Changing Beauty (Book 2) (The Deadly Beauties Live On) (2 page)

Life was so much simpler when I was running my own crew and calling the shots. This collaboration shit sucks. I would have just taken Sadie out by now, making sure she wasn’t a threat, instead of playing nice and getting all the facts lined up.

Proof is overrated and time consuming. Proof is something humans waste time acquiring. I love her, but before you know it, Alyssa is going to instate a judicial system amongst the fey.

I snort out a laugh just thinking of the ludicrous hearings that would ensue.

Just as I reach the door, Kane, Zee, and Chaz drive up.

Zee hops out, kicking the sand of the lake beach, looking frustrated when he starts to speak. “Nothing. All dead ends. No one knows what’s here; no one knows anything about this mystery leader; and no one knows about what Gavin could have done to me or how he did it,” he gripes.

He’s not the only one worried about the powers Gavin somehow defied all the laws of magic to give him. I’m not too crazy about his extra freak burst either.

Kane goes to Alyssa, grabbing her chin and tilting her head back as his lips brush hers.

I’m in couple hell.

“You staying here?” Chaz asks me, drawing my attention away. He tosses his duffel bag over his shoulder, staring expectantly for my answer.

“Nah,” I say with a shrug. “I’m getting settled in my old house that I bought back when I was keeping an eye on Alyssa.”

As much as I enjoy their company, I prefer my own space when I can have it.

My comment has the queen’s head cocking to the right. “The one beside my old house?” I nod, and she adds, “You kept that?”

Kane scoffs, “We’re possessive by nature—all of us. Letting go of a house is rare, unless you have ulterior motives the way Castine did. Obviously you’re the exception to that rule, since you’re only possessive of me.”

He winks at her, and she says something giggly and flirty. But she’s made me curious enough to ignore her girly, somewhat gross reaction. “You sold your old place?” I ask in disbelief.

“Yeah. I didn’t see any reason to keep it, so I sold it a long time ago. Then bought it back because they wanted to get rid of it a few months later, and I didn’t want it going to just anyone. It still looked exactly the same with all my furniture. Weird, I know. It sat empty for so long, but I sold it about a month ago to a girl named Rhonda or Rosie or Ros… I don’t know. It was something like that.”

I can’t be that lucky, but the wheels in my mind turn, possibly getting a little excited.

My entire mood shifts, and a small smile grows on my lips. “Roslyn?”

She thinks about it for a moment, and then she nods “Yeah. Roslyn. How did you know?”

Moving back into my old house suddenly seems a little more fun. I’ve only been there for a few hours so far, and I haven’t noticed anyone living next door. Then again, I had no reason to be looking.

“Pretty brunette with curvy hips and a nice rack?” I ask instead of answering her question.

She rolls her eyes. “Pretty brunette, yes. The rest isn’t something I was checking out. Now, how do you know her?”

The sweet little morsel will be right next door. I might have to corrupt her just a little now. I was going to leave her alone, but fate has delivered her to my doorstep, and I’m not one to pass up a gift.

“Met her the other night,” I say with a shrug, not letting her see my intentions.

Zee’s lips quirk up. “The one you were working over at the bar?”

I smirk, and that’s the only answer he needs.

“They’ll be at our sham of a party in a couple of days,” he says, grinning like’s expecting a taste. “I’ve been craving a bite, and her friend Jenny will suffice nicely.”

The party I had no interest in now seems so much more appealing.

“The party is just to lure out whatever is attacking the humans,” Alyssa reminds us. “We’ll be alternating shifts in the woods. The noise will draw attention, and they’ll be lurking in the darkness to try and pick off strays that cut through the hiking trails.”

Smiling like the devil, I wink at Alyssa. “No worries, light girl. You know as well as I do that I can juggle work and play like a pro. It’s my specialty.”

Though she rolls her eyes, she smiles. This is going to be fun.

“Just got a message from Reese,” Dice says, frowning down at his phone. “He wants us to keep our ears and eyes open for his witch/werewolf hybrid.”

Ah, hell. Just what we need. “He lost her?” I ask.

“Says she’s been missing. Something about their spell on her went awry. But he won’t give me any details about her. He just wants us to notify him if anything arises.”

Alyssa and Kane exchange a look. “Think it could be her that’s ravaging the locals?” Kane asks.

“No,” I answer without hesitation. “She was miles away. It’s unlikely she’d be in Pine Shore.”

