Animal Instincts (Kindred Souls Book 1) Page 6

“What are you?” he asked for a third time.

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  He could tell she was being truthful. He could sense her building anxiety. And suddenly caught a whiff of fear that surprised him and rattled his instincts. But did she fear him or the unknown? He couldn’t tell.

  “About the animal fights,” she said, reminding him of a stubborn terrier he’d once had as a kid. “Do you like seeing living creatures ripped apart?”

  The breath caught in his throat and his pulse tick-ticked. It took all his will not to picture it. “I wasn’t there for sport.” He wouldn’t lie. He couldn’t help his nature, only how he chose to play out his life.

  “Then why were you there?” she asked.

  Before he could decide how to answer—what would best send her on her way—he was stopped by a beep on his headset. “What is it?”

  “We have some trouble,” one of his security guards told him.

  “Take care of it.”

  “I already tried. There’s been violence in the brothel and now Beatrix—”

  “I’ll be right down.” He turned back to Skye. “Something I need to do. You should leave.”

  But she didn’t look like she was willing to go.

  Wondering if he would have to rescue Skye Cross a second time, Luc waved over a guard. Though he was tempted to tell the man to remove her from the casino, he was certain Skye would resist and possibly get herself into trouble.

  Glaring at her, he told the guard, “Keep your distance but don’t let her get into anything she shouldn’t. Don’t let anyone mess with her. And whatever you do, don’t let her out of your sight.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Skye stepped from the protection of the slot machines and watched her mystery man stalk off toward the elevators without looking back. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. Her pulse raced and she was having trouble taking a deep breath. Despite herself—despite all logic—she was drawn to him. The only way she could describe it was a case of heightened animal allure.

  A long shiver coursed through her, and she shook away the primal energy and turned her back on the security guard he’d ordered to keep tabs on her.

  She was a little weirded out by the things that had been happening to her since entering the underground complex. Maybe she was home in bed. Asleep. Dreaming.

  Only she knew she wasn’t.

  “Excuse me,” she said to a passing waitress.

  The woman turned, her startled expression seeming to stretch her features a little. But when Skye blinked, the waitress simply appeared normal.

  “Can I get you a drink?” she asked.

  Skye shook her head and pointed to the elevator where her mystery man was stepping inside. “Who is that?”

  “Luc Lazare.” The waitress grinned at her. “A real looker, isn’t he?”

  “But who is he? I mean, what does he do here?”

  “Luc’s head of security. And he’s the boss’s son. If you don’t need anything...”

  “No, but thanks.”

  Boss. The conversation she’d overheard in the habitat—something about the boss and the only woman he wanted was Luc’s mother.

  So, the woman whose life Shade had saved was connected to the mob that ran this underwater casino. As was Luc Lazare, the man who had saved her.

  Needing to know more, figuring she wouldn’t get anything valuable out of Luc himself, she wandered through the casino, the security guard shadowing her, and eavesdropped. She had no clue as to how or why she could hear the thoughts of only certain people—the employees but not the customers.

  How much longer? a dealer asked a waitress who brushed up against him.

  I’m almost there...working overtime to earn it...

  Fear of her unknown power sizzled along her spine. How this was even possible, she hadn’t a clue, but she wasn’t going to let the opportunity to learn as much as she could about the operation go to waste.

  Skye rounded the table and slowed as she passed a couple of uniformed security guards.

  I heard Cezar lost his temper, almost sent Nik through the dome.

  Good thing Luc was there to calm him down.

  At the reference to her mystery man, her pulse rushed. She pretended interest in the craps game as she edged closer.

  The cops find more bodies, bad for all of us. Someone better figure out who’s responsible soon.

  They must be talking about the murders Shade had been investigating. So the workers she was hearing didn’t know who was running the fights, either. Before she could hear more, someone grabbed her arm—a dark-haired woman wearing a backless sapphire crepe dress. Her eyes were wide and her expression was incredulous.

