Reese,” he said, his warm breath brushing against my ear. “What’s yours?”
I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head. No way was I giving him my name. When his lips pressed against my neck, in the same spot where Jace’s had been moments before, I shuddered violently. The Narco’s body stiffened behind me. He gripped my shoulders and twirled me around—his face inches away from my mine. His eyes flared red as he stared into my blue flames. Then his lips curled back, revealing his now elongated eyeteeth.
I wrestled out of his hold and bolted for the door. I was almost there when he grabbed my waist. He hauled me against the wall and pinned my hands on either side of me. “You’re not full?” he said questioningly. His blazing eyes searched my neck.
I glared up at him. His black hair hung straight, just touching the dark lashes crowding his glowing red eyes. His face was smooth, fair, becoming fairer by the second. His lips parted, their flushed pink contrasting against his white, sharp eyeteeth. My breath caught as his ears shifted from rounded human ears to pointed as he revealed his Kythan form to me.
“Not yet.” I jerked my head away from his penetrating gaze. “But don’t let that fool you.”
He chuckled. “Oh, I’m not fooled. You’re plenty capable.” His red eyes flicked down my body. “But, no ink, no power. I wouldn’t want to accidentally hurt my new ally.”
I glanced around the dark room, struggling under his hold. “There’re more of your allies here, you know,” I told him, finding his eyes again. “Don’t want to threaten the Treaty Act in front of witnesses, do you?”
He laughed, a low, menacing sound. “Well precious, let this be a lesson.” He snapped my hands above my head, gripping them both with only one of his. Then he slid his fingers down my cheek, pausing to run his thumb over my bottom lip. “You shouldn’t come out to play until you have the power to party like a big girl.”
His eyes flared, and red, scorching flames burned into mine as his hands heated, warming my skin uncomfortably. “Take your hands off me before I drop you where you stand,” I threatened. “This is my city.” I glared back into his glowing eyes. “You’re the one who shouldn’t be here.”
“You’re a feisty one, I’ll give you that. But I’m not here to fight.” His free hand stretched down, and he kicked my legs apart. Then he ran his hand up my inner thigh. “You might like what my kind can do.” Heat spread through my body as his hand warmed my skin beneath the leather. It felt like liquid fire heating me, and I fought harder to free myself.
His face began to lower toward mine, as if he was going to…kiss me? I tried to concentrate, but his hand—the heat—was sliding up and panic distracted me, keeping me from tearing his red eyes out. He leaned in…but halted right before my face, his eyes growing wide. They shimmered as a soft smile replaced his sneer.
His lips passed mine, finding my ear instead. “Come find me after you go through the change,” he whispered, sending shivers along my skin. “You actually seem like a challenge.” He raised his head and shifted into his human form. No longer looking menacing.
I glared into his fire red eyes. Was that a threat or a come on? I shook my head, clearing it. And what the hell just happened? Why isn’t he ripping my throat out?
I was thrust forward by the force of him being ripped off me. “Get your hands off her, Narco Slime.” Jace stood between us.
I fell against the wall, slack, and took deep breaths to calm myself. Lana loomed near the exit door waving me over. Oh, no. Not before I get a piece of this guy. I pushed off the wall and knocked Jace out of the way as I went for the Narco’s groin with my knee. He blocked it, but I got another quick shot in and nailed him across the face with my fist. Damn. That stung. His head snapped to the side and stayed there.
Jace forced me through the door. “Are you crazy?” he said angrily as he ushered me away from Cogs. Lana and Nick came up beside us, matching our brisk pace.
As we raced through the cobbled street, I glanced back to see the three Narcos pushing through the door of Cogs. “Jace, what are