“This place draws in magic,” Alyssa reminds me. “It’s where I came when I was mortal. His hybrid is mortal, too.”

“I don’t like the fact he’s so secretive about her,” Zee says warily. “She was kept in slavery, and now she could be very dangerous. She’s shifting while mortal. Alyssa’s the only one who could do that, but she went crazy during those times. And this chick has witch powers with a werewolf temper. That makes her even more dangerous. How the hell did he lose track of her?”

Alyssa frowns, probably because Zee just pointed out that she did in fact go totally psycho during those times, but Dice is the one to answer the actual question. “He can’t brand her as pack until she’s immortal, so that means he can’t track her so easily. She can also dematerialize. My question isn’t how he lost her… It’s why does he want her so damn bad?”

How is she shifting while mortal? Is it the blend of the two fey beings?

Gage groans, acting as though something just occurred to him. “Because he wants her to choose his pack the second she’s immortal. That’s why. She’s close to her change. And if she’s pack, then he controls her.”

How the hell did we overlook that? “And if Reese has a witch under his control, he’ll be one of the strongest packs there is,” I summarize.

“Witches aren’t meant to be controlled,” Alyssa points out, scowling. “If anyone beats Reese out for alpha, she could be forced to do anything against her will. I won’t let that happen. It’s too risky and too dangerous. Not to mention she’s unpredictable as it is. We need to find her before he does.”

Great. Just fucking great. “I’ll add it to our already long and impossible list of things to do,” I grumble.

At this rate, we’re never going to get anything accomplished.

“If it’s her tearing this town apart,” Gage says, moving his eyes around our small circle, “what then?”

“Then we chain her up and see if we can help her,” Alyssa says promptly.

She’s too naïve to see the danger in a creature that is this bloodthirsty. But she refuses to kill as anything other than a last resort.

Too fucking human.

Kimber is just as gentle. Ella, too.

But Gage and I share a knowing look. Kane and Zee offer the same silent exchange, letting us know we’re on the same page, and it’s not the same page as Alyssa.

Now to find out which one of us will be the one to piss her off. Because if this thing is shredding people and drawing attention to our world, we won’t let it live.

Chapter 3

ROSLYN

“Any sign of our new neighbor yet?” Jenny asks while dropping to the sofa.

I really wish she wasn’t my roommate, but she’s all I’ve got. Money is tight right now. I’m not sure what you call someone you tolerate but don’t consider to be a friend. Maybe she’ll grow on me. After all, I’ve only known her for a few weeks. You don’t get to really know someone that quickly.

“Not yet,” I answer, moving over toward the window.

I’ve only noticed the house being lived in because there has been a car parked outside on occasion. I never saw any moving trucks, so I’m assuming it’s because the summery fall has drawn in the tenant that lives here seasonally.

“So that party,” she says slowly, gauging my reaction. “I really want you to go.”

Memories of the blonde masterpiece from the bar come to mind, and I quickly shake my head to dispel the thoughts.

“Not my thing.” I’m only partially lying.

I don’t want to be around the perfect player. He’s wickedly smooth and very well rehearsed in how to make a woman swoon. I also can’t seem to speak while in his presence.

“Well,” she drawls, her vixen’s grin painted on her lips, “if this thing with Zee doesn’t pan out, then I’ll definitely be looking up the blonde, because that’s sure as hell
my
thing.”

Anger stirs inside me, but I fight it down. I don’t know Thad, and I sure as hell have no right to be getting angry about Jenny showing interest. My blood pressure rises too much when I get mad. I usually end up passing out, and now that Jenny is living here, I don’t need her to witness that and mock me for yet another weakness of mine.

Ignoring her, I sit down to start reading.

“What’s his name?” she asks just as I flip to my marked page.

“I never got it,” I lie, even though I have no idea why I feel the need to be so protective.

My eyes study the page, but I can’t find the focus to actually read the words.

“Hmm. I suppose I’ll find it out at the party in a few days.”

I slam my book shut, and I drop it to the table. “I’m going for a walk,” I say, standing quickly. If I continue to listen to her, I’m going to get angrier, even though there’s no reason for me to be getting so worked up. I refuse to pass out. It always leaves me with a massive hangover type of headache.

I really need to see a different doctor to get this fixed. The current medication isn’t actually helping.

Jenny doesn’t say anything, and I head outside, noticing a group of guys as they leave the house next door. All I see are the backs of their heads, but their bodies… Wow. This is a great town for the women who need a distraction.

I, however, do
not
need a distraction.

