Hunting Angel 2 (6 page)

From the corner of my eye I spotted something glowing, hidden in the shadows. By the time my brain processed that it was a guy, I started screaming. As the first piercing note hit the air, a hand closed around my mouth, silencing me. Looking up into eyes the color of liquid fire, I swallowed back the rest of my scream, and my stomach fell back into place.

Chase
.

Slouching into his body, I smacked him on the chest. “What the hell? You scared me to death. Why the hell are you creeping in my room like some peeping tom watching me sleep?”
Now
I could feel the mark at my hip prickling, a moment ago I’d been too frightened to feel anything.

He snorted. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

“So you weren’t watching me sleep?”

“And if I was?”

“I don’t know. It’s weird.”

His eyes flirted over me. “It’s hot, and you are totally turned on by it. Admit it.”

I rolled my eyes and tried to ignore that I was alone in my room with him.

His hand ruffled my hair, reminding me that I’d just woken up. “You are such a she-devil in the morning. Hmm, I like it.”

Good Lord
. “You would. Don’t you have someone else to torment?” I tried to hide my morning breath, but there was nothing I could do about the bedhead.

“You are always at the top of my list,” he said, eyes sparking.

I attempted a bored expression. “Is there a point to this conversation because you are costing me valuable game time?”

“You and Travis need to get a life. I don’t think he has moved an inch off the couch since I brought him the game last night.”

The corners of my mouth tilted. “I know. We must have played most of the night together. It was glorious.”

“Sometimes I think he should be the one stuck with you for all eternity,” he grumbled cutely.

A faint smile crossed my lips. “What fun would that be for you?” I teased.

He looked at me in my leggings and tank like he was undressing me with those silvery eyes. “True. I am much more fun than he is.”

I pretended to gag.

He pretended not to notice. “Come one. It’s breakfast time.”

“Wait, I–” The air swooshed out of my lungs as Chase hoisted me over his shoulders. I hadn’t seen that one coming. “Chase put me down!” I demanded.

Of course he ignored me. “I promised Lexi I would invite you over for breakfast. So, this is me inviting you. It is because of you and that damn game that she skipped school as well. She was afraid she would miss out on all the fun.”

That didn’t explain why
he
wasn’t at school. I squirmed in his arms to no avail, and my efforts only got me a slap on the butt. “Chase!” I growled. “Try that again and I swear…”

Chapter 6

I was still slung over his shoulder when we entered the Winters’ house, but I wasn’t making it easy for him. He dumped me on the couch beside Travis, who was sporting a silly grin. I pushed the hair out of my eyes and mouth. By this point, I was spitting mad. Not only had he yanked me from my bed, he had also deprived me of my Xbox.

I had been in the zone.

No one messed with me when I was in the zone.

I was going to show no mercy. My teeth were clenched so tight, my jaw started to throb painfully.

“Morning sunshine,” Travis greeted, grinning like a fool. “When I told him to drag your butt over here, I didn’t think he was going to take me literally.”

“Dammit Chase!” I yelled. “I am going to kill you!”

His lethal grin flashed at me from behind the kitchen counter. “You’ll have to catch me first.” Then he started making a ton of racket.

We both knew there was no way on planet earth I was going to be able to actually grab a hold of him, not unless he wanted to be caught. I cursed this stupid bond for not at least giving me inhuman speeds. Come on, was that too much to ask for? I mean, if I was going to spend the rest of my life running from hell’s minions and defending myself from getting butchered to death, I think I deserved a little compensation.

Apparently the universe and its order of balance had other plans. In my current state, the universe could suck it.

My raging pity party was cut short when Lexi bound down the staircase. “Oh goodie, Angel’s here.” She leaped onto the chaise. “Did you hear? We’re playing hooky.”

Sinking into the back of the black couch, I groaned. And just like that I saw my whole day going to hell. There went staying in bed all day playing the BLOPS II and lounging around the house in my jammies, which I just realized I was still wearing thanks to Chase’s unwelcome arrival. Sometimes my neighbors could be so all-consuming.

“Here.” Travis held out an extra controller. “This will make it better. And if we turn up the volume, we might be able to drown out their voices too.”

