Succubus Kiss The Complete Series Page 40

  Randal’s gaze never left Luke, even as uneasy silence built between the five of us. Luke let out a nervous chuckle, one that made me feel a tiny bit sorry for him. It was apparent he was crumbling under the fury emanating from Randal at the mention of him and Bianca’s spat.

  “So.” Sage shattered the tension-filled moment. “How are you? Are you coming back inside?”

  “I’m okay. And no, I’m not going back in there. Randal already called me cab. It should be here any minute.”

  As if on cue, headlights came whipping down the driveway. I held my breath, hoping it was my cabbie. The night had been draining, and all I wanted was to go home. When the car came to a rolling stop in front of us, relief flooded me.

  “Well, have a safe trip home, darlin’.” Dex wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a hug. “I’m gonna head inside and find Tara.”

  “Night.” I squeezed him back. When he released me, I shifted my attention to Sage. “Call me tomorrow or something.”

  “I will.” She winked. “See ya.”

  Luke draped an arm over Sage’s shoulder and flashed me one of his famous, charming smiles. “Good night.”

  “Night.”

  Randal wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into him. “Leaving is not something you have to do, even with the cab here. I can easily pay him for his trouble and then send him away.” His words were low enough that only I could hear the pleading tone etched within them. “Natalia will not be a problem. I shall have Bianca take her home immediately, or better yet, I could coerce this cabdriver do so.”

  I shook my head, tired of this conversation already. “Thanks, but I really am ready to call it a night.”

  “Understood.” He kissed my forehead and then bent to press a kiss to my lips. It was short and sweet, but still held enough spark to ignite flames of desire within me. “Have a safe trip home. Natalia will be on her way once I step inside, I promise.”

  “I know. I trust you.” It was the truth.

  “You, Kenna Blake, are not like others.” There was a slight twinkle in his eye.

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  “I meant it to be taken in no other way.” His lips crushed against mine for a second time, allowing for more of his desire to shine through.

  A honk from the cabdriver startled me, and I jerked away from him.

  “Apparently, your ride is ready to leave.” Randal laughed.

  I pressed the palm of my hand to my now racing heart. “I guess so.”

  As we walked to the car, I took in the driver. To my surprise, it wasn’t your stereotypical balding man in his late forties with thick-rimmed glasses and a frumpy outfit. Instead, it was a woman with long wavy hair streaked with gray and a little too much makeup on. She had to be in her fifties, and was slightly large, but I immediately returned her friendly smile.

  Finally, I had caught a break tonight.

  The last thing I needed was to be warding off some pervert’s creepy gaze while he drove me home in the middle of the night. Randal opened the back door for me, and I smoothed the edges of my dress down so I could slip into the backseat.

  “I’ll call you tomorrow.” I waved.

  He slipped a few bills out of his wallet to the driver, his eyes never leaving mine for long. “Please, keep the change.” The ghost of a smile twisted his lips, and it took everything I had not to climb out and press mine against them. “I’ll be waiting for your call, then.” He closed my door and stepped back.

  “You’ve got yourself a real piece of eye candy there, sugar,” the driver said as she pulled forward and proceeded to make a three-point turn. “You sure you wanna dip out on all of that goodness tonight?”

  My lips quirked into a smile as I watched Randal retreat into the house. “Yeah.”

  She shook her head as she completed the turn and cruised past where he had been standing. “I wouldn’t, not if I had a man as good-looking as he is in my life. Nope, I wouldn’t take any chances with that one. Especially not with the size of this party going on, too many girls to toss themselves at him, I’m sure.”

  “I trust him.” I glanced back at the house, hoping to get one more glimpse of him, but he was already gone.

  “I didn’t say you shouldn’t. What I meant was I wouldn’t trust the girls in there. Not with that piece of meat. Uh-uh, no way.”

  Movement in an upstairs window caught my attention. Someone was standing there, staring at me as we pulled away. I squinted my eyes, wondering if it was Natalia. It wasn’t. I could tell from the hairstyle and the khaki colored dress that it was Bianca. I wasn’t sure how long she had been standing there, but the sight of her made the hair along the base of my neck rise on end.