  “Who are you?” she demanded, her gaze lowering to the sea glass pendant hanging from Skye’s neck.

  She went pale and made a choking noise, and then she clearly heard her thoughts.

  How do you have that? What were you to Shade?

  Chapter Twelve

  Luc couldn’t stop thinking about Skye Cross, about how she’d heard his suggestion to leave, about how she raised his primal instincts, about how she’d resisted his trying to manipulate her mind. He could use stronger measures to wipe The Ark from her memory but, knowing he could do permanent damage, he hesitated messing with an innocent. At least hesitated messing with her mind. Her body was another story, hard to resist.

  The elevator dinged and stopped at the lower level. Luc heard a raised voice through the elevator doors, the intensity of which drove thoughts of the delectable Skye from his mind.

  “Get your hands off me. Do you know who I am?”

  The doors swished open to the reception area, a study in gaudy red and gold. A burly, sandy-haired man was held captive in a double arm lock by two guards.

  Luc recognized the guy, Ryan Connelly, a lieutenant in the Chicago Police Department. He’d been invited to the casino multiple times, but it seemed the man’s will was unbreakable. He still had his soul, so he couldn’t be forced to a Kindred’s will. He was facing down Beatrix, Luc’s stepmother, impressive in her blood-red gown split in the front to reveal thigh-high black leather boots. The four-inch heels put her at eye level with the irate cop.

  “Let go of me, or I’ll have this place closed down for good.”

  “Threats?” Steel threaded her silky voice. “You would do well to watch what you say in The Ark.”

  “Why? You can’t touch me!”

  “Watch me,” Beatrix said, reaching out a hand with very sharp, long red nails toward his chest.

  “I’ll take care of this.” Luc took his stepmother’s wrist. She rewarded him with a wrath-filled glare that twisted her once-magnificent features into something bordering on horrific.

  “What did he do?” Luc said.

  “He used the services of two of my girls and then lost his temper.” Her dark eyes flashed her anger. “Said he didn’t get what he asked for.”

  Knowing the girls would do pretty much anything a customer wanted, Luc glared at the cop. “What in blazes did you ask for?”

  “I know what you all are!” Connelly spat, watery blue eyes accusing. “I wanted to see it for herself up close and personal. Wanted to experience some real animal sex.”

  Luc couldn’t form a reply. How had Connelly found out the truth about them? The Kindred didn’t broadcast their abilities to humans. If an officer in the police department higher up than Shade had figured out they were shifters, Luc had a real problem on his hands.

  “When Katerina refused, he began beating her,” Beatrix informed Luc in a cold voice. “And told her he would keep beating her until she turned for him. Lily got away and found me and I called the guards.”

  “Is Katerina all right?”

  “She will be. Eventually. Her bones will heal. Hopefully her face will, too.” She’s one of mine. I should take care of this pig.

  Considering the man’s offense, Luc was tempted to let her. Beatrix would rip out the bastard’s heart. The thought of watchin
g sent blood pumping through him double time, but Luc quickly curbed his appetites. Giving his stepmother free rein with a human would be a mistake. Especially when that human was a cop. His death would bring their house of cards down on their heads.

  If he disappears, he will be missed, Luc told Beatrix. Who knows if he told anyone where he was going tonight? I’ll wipe his memory and throw him out.

  You are so your mother’s son. With a snort, Beatrix turned her back on Luc and walked away.

  “Hang on to him,” Luc told the guards.

  He wrapped one hand around the man’s forehead.

  “What are you doing to me?” Connelly cried, his panicked voice raising. “Stop!”

  Not an option. It rarely came to this, but Luc had to make certain the cop wouldn’t remember a thing when he left here. Ignoring the man’s screams, he forced himself inside Connelly’s mind. Corruption and addiction filled every corner—Connelly seemed ripe for Pop’s plan, so it was only his will that had kept him from crossing over to the dark side.

  When you leave here, you’ll never return. You’ll forget everything about The Ark... The Company... the Kindred...