Travis – my savior. “You read my mind,” I sighed, breaking a grin for the first time since I’d woken up.

Lexi frowned at her older brother. “You are such a loser. Get a job, bum.”

“I’m MLG little sis,” Travis retaliated, Lexi’s burn doing no damage.

I couldn’t help the smile that started to spread across my lips. First, I was pretty sure Lexi had no idea what MLG meant (major league gamer) and second, the look on Lexi’s face was priceless. She looked like he had just told her he had some highly contagious disease that would slowly eat the flesh from her face.

Or that the mall was closed.

“You should see a doctor about that,” Chase called from the kitchen, unable to miss a chance to take a jab at Travis.

Lexi crossed her arms and gave Travis a smug smile, glad to have someone on her side.

You think after the rough start, breakfast, well it was closer to lunch, would have been awkward and uncomfortable, but the one thing that made this dysfunctional family envious, was their ability to forgive and forget. A grudge never lasted long between Chase, Lexi, and Travis – the whole short temper demon thing. They might razz each other relentlessly, but at the end of the day…they were family.

And they made me feel part of it.

Even if I wasn’t entirely convinced Devin was my biggest fan. He might be…ugh, it was still so hard to think about,
dating
my mom, but that didn’t mean he necessarily thought I was the best thing for Lexi or Chase. I got the impression he thought I was more trouble than good.

And then there were the strange glances I kept getting from Chase. I’d been trying to convince myself that it was me. But lately, I’ve been catching him staring at me more and more, and not with the usual swoon-worthy gazes. These were more like he was dissecting me or waiting for me to grow a third eye, and whatever he saw had him thrown off balance. As soon as we were alone, I was going to grill him. He was hiding something from me.

I could feel it.

I guess this connection was good for something after all.

After we ate, I assumed I would be free of my imprisonment and head home. I should have known better. Chase had other plans. Plans that involved the two of us. Alone. In his bedroom. My heart was going to need a jumpstart – it had stopped beating.

He pulled me up the upstairs, and surprisingly, I let him. I could only resist the pull between us for so long, and I don’t know why, but it felt like days since we had been alone. Really alone. The fact that I was secretly looking forward to being shut off from the world with just him was alarming.

His fingers interlaced with mine. “If I hadn’t insisted that you come over, you would still be shut up in your room withering away to nothing,” he said, as we climbed the stairs.

He was probably right, but I was definitely not going to admit it. I wouldn’t give him the pleasure. “If you hadn’t shown up, I probably would have prestige again.”

“What?” The look on his face was comical as we walked over the threshold of his room.

Sometimes, I forgot that he knew next to nothing about games. My mouth twitched as I tried to hide my grin. “Nothing.”

“How about we make
nothing
into something about me and you…preferably on my bed?”

“I don’t think there is room for me with your inflated ego in the way,” I commented, yawning. Still, I climbed into his bed, happy to lay my head on his pillow. His dark and erotic scent flirted with my senses from the sheets. Sighing contently, I inhaled deeply before I even realized what I was doing.

His head joined mine on the pillow, and he was smirking. “That’s not the only thing that’s inflated.”

Color morphed into my cheeks.

The look in his eyes was full of pure wickedness. “Did I shock you, my virginal angel?”

“What makes you think I’m a virgin?” I knew I was skirting a fine line toward danger. A part of me must like to walk right on the edge of a rocky cliff. Chase could be unstable and hazardous, yet I didn’t care.

“This,” he murmured, brushing his thumb over my lips. “You blush every time I touch you.”

I sucked in a sharp breath. The heat from his thumb was like magic. “I do not.”

He arched a brow, his way of calling me a liar.

Blast him
.

“That doesn’t mean anything,” I huffed.

“Really? Let’s put it to the test.” I didn’t like the gleam in his eyes. It radiated trouble. “I bet you’ve never been kissed here,” he challenged, and I watched stupefied as he lowered his head, slowly kissing my shoulder. “Or here,” he murmured against my flushed skin.