  My insides were equal parts ice cold and boiling as I wondered if I had given her exactly what she wanted. Maybe I should have stayed, just out of spite to prove I had a damn backbone. I shrank against my seat. It was too late now. I wasn’t heading back to prove anything.

  “Where to, cupcake?” the cabdriver asked. I could feel her eyes boring into me through the rearview mirror as she waited for my response at the end of the driveway.

  The image of Bianca staring after me and her whispered words with that vicious look twisting her features burned through my mind. I licked my lips. Puzzle pieces were starting to click together. What if Bianca was the one who had sent the wraith to infect me? I thought of what her motive might be, but couldn’t come up with one. Then it hit me: What if it was something sinister, what if she wanted to choose who Randal was with the same as he had obviously done to her at some point? What if the wraith was her way of getting me out of the way for good and proving a point to him?

  “Sugar?” the driver prompted me when I still hadn’t answered her.

  “West Mill Park, please.” My mind was racing, and I’d tossed out the words before I realized I’d given her the wrong place. I was supposed to be going home, but now that my mind was so jumbled with thoughts, home was the last place I wanted to be.

  I needed to walk, to take a minute and think things through.

  “You sure about that?” The cabbie’s eyes locked on mine through the mirror. They were filled with concern, but I didn’t quite understand why. “Dressed the way you are, it might not be the best idea walking through a city park in the middle of the night. I’m not your mama, but I think you should reconsider your destination, sugar.”

  She was right. It probably wasn’t wise to trek through the city park at this hour of the night, dressed the way I was, but she didn’t know what I was either. I could take care of myself, if I needed to. At least against a male attacker—which was all I ever heard of anyway. Come to think of it, when did you ever hear of a female jumping some guy running through a park and raping him? Never.

  “I’ll be fine.” I grinned. “Thanks for your concern though.”

  She shook her head. “All right, but I sure would hate to see something happen to a pretty little thing like you. You be careful, you hear me? Lots of sickos and crazies out there.”

  I tried to dim my smile, but it was nearly impossible. The woman had no idea how right she was, and if she knew my story, she might lump me in one of those two categories.

  “I will.” I crossed my legs, and thought about Bianca and Natalia.

  Was Bianca vindictive enough to do something as horrible as disrespecting the memory of Clara by seeking out the same wraith that had savored her soul purposely? While I had no doubts she was cruel, I wasn’t sure she was capable of such an awful thing. Natalia on the other hand was a prime candidate. She wanted Randal, and I didn’t think she would stop at anything to get him back.

  This thought didn’t sit well with me. I wished I had seen Bianca leaving to take Natalia home before I slipped into a cab. Maybe my driver had been right. While I did trust Randal, I didn’t trust Natalia at all.

  I chewed my bottom lip, worrying about what could potentially happen between Natalia and Randal now that I wasn’t there. As I leaned back against the se
at, I forced all worries away. Randal wouldn’t let anything happen. Plus, Dex and Sage were there, and they wouldn’t let anything happen between them either. They were my friends.

  “You sure West Mill Park is where you wanna go still, sugar?” the cabbie asked, interrupting my thoughts. “I’ve got no problem taking you someplace else, free of charge.”

  “I’m sure, but thanks.” I smiled.

  I pried open my clutch, grateful I had purchased a few pairs of slip-on cloth ballet flats for times like these when heels wouldn’t cut it. They weren’t the best when it came to support, but they didn’t kill my feet or calves the way walking in heels did.

  While I unstrapped my heels and slipped them off, I sifted through thought after thought, trying to figure out the Bianca situation. Was I looking too deeply into it? Or was she trying to teach Randal a serious lesson with all this? A woman scorned was not one to mess with, and with as old as they were, I was positive there was plenty of pent up rage. My mind continued to fill with more thoughts, each crazier than the previous, but all scarily possible because I truly knew nothing about Bianca, until the cabdriver came to a rolling stop along the outskirts of West Mill Park.

