Night Light (Blood Bound Book 2)

Chapter 3

As if to prove her point, Steven and Nick chose that moment to come downstairs and head for the door together. Nick gave Kat a hard stare, hoping she would get the message and do what Warren had asked her to do… stay here where it’s safe. He felt a little easier when she gave him a small smile as if all was forgiven.

Glancing back toward the door leading upstairs Kat nodded, “See, its tag teams tonight except for the odd number… aka me.” She flashed Trevor a big smile as if she didn’t mind. “But that’s okay, I don’t mind hunting on my own.”

Trevor smirked and crossed his arms on the bar top. He leaned forward a little signaling Kat to do the same and whispered two words.

“Not alone,” he shook his head.

Quinn and Warren stopped as they came down into the nightclub. Warren knew they were overstaffed tonight so the bar would be covered but that didn’t stop him from issuing a couple of last minute orders.

While he was doing that, Quinn nearly glared a hole in Trevor. He hadn’t missed the monitor, seeing the way Trevor reached out and grabbed Kat’s wrist… or the emotional dance that had followed. How close was Kat to this man? The way they were acting, it was like they shared some secret that the rest of them weren’t allowed to hear and it grated on his nerves.

“Who is that man with Kat?” Quinn asked when Warren was finished with his com-link.

Warren turned to look seeing Envy’s ex-boyfriend. He figured Kat was telling Trevor that Envy was no longer available, which was a good idea because without Trevor's eye-candy hanging out at the bar, maybe the paranormal investigator would go investigate somewhere else.

“That’s just the local masochist that likes to be tasered by attractive women,” Warren smirked at his own joke. When Quinn didn’t smile, it made him suddenly miss teaming up with Michael. He wondered if it was too late to change partners then deleted the thought. Quinn and Kane teamed up together would be a disaster waiting to happen.

Trevor felt someone staring at him and glanced over toward the door. He was barely able to keep the surprise out of his expression when he saw Quinn Wilder with Warren Santos. If he hadn’t suspected what he did, Trevor would believe the two were involved in the murders and were plotting their next move. But that line of thought was reserved for the dumb asses on the local police force.

“What is the owner of Night Light doing here?” Trevor asked turning back to Kat.

“We are all trying to fix the problem with the vampires,” Kat said as her eyes locked defiantly with Quinn’s. Oh my, he looked a bit rattled. Just to test the theory, she leaned closer to Trevor like she was whispering sweet nothings in his ear, “Do you have any weapons we can use to even the odds?” she winked knowing she’d just gained a partner for the night.

Trevor thought about it for a moment, making a mental checklist of what he did have in his trunk.

“Yeah, I’ve got a few things in the car,” Trevor admitted. “We may have to go back to my place to get some extras I’ve stashed in my gun safe.”

‘Perfect,’ Kat thought to herself.

As Warren and Quinn walked past the bar, Warren was again distracted by the com-link going off in his ear. Quinn didn’t mind the delay. It gave him a moment to find out what was going on with the happy couple at the bar.

Kat saw Quinn coming and quickly moved down the bar so Trevor couldn’t overhear and Quinn couldn’t blow her cover. Reaching for a bottle, she turned around to find Quinn standing between her and the bar.

“Can I help you sir?” Kat asked with a sarcastically raised eyebrow. “You do know there are no patrons allowed behind the bar.”

Quinn took a step toward her even though it was already a tight fit. Placing a hand on the shelf beside her arm, he efficiently trapped her where she was. Seeing her eyes stray over his shoulder to the man she had been talking to… Quinn growled, “Don’t get distracted tonight Kat. I’m warning you. Just because you’re not coming with us to hunt doesn’t mean a vampire can’t just walk in the door of this bar.”

Kat sighed knowing that was the oldest trick in the book. Make someone think they were important by giving them a safe little side job. “I’ll be fine,” she informed him as she ducked under his arm and headed back toward Trevor. “And if I need anything, I already have someone willing to give it to me.” The last was said with a seductive hint in her voice. It was a lie, but Quinn had pissed her off.

She smirked inwardly knowing Quinn thought she meant sexually and Trevor thought she meant on the vampire hunt tonight. Warren chose that moment to finish up and motion for Quinn that he was ready to leave.

Quinn’s lips thinned as he stepped behind Kat and leaned down, almost brushing his lips against her ear, “Have a safe night.” He watched the goose bumps spread down her neck and across her shoulder with satisfaction.

Kat gripped the edge of the bar when her knees went weak. Steadying herself she jumped when Michael’s voice came from right behind her.

“Be careful how hard you pull that cat’s tail, love,” Michael reminded her then nodded at Trevor before going to meet Kane on the roof.

Trevor frowned at the startled look on Kat’s face. “Wasn’t that a vampire?”

“No, that was a gentleman and he’s helping us track the real monsters,” Kat said confidently as she silently added, and he’s the only one that didn’t put up a fuss about me going out tonight. “However, it looks like we’re falling behind. Are you ready to leave?”

*****

Kane was pacing back and forth on the roof, smoking a cigarette and occasionally waving his arms around. He was starting to get antsy waiting for Michael to show up.