  Connelly screeched as his memories of The Ark sizzled along Luc’s arm.

  Luc seized everything the man had done here, clearly saw his involvement before erasing the memories. That the man had been here more than once was clear, and his attack on Katerina was especially disgusting.

  Making Luc hope Connelly never had reason or the opportunity to return.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “The name’s Skye Cross,” she said.

  The dark-haired woman was gaping at the pendant he’d given her, which had popped out of the top of her T-shirt. She must have known Shade well if she remembered seeing him wear it. And her eyes suddenly went watery.

  Tucking the sea glass back beneath the cotton, she answered the woman’s silent question. “Shade was my brother.”

  The woman blinked and a single tear rolled down each cheek. She slashed them away but still appeared on the verge of something more intense. She can’t possibly hear me.

  “Actually, I can,” Skye said aloud, then mentally added, I don’t know how but I do.

  She didn’t know if she heard her thoughts, but the woman looked plenty freaked out, and she was having trouble catching her breath.

  “S-sister. Right, Shade said he had a sister.” The woman pushed a lock of inky hair from her face and seemed to be trying to get herself under control.

  Wondering what was with her, Skye asked, “So you knew Shade well?”

  The woman grabbed her shoulder, her nails digging through her shirt. “He couldn’t have known.” She was staring at the pendant again, her expression crumpling. “I should have told him.”

  “What?” Had she been Shade’s snitch? “Tell me. I’ll make sure he gets the message.” Maybe she’d share something revealing about his murder.

  But before the woman could say anything, they were interrupted.

  “Nuala, what’s going on?” Luc asked as he joined them.

  “I was just talking to this woman.” Nuala let go of her. “Her name is Cross like—”

  “I know exactly who she is. Leave her to me.”

  Luc, please.

  Go. Let me handle this. We’ll talk later.

  Irritated, she glared at him, as, with seeming effort, Nuala pulled herself together and backed off. Nuala couldn’t take her eyes off Skye, though, until she was swallowed by the crowd.

  Not liking Luc’s suggestion that he would handle her, she asked, “What was that about?”

  Though she focused hard on him, she got nothing off him. Whatever he was feeling, he was covering it well.

  “My sister had a thing with your brother.”

  “What kind of thing?” Shade hadn’t told her anything about a woman in his life. And now he undoubtedly wouldn’t remember. Then it hit her. “Your sister?” While they looked vaguely alike, with his bronzed skin and pronounced features, Luc was more exotic than Nuala.

  “She seemed to care for him,” Luc said, his tone matter-of-fact.

  A flash of emotion that tightened her chest made her look around for Nuala, but she’d disappeared into the crowd. Skye turned back to face Luc, whose expression hardened even more. She thought about telling him his face could freeze like that, but she didn’t think he’d appreciate the crack.

  Instead, she said, “I take it you didn’t approve of their relationship.”

  “People should stick to their own kind.”

  Own kind? she stood taller. “You didn’t think my brother was good enough for your sister?”

  “I thought he was too good. I thought he was incorruptible.”

  Incorruptible. Surely, he wasn’t suggesting Shade had been corrupted.

  “What exactly are you trying to say?”

  “That the Lazares aren’t anyone to play with. Not even my sister. Nuala is nowhere near as fragile as she appeared to be.”

  A frisson of fear shot through her. She could be surrounded by Lazares. She wondered if she could pick them out of the crowd. Luc alone felt dangerous enough.

  She threw his question back at him. “What are you, Luc?”

  A muscle in his cheek ticked. “It’s time for you to leave. Now.” He placed a hand square in the middle of her back and pushed.

  Wanting to argue, to resist, she felt her brain was ready to melt down. It was late, and she’d been going on adrenaline. Finally, she’d hit a wall. Well, at least with him. With Luc breathing down her neck, she wouldn’t be able to concentrate on those unspoken conversations she’d been overhearing. Her reaction to him touching her was too distracting. It was easier to let him have his way. Tonight. Tomorrow was another matter.