  Chapter 9

  “All right, we’re here,” the cabbie said. She shifted around so she could look directly at me. “Wait a minute. I got something for you.” She dug around in the dash of the cab until she gripped something pink and sat up. Her wrinkled by age hand slipped through the Plexiglas cutout as she held whatever it was out to me.

  “Thank you.” I took it and spun the little canister around in my hand. It was a mini container of pepper spray. “Oh, okay.”

  “I don’t wanna see your face on the news, you hear me?” She shook her finger at me, reminding me of an upset grandmother scolding her grandchild. “If anyone gives you any shit, you spray the sucker in the eyeballs and run like hell. Got it?”

  I chuckled at her wording. “Got it.”

  “All right.” She smiled, most likely feeling at ease now that she had given me some sort of protection.

  “Goodnight.” I climbed out of the backseat, and waved the pepper spray at her. “And thanks again for this.”

  “Night, sugar. You take care.” She gassed it as soon as I closed the backdoor, and was gone in an instant.

  An unexpected release of tension melted off me as I watched her speed away. Tipping my head back, I looked up into the night sky while inhaling a deep breath and trying to make out a few stars. That was the one thing I hated most about living in the city; there were never any stars. A couple slipped past me, sipping their coffees from the place across the street and talking softly. My eyes zeroed in on the guy’s aura. It had undertones of yellowish green, which surprised me. Based on the sharp suit he wore, I wouldn’t have pegged him for the creative, outgoing, artsy type I generally associated the color with.

  This was a prime example of why a person shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.

  I watched as the guy slipped his arm around the woman’s waist and tucked her into his side. She lifted her gaze to him, her eyes sparkling with endearment, and laughed at something he had said. Slight flickers of red sprinkled through his shimmering aura, but I knew it wasn’t lust. It was pure attraction. He was infatuated with her, not just her looks, but everything about her. It was sweet.

  My feet padded against the concrete pathway that winded through the park. Cars rushed down the street and horns honked, people chattered outside the shops across the way, but I became lost in the stillness of the dark trapped inside the park. I needed an intermission from life, and nature was always the best place to find one.

  A random jogger brushed past me, almost too close, and then came to a swift halt a few feet in front of me. His aura, a vibrant yellow-orange, caught my attention. He wasn’t intending to screw with me, but most likely wanted to apologize for nearly plowing me over. However, the moment he removed his hood, giving me a clear view of his face, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

  “Kenna?” I knew his voice, I knew his face, but it still took me a few seconds for it all to register. I was used to seeing him in jeans and a crisp, collared shirt, not jogging shorts and a baggy hoodie. “What are you doing out here this late at night…dressed like that?” Landon gave me a once-over, his gaze lingering on my legs for a few extra heartbeats.

  A slight tingle of irritation slipped through me at his words, only because the cabdriver had been so concerned with my attire as well. Who the hell cared what time it was, and what was so wrong with wearing a dress in the park? If a guy happened to see me and wasn’t able to keep it in his damn pants, how was that my fault? I wasn’t asking for anything. I didn’t have a sign plastered to my back that said, I’m dressed a little provocative. This gives you the green light to take what you want from me.

  “It’s not like I’m naked. It’s just a dress,” I muttered. “And I’m taking a walk, clearing my head.”

  “Yeah, no, I know. It’s just.” He cleared his throat. “You look great. What are you clearing your head about?” The level of concern for me in his words was heartwarming, but the boyish grin on his face had my heart pounding.

  Even though I was with Randal, and couldn’t be with Landon, for obvious reasons, it still didn’t seem to matter to my heart. I wanted him nonetheless. He was sweet, charming, and incredibly good-looking. Landon was like a bar of silky, smooth, dark chocolate you desperately wished you could have one tiny bite of, but knew if you ever got a taste you’d devour the entire thing in one sitting without remorse.