“Out for a walk?” a familiar voice drawls, and my eyes snap wide as I glance up to see Thad leaning against the porch rail of the house next door.

No. No. No. He can’t be my neighbor.

“I recommend the sidewalk. The woods are a little… scary right now,” he goes on, pretending as though I’ve answered, as his honey-colored eyes stare into mine and a mocking grin plays on his lips.

Can’t. Speak. No frigging words.

I’m frozen to my spot, and I’m staring uncontrollably. What is wrong with me?

“Don’t worry, sweet girl. I’ll keep an eye out for you,” he says before winking, and he turns to go back inside his house… His house that is next door to mine. His house that is so close I’ll be able to see through his windows from mine.

Oh, damn. I’ll be mute for the entire time we live beside each other.

***

ROSLYN

“This stupid, demonic thing is messed up!” Jenny yells from the kitchen, and I rush in to find out what the hell she sounds so panicked about.

Water is spewing everywhere from under the kitchen sink, and she’s soaking wet.

“What the hell?” I gasp.

She looks up while clutching a large wrench thing. “The bolt thingy won’t tighten back up. My ring dropped down the drain, and I was trying to get it back. Now the water won’t stop!”

I go to help her, and even between the two of us, the old pipes are too rusted to get the stupid thing to tighten back up. Water continues spraying out as though the sink is possessed. I’ve never seen anything like it.

My shirt is drenched in no time, and I keep slipping on the sopping floor. No matter how hard the two of us pull the damn big wrench thing, nothing happens, and water continues to spill everywhere.

“Find someone!” she pleads.

Thad
. That’s the first person that comes to mind, and I rush out without a second thought. It doesn’t take but a few seconds to reach his house, and I pound mercilessly on the door.

“It’s open,” he calls from inside, and I barge in, dripping water all over his hardwood floors as I stumble inside.

His kitchen is directly across from the living room, the open floor space allowing me to see far more than I was expecting.

There, behind the kitchen island, Thad is a shirtless wonder, and all my panic dies as I go numb. Hard lines of muscle detail the abs of flesh-encased steel. His chest… damn his chest is a marvel. His broad shoulders glisten under the low beams of light, and I half expect a sparkling effect to start up at any minute.

Perfectly tanned, amazingly sculpted, and he owns a face that can haunt dreams. So not fair.

“Like what you see, sweet girl?” he drawls, reminding me that I’m drooling.

Words and stuff…

My eyes snap up to see him displaying amusement, his lips curving in a wry grin as he tosses a grape in his mouth.

“Um… I… Uh… My water is everywhere,” I stammer like a fool.

His amusement stays put, but it’s crowded slightly by confusion. “You do look a little… wet… And you need help?” he asks, trying to decipher my disastrous attempt at an explanation, but he seems so damn cheeky about it.

“The pipe… we can’t get it back together,” I prattle on.

His eyebrows cock up, and he chuckles lightly while leisurely taking a sip of coffee, certainly not making any hasty moves to help.

“Well, good for you I’ve learned a thing or two about plumbing,” he says idly. “And I wouldn’t mind helping with your… wet pipes.”

His devilish grin and double entendre has my face burning red, but then he steps out from behind the kitchen island, and I fall—literally, I fall. My ass slams down to the ground as the breath leaves my lips, and I gawk at him.

He’s naked. Oh my damn, he’s really naked. Or I’m having a really, really good hallucination.

“Where… you’re… I… uh…”

He snickers while continuing to walk toward me, and I can’t help but notice that his muscles aren’t the only hard things on his body. Oh. My. Wow. He’s turned on? How? Why?

He’s really unnaturally perfect. It’s hard to even notice the array of animal tattoos on his chest and stomach anymore because my eyes are… Well, they’re trained on one thing because I’m a pervert who is acting like I’ve never seen a man naked before.

To be fair, I’ve never seen a man that looks like
him
naked before.

“I went for a run. I had just gotten back when you showed up,” he says without shame, grabbing a pair of jeans from the sofa when he reaches the living room.

Without an ounce of modesty, he tugs his jeans on right in front of me, and I continue being a total pervert, unable to look away. Did he really bypass underwear?

Once his ungodly perfect body is partially clad by the very lucky jeans, I continue staring at his covered crotch. So pathetic. Am I seriously licking my lips?

“Should we go check out this
pipe
problem you have?” he asks, a mocking lilt to his voice.

Swallowing hard, I give up on talking and nod.

