Page 11 of Beta Hybrid

Callen makes a show of trying to speak through the rope in his mouth, then rolling his eyes.

Cai leans forward. ‘If you try anything, I will rip those fangs right out of your head. Clear?’

I blanch at the threat, but watching those hard, silver eyes, I have no doubt he would follow through.

The vampire nods with a sigh.

Cai rips the rope at his mouth, then moves back, beside me.

Callen licks his lips, opens and shuts his mouth, spitting into the bed of the truck. ‘Ah.’ He works his jaw. Then his gaze finds me, and an amused smirk slides over his face. ‘Sounds like you’ve been having fun, little hybrid.’

I frown. ‘What do you mean?’

Amusement glints in his eyes. ‘Vampires have excellent hearing.’ He raises a brow suggestively. ‘I wouldn’t have pegged you for someone who likes being bitten, but I am pleased—’ He grunts as Cai smacks him upside the head.

‘Don’t talk to her like that.’

My mouth quirks in a half smile. I try to hide the blush warming my cheeks.

‘Did you attempt to kill my mate?’ Cai growls.

‘No,’ Callen says reluctantly. ‘We were pressed together in the narrow hall, and she just smelled so fucking tasty, I couldn’t help myself.’ Another smack upside his head. Another grunt. Callen growls, gaze fixed on my mate. ‘Do that again.’ He angles his head to Cai. ‘Feels nice.’

Cai’s claws extend and grip Callen’s jaw. ‘Tell me, you have healing abilities, will your fangs regrow as soon as I rip them out?’

‘Enough, both of you.’ This is going nowhere. ‘Callen, you seemed to like talking to me in the Tomb, didn’t you? Cai, let him go,’ I add.

He doesn’t hesitate, to my surprise, to release his grip.

Callen throws Cai a glare, then settles his gaze on me. ‘Yes. A nice, blonde distraction.’ He licks his lips. ‘You taste better than I could have hoped.’

This time Callen yelps as Cai whacks him, this time with claws, leaving three gouges up his cheek. ‘You’re wearing my patience,’ Cai growls. ‘Next time, I’ll take your ear.’

I blink at him. I didn’t know you cared, I tease.

Those silver eyes slide to me, now soft as clouds. There’s a sliver of hurt there.

‘So, what, now I’m to be your pet?’ Callen wiggles in the bed of the truck. ‘At least we fed you, little hybrid. What’s your plan for me, hmm?’

I climb up onto the roof of the truck and smile down at him. Trust me, I tell Cai. I meet Callen’s gaze with a wicked smile. ‘I want to play a game with you. You tell me something useful—’ I summon my vines, the sharp thorns glinting in the sunlight. I use one of them to slice a small cut in my arm, letting the blood pool on my skin. Callen’s eyes snap wide, his mouth open. ‘And I will give you a little taste of me.’

Zenna—

I ignore Cai. I let my blood drip down, into the smoke-protected bed of the truck. The droplets land on Cai’s jaw and he turns his head, licking furiously, moaning with weirdly-sex-like noises as he licks it up.

‘Do you want to play with me?’ I watch the hungry vampire devour every possible drop. The biggest carrot we have.

Callen manages to sit up on his knees, facing me, looking for all the world like an obedient, albeit very dangerous, bloodthirsty pet. He smiles darkly. ‘Always. What do you want to know?’

Chapter Five

Zenna

Part of me can’t believe I’m doing this. Holding my blood out, offering it willingly to a vampire. I bet Jana would laugh herself sick at this. No, maybe she would freak out. I don’t know. I watch as my ruby blood pools at the little cut again. ‘I want to know what Drusilla has planned for the remaining Origins.’ I hold my arm out a little further.

Callen’s eyes are laser focused on me. ‘She’s in contact with them. All of them. But they don’t like her. They put up with her. Her plan is to kill them. I don’t know how.’ He lets out a little sound, like a whine, edging up on his knees, eager for my blood.

‘I wouldn’t say that was a helpful answer, would you, Zen?’ Cai looks over at me. He could stop me from doing this. Could shut it all down, and there isn’t much I could do about it. But he’s trusting me.