Hawk (7 page)

Wearing red, cat-eye contacts and rounded, blue sunglasses perched low on his nose, Draven glanced at Kaleb and shook his head. “Haven’t seen her in months,” he said. He held up his glass to the bartender for a refill. “What’re you drinking?”

“I’m not.” Kaleb grit his teeth. Hell, the only thing he had a thirst for at the moment was Suzi Stevens’ blood. So where the hell was she?

Being a Monday, the Blood ‘n’ Rave wasn’t exactly packed. If Suzi had been there, Draven would have seen her. It had been three days since she had sought him out, concern for his well-being clearly written in her blue gaze. Fuck her concern. Shoving his disdain for her aside in his moment of weakness, he had drank from her anyway. Not only that, but he had demanded that she feed him personally. And yet, knowing he would need to feed every three days to sustain himself, she had directly disobeyed him by not being here. Damn himself for agreeing to her terms that they meet in the public lounge.

If he had to, he’d break down every donor’s door in Florence until he found her as he had no clue where the little bitch laid her head. If she thought to hide from him, then the state of Oregon was not nearly big enough. Kaleb would have every Son and Knight on a statewide search until she was found. And if she lived with her so called fiancé? Kaleb would love to go toe to toe with the bastard right about now. A one-carat solitaire wasn’t a big enough deterrent to stop him from getting what he wanted. He’d see to it the bastard learned his place. Suzi Stevens may not belong to Kaleb, but he’d be damned if he’d allow someone else to stand in the way of his need.

“You needing a donor?” Draven broke into his murderous thoughts. “I could see one brought up to my office for you.”

“What I need is a little brunette named Suzi. If you can’t provide me that—then I’m not interested.”

“Someone got you by the balls—”

Draven’s question was cut short as Kaleb gripped him by the throat, lifting the tall man off the floor by a good four inches. Kaleb growled as his eyes blackened and his canines elongated. “Speak to me like that again and you’ll be spitting blood.”

“What the hell?” Draven wheezed, trying to catch a breath. The hand holding the glass of wine loosened, the glass crashed to their booted feet as he clawed the hand gripping his throat.

Kaleb sneered. “My reasons for wanting the little bitch is none of your concern.”

“Point taken. Now,” he croaked, “please let me down.”

“Jesus, Hawk!”

Kaleb stifled a groan. Of course she would pick that moment to appear. How the hell had she slipped into the club without either of their notice? Kaleb released Draven, who dropped to his booted feet with a thump and staggered back against the bar, his hand going to his injured throat. The bar owner would likely sport a raspy voice for the next few days. Not that Kaleb cared.

“It’s about time you decided to show up.”

Lightning shot through Suzi’s blue gaze in her anger. “I knew if I didn’t show that you’d come looking for me.”

“Why should that bother you,
piccolo diavolo
?”

“Because it does.” Her gaze narrowed. A lesser man would’ve cowered from her piercing gaze. “What did you just call me?”

Chapter 7

“I called you
little devil
.”

And why should that surprise her? Of course he did. “You manhandle Draven and you call me little devil? Seriously? That’s like the pot calling the kettle black.”

“Overused analogy.”

“Bite me—” She stopped herself at the rise of his lips. “Strike that.”

“If you would have been here,
piccolo diavolo
, then I wouldn’t have had to manhandle Draven. That is on your conscience.”

“Apologize to Draven. He isn’t my keeper, nor does he know my whereabouts.”

Draven shook his head, obviously not wanting to get involved in the middle of their pissing match. “There’s no need.”

She raised a brow. “Really? Hawk damn near crushed your windpipe for no reason.” She turned her glare back on the object of her scorn. “I say he needs to apologize for acting like an ass.”

A muscle ticked in Kaleb’s cheek. “Be careful,
piccolo diavolo
. You need to know your place.”

“And just what is my place, Hawk?”

Wisely, he kept his mouth shut for once. Instead he stood there looking all hot and sexy and way more delectable than any man had a right to. Damn him for kick-starting her libido in the middle of an argument. There certainly would be no hiding the truth from him, that much was apparent in the slight flaring of his nostrils and the knowing grin now full-blown on his lush lips. Men didn’t have lush lips, did they? And yet there was no other way to describe them. She remembered all too well what those lips had felt like against hers, not to mention the many other places he had used them. Her memories of a young, innocent girl came to mind. Hell, she had been a virgin then. No wonder he hadn’t ever wanted a round two. Now, she’d like to show him a thing or two.

But of course, she wouldn’t.

A pair of worn Levi’s hung low on his lean hips, hugging his muscular thighs before flaring slightly at the knees. A black Henley completed the top half, sleeves pushed to his elbows, showing off his one tattooed sleeve that alone made her heart trip over itself. She had a weakness for tattooed men, thanks to meeting Hawk in her impressionable years. A few buttons at his neck were left open, showing a spattering of hair that Suzi longed to run her fingers through, to feel the softness against her palms.