He snickers while bending forward and grabbing the sides of my arms gently. He’s touching me. Great. I’ll never breathe again. Apparently breathing rights went away with speaking rights.

With barely any exerted effort, he pulls me up from the ground. Then, to make things all the more embarrassing, he thumbs my chin before saying, “So damn sweet.”

Freaking eh. My legs won’t work now.

He turns and walks out, and I stagger and sway behind him on my rubbery legs. He really should come with a warning label.

“You okay?” he asks, clearly still mocking me with that damn cheeky grin of his.

“Fine,” I snap, ignoring the heat in my cheeks when he snickers again.

He opens my front door for me, and ushers me into my home, but as soon as he hears the high pitch squeal from the kitchen, he’s racing by me. Oh no. My floors are absolutely covered in water. There’s no telling how much damage is being done.

“Oh shit,” he says on a long breath, at the same time Jenny looks up and sees him and says, “Oh damn,” very breathily.

I really don’t like the way she’s looking at him right now.

“You really do have a pipe problem,” he says more to himself than to me.

He thought I was lying? Why would I make that up?

He kneels, and Jenny sighs dreamily as she watches with unveiled lust. His muscles flex as he angles his body and ducks under the cabinet. I watch—mostly because I can’t look away—as he twists the stubborn metal bolt thingy while holding the bottom pieces of the pipe together.

“That’s not normal, is it?” I ask, trying to focus on the problem and not his bare upper half or bare feet. Really? Even his feet are sexy? “All the water, I mean,” I add, only drowning in my rambling state.

“Not quite this much,” he says casually, twisting the pipe again, and suddenly the unlicensed fountain stops.

There’s no way he just did that with his bare hands.

He backs out from under the sink, a cocky grin playing on his lips, and he winks at me. His body is soaked, including his hair, and he looks like he’s dripping sex. So. Not. Fair.

He runs a hand through his wet hair, and Jenny leans back against the wall to admire him as he stands back up. Yep. She’s sighing. And drooling.

“All fixed, sweet girl. Now what’s my reward for being so neighborly?”

He grabs a towel from the dry side of the counter, and starts wiping his face down. My entire body is on fire now that my sink isn’t hosing me down.

“How… how did you do that?” I ask instead of answering him. “We both pulled on that wrench and the bolt didn’t budge.”

He smirks. The cocky blonde Adonis smirks.

“Firstly,” he says, picking up the large wrench, “this is called a channel lock—not a wrench. Secondly, the bolt is actually a slip nut, and it just needed a little elbow grease. These pipes are outdated and metal, and you have crooked joints. You might want to look into updating your plumbing. This house is old.”

He tosses the towel to the counter, and he slowly struts toward me.

“How can we ever repay you?” Jenny says suggestively, not hiding the fact she’s wearing a soaking wet, white tank top and
no
bra as she very aggressively thrusts herself between us.

Thad doesn’t move his eyes from mine as he walks around her. “You coming to the party?” he asks me.

“I am,” Jenny chimes in from behind, but he doesn’t acknowledge her. Instead, he continues staring expectantly at me.

“I wasn’t planning on it,” I finally manage to say through strain.

“If I get someone over here to take care of this mess, will you?” he asks, his lips still curled in that cocky grin.

“Um…” I look around at the disaster zone that has been flooded. My feet are almost covered in the standing water. “We’re sort of tight on funds. We can do this ourselves.”

His grin only grows. “I have friends that can handle something like this in no time. It won’t cost anything—well, nothing besides your attendance at my friends’ party. And if you don’t get this done quickly, it’ll mess up your floors. They can take care of that, too.”

I start chewing on my bottom lip as I nervously consider his offer.

“O…kay. I’ll go.”

That wicked smile grows, and he leans over, putting his lips directly beside my ear. I prepare myself for whatever seductive line he has in store. “Wear something dry,” he jokes, leaning back upright to rake his eyes over my soaked black shorts and red T-shirt.

At least
I
have on a bra.

“Okay,” I whisper, though I don’t know why. He wasn’t being serious.

“Good,” he says casually, not sounding breathless and faint like me.

He’s really too good at this whole making-me-a-puddle thing.

“And I’ll be there,” Jenny repeats.

Much to my childish inner delight, Thad ignores her once again. He’s definitely gaining points for that. If he was such a player, wouldn’t he be taking the easy-to-get girl? Maybe I judged him wrong.

He bends over to nip my ear, and I suck in a sharp breath while swaying.