“Jaguars and cougars,” he grumbled. “They’re worse than domestic house cats. Everyone has to have domination over the others. I’d rather team up with the Coyotes than deal with this.”

Michael came up over the edge of the roof right behind Kane, catching him in his agitated rant. He frowned when Kane immediately fell silent and glanced to the side acknowledging his presence.

“Damn it Kane, are we going to talk about what’s bothering you or not?” Michael asked as he crossed the distance between them.

“Or not,” Kane responded.

“Fine,” Michael waited knowing Kane hated the silent treatment worse than arguing. He loved it when he was right.

Kane walked toward the edge of the building, putting the distance back between them. He’d forgotten how Michael could sneak up on him… it hadn’t happened in so long. “Raven seemed a little disappointed that his army was lacking at the warehouse… some of his crazies were missing. My guess is the vampires that missed our little death party probably needed a place to spend the day, so I’m going to check it out.”

Michael didn’t say a word when Kane once again dropped off the side of the roof and landed on the pavement below. Just as he stepped to the edge ready to fall as Kane did, something on the roof across the road caught his attention.

Jerking his gaze toward it, Michael caught a glimpse of the shadow as it disappeared. Something about that shadow had seemed familiar but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

Did Kane have a stalker or was he the target? Trying to suppress the feeling for now, he glanced down and smiled as he fell. Although he could no longer see Kane, and he knew the way to the warehouse, instead of following a route he followed the pull of his own blood within Kane’s veins. By the time he made it to the warehouse, he could hear the screams of the vampires Kane had caught off guard.

He paused in the doorway using his enhanced vision to see into the darkness of the huge room. Kane already had two vampires on him and several more thought the tag team tactic was a great idea. Stepping inside, he pulled the door shut behind him and started forward when Kane’s voice echoed.

“Let me handle this. Just don’t let any of them past you,” Kane said a little breathlessly as he twisted the neck of the vampire that was trying to rip his throat out. He jerked when fangs sank into his shoulder, causing him to lose his hold on the first one.

Both of Michael's eyebrows disappeared under his windblown hair but he backed up against the door. “Fine, if you’re sure.” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the metal.

“Well… I’m bored,” he said after a moment and looked toward the soulless vampires that weren’t yet in the fight. “I don’t suppose one of you would do me the honor of running for it?”

When Kane managed to decapitate the first vampire, one on the sidelines turned to do just what Michael had suggested, but Kane's arm reached out and grabbed him by the leather jacket he was wearing. “I don’t think so,” he growled as he pulled it into the fight.

“Didn’t your mommy teach you to share?” Michael smiled as he watched Kane get the hell knocked out of him. He had a feeling Kane needed the pain to help him feel alive right now. He had no doubt Kane would be the last vampire standing and this release of anger and violence might even help to open his friend back up… Therapy at its best.

“My mother was a thief,” Kane answered, leaping up and pushing both of his feet into the chest of a vampire who was running hell bent toward him. The vampire went flying and Kane landed on his back. Kicking his legs up, he was back on his feet in an instant. “She didn’t believe in sharing.”

“We both know your mother was no thief,” Michael chided. “She was a well bred lady.”

Kane was punched in the face and flew backwards. Michael followed the movement as Kane sailed past him and into the very same pile of rubbish Kriss had knocked him into. He sighed when he fully noticed Kane was becoming a bloody mess. Kane rushed into the fight again, tearing the bastards apart as he went.

“Need some help yet?” Michael asked above the sound of bones snapping and feet splashing in puddles that were growing bigger by the minute. He actually laughed when Kane started mumbling one of Syn’s spells but was punched in the mouth before he could finish it.

“No,” Kane growled as he spit blood in the face of the one who had punched him so hard he’d seen stars. Grabbing a piece of wood from a chair they had broken during the fight, he shoved it into the vampire’s mouth so hard that it came out the back of his neck.

Michael made a face but didn’t interfere. He watched closely, counting three vampires down and four to go. Kane was a fearless fighter, more so now than before he was buried alive. Which reminded Michael of the one question he hadn’t asked yet: how did Kane break the binding spell without the blood of his soul mate?

Less than twenty minutes later, Kane collapsed to his knees. He looked through the red haze of his vision toward the sound of clapping that was coming closer. He wiped the blood from his mouth and tried to push himself up from the floor. He laughed when it didn’t work because the floor was so slick with blood.

“And the winner gets a hundred Band-Aids and a good night's rest at Michael’s house.” He bent down and wrapped his arm around Kane’s waist to help him up. They both swayed before he got them balanced.

“You have a house?” Kane asked hoping if he kept talking he wouldn’t pass out before they got there. He knew where Michael was living, but he didn’t want to admit it because that would just remind Michael to be mad at him for staying away. He wasn’t exactly happy with himself over that but he’d felt the need to keep his distance.

“Yeah, I’m all grown up now. Besides, caskets are so yesterday.” He cringed inwardly realizing Kane might not think that joke was very funny. “The place is huge. It used to be some kind of Victorian style art museum until they built an upgraded one in Beverly Hills. Maybe if you moved in with me, the place would feel more like a home.”