Hunting Colby

Chapter Twelve

I stood with my back against the elevator wall, facing Cesio, who leaned by the buttons.

His gaze wandered over my body from head to toe. I bet he was wondering where the zipper to undo my dress was. “I like women with long legs.”

I fisted my hand so I wouldn’t bitch-slap him.

“Maybe I should send word to Mutt that you’re entertaining me for the rest of the evening and he can go home,” he continued.

Flipping through all the possible comebacks, I tried to find something more professional to say than, I’ll entertain you by poking my silver daggers in your conceited heart. Cesio’s dark smile made me reconsider. He’d probably enjoy it too much. What would Rose do? I smiled, even though my cheeks ached. “It seems very rash of you to treat a Nosferatu with such disrespect.”

“No disrespect intended.”

The elevator opened, and he paused over the threshold. Shadows hovered at the edges of the small room. My gaze went to the closed door on the other side and I resisted the urge to check if it was locked. Deep red wallpaper covered the walls, with matching leather chairs.

“I’m not forcing you to leave his company, am I?”

Gritting my teeth behind my fake smile, I shook my head. Women actually flocked to this jerk. Yes, he was pretty, until he opened his mouth.

Cesio sauntered into the room and pulled a chair out for me then sat across the table. “Is there something I can do for you to make your stay in my city more comfortable?”

Besides finding me a shifter physician when I asked? The resentment boiling in my heart surprised me. I hadn’t realized how much it irked that he’d refused to help in my time of need.

I joined him, leaning forward, and sensed an alarming tug on the front of my dress. The girls were trying to escape. Short of tucking them back in, I was in trouble. “Yes.” I cleared my throat and tugged a shoulder strap. “A human associate of mine is missing.”

He plastered concern on his face like a well-used mask. “This city is overrun with humans.” Working with Tane for years had exposed me to many powerful vampires of different ranges of political skill. Cesio scored high on all my scales. So maybe the women he stole from Mutt could be forgiven. Just a little.

“Red was supposed to meet with a vampire from your community the night he went missing. I’d like to question that vampire. I assume you know your charges or at least someone who would.”

His eyes narrowed. “Which vampire are we discussing?”

“Alcide.”

A spark of interest glinted in Cesio’s gaze. He’d gone from a male interested in playing sex games to an overlord watching prey in seconds. “Why meet with Alcide? Were they lovers?”

My cool grappled with a laugh fighting its way to the surface. “I’m not sure.” I highly doubted it, but I had heard of stranger things. “You know Alcide?”

“Yes, unfortunately. He has a terrible reputation, Gwen. You should allow me to do the questioning. I’d hate to incur Master Tane’s wrath if you were to be killed on my territory. I’m also very, very good at getting answers.” His foot traveled over my calf.

I jumped at the sudden touch. “This doesn’t help me find the human though. I want him back alive.” I dug my fingernails into the armchair.

“All I can offer is that if your human is found dead, I will personally hand Alcide over to the Nosferatu. Maybe the young one with you could take care of this matter. Oh wait, I’d heard they were friends. Maybe you should question Mutt more thoroughly for Alcide’s location.”

Grimacing, I shot him a glare. “You think I haven’t?”

My sharp response elicited something like a purr from Cesio. He leaned forward. “How exactly did you ask him?” His gaze roved south along my chest.

The door behind Cesio cracked open. A server entered, carrying a tray with wine and glasses.

“Uh, I asked him?” I crossed my arms. Being agreeable was leading me nowhere. I wasn’t Rose. Seduction and flirting had never been one of my strongest skills. I eyed the wine bottle the server set in front of me. No matter how much I drank, I’d still be a bitch. “What the fuck do you mean, how did I ask him?”

“Maybe you should use more persuasion.” He signaled the server to leave.

I glanced at my exposed cleavage then back at the vampire. “Yeah, that’s not happening.” I might have thrown up a little in my mouth.

The server hung behind Cesio but didn’t appear to be leaving. He lifted his chin so our gazes met under his long, black hair.

My heart stuttered. It was Colby in disguise. I’d recognize those steel green eyes anywhere. Reflexively, I inhaled his faint scent.

Cesio chuckled. “That’s not what I meant.”

I swung my attention back to Cesio, schooling my facial expression to the security guard mask I wore whenever escorting my master. “What?” Shit. Shit. Shit. What was Colby doing here? He’d better not stake the Overlord. My connection with Tane wouldn’t save his ass if he murdered a vampire without just cause.

“You seem like a female who enjoys being in charge. Some males enjoy that.” Meaning him?

Something slid up my leg.

I clamped my teeth around a yelp of surprise. My glare jerked to Colby as his eyes flared with shifter light. Was he shifting?

Time slowed. Colby’s face elongated to wolf-beast form. Claws and teeth pushed through his flesh while his wide eyes went from human green to wolf golden. My mate shifted mid-air as he leaped toward Cesio. His dark fur shone with the same blond highlights in his hair. He took my breath away. With claws extended, he swiped at the overlord.

“Colby, no!” I shouted. He couldn’t kill him, not without a shitload of repercussion.

Cesio moved with the experience of a well-trained warrior. He ducked Colby’s strike with ease and tossed my mate against the wall. Shifters could take on most vampires, but the old ones had made it to that age for a reason. Fighting skill could ensure a vampire saw centuries.

