Bitter Bite (5 page)

“What
are you?” Gideon asked, breathing harshly as another pang of heat shot through
him. God help him, but he wanted to drag Alaric into the darkness and fuck him
until he couldn’t think straight anymore.

Alaric
leaned back. His blue eyes had bled to midnight again. “I’m exactly what you
think I am, my dear.”

Gideon’s
heart knocked against his ribs, hard enough to hurt. “Don’t touch her, or I
swear—”

“I
won’t, as long as you keep this delicious mouth shut,” Alaric said, kissing him
again.

Gideon kissed him back and then hated himself for letting Alaric
get to him. He tore his head away. “Fine. I won’t say a word.” He hadn’t
intended to, anyway. He was sure the old man was gone from the alley by now,
either of his own power, or because he’d been removed. He hoped Alaric truly
hadn’t killed the guy, but even if he had, what could Gideon do about it? The
police would think him crazy if he tried to report a non-issue.

Alaric nodded and slowly let Gideon go. “I’m a killer, Gideon.”

Gideon licked his lips, his arousal calming not one iota with that
statement, even as Alaric slowly backed away. God help him, but he liked the
danger. He liked prodding the monster. This was why he’d had to leave the
priesthood. He thought about things no man of God should ever want. He stared
at Alaric, not sure if he wanted to drag him back or run away from his own
stupidity.

“But only when it’s absolutely necessary,” Alaric added,
straightening his jacket to cover up the bulge at his groin. “Don’t make it
necessary for me, Gideon.”

Gideon had been taught that killing was never necessary, but then
again, he’d seen church leaders perpetrate lies again and again. He wasn’t sure
what he believed anymore. “Leave Hannah alone,” he said instead of nodding.

Alaric smiled and stepped back. “I’ll be seeing you, Gideon.” He
turned and sauntered over to the bar where he smiled at Hannah. She looked from
him to Gideon and then back again, then nodded at something Alaric said. Gideon
took a deep breath, trying to calm the raging jealousy that rushed through him
when she smiled at Alaric.

Who are you more jealous of?
he asked himself.
Alaric or Hannah?

* * * *

Hannah stared at Gideon kissing Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome from
the other night in the corner. To say she was shocked would be an
understatement. She hadn’t known he was into guys. When she thought of how many
times she’d pictured him kissing her in her imagination, she flushed with
embarrassment. She worked in a gay bar and hadn’t even figured out that the man
who’d helped her get this job might bat for the other team! How much more of an
idiot could she be?
This is probably why
he left the priesthood.
She looked away, forcing herself to ignore them.
Watching Gideon kiss someone wasn’t going to help her get over her infatuation.
On the contrary, something about the two men together made her body tingle.

“He likes you too, you know, darling.”

Hannah looked up, a professional smile painted on her face to mask
her thoughts. She froze. Mr. Gorgeous, the man who’d just made out with Gideon,
stood not two feet from her, looking more menacing than she expected, but not
one bit less sexy for it. What the hell was he doing over here, at the bar?
When had he walked over? How had she not noticed? It was only a minute ago that
he had Gideon pressed up against the wall. She glanced at her old teacher.
Gideon stared at her, mouth pressed into a hard line. He didn’t look happy.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said defensively.

“You were watching us,” the man said, leaning on the bar. His blue
eyes gleamed even in the low lighting.

She shook her head. “It’s none of my business. Do you want a
drink? If not, I have to get back to work.” She gestured with her towel,
unsuccessfully trying to put the image of Gideon kissing this man out of her
mind. The two of them together had been the hottest thing she’d ever seen. She
wanted more. She wanted to try him out herself.
God help me.

His lips quirked into a half smile. “I’ll take a Bloody Mary.”

Hannah nodded curtly, moving to gather the ingredients. Her face
felt hot, as if she’d been standing in the sun for just a few minutes too long.
Dammit. She wished he’d stop looking at her. Attractive men paying attention to
her made her nervous.

“Did you like watching me kiss him?”

