Amy Blankenship - Heat

Damon was ready for her to push him away or even fight to get free of his hold. When she did neither, he intensified the kiss feeling his own head rush. To his amazement, she was suddenly kissing him back and with just as much passion.

Feeling like she had turned his punishment back on him, he ended the kiss just as quickly as he’d instigated it and backed away from her… this time jerking the damned suitcase up himself. Turning, he started down the stairs two at a time, leaving her standing there in a daze.

Alicia took a moment to relearn how to breathe. She hadn’t been able to stop herself when he’d kissed her so demandingly… she’d wanted more. She still wanted more. Damn it. What gave him the right to turn her on like that then leave her like this? Rubbing her temple, she gave him the benefit of a doubt. If she was in heat… would a vampire feel it?

“No,” she answered her own question. It was a shifter thing. She was sure of it.

Damon was already in the living room relaxing on the sofa beside Michael when Alicia got the courage to come downstairs. Or at least he made it look like he was relaxing… not that she was staring. She looked away when he gave her that damned smile and turned her attention to Micah who was sitting on the huge overstuffed love seat. He was leaning forward, lost in conversation with Michael.

Micah glanced up as Alicia came further into the room. “So I hear you’ve taken up suicide missions as a hobby. You know, I was only gone for a couple weeks.” He patted the cushion beside him and slid his arm across Alicia’s shoulders as she sat down. After what Michael had just told him, he wondered who had been in more danger… him or Alicia.

Alicia nodded trying to keep her gaze averted from Damon’s. She shifted it to Michael's and felt the butterflies take flight in her stomach. She finally decided: out of the vampires, Kane was the safest… though she doubted anyone would agree with her.

“I owe all three of them a huge thank you.” She tried not to flinch when she felt Damon's glare. Feeling a touch vindictive, she gave him a slow smile letting him think she would. She quickly learned who would win that staring contest and turned her attention to what Michael was saying to her brother.

“The city is dangerous right now,” Damon pointed out. He had saved her three times, though she was only aware of two of them. Add Michael and Kane's saves to that list and that was five deaths avoided within the last couple weeks. He suddenly didn’t think it was very safe for her to leave their side.

“I agree,” Micah shrugged sensing Damon’s protectiveness. Michael had informed him that Damon was his brother and had come offering to help. When he’d questioned him about the bite on Alicia’s neck, Michael had confirmed she’d gotten it during an attack behind Moon Dance. That still didn’t mean he trusted Damon. Something in his blood told him the vampire was a threat.

Tightening his arm around Alicia and praying he was making the right decision, Micah directed his attention back toward the owner of the house. “And that’s why I hope Alicia can stay with you guys for a little while longer. Right now, this is the safest place for her.”

It was amazing how one simple request could change the atmosphere of a whole room.

“What?” Alicia shrank away from him. How could she tell her brother that right now this house was probably the most dangerous place in the world for her… much less this city?

Damon cocked an eyebrow hoping he was getting ready to see a horrible break up. He was an idiot anyway. What man in his right mind would leave their girlfriend in a house full of guys? Yeah, he’d be happy to throw the idiot out the front door… or window. Whichever was the handiest… or the closest.

Feeling her moving away from him, Micah reached out and grabbed her shoulders, making her turn toward him, “Alicia, you know I love you with all my heart, but think for a moment.” He ignored the growl that was coming from the sofa. “We just attacked the werewolves and killed their alpha. Anyone dumb enough to seek vengeance will be coming after our family. Plus, Michael tells me you’ve already been mauled by monsters.”

Alicia shot Michael a quick ‘thanks a freaking lot’ look, then turned it on Kane when he opened his big mouth.

“You do seem to be a magnet for the soulless,” Kane added trying not to laugh out loud at the fact Damon was counting the ways he could kill Micah without anyone knowing. The poor cougar didn’t realize how much trouble he was in. Knowing Damon would do it, he decided to drop the bomb. “You might want to listen to your brother on this one.”

Alicia growled at Kane then took the time to give Damon a threatening look, daring him to put in his two cents worth. When Damon gave her a slow, almost wicked smile, she knew he could blow her out of the water. She quickly turned back to Micah, not giving Damon enough time to tell on her, “If we are in so much danger, then maybe we should just take off together and not tell anyone where we’re going.”

Micah frowned at Alicia, tightening his grip on her arms for an instant knowing he was missing something. He searched her face and again took note of her overly bright eyes. Letting go of her arms, he pressed the back of his hand to her forehead narrowing his gaze.

Alicia pushed his hand away feeling defeated and in a world of trouble. The last thing she’d wanted to do was insinuate he’d run away from anything. That was one thing Micah would never do and they both knew it. If he figured out why she was… overheated, then she’d be lucky to see the light of day for months.

“I’ll stay on one condition,” she conceded.

“What’s that?” Micah raised an eyebrow.

“At Night Light, Quinn put the guards on me to the point that I had to dress up in disguise just to leave the club without being followed. If I stay here, then I come and go as I want to… no babysitters.” She made her voice firm. “I am not a baby.”

“No, you’re not,” Micah smirked down at her then turned to look at Michael for conformation.

“Agreed,” Michael nodded. “If it’s freedom she wants, then she shall have it as long as she’s living here.”

Damon kept his mouth shut because he didn’t agree to the amount of freedom, but no one had to know that little fact. He inhaled slowly, letting most of the tension drain from him now that she wasn’t leaving and murder was off the list. Brother… Micah was her freaking brother.

Michael’s phone vibrated as a text came in. Reading it he looked up at Micah. “It seems your sister isn’t the only escape artist among us.”

Chapter 4

The alley became a bit darker than the rest of the city as Misery descended on it to check the rip in the dimensional wall she’d created with Kane's blood. She liked the fact that the humans couldn’t see it, though she was sure some with a stronger sixth sense would avoid the alley.

Letting the darkness implode, she stepped forward choosing the child’s form as she knelt beside the opening. She didn’t dare touch it for fear that it would drag her through the barrier, but she could now feel demons gathering on the other side. Those demons could see the rip and that was the purpose of its creation. Misery let some of her own evil slither down her body in dark smoky tendrils and giggled as it seeped into the crack.

Within moments, the same thing happened but this time in reverse. Misery’s back arched and her eyes turned blood red as the snaky darkness squirmed its way up her body then sank into her aura. The other side would wait until Misery gave them a sign… then they would have their strongest attack from the other side.

Misery’s expression turned mischievous. She’d been careful up till now… feeling the pure blood fallen tracking her movements. Now was not the time to become careless but she needed the power it would take to break through the portal. Misery’s expression slowly changed into one of anger as she felt a presence behind her.