at the man. C's eyes were rolling around, loose marbles in his deflating bag of a head.
“You know, C, if it were up to me, I'd just leave you here. I don't know if you're aware of this, but when we poof it out of existence, we go back to the Omega. Believe me, what you're going to find on the other side with him is going to make the way you feel now seem like a fucking vacation.” O looked around. “Unfortunately, you're stinking up the place. Some human's going to come in, and then we've got us a problem.”
O picked up the knife, gripping the handle hard. As he lifted it above his shoulder, C's relief brought all those body struggles to a standstill.
“You really shouldn't feel better about this,” O said softly.
He sank the blade into the lesser's chest. There was a flash of light and a popping sound. And C was gone.
O picked up the purse and headed out.
Mary walked over to Rhage, keeping her hand behind her back while she waited for the right moment. He was in the middle of a game of pool, he and Butch beating the tar out of V and Phury.
As she watched them play, she decided she really liked the brothers. Even Zsadist, with all his brooding. They were so good to her, treating her with a kind of respect and reverence she wasn't sure what she'd done to deserve.
Rhage winked at her as he leaned over the table and lined up his stick.
“It's the way you care for him,” someone said in her ear.
She jerked in her shoes. Vishous was right behind her.
“What are you talking about?”
“That's why we adore you. And before you tell me to quit reading your mind, I didn't mean to catch the thought. It was just too loud to tune out.” The vampire took a swallow from a squat glass of vodka. “But that's why we accept you. When you treat him well, you honor each one of us.”
Rhage looked up and frowned. As soon as he took his shot, he came around the table to her and pointedly nudged V out of the way with his body.
Vishous laughed. “Relax, Hollywood. She's only got eyes for you.”
Rhage grunted and tucked her into his side. “You just remember that and your arms and legs will stay right where they are.”
“You know, you were never the possessive type before.”
“That's because I never had something I wanted to keep. You're up at the table, my brother.”
As V put his drink down and got serious about the game, Mary stuck her hand out. From her fingertips, a cherry dangled.
“I want to see your other trick,” she said. “You told me you could do something great with your tongue and a cherry stem.”
He laughed. “Come on—”
“What? No trick?”
His smile was slow. “You just watch my mouth go to work, female.”
Looking at her from under hooded lids, Rhage bent down to her hand. His tongue came out and captured the cherry, pulling it between his lips. He chewed and then shook his head as he swallowed.
“Not quite there,” he murmured.
“What?”
“Your secrets are so much sweeter.”
Flushing, she covered her eyes with her hand.
Oh, sure. Now he wants to get sexy , she thought.
As she took a deep breath, she caught the erotic, dark fragrance he threw off whenever he wanted to be inside her. She lifted her hand and peeked at him.
He was staring at her with total absorption. And the centers of his eyes were as white and gleaming as fresh snow.
Mary stopped breathing.
Something else is in there , she thought. There was… something else looking through his stare at her.
Phury came up, smiling. “Go get a room, Hollywood, if you're going to be like this. The rest of us don't need to be reminded of all you have.”
He clapped his palm on Rhage's shoulder.
Rhage wheeled around and snapped at his brother's hand with his teeth. The sound of his jaws clamping shut was loud enough to suck the conversation out of the room.
Phury leaped back, yanking his arm away. “Jesus Christ, Rhage! What's your—Shit. Your eyes, man. They've turned.”
Rhage paled and then stumbled away, squinting and blinking. “I'm sorry. Hell, Phury, I didn't even know I was—”
All around the room, the men put down whatever was in their hands and came at him, circling him.
“How close are you to the change?” Phury asked.
“Clear the females out,” someone commanded, “Get them upstairs.”
As the sound of people leaving filled the