She startled, spilling tomato juice across her wrist. “It’s none
of my business,” she repeated, more forcefully this time. She mopped at the
mess on the bar. She’d be damned if she was going to let this guy screw with
her hard won equilibrium. She wasn’t some innocent young thing he could play
mental games with.

“He didn’t want to kiss me, you know. I seduced him.”

Hannah looked up. “No one can make Father Keegan do what he
doesn’t want to do.” She bit her lip when she realized her slip up. “Gideon is
his own man. You kissed him, but he kissed you back,” she said, emphasizing
Gideon’s name. Maybe this guy wouldn’t realize she’d called Gideon by his
former title.

No such luck.

“So you know he was a priest,” the man said conversationally. “It
seems odd he’d be working in a gay bar with that kind of history.”

Hannah slapped his drink in front of him, amazing blue eyes and
soft dark hair be damned. She wasn’t going to play his game, whatever it was.
“Look. It doesn’t matter. He’s a good person. If you want to make out with him,
it doesn’t mean anything to me. We’re friends and that’s it.” She said the lie
without too much trouble. She was getting good at it, the older she got.
“That’ll be six bucks.”

He slowly pulled out his wallet and extracted a ten. “My name is
Alaric.”

Whatever.
She rolled her eyes and snatched
the bill from his fingers, making sure their skin didn’t touch. “Okay.”

“Keep the change.” He sipped at his drink, dark hair falling over
his perfect forehead.

Hannah didn’t like the way he made her feel. She didn’t have time
for this verbal sparring shit. She didn’t have time for much of anything except
work. “Thanks.”

He smiled at her again, slow and devastating. “I’d like to kiss
you, too.”

Is he insane?
she wondered, confused. Why would
he want to kiss her? Plus, where did he get off looking so dangerous? So sexy?
Hannah shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

“Gideon would probably enjoy watching us together.”

Her face went so hot she wondered if her skin was going to catch
fire.
Oh man
, she thought faintly. After
working here for several months, she hadn’t thought it was possible to get
embarrassed like this anymore. “Is there something else you want?” she asked,
hoping he would take his drink and go away. From the corner of her eye, she
caught Scott’s signal for three beers and nodded, grabbing glasses.

“Yes.”

She sighed, turning away from him and preparing the waiter’s
order. “What? I’m busy here, as you can see,” she said curtly. She knew she was
being unprofessional, but couldn’t seem to get her bearings. Why the hell did
she feel so drawn to this guy? Why did he seem so familiar to her? It was as if
she’d already met him, long ago.
But if I had, wouldn’t I have remembered
him?
She set the three full glasses on the end of the bar and Scott whisked
them away. She reached out and wiped a few stray droplets. Quick as a snake, Alaric
grabbed her wrist. She tried to jerk away, but he held tight. “Let me go,” she
hissed, angry as arousal spread through her. She shouldn’t be feeling this way.
Did she
want
to be grabbed like this?
By a stranger? Frightened, she glanced up and met Alaric’s eyes. They’d bled to
midnight, and she shivered.

“I’d like to know your name,” he said. He loosened his grip and ran
a thumb over her pulse point, frowning as he looked down.

She didn’t pull away. Why didn’t she pull away? “Hannah,” she
murmured. “My name is Hannah.” Summoning all her will, she yanked her hand free
and stepped out from behind the bar,
 
moving to the wall near the back corner. She
pressed her spine against the cracked paneling. The hallway to the office was
right there. She could run away and lock herself in if she wanted to. Johnny
would understand. Why the hell had she told this guy her name?

Alaric moved closer and put his hands on either side of her head.
“May I have a kiss?”

She stared up at him. “Weren’t you just kissing Gideon?”

“I swing both ways, lovely Hannah.”

She bit her lip, not sure what to say. She had a crush on Gideon,
but here she was, totally mesmerized by some stranger. Was it his eyes? She
trembled as he stared at her. He smelled good, like smoke and wind. God, she
was losing it.

