Last Chance (DarkWorld: SkinWalker Book 3) (3 page)

“Because your name is Kailin Odel.” Saleem spoke, his face gleaming with a smile. For the briefest moment, I thought I saw tattoos along his eyes and forehead, dark markings creeping along his neck and throat and disappearing into the neckline of his shirt. I blinked and they were gone. And I would have thought it was all just my imagination had it not been for the look he gave me. A knowing look.

I blinked. Was he using a glamor to hide his markings?

Not that it was any of my business what he showed to the world and what he didn’t. But I still had unfinished business with the gorgeous Djinn. We’d never discussed his strange need to collect Blue Stones while we were in the Greylands. I made a mental note to speak to him about that. But for now, I needed to just relax.

***

When Logan and the gang left, they were followed closely by the rest of the visitors. I found the house quiet. Too quiet. I wandered back inside, heading upstairs to my old room, and ended up on the window seat, inhaling the mustiness of old curtains and carpets. Seemed Dad hadn’t brought himself to redecorate. Sometimes I wondered what it did to him to live in this big old house, missing more than half his family. There were times when I could totally understand the icy cage he’d locked his emotions in all these years.

I leaned my forehead against the window and sighed, staring out at the garden, where the trees grew dark and gloomy now in the blush of evening.

“It’s not all that bad, is it?” a voice broke into my reverie. I jerked my gaze to the intruder so fast my neck snapped and my heart gave an uncomfortable thud.

Justin Lake stood in the doorway, a lazy smile on his face. He was leaning against the threshold, his arms folded, the thin cotton of his shirt stretched tight over bulging muscles. He watched me, golden eyes observant, not missing a thing. Then he blinked as if some thought had caught him short. “Not that I’m making light of Greer’s death.” His expression was apologetic, and I knew he meant it. With Justin, you trusted what you saw.

I tilted my head toward him and nodded, unsure if I should get up and take him back downstairs or remain seated. Justin always had the ability to fill a room with his presence. And here alone in my bedroom, he made me decidedly uncomfortable.

I gave him a weak smile and an equally half-hearted shrug. “It’s okay. I know you weren’t.”

“She was pretty troubled.” His statement filled the room, and I wanted to do something like knock on wood or throw salt over my shoulder because I wasn’t convinced that talking ill of the dead wasn’t bad luck.

“She had her moments.” I laughed, seeing images of Greer sneering in the Greylands when she controlled the Deadland demons, bleeding after Brand had sliced her up, apologizing before disappearing into the light. “She certainly didn’t do things by half.”

Justin chuckled, then strode into the room. He had an air of dangerous power about him, like a threatening cat waiting to pounce, waiting to kill. He headed for the bed and sat on the corner of my mattress as if it were the most natural thing in the world. As if he weren’t alone with another woman in her bedroom.

The cougar hunched and placed his elbows on his knees, leaning over. He stared at the carpet for a while, linking his fingers, sitting there deep in thought as if he owned the place. It grated on my nerves a bit, more probably because I wanted him out of my room, away from me. Being alone with Justin was asking for trouble.

Only when I was about to ask him what he wanted did he lift his head to speak, as if anticipating the question. “I’d like to discuss something with you.” His voice rolled over me like honey, thick and delicious. I blinked against the alpha effect and concentrated harder, watching him, the way the muscles in his shoulders bunched, the way his jaw tightened, granite hard.

And I wondered if I was going to like what he had to say.

He cleared his throat, then held my gaze. “I’m not sure how to say this.”

“Take a deep breath and let me have it,” I said, giving him an encouraging smile, all while something pinged inside—the warning he was probably right and I should rein myself in if the urge came over me to toss him out on his sexy ass.

He obeyed and said, “I’m concerned… I hope you’re not going to be making a decision you’ll regret.”

Immediately I bristled, staring at him. My own shoulders tightened as I held his gaze. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Who was Justin to wonder about my decisions? I would have asked him, but I’d noticed how difficult it had been for him to speak in the first place, and now I really wanted to know what he’d intended to say.

He cleared his throat. The fingers twisted, then loosened. “Okay, I know this is going to piss you off, but I don’t have any way of avoiding it.” He fell silent for a moment. “This Logan Westin you’re seeing…” I said nothing, just waited as my blood began to simmer. “Do you really think it’s wise?” he asked, concern darkening his eyes.

I fisted my hands and made a concerted effort to keep my fury in check. “Is it any of your business?” I pushed the words past the tight anger in my throat.

Justin lifted his head, meeting my eyes dead on with his brilliant golden gaze. “It is when it concerns an alpha.”

“Did Iain send you?” I folded my arms, my body moving from relaxed to aware. Justin was sending of waves of power, confidence, and control. None of which made me in any way agreeable to him or his line of conversation.

“What?” Justin’s brow furrowed and he looked momentarily confused. Then he shook his head, a little annoyance leaking into his gaze. “No, Iain has nothing to do with this conversation.”

I believed him, but I waited a moment while I gathered my thoughts. “Justin, what is it you want?” All I wanted was to have this conversation over and done with, but it didn’t seem my desires were up for consideration.

“I just wanted to tell you I think you’re making a mistake. And I think you can do a whole lot better than Westin.”

There, he’d said it. I’d suspected that was where he’d been heading, yet all the while, a part of me had hoped he wouldn’t. My eyes narrowed and anger flared in my veins. “Really?” I asked, getting to my feet. My hands vibrated with anger.

Justin rose from the mattress and held out his hands, although supplication was the last thing I would think he was capable of. His attempt to placate me fell flat, just like his little attempt to stick his nose in my business. “Look, don’t get all hot-headed about it. All I’m doing is saying my piece,” he said, giving me a short shrug, as if he thought I wouldn’t figure out something bigger was going on here. He wouldn’t have opened his mouth, especially when he knew I’d bite his head off, if he didn’t have a good enough reason. And mere concern didn’t cut it.