Colby’s ability could match Cesio’s, but he fought in a new body with limbs longer than he was used to and an unfamiliar strength.

Cesio would easily tear Colby to shreds.

I hurried between the males, facing the vampire. “Please don’t kill him. He’s just protecting me.”

Cesio brushed his hair from his face, his fangs extended long and sharp. “From what?”

“Your touch.” I reached behind and buried my hands in Colby’s thick pelt. “He’s my—my new mate, so his hormones are running hot.”

“Your mate.” His voice went flat. “You came up here with me, dressed like that…” He snorted and took a few steps away from us. “Your invitation inside this club has been revoked. Do you need to be escorted out?”

“No. We’re leaving.”

“And tell Mutt to keep his pets at home.” Cesio exited via the elevator.

“Pigheaded zombie breeder.” I twisted to face Colby as he shifted to human form. Great, I had to march him out of the club naked. Pieces of the server’s uniform lay all over the floor. “That could have gone smoother. And congratulations on finding your trigger to shift. Can you work on your timing now?”

He rose to his feet and stared at his hands. “That hurt less than I’d imagined, and I shifted fast.” He flexed his fingers, and the claws receded.

“Yes, yes, you’re amazing. What the fuck are you doing here?” I shoved him toward the open doorway.

He gave me a hard look. “You didn’t come to the hotel like you were supposed to.”

“Cesio refused. I had to improvise.” I glanced at his bare ass. “Do you have any other clothes?” He couldn’t have owned the server’s uniform before entering the club.

“Yeah.” He glanced at the elevator.

“Forget it. We’re not going after him. He’s asked us to leave, and we will.”

“Gwen—”

“That lead is dead. He wasn’t going to help. You were right.” Those last words were worth speaking just to watch Colby’s mouth hang open. I patted his behind. “Nice.”

I followed as he stomped away, descending a staircase to the basement, and appreciated my view. A prone human slept on the floor in his underwear, and a pile of folded clothes sat on a shelf beside some canned food. I glanced to make sure his chest rose and fell.

“I had to incapacitate him for his clothes.” Colby checked his pulse. “He’ll be fine but will have a hell of a headache.”

“So…you came in here because?” I needed to hear him say it. Juvenile, I knew, but that didn’t change things.

He paused with his T-shirt over his head for a moment before continuing to dress. “I was worried about you.” The nonchalant way he spoke was betrayed when he cleared his throat. “Let’s get you out of here and out of that dress.” He grabbed my wrist and led me toward the back door.

My lungs seized. “What?”

“I mean, get you in some regular clothes. Out of that lady-of-the-evening wear.” He moved through an empty hallway.

“Wait.” I yanked out of his grasp. “I can’t leave Mutt here alone.”

His eyebrows vanished under the tangle of his long bangs. “He’s a grown man. I’m sure he can find his way home.”

“He’s young and he swallowed his pride to help us tonight. I won’t abandon him to Cesio’s hospitality.” I searched the corridor for the entrance to the club.

Colby snarled and punched the closest wall. “Why can’t you follow orders?”

“Because I’m used to giving them.” My answer was so simple it knocked him silent. “You didn’t need to rescue me. I was doing fine.”

“He was pawing you.”

“He touched my leg.” I narrowed my eyes and circled Colby. “You’re jealous and protective. Better be more careful—you’re beginning to act like a fully mated shifter.” Sarcasm weighed my words, but I couldn’t stop myself. “You should have trusted me to deal with Cesio.”

“Trust? You bow and scrape at every vampire you meet. Of course you’d believe anything he said.”

I retreated from him as if he’d hit me physically.

He followed, looming with each step. “This is why we’re a bad idea. I lose my head around you. I’m doing stupid things I would never have attempted.”

“That’s just the hormones. My mother reassures me it will fade with time.” For both of our sakes, I hoped it happened soon.

“Gwen, could you sit on the sidelines while I go on the hunt?”

“No.”

“You’d want to be at my side. That means slaying.”

“I have no qualms killing vampires who break the laws. I’ve done my share of this work way before meeting you.”

“But I do have a problem with it. I can’t stand the idea of something happening to you. Taking you into a fight is my worst nightmare. I’d lose it as soon as someone touched you. My team can’t afford their leader going feral in the middle of a battle.” He frowned. “I should never have brought you home with me. I’m sorry.”

My heart ached so badly I couldn’t breathe.

“I need time to think.” Without a look back, he strode from the club, deserting me to my own self-loathing.

I swallowed the growing lump in my throat. I would not cry. Staring at my warped reflection in the window of the exit door, I pictured a hole within my chest and tossed all my feelings inside. I stomped my heel against the hard floor, and it echoed in the empty space.

No.

No more tears.

No more chasing.

No more Colby. It was his loss. I’d done all I could but change who I was for him. I wouldn’t go down that road. I was Gwen Fatima Brizido. Killer. Hunter. Warrior.

I straightened my spine and took a deep breath before entering the club at the opposite end of the hall.

Mutt still hung out at the bar, nursing a beer. His head jerked as soon as I stepped inside and he grinned. Tossing back the rest of his drink, he strolled through the parting crowd toward me. “Ready to go?”

“Very.”