Page 66 of A Velvet Kiss After Dark

"I see nothing out of sort," Seth replied.

Alexis murmured in agreement and then she studied Tabitha with a shrewd, assessing look. "The brew has worn off, but whatever magic she induced appears to be lingering. Perhaps she has other supernatural abilities we were not yet made aware of. What do you sense, child?"

Tabitha's hand slowly curled into a fist so tight her knuckles turned white. Her head swiveled slowly to look the dangerous vampire mercenary in the eye and, to Kane's utter shock, he saw violence and hatred in Tabitha's gaze instead of her normal innocent demeanor.

"I am no child, killer of wolves."

Alexis balked, her already pale face turning stark and pinched. "Pardon me?"

Tabitha bared her teeth in a snarl, and Kane felt the sudden need to put himself between the two, lest Alexis become maimed by some ulterior death magic of Tabitha's own unknowing.

"You are a killer," Tabitha stated flatly, her voice sending another sense of dread through Kane.

Alexis shrugged, even as Seth and Kane glanced between the two of them with varying expressions of worry.

Alexis stood tall, her height imposing above Tabitha's petite stature. "Of course, I am. I am a mercenary, no different from your so-called lover here. That's why I was asked to join this team by Alpha Zeke himself. I am the best at what I do, and I earn a decent living doing it."

Tabitha's head slowly shook side to side as her eyes began to glow…green. "Nay, female vampire," Tabitha hissed in a morphing voice that no longer sounded like her own. "You are a murderer."

A bright red blush stole over Alexis's silvery pale skin. "Whatever do you mean?" She turned to Kane. "What is this nonsense? I have no clue what she is referring to."

"Don't you?" Tabitha mimed, her lips moving, yet her words seemed to come from around her instead of through her. "Killer of wolves…"

Every muscle in Kane's body grew taut as a deeper meaning pulsed inside him.

"Why does she keep calling you that?" Kane asked Alexis, noting her wary expression like a hawk. Even Seth was raptly drawn to the conversation, his brow drew low in a pensive expression.

Alexis shrugged. "What of it? Of course I've slain a werewolf before, for pay, or to save my own skin. I'd do it again for a pretty piece!" Alexis bared her fangs in warning, the sharp points protruding to indication an incoming row was in order.

"But will you tell the truth about poor old Graham, vampire?" Tabitha hissed in that mottled voice that was both masculine and feminine, demonic and human.

Kane's hand tightened around his ax as his eyes swung to the vampire. He thought of Graham and all that had transpired after his death.

Alexis took a step back as her fingers twitched to want to grab her bow which sat slung across her shoulders. "He died because of you, I was kind enough to bury the fellow. That is all."

Tabitha's eyes rolled back into her skull to reveal only the painted whites. "Then why do you stink of his blood upon your breath, vampires?"

Alexis flinched. "I—I—"

Seth suddenly stepped toward Tabitha and Kane raised a warning growl in the back of his throat to command the man not to move an inch further towards his mate, lest bloodshed arise between them right here, right now.

Seth raised his hand in a defensive gesture. He asked of Tabitha, "What do you mean? The last blood she tasted was while she was sat beside me at the dragon. You saw it each yourselves. We may be a different race than werewolves, but we'd never partake of a club member on assignment. Perhaps your human sense are mistaking dragon blood for werewolf blood."

Tabitha's eyes listed back down to normal as she began to cackle manically, the sound grating on Kane's nerves as once again she was not acting like herself, but like something else. The orbs glowed green instead of their normal brownish tones, as magic, or something dark began to emanate from within her.

"I smell Graham's blood upon your fangs, vampire witch. I smell his death upon your hands, greedy one. Forsake all others, and save yourself," hissed Tabitha as her words crawled out from her mouth like that of a snake's tongue twirling the words forward.

Alexis eyed the group shrewdly as her body grew still and tight. Kane recognized that look of fight or flight as her fear and dread response began to soar.

"I smell nothing," Seth said implacably. "What of you, Kane? Can you smell that which your mate seeks to instigate?"

Kane brought forward enough of his werewolf to better scent the air. He may not be as quick, fast, or agile as vampires, but he was stronger and his sense of smell far superior in his bestial form. His jaw gaped at what he caught, and then snapped closed as his heart began a concussive drumbeat inside his chest.

Blood, death, the scent of Graham.

"I do smell the stench of his gore upon her…" Kane chose his next words carefully as all eyes were upon him. "But I could not say if it was because she touched him after his death, or if it occurred beforehand."

Alexis smiled gleefully with victory. "See? I have done as I said. This one lies," she said pointedly at Tabitha.

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