  “How perceptive of you to know I was leaving,” she said.

  He barked a laugh that made blood shoot to her face. She felt all kinds of crimson as he maneuvered her through the casino and toward a room she hadn’t before noticed.

  “The entrance I came through is over there.” she pointed to the tunnel opening where the guard was still stationed.

  “You have to go through here first,” Luc said. “The room is equipped to make certain you don’t leave with anything you shouldn’t.”

  “Like what?” Could they detect gamblers carrying off chips or something?

  Rather than answering, he pushed her inside. She felt electrified as if the room itself were trying to get hold of her. Rather, her mind. The sensation was creepy. Insidious. Most people wouldn’t know what was happening to them. She wasn’t most people. She resisted.

  “Whatever you’re trying on me isn’t working.” Skye turned and found Luc directly behind her. “Just so you know.”

  When you leave here, The Ark will fade from your memory until the memory is gone.

  “If you say so.”

  “Your knowing about this place is dangerous,” he said aloud, reaching a hand toward her head.

  “For me? Or for you?”

  Within inches of her face, close enough to make her pulse jump, his hand stopped for a moment, as if he was hesitating, then curled around the back of her neck. He tugged her so close his features went out of focus for a second. Her pulse picked up, her heart pounded against her ribs.

  What if Luc kissed her? What then? she only knew part of her sizzled and burned with the thought. And while another, more rational part wanted to shove him away, her body felt as though it was melting.

  His mouth came within a hairsbreadth of hers, so close she imagined she could feel him parting her lips, so close she began to sway toward him, seeking something she couldn’t quite define. This was wrong, though. This man was no one to get close to or to thwart, and she’d played a dangerous game by challenging him.

  And yet, shocked and frightened as she was at all that had happened to her in the last hour, she felt more alive than she ever had before.

  Every nerve in her body screamed at her, alternately telling her to get closer and to get away f
rom him. She felt trapped. She couldn’t make her legs move. Because of him. Not because he was doing anything to make them fail to work.

  He was simply there.

  Touching her.

  “If I were you,” he murmured, “I would want to forget.”

  “How can I? My brother died investigating murders that had to do with those animal fights. And the fights seem to be connected with this place. Are you aware there was another murder last night? A young woman? She was ripped apart by a canine.”

  Jez.

  She heard the name whisper through his thoughts as the light in his eyes shifted. He dropped his hand, and it was as if he retracted his power, releasing her. Was the woman someone he knew? Not about to ask, she whipped around and hurried through the room and on toward the exit. Glancing back once, she saw that he was watching her from the doorway. She waited for some kind of command—another unspoken demand from him—but he simply let her go without further interference.

  Skye rushed by the guard and this time ignored his lascivious thoughts about her.

  But she couldn’t ignore the shiver that enveloped her once she entered the tunnel.

  The illumination in the long hallway seemed lower than when she’d arrived. Less reliable. It flickered. Faded. Blinked off for several seconds before the glow reignited.

  Off... on... off... on...

  As if she needed another thing to set her on edge. Her jaw was already aching with tension.

  A crushing weight seemed to consume her as she headed back toward land. A burden of incredible magnitude. A secret casino hidden under a legal one. Remembering the way she’d felt when Luc had shoved her in that room, remembering him trying to influence her through his thoughts, she wondered how the Lazares hid its existence. She couldn’t help but wonder exactly how involved Luc was with all this—whether he’d been playing her from the time she’d seen him at the cemetery.

  What had she stumbled into and what could she do with the information? If she told Ethan all that she had experienced, would he believe her?

  Then again, she hadn’t actually learned much of help. Luc’s name. That his father ran the operation, and that his mother was Elizabeth Reyes, the woman whose life Shade had saved. That his sister had “a thing” with Shade. Not exactly damning facts. But she couldn’t help but worry. The rest was more elusive. Hearing the thoughts of both man and beast. Thoughts that raised her instincts but that didn’t give her any kind of clue as to why Shade had taken a bullet.