Blood Lust - Alexandra Ivy Page 0,22

it for some reason, I’m not going to be pleased.”

He reached a chubby hand toward her. “I’ll do more research later today.”

“No.” She gave a sharp shake of her head. “You’ll do it now.”

“Fine. I’ll do it now,” he muttered, climbing off the bed to pull on a robe. He sent her a pleading glance. “Then maybe we can have a late breakfast in bed.”

“Maybe.” Which translated to “not fucking likely.” Stella gave a dismissive wave of her hand. “Go do as I ask.”

“Stella—”

“Peter, don’t piss me off,” she once again interrupted, turning away to head toward the walk-in closet.

“Dammit,” he muttered, moving to the secret doorway that led to his private rooms.

“Putz,” Stella growled, shedding the robe, moving to study her perfectly curved body in the full-length mirror.

Soon she would be in a position to rid herself of Peter, just as she rid herself of Gilbert. Then she would take a lover who was worthy of her.

She smiled, her hands skimming over her body before cupping her full breasts.

She couldn’t wait for that day.

Chapter Five

The diner just north of Columbia, Missouri, had gone through more than one reincarnation.

It’d started as a prime destination for truckers who enjoyed their food cheap and plentiful. Then the bypass had been built for the local interstate and it’d slowly faded into a greasy spoon. A few years ago some investor with more money than sense had tried to reopen the restaurant as a karaoke bar. It’d thrived for a few months, but now it was once again a shabby dive that attracted the late night drunks and early morning hunters.

Which meant there were a dozen or so customers inside the restaurant despite the fact it was nearly four in the morning.

Standing in the shadows, Bas watched as the heavy SUV pulled up beneath the lone streetlight.

There was a short hesitation before the tall, slender woman slid out of the automobile and headed toward the diner.

Bas’s lips twitched.

The Mave of Valhalla was still as regally beautiful as ever with her silky black hair pulled into a smooth knot at her nape and her classically perfect face. But the dark gray eyes held a power that had gone from impressive, when he’d known her, to downright intimidating.

His gaze lowered to the slender body that was shown to advantage in a pair of black jeans and a sleeveless sweater that was cut low enough to expose the birthmark on the upper curve of her breast.

Even in the darkness the shimmering emerald color revealed that her magic was off the charts.

Once they’d been friends and casual lovers, thrown together by their fierce need to protect the high-bloods being hunted by the previous Mave.

But while he still found her beautiful, he wasn’t surprised when his body failed to react.

Since Myst had crashed into his life, his taste in the opposite sex had been fully consumed with a tiny, silver-haired woman.

Silently waiting near the edge of the lot, Bas watched as Lana came to a sharp halt. She was one of the very few with acute enough senses to pick up the presence of an assassin.

She turned in his direction, her head tilting to the side.

“Bas?”

He immediately stepped forward. Tonight wasn’t the time for games.

This female had already tried to kill him. The last thing he needed was to give her yet another reason to want to see him dead.

Or in the dungeons of Valhalla.

“Hello, Lana,” he murmured, a faint smile curving his lips as she moved with elegant grace to stand directly in front of him. “As beautiful as ever.”

“Bas,” she murmured, facing him without fear.

Of course, she had enough magic to destroy him and everyone in a hundred-mile radius. There wasn’t much this woman had to fear.

Especially when she had her private Sentinel standing at the far side of the diner.

Bas had sensed his arrival five minutes ago.

He had to admit to a stab of surprise. Not that Lana had sent a hunter. She’d be a sucker not to make sure this wasn’t a trap. But he hadn’t expected Wolfe to make an appearance.

Bas had never met the current leader of the Sentinels, but there was no mistaking the thunderous power signature. Only the Tagos could make the ground vibrate just by the power of his temper.

And he was in a temper.

Bas had assumed it was because he was forced to waste his night escorting the Mave to meet with a wanted criminal. But as Lana walked ever closer the vibrations increased, revealing a barely restrained fury.

Hmm