would she care?” I snap. “Are all angels related?” Annoyed by his secrets, I push to my feet, lurching unsteadily into the wall as the world spins sickeningly.
“Woah!” Luca grabs my arm to steady me. “Take it slow, you’ve lost a lot of blood.”
“I’d be fine if some of it would leave my dick and go somewhere useful,” I groan.
Alistair chuckles. His smirk is devious as he wipes a drop of my blood from his lips, then sucks it off his finger. “My apologies,” he croons.
“I hate to criticize someone who almost died, but I feel like I need to let you know that you don’t sound sorry at all,” I say, yawning as my knees buckle.
“Okay, that’s it.” Luca helps me back to the ground. “Sit down before you fall down. I’ll go get my car.”
“Sounds great.” I yawn again, the beginnings of a reckless idea taking shape in my head as Luca jogs away. Letting my head sag, I lean into my exhaustion, focusing on the techniques I used to fall asleep as a kid after a particularly disturbing training session with Dad.
If they have a shred of honor between them, which I suspect they do despite their fringe manners, they won’t leave me unconscious in the street. If they decide to kill me, well, I can only hope I come to in time to stop them. Eyes heavy, I drift off, hoping I wake up one step closer to answers.