My spine tightened as I said, “Well, now that you’ve said it, you can leave.” I folded my arms and gritted my teeth. I waited a few moments for him to vacate the room, but not once did I expect him to. And true to my gut, all he did was sit there watching me with those alluring honey eyes. I lifted my chin. “Fine. If you won’t, I will.”

I stalked to the door, my back ramrod straight as I tried to contain my anger. The audacity. “Just because you’re an alpha doesn’t give you the right to interfere in my life,” I said over my shoulder as I moved past him. I would have said more, but a warm hand grabbed hold of my elbow, setting my skin tingling. I’d always been half in love with Justin, but now was the worst time for that attraction to rear its ugly head.

He spun me around to face him. I opened my mouth to tell him where to get off, but I didn’t get the chance to get a word out. He curled his arm around me, placing a hot palm at the base of my waist, and pulled me against him. My body remained stiff and I meant to struggle for a way out of his grip, but he was strong, not to mention the thought of struggling had disappeared entirely from my mind.

We stood there for a moment, heated skin sizzling against each other from chest to hips. I was sure it was my anger, but I knew it was probably something a little more passionate for him. Justin had always felt things to their fullest. His eyes blazed, but I didn’t get a chance to look at them too long. His head descended and he kissed me. Caught off guard, I wasn’t sure how to react.

Certainly not by kissing him back.

His lips sent sparks of heat racing up and down my spine, and my panther purred. The moment I felt myself liking it too much was the moment I shoved him away.

I took precious seconds to catch my breath and then I glared at him, my eyes narrow and all panther. “I get it. You want Logan out of my life because you want me for yourself.”

He shrugged. “I can’t deny that.”

“The question is, why? Is this some alpha power play? Marry the daughter of an alpha and gain power over another clan?”

He shook his head, his eyes going dark. “No, Kai. You know that’s not the case.”

“I don’t know anything,” I said through gritted teeth. “You proposition me out of the blue. What do you expect me to think?”

“I didn’t proposition you.”

“Justin, this kind of dominance went out with the dark ages. You can’t just force yourself on me.”

“It didn’t feel like I was forcing you. I kissed. You kissed back.” His attitude was nonchalant, and he had a point.

I blushed, unable to deny that charge. “That’s irrelevant. And don’t go getting any ideas. I’m in a relationship with Logan. And I’m not interested in you that way. You’ve known that for a long time.” I glared at him and shook my head, hardly believing his audacity.

“Why? Because of Sonia?” He met my eyes and held them, intent on seeing my reaction to his question as if he’d also be able to see into my soul.

I shook my head. But I had to admit the ghost of his sister did stand between us. His sister, my brother’s wife. Killed by Logan. I blinked, fear flitting through my stomach. Justin would go berserk if he ever found that out. I thrust the thought away and concentrated on the cougar in front of me.

“Then what’s standing between us?” he asked as if he genuinely wanted to know.

“Apart from the fact my heart is elsewhere you mean? You’re an alpha, and the last thing I need is to get involved in that political game again. That’s the very reason I left, and you know what? I’m very, very happy with my life right now. I have my own responsibilities to think about, and I’m happy if it just stays that way.”

“So you won’t even consider it?” His nerve never failed to amaze me.

“What’s to consider?” I asked, lifting my chin. I didn’t want to look into his eyes.

With a hand beneath my chin, he lifted my face and I was forced to look directly into his golden eyes. Then he leaned forward and kissed me again. This time he deepened the kiss, and I kissed him back just as passionately. When I found myself leaning into him, icy reality washed over me and I jerked away, shocked at my wanton response.

What in Ailuros’s name is wrong with me?

I stared at Justin for a long moment, my heart thudding against my ribs. Then I shook my head and walked straight out of the room without looking back.

I’m not sure what the hell he expected from me. I knew he was manipulating my attraction to him, but for what purpose? Was it purely emotional or did he have an ulterior motive? A heavy iciness settled in my gut. And all the while I kept asking myself why I’d responded to that kiss.

But I didn’t really feel as if I’d betrayed Logan in any way. Justin and I went way back. I’d been in love with him since my teens. Only falling out of love with him when I realized the true reality of being an alpha. Not that the reality had caused any of the attraction to disappear. From the heat of that kiss, we were both still pretty much into each other. But that wasn’t a reason to pursue anything with Justin Lake.

My heart belonged to Logan.

***

My feet took me to the kitchen, which was bright and empty. I pulled up a stool, sat at the counter, and stared at the gleaming red-and-chrome galley. I’d always loved our kitchen, the way the sun would stream inside and stay in the room for the better part of the day. We had a huge range and a center island big enough for a professional chef.

Elbows on the counter, I rested my chin on my hand and surveyed the silent space. Heaviness weighed me down, despite accepting what my friends had to say. I knew what it was. Now that the funeral was over, I could get on with my next mission. We’d held Greer’s ceremony and burial within days of her death only because Dad and Iain knew I’d need to get myself to Wrythiin as soon as possible.

Mom and Anjelo waited. And as far as I was concerned, they’d done enough of that.

I looked up to the sound of footsteps entering the kitchen. Grams reached out for my hand, and when I took it, she gave it a little squeeze. Dad followed close behind her. From their expressions I could tell they’d had some sort of disagreement. They covered it well. The old Odel strength when facing the outside world.

But not well enough so I’d be unable to see. “What’s wrong?”

They looked at each other, a brief glance filled with worry. Then Grams turned to me. “It’s just an old disagreement, dear. Nothing to be worried about?” She gave me a lukewarm smile. Then her gaze flitted away.

“Is it about Mom?” I asked as she hovered, unsure what to do with herself.