  He was tempting, and right now, with the wraith inside of me, I couldn’t handle tempting.

  “It’s been a rough night.” I sighed. “Do you always come here to run this late at night?”

  Landon’s gaze drifted from me to the tall trees surrounding us. “Yeah. Nearly every night after work. There’s something peaceful about the night.” A shy smile graced his lips. It was sweet, rousing even.

  I tore my eyes from him. “I know what you mean.” I did. It was why I was here.

  My gaze drifted back to him as if pulled there by a magnetic force. I took in his toned calves and worn-in sneakers. I’d known Landon for over a year and never knew he was a runner. I could see it now though; it was in his stance. He had a runner’s build. I wasn’t quite sure why this tidbit of information excited me so much, but there was no denying it did.

  “I’ve never been a runner, but always thought the concept of it sounded fun,” I admitted.

  “It is, but I mostly do it because I can’t sleep. I’m a night owl.” A lopsided grin spread across his face. “Hence the reason I opened a nightclub.” He maneuvered to my side, allowing me access to continue walking if I wanted. Landon fell in step beside me when I did.

  “That makes sense.” I tightened my grip on my heels and smiled at him.

  “So, did you bolt on a cocktail party tonight?” He gestured to my outfit. His lopsided grin, making my heart thump fast, still hung in place.

  “Something like that.”

  “Typical Sunday night?” He crammed his hands into the pocket on the front of his sweatshirt and pulled out his cell. He tapped on the screen, causing the music streaming from his earbuds hung around his neck to go silent.

  “Not really,” I admitted.

  “Ditto.” He chuckled as though he were embarrassed he couldn’t think of anything else to say, or maybe his admittance. I wasn’t sure.

  “What? No crazy parties to go to?” I teased.

  He shook his head, his shy smile never wavering. “No. Regardless of what the popular opinion on club owners is, they don’t come with a band of groupies.” I didn’t know what to say, so I let a little laugh slip free. He cocked his head sideways at me. “What happened at the party that made you decide to ditch it so early?”

  “My boyfriend’s ex randomly showed up.” I wasn’t sure why the words had toppled from my mouth, but they had, and there was no way to take them back. I cringed, because getting personal with Landon was a ba
d idea.

  In the time I had worked for him at Spark, I had struggled not to get personal with him about much of anything. Speaking candidly with him wouldn’t lead to anyplace good.

  “Ouch. Did she start something with you?”

  “Not per se, but I couldn’t hang around any longer and wait for it to happen. I took a cab and headed here.” My arms flew out, gesturing to the park.

  “You left your boyfriend there with her? Brave move.”

  I risked a glance at him. In the streetlamps illuminating the park, I could see the shock on his face. “Why do you say that?”

  He scratched the side of his head. “Uh, because it’s not something most women would have done in that situation. I mean, I would think you would have forced your boyfriend to take you home instead of leaving the party where the two of them could be together.” Anxiety speckled his aura. “Not that your boyfriend would do something of that nature. I’m just saying in general, that seems like it would be a valid worry to most.”

  A smile stretched onto my face. “I know what you’re saying, and I guess I’m just not like most woman.”

  “No, you’re not.” The tenderness in his voice drew my gaze to him. His eyes were bright and his attention was focused solely on me. “You’re nothing at all like other women. I’ve noticed that about you.” There was a sense of wonder in his words that caught me off guard. It was there, flickering through his eyes one minute and then gone the next, but it still intrigued me.

  Why would he view me as something to marvel at? I wasn’t trying to lure him in. In fact, I was attempting to do the opposite and keep a professional air between us because I found him—and his presence—tempting.

  The fascination lingering in his stare and hanging heavily from his words had gripped me. It teased my temptation. The desire to move closer to him, to stroke the smooth skin of his cheek and lull those emotions he’d been feeling to the surface again, was nearly overwhelming. My stomach grumbled loud enough for him to hear, snapping me back to reality and the danger of the situation. I shouldn’t be here, especially not with Landon.