I watched as his dark head traveled to my collarbone. Then his lips were kissing the sensitive alcove of my neck. But nothing prepared me for his mouth nibbling on my bottom lip, or when his fingers skirted the edge of my cotton waistband. My eyes were steamy. My insides turned into mush. And I didn’t think I was going to last another ten seconds without moaning.

Then he whispered in my ear, “Your turn.” He wanted me, to do to him the same in return.

I knew I was playing with fire, but what fun was it if you didn’t get burned once in awhile. And while I was at it, why not kick it up a notch. Straddling him, I kept my eyes glued to his, fascinated by the change of colors. Bending down, I whispered in his ear, “You asked for it.”

His silver eyes darkened to coal laced with the most mesmerizing streaks of glittering gold. Pressing my lips softly to the spot where his neck and shoulder met, I felt his pulse quicken under my mouth. It was an empowering feeling, knowing that I could do that. I let my lips trail down his neck taking little nibbles at the rapidly beating vein. This time it was him who sucked in a sharp breath, and I smirked. But it wasn’t long before I found myself caught in my own web of seduction.

Tilting my head back, I’d lost the ability to breath. His eyes were completely topaz and shimmered with passion. It was overwhelming, unsettling, and made my blood rush. Those perfect lips whispered my name right before I seared them with mine. Then the room shattered with electrifying heat. His hands were under my shirt, tugging it over my head before I could even register it was gone.

“Hmm, I love the way you smell, the way you taste,” he murmured dreamily. “Like fresh peaches and wild berries from the vine. It lingers on my lips for hours after I kiss you, taunting me. Your scent follows me everywhere. On my clothes. In my car. In my room. In my dreams. It doesn’t matter what I do or where I go, you are everywhere. You’re a part of me.”

I stared at him like I didn’t recognize him. His words touched my very soul, and I didn’t even know where to begin to explain how he made me feel. I wasn’t good with caring and sharing – I just plain out sucked at it. With my luck, I would ruin what was the best moment of my life. So I didn’t say anything.

Instead, I fused my lips to his again, trying to show him what I was unable to say. What I was still unable to admit to myself.

I was falling for him – hard.

I had no more than touched his lips with mine when I heard his bedroom door swing open, followed by a low groan. His hands kept me from moving as I glanced over my shoulder.

Lexi stood in the doorway. “Ugh,” she complained. “Can’t you two get a room? The whole house doesn’t want to see you sucking face twenty-four seven.”

“This
is
my room,” growled Chase, literally growled in his throat, eyes illuminating in the semi-dark room. A shudder of fear and excitement raced through me as he teetered close to the edge of no control.

“Oh,” she exclaimed as if just realizing where she was. “God, you guys are worse than rabbits. And I thought Travis was bad.”

“Out!” demanded a very annoyed Chase. “And lock the damn door.”

Ten seconds after the door clicked, I started giggling. The moment was ruined.

“I am going to strangle her,” he vowed, staring at the ceiling with his hands streaked through his messy hair.

That only made me laugh harder.

“You think this is funny?” His hands gripped my waist and yanked me against him.

The giggle perished in my throat, I gulped. Nope. When he looked at me like that, there was absolutely nothing humorous about it. Instead I felt…

Hot.

Excited.

Achy.

“Your eyes…”

“What about them?” I asked feeling entranced.

He shook his head. “I keep trying to convince myself that I am seeing things, that it couldn’t be possible.”

“Is this what you haven’t been telling me? What you’ve been hiding from me?”

He cocked a brow. “What makes you think I’ve been hiding things from you?”

I gave him a droll look. “You really don’t think that this link we have is one only sided, do you?”

He shrugged. “I guess that was too much to expect. I was really hoping that you wouldn’t be…affected by what happened.”

“Okay, you are starting to scare me now. What is wrong with my eyes?”

“They change.”

The eyes in question widened like alien saucers.

“No, not like mine,” he said, reading my thoughts. “They remind me of a mood ring Lexi once wore. She was going through one of her phases and never took the damn thing off. Your eyes…they change colors with your mood. Not drastically, but enough that I notice.”

“Meaning, my mom could notice. Anyone could notice,” I added somberly.