Yeah, she had it bad.

All the more reason to give him what she came for and get the hell out of Dodge. Yep, another overused analogy, but this time one he wouldn’t hear.

“So where’re we doing this? The ladies’ room? Dark corner?”

“Draven’s office.” Kaleb glanced back at the bar owner, no doubt checking to see if it was available because no way would Kaleb seek permission for anyone.

The man saluted Kaleb with a fresh glass of wine as a bartender swept up the broken glass where he had last stood or rather hung from Kaleb’s grip. “All yours.”

Kaleb looked down at Suzi and held out a hand in the direction of the stairwell. “After you.”

With a heavy sigh, Suzi marched past the insufferable bastard as he grabbed a full bottle of wine and two glasses, then followed behind. She took the stairs in front of him, feeling his gaze on her ass as thoroughly as if he had palmed each cheek and slowly caressed them. Suzi knew that feeding him wasn’t going to be easy for her by a long shot. Keeping her hands to herself and her libido in check was going to be damn near impossible. But then she’d stake her life on the fact the jerk counted on it.

Suzi turned in the center of the room, not willing to get anywhere near that leather sofa. She wiped her sweaty palms on her tight, dark blue jeans. They rode low on her hips causing a bit of her midriff to show, the exact spot the damn vampire had focused on the minute the two of them were alone. Second-guessing her outfit was a little too late. Next time she’d wear whatever Omar the tentmaker was making this season.

“Well?” She drew his gaze upward. “Let’s get this the hell over with.”

“You have somewhere else you need to be,
piccolo diavolo
?”

“Maybe I do. But it sure in the hell does not include standing here having a tête-à-tête with you.”

And the quicker she got him taking his fill, the sooner she could stop thinking of him in the horizontal with her straddling his lean hips. What the hell were those love handle things anyway that rode just above his jean line? Lord, those made her want to follow the muscle line with her tongue straight to his… Enough! At this rate, she’d never make it out of here unscathed.

Remember why you hate him.

Kaleb set the two wineglasses on a round table, uncorked the bottle and then poured them each a glass, before handing her one.

Suzi quickly shook her head. Too much wine and she’d be promising Kaleb her tomorrows. “None for me. I’m not here to fraternize. Take what you came here for and I’ll be on my way. Don’t make this harder than it has to be, Hawk.”

“It’s Kaleb to you.”

“You will always be Hawk to me.”

She caught a glimpse of his extended fangs as he took a swallow of the deep red wine then licked the remnants from his lips. His prominent brow only enhanced his dangerous look. And he called her little devil? He looked like the beast himself as his obsidian gaze seemed to swallow her whole.

“It’s all the same,
piccolo diavolo
. But when I’m fucking you, I’d prefer you to call me by my given name.”

“Well, then … no worries there, Hawk.” Suzi winked at him, then walked over to the end table and grabbed the other glass of wine, downing the contents in one swallow. If she were to endure his company, then she might as well do it with good wine. Tilting her head to the side, she asked, “Shall we?”

“You are one cold-hearted bitch.”

“It takes a cold heart to know one.”

Instead of taking her proffered artery, though, he grabbed her left hand and held the sparkling bauble up for his inspection. “So who is he?”

Suzi shrugged. “No one you’d know. Besides, he’s irrelevant.”

“I bet if you asked him, he’d beg to differ with you.”

“Irrelevant to you.”

“He’s fucking you, isn’t he?”

She looked up at his black eyes, seeing her own reflection in their mirror-like reflection. “Why would you think otherwise?”

“Then I’d say he’s not irrelevant. How long?”

Suzi was quickly losing her train of thought this close to him. He smelled of the open road and musk, a scent unique to him and as heady as the wine she had just drunk. “How long?” she repeated his question.

“Since he’s been fucking you?”

She pulled her hand from his grip, then grabbed the wine bottle and poured herself another glass. She downed it just as quickly. “I can see we’re going to be here awhile.”

Picking up the bottle, Suzi carried it over to the leather sofa and sank into its luxury. She poured herself a third glass, then set the bottle on the side table to her right. “Why are you doing this, Hawk?”

“What?”

“Don’t play stupid with me.”

“You’re the one hiding a fiancé. I am nothing if not honest with you.”

“So you just want me to be your personal donor … nothing more?”

“No,
piccolo diavolo
, don’t mistake my intentions. I also want to fuck you.”

