Page 14 of A Vampire Bewitched
They all seemed to be dealing with Luukas’ disappearance in their own ways.
The front door was suddenly thrown open, smashing into the wall behind it. Dressed in biker black, Dante’s imposing figure filled the entire frame. Tribal tattoos ran down the side of his face and neck, vanishing under the neckline of the T-shirt stretched tight across his broad chest. His chilling appearance seemed to suck all the light and air in the room into the black void that was his existence.
Lifeless black eyes scanned the room, alighting briefly onto Christian, and finally coming to rest on Shea. A tiny spark of life appeared as he gazed upon her, but was just as quickly gone.
Christian calmly raised an eyebrow. “Is that really necessary, dude?”
Dante’s lips lifted into a scary semblance of a smile as he ran a hand over his clean-shaven head.
Ducking his head,Dante stepped through the doorway and kicked the door shut behind him with a thud. He didn’t come any farther inside, but leaned back against the wall in a deceptively casual stance, crossing his arms over his muscular chest.
He felt too exposed here in this high-rise apartment, with all of its windows and airiness. It made him edgy.
If he thought they’d do it, he’d make Shea and Christian meet him on his own turf in the underground below the city. The parts the tourists weren’t allowed to see.
No one could sneak up on him down there. And no one could hear the screams with the city bustling above.
“Ok. We’re all here.” Shea stood up from the couch and joined Christian at the kitchen counter.
“Have you heard from Aiden?” she asked Dante.
“Yeah. Just got off the phone with him.” His voice was gravelly and harsh from lack of use. Dante only spoke when he had to.
“Well? What did he say?” Christian’s impatience was obvious. “Do they have the witch?”
Dante didn’t acknowledge his impertinence, directing his answer to Shea. “Leeha’s back in town. We’re meeting them tomorrow night. The usual spot.”
Shea nodded. “Ok. Good. So, we’ll meet back here tomorrow at sundown then?”
Christian slapped his hands down on the counter. “Awesome. Good meeting. You two can work out the details. I’m out. See you tomorrow.”
Shea watched him fly out of the apartment, and Dante frowned as her forehead creased with concern.
“Don’t,” Dante told her. “There’s nothing you can do. He is what he is.”
Shea gave her commander a sideways glance and sighed. “I know.”
“I need you to get the vehicle ready for tomorrow. Check the weapons and ammo. We’ll get a plan together when we meet Nik and Aiden.” As an afterthought he added, “And feed, Shea. I need you at full strength tomorrow.”
“I will.” She paused. “I wish you’d let me share some of these duties with Christian, instead of letting him run off all the time.”
He clenched his jaw at her petulant tone. She was questioning him?
She immediately dropped her gaze to her hands, folded on the counter. “I apologize. That was uncalled for. I shouldn’t question you.”
Dante eyed her bowed head. Though normally outspoken, he couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a bad attitude. But lately…yeah…she really hasn’t been herself. Maybe she needed someone to talk to.
But, he was not that person.
He supposed he could give her an explanation if it would get her ass in gear. “I give all these tasks to you, Shea, because I know I can depend on you. Not Christian. Not Aiden. You. Christian is a good Hunter, but these days he’s more interested in where his dick is going to land next. Aiden is a good Hunter, but he doesn’t have your mastery of weapons. It’s good to have them at my back. But you, you are different. I trustyouwith my life.”
She looked up. “Thank you, Dante. That means a lot to me.”
He watched her a moment, then gave her a single nod. Pushing himself off the wall, he followed Christian out the door before she got all mushy on him or something. He had no time for that shit.
Chapter 9
Other than a brief “who is driving” debate—which Emma won, because,dammit, it was her car—Nik and Emma spent the walk back to her car and the short ride to her house in thoughtful silence.