When Alaric groaned and leaned in, Hannah didn’t stop him. The
moment his lips touched hers, the world faded.

Chapter Four

Alaric grabbed Hannah to keep her from falling. How was this
possible? She tasted of cherry and mint, but her mind felt like the sweetest,
darkest space in the world. He wanted to crawl inside and never come back out.
And she’s innocent. A virgin.
Her memories
assaulted him in fast forward, but he ignored them and kissed her gently, not
wanting to frighten her. When she responded, the monster inside him reared up.
He growled, pressing her against the wall. For the second time in the space of
one night, his instincts told him something absurd. His inner monster whispered,
consort.

Two? He had two consorts?
Impossible.
Hannah mewled,
fingers going to his hair. Alaric’s head spun as her more violent memories
poured into his skull. He saw blood, pain, and then darkness. Bodies on a
floor. He tore his head away, panting. When he licked his lips, he realized
he’d nicked her with his fangs. Her blood swirled through his system like the
headiest drug imaginable.

“Stop!” A hand grabbed his shoulder and roughly pushed him away.

Alaric stumbled, rage seething through him, but then Gideon
grabbed his arm and dragged him down the hall.

Hannah’s eyes flew open and her hands went to her cheeks.

“Hannah,” Gideon said. “Are you okay?”

She shook her head, then stepped out from behind the bar and
followed them.

“Get out of here,” Gideon said angrily, dragging Alaric farther
into the dim passageway.

Alaric lurched, feeling drunk. He hadn’t been drunk in centuries,
since before he’d been turned. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind, but
instead of clarity, Gideon’s and Hannah’s memories rushed through him in double
time. He groaned, leaning against the wall. It didn’t help. He slid down.
Gideon grabbed him and shoved him into an office. Alaric almost fell, but
Gideon wrestled him into a chair.

“Stay here,” Gideon ordered, then shut the door.

Alaric leaned over and put his face in his hands. If Brosius found
him like this, he’d be ash in under a second. The door opened again and he
looked up. Hannah stood there, holding a glass of water.

“Drink this,” she said, holding it out.

Why are they helping
me when I threatened them? It must be the fledgling consort bond.
Alaric shook his head, then almost
immediately regretted it when fire flared through his brain. He clutched his
temples and breathed until the pain receded. “That won’t do much.”

Gideon stepped in behind her and shut and locked the door. “What
will? Because not two minutes ago some scary bastard walked into the club
asking for you. When I looked up to find you, I saw you kissing Hannah like
some lovesick stalker. And suddenly, I can feel you in my
head.
” He
stomped over and loomed over Alaric. “What the hell did you do to me?”

“To us,” Hannah whispered.

Gideon glanced at her, hazel eyes burning.

She nodded. “I can feel him too.”

Gideon cursed. “What did you do?” He shook Alaric.

Alaric swallowed against the nausea. “What did he look like?”

“Who?”

“The man you said was looking for me?” Alaric needed to know. “What
did he look like?”

“Seriously? You’re asking about some random guy? Now?” Gideon
clenched his fists.

Alaric knew Gideon wouldn’t hit him. He could taste the man’s
self-control against his skin, along with his anger. “He’s not a guy. He’s a
monster. Worse than I am.”

Gideon’s eyes widened. “No.”

“What’s going on?” Hannah walked over and crossed her arms over
her chest, then unfolded them again, clearly uncomfortable. “Father Keegan?”
She touched Gideon’s wrist.

To Alaric’s surprise, he didn’t shake her off.

“Alaric isn’t who you think he is.” He glanced at her.

She laughed abruptly. “I don’t know who he is, at all, so nothing
you say could really shock me, Father.”

Gideon’s face twisted. “Don’t call me that, Hannah. Please. I’m
not your father.”

“Fine. Gideon,” she said, face tightening as she stepped away from
him.

Gideon shook his head and turned back to Alaric. “What did you do
to us?”