* * *

And he did. In the worst way. His cock strained against his Levi’s, plaguing him something fierce. He needed to remind himself to wear looser fitting jeans around her. Much more and his intentions would be peeking out the top of the waistband, begging for attention. He quickly adjusted the front of his jeans, then grabbed his own glass of wine and stalked her to the sofa. He towered over her, the beast within barely leashed, and yet she simply looked back at him as if he stood before her in his human form. He had been full-fledged vampire since she had stormed into the club tonight like a dust devil, wreaking havoc on his emotions. And yet, not once had he seen her cower.

Maybe he needed to work on looking more menacing.

That or he needed to show the little slip of a woman her place, the thought alone nearly had him laughing. Kaleb sincerely doubted anyone could show Suzi her place. She might come in a small package, but her feistiness showed up in spades.

“You’ve already done that, Hawk.” She leaned back, resting her head on the back of the sofa. The wine had softened the edge on her gaze. “I don’t intend to allow you that privilege again.”

“Oh you will. Count on it.”

“You have a mountain-sized ego. No one could accuse you of self-effacement.”

“There’s a difference between ego and confidence,
piccolo diavolo
. But you would be correct. I have both.”

“You won’t get any arguments from me. Now if you’ve come to feed, have at it. If you’ve come to get laid, there’s an entire club of Sons groupies out there that I am sure are more than willing.”

The sound of the industrial music filtered through the room, the heavy beat thumping against his chest much like the cadence of his beating heart. And here he thought that forcing her to personally feed him would be perfect retribution for choosing Ion all those years ago, when in fact the comeuppance was his. Having her this close and not have the right to do as he wished was torture at its finest.

His nostrils flared as he caught the scent of her desire. Whether she chose to deny it or not, she couldn’t hide her body’s reaction to him. Suzi might not like him, though her libido sure in the hell did. Fucking her wasn’t on tonight’s agenda, but he would. Just not before she damn well begged for it. And he had every intention of getting her to do just that, her fiancé be damned.

Kaleb set his half-filled glass of wine next to the bottle and dropped to his knees in front of the sofa before her slightly-spread, slender thighs. Her gaze widened as he placed a palm on each of her inner thighs and spread them, making room for him to slip between. His hands slid up the muscular surface, causing her breath to intake just as his thumbs skimmed the sides of her center, yet not quite touching the soft folds concealed by her jeans. Here, the strong scent of her desire easily wafted to his nose. His balls tightened.

“Don’t, Hawk,” she said, the request weak at its best.

He had no intention on pushing the issue. No, he’d much rather leave her wanting, even if it meant his own groin plagued him. He ran his palms up to her hips to encompass her slim waist, contacting the bare flesh just above the line of her jeans. Kaleb pulled her forward so her thighs skimmed his ribs and his chest was just shy from touching hers. Her pebbled nipples didn’t escape his notice, though at the moment he chose to ignore them. Kaleb bit back the desire to pull them between his teeth, nip them, then soothe the aching nubs with the pad of his tongue. His cock twitched at the idea of suckling her pert breasts, but he had no intention of appeasing that itch. He’d wait until she had gone, then take care of his aching groin himself.

“Please, Hawk.”

Tears welled in her eyes. She no doubt hated herself for desiring him. Her pulse beat heavily at the base of her throat, telling him as much. He could hear her blood rushing through her veins. His fangs ached with the need to feed, which he wasn’t about to deny himself a moment longer. Cupping the back of her neck, he drew her closer so that their chests aligned and her moist center straddled his abdomen, her backside still perched on the edge of the sofa.

Tilting her head to the side, just centimeters from the last bite, Kaleb drew his lips back and sank his fangs into the flesh. The soft pop of his teeth breaking through her skin and her slight gasp cut through the silence as the DJ below changed songs. Warm blood rushed over his tongue and down his throat. He could easily get lost in the potent flavor unique to her, and lose himself to the point of madness. Kaleb needed to keep a tight rein on himself in order to keep from yanking down her snug jeans and burying his cock in her balls-deep.

Suzi’s hands released the grip she had on his shirt and slid up his chest to his nape where she tangled her fingers in the lengthy curls. Her arousal rose with the quickening of her heartbeat, telling him she wasn’t far from an orgasm that he’d one day allow her. But that was not for today. Instead, he’d allow her to teeter on the edge.

Her breathing quickened and her fists tightened in his hair. Just scant seconds from her reaching the pinnacle, he withdrew his fangs and licked the twin holes closed. Her breath hitched, and her thighs trembled as he released her. Kaleb stood and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. His fangs slowly retreated and his features returned to their normal state. Her gaze left his and traveled down his chest to the front of his jeans, still swelled with his heavy erection.

One of his brows raised. “See something you want,
piccolo diavolo
?”

Suzi clenched her teeth, her fiery gaze returning as she quickly stood and readjusted her shirt. “Go to hell, Hawk.”