Page 59 of Cold-Blooded Creatures

I turned a street corner and melted into the shade to hide from Kali resting against Lucia’s shop window. What was she doing here?

Perspiration had glued the white t-shirt to her curves, and I hit a rough wall to expend my pent-up energy. Gods, how I wanted to tear it up. She lifted the hem to wipe her forehead with it, and the shape of her belly made my mouth water.

Crossing the distance between us, I dreamed of marking her with strokes of cold steel and watching her lose her mind over it.

She registered me coming a few feet away and straightened, standing up taller.

“Did you like my gifts?” I asked.

She didn’t wince at the sight of blood on my knuckles or the splotch of blood on my jeans, instead holding my gaze, her head held high. “What gifts?”

Her back pressed up against Lucia’s window as I closed in on her. My tongue itched to collect the sweat glistening on her collarbones.

“You in my clothes.” I leaned in, torturously slow, and her throat bobbed. “Excruciatingly beautiful.”

She pushed at me with such a cute grumble, and I hid my amusement in her neck, nipping on her flesh and admiring how her artery pulsed quicker.

She puffed out, “Don’t think I won’t punish you for sneaking into my room at night.”

I hoped she did.

Tracing the dip of her waist and the flare of her hips, I deposited my present into the pocket of my gray sweatpants she was wearing. She had no idea how to use it properly, but the way she’d snatched my own instrument from me and held it against Gedeon’s neck during dinner had weaved images ofmorein my head.

She brought the flip-open tactical knife into the daylight. I didn’t want her to cut herself if I wasn’t near her to lick the drops of scarlet away and turn the ache into pleas for more. Plus, she didn’t need a sheath to carry it with her. Less opportunities to hurt herself.

“You got me a knife?” She flipped it open, and steel sparkled in the blazing sun.

Running my tongue along the blade, I flicked the sharp tip, savoring the hot drop of iron coating my taste buds and coloring her knife. “Now it has been marked with first blood. Have fun with it.”

“You’re insane,” she breathed out, but closed the knife and placed it back in her pocket.

“And you are irresistible with a blade in your hand.” I licked the tip of her nose. Mmm, so sweet.

“She’s mine for today. Go play with someone else.” Jayla glared at me outside the entrance to Lucia’s, the color of her hair matching the irritation displayed on her scrunched-up face.

So that was what Kali was doing here—waiting for her.

“Cut someone open while I’m away,” I said, nipped Kali’s bottom lip, and pushed her toward Jayla.

“Go back to your basement,” Jayla groused, hooking their elbows and leading her away.

Nodding along to whatever Jayla excitedly babbled about, Kali glanced over her shoulder and stumbled.

We had to work on her balance. Couldn’t have her falling and injuring herself because she was looking at me.

Reluctantly leaving them alone, I entered Lucia’s shop, and her voice flowed from the back of the store. “I’ll be there in a second!”

A milky, half-translucent material covered the windows to block out the worst of the heat, but daylight filtered through, nevertheless. Leather merchandise filled the floating metal shelves secured to the walls. Nothing special, just everyday goods: backpacks, satchels, jackets and such. But if you were close with Lucia, you visited her for different purchases, for her specialty—custom-made steel and leather items you had to order in advance.

“Here for another set for your underground?” The short and curvy owner dropped a clinking paper bag on the white counter and noted my immediate interest in the contents. Were those chains? “These are not for you, Zion. I’m expecting a customer to come pick these up today. Now, how can I help you?”

“Lucia.” I smiled at the no-nonsense woman. “They won’t bother you anymore. My team will come visit you to sort out the money situation.”

She pushed the brown paper bag aside, freeing up the counter. “You knew?”

“Yes. Next time, tell us. You know we don’t tolerate fools.”

“I know, it’s just… They threatened Dorvan about his son if he didn’t keep his mouth shut, and we celebrated his fifth birthday three weeks ago. I didn’t want to bring any trouble to them.”