Alaric wanted to hit something, but the weakness dragged at his
limbs. “Gideon, I can’t compel you. Please answer my question. It is extremely
important. What did he look like?” He glanced at Hannah and tilted his head
suggestively, hoping Gideon would understand his threat. He might be weak right
now, but he was still stronger than a small human female. He could hurt her,
not that he would. It would kill him to harm his consort, and she didn’t
deserve violence from him.

Gideon narrowed his eyes angrily. “Tall. At least six-five and his
eyes were black. Black hair.” The ex-priest bit the words out as if they
burned. “He rammed past Johnny at the door and headed straight for me, as if he
knew I knew you.”

“Brosius,” Alaric breathed, horror rushing through him. He
couldn’t confront his enemy like this. “I need to get out of here.” He tried to
stand up and nearly fell to the floor when his legs buckled. “
You
need
to get out of here. Both of you do.” He groaned as pain shot through him. He
hadn’t
ever
been this weak before, not since he’d been alive and mortal.
If this was what it meant to have a consort, he wanted no part of it.

“What’s wrong with him?” Hannah asked, setting the glass she still
held down on the desk.

Alaric moaned as his stomach roiled. “I’m going to be sick.”

“Shit,” Gideon said, shaking his head. “Don’t throw up in here.
Johnny will kill us if we mess up his office.”

“I’m not going to vomit.” Alaric clenched his teeth, ignoring the
ache in his gums. His fangs
hurt.
They hadn’t hurt in centuries. “I need
blood.”

With those words, both Gideon and Hannah froze.

* * * *

Fuck,
Gideon thought, instinctively knowing Alaric wasn’t lying. “Why should we help
you?” he asked, instead of grabbing Hannah and dragging her away like any sane person
would. He knew he shouldn’t be here, helping this creature, yet … He couldn’t
help himself. When he glanced at Hannah, he found her staring fixedly at
Alaric, brown eyes wide and confused. Dammit. The last thing he wanted to do
was drag her into this. “Why? Give me a good reason,” he said, giving Alaric a
little shake. He wanted to punch him in the head, but he’d learned the hard way
that violence rarely solved problems.
And, too, you can feel his emotions
and he’s really messed up.

“Because if Brosius finds me and kills me, neither of you might
survive it.” Alaric coughed, then put a hand to his midsection. “Get me out of
here and I’ll explain everything.” He looked up, eyes black and intense in the
low light of the office. “Or get yourself out of here. Whatever you choose, do
it fast.”

“Like hell I will. I’ve had enough of your threats and lies,”
Gideon said, knowing even as he spoke that he didn’t mean it. He had to do
something.
“Fuck,” he muttered again when Alaric gave him a look that said,
don’t be
stupid.
He ignored Hannah’s wide-eyed shock. She’d never heard him curse
before, but at some point, she had to stop thinking of him as a former priest,
if only for his own peace of mind. “Hannah, help me get him to the back door.”

“Is that a good idea?” She wrung her hands together.

“We can’t leave him here like this,” Gideon said harshly. “You go
on back to the bar after I get him out.”

“No!” Alaric grabbed Gideon’s sleeve. “You can’t leave her here alone.”
His fingers gripped too hard, pinching Gideon’s skin, and then Alaric let go as
he began coughing like a man about to die of consumption.

“Shit.” Gideon rubbed his face. “All right. Hannah, you come with
us. We can go to the church.”

Hannah shook her head. “Johnny will have a fit if I leave in the
middle of my shift. Eric can’t cover for me all night.”

“I’ll fix it with him, don’t worry about it.” Gideon knew the
other bouncer could manage the bar. He’d worked as a bartender before he became
one of the bouncers.

“Gideon—”

He cut her off. “Don’t. Just … don’t.” He wished like hell she
hadn’t come in to work tonight. He wanted to cup her cheek and tell her
everything would be okay, but he knew she wouldn’t believe him.
And it would
also be a lie
. He didn’t need to add dishonesty to his list of sins.

She pressed her lips together, then nodded. “Fine. But if I get
fired, you have to find me another job part-time job.”

That made him laugh, despite the situation. “I found you this one,
didn’t I?”

She smiled wryly. “Yeah, you did.”

“So don’t worry. I’ll find you another if I have to, but I won’t.”

Hannah shook her head.

God help him, but Gideon wanted to kiss her. Those eyes of her got
him every time.
Making out with two people in one night? This is a new low,
even for you.

“Are the two of you done bonding?” Alaric asked, jerking Gideon’s
attention back to the matter at hand.

Sensing Alaric’s frustration, Gideon grabbed him by the arm and
hauled him up. “Don’t be an ass. We’re helping you, aren’t we?” He was angry at
himself more than at Alaric at this point, but he couldn’t seem to keep himself
from roughing up the vampire.

Alaric grunted and leaned heavily on Gideon, who steered them to
the door. “If you let me have some of your blood, I would be fine,” Alaric
said.

Gideon froze when the thought of it sent a bolt of lust through
his bones.
Jesus, help me.

Hannah stared at Alaric, a tiny wrinkle between her brows. “Is
that why my lip hurts?”

Alaric nodded. “I nicked you. It was an accident.”

Rage filled Gideon. “You said you wouldn’t hurt her.” He squeezed
until he felt Alaric wince.

“He didn’t hurt me, Gideon,” Hannah said, pulling on his wrist.
“Stop it.”

“He kissed me, and then he wandered over and kissed you, too. He’s
not a nice man, Hannah,” Gideon growled, almost beyond anger.

Alaric laughed. “And while you yell at each other, Brosius stalks
ever closer. Soon we will all be dead and none of this will matter, my darlings.”

Gideon wanted to kill Alaric himself. “Why ask, then? Why not just
take what you need from me? My blood. My self-respect. I thought you were a
monster, Alaric.”

Alaric looked up, eyes going electric. “Are you offering?”

Why isn’t he attacking me?
Gideon had seen him behead someone. He’d seen Alaric attack
another man and drink his blood. He’d threatened Hannah. “I don’t understand
you,” he said wearily.

“Are you offering me your blood, Gideon?” Alaric asked, very
formally.

“No,” Gideon said immediately. When Alaric looked away, guilt
pricked at him.
This is ridiculous. I don’t owe him my blood. I shouldn’t
help him. He’s a threat to Hannah.
“Why do we need to be afraid of this
Brosius? What is he to us?”

“Someone who will kill you and not even think about it,” Alaric
said, closing his eyes as if exhausted. “He will kill you simply because I
kissed you tonight. He will smell me on you, and it will be over before you
even know what is happening.”

Gideon sensed a lie, but he didn’t feel like arguing. “We’ll get
you to the church, but that’s it, Alaric.

Alaric shook his head. “Not the church. He probably knows I visit
there from time to time. It won’t be safe.”

Exasperated, Gideon propped him against the wall by the door.
“Where then?”

“We’ll go to my apartment,” Hannah said, pushing past Gideon.
“It’s not far.”

* * * *

Hannah led them down the alley. The darkness pressed in on her,
thick and ominous. It was after midnight now, and she wasn’t usually this
nervous walking home, but Gideon’s uncharacteristic anger unsettled her.
Well,
that, and Alaric,
she thought. She didn’t normally invite strange,
beautiful men into her home. And even weirder, she swore she could sense him in
her mind. He felt both comforting and scary, like an electric blanket that
could either warm you or electrocute you, depending on the situation.

“It’s not much farther,” she said softly, pushing those thoughts
out of her head. She glanced at Gideon, but his face didn’t tell her anything.
Soon, she would be in her tiny, studio apartment with the two of them. That was
more men than she’d ever had in her home, ever. Gideon had never been to her
place before, and this situation certainly wasn’t the scenario she’d envisioned
in her fantasies with him.

“Shh,” Alaric said groggily.

Hannah pursed her lips and walked faster, hoping Gideon could
manage with Alaric. It had rained earlier and the sidewalks were slick. She
knew she was too small to be much help. When they finally reached the back door
to her building, she scrabbled in her pocket for her key.