02 Blood Roses - Blackthorn by Lindsay J Pryor Read Free Book Online

thing to him, or he’s going to say the wrong thing to her—’
    ‘Alisha, relax,’ he said, pulling level, clipping her chin. ‘We’re supposed to be celebrating. Get yourself changed and we’ll head down to the club.’
    ‘Jake, this is serious. She has a habit of speaking before she thinks, particularly when it comes to your kind. I’m warning you, there’s going to be trouble.’
    ‘Leila saved my life tonight. Do you think Caleb’s going to forget that? That I will? Trust me – Caleb will sort it.’
    ‘So he’s not planning to keep her here?’
    ‘For what?’
    ‘I don’t know. Her spells and stuff?’
    ‘If Caleb wanted a witch, he’d get himself a witch.’ He brushed her hair back from her face. ‘Why did you never mention her talent before?’
    Alisha shrugged. ‘I didn’t know how you’d take it. I didn’t know if it would affect things.’
    He caught her wrist and pulled her closer, his blue eyes sparkling. ‘Is that your only secret?’
    Right then being playful was her last thing on her mind. ‘Promise me Caleb won’t hurt her.’
    ‘Why would he?’
    She shrugged. ‘I saw the way he was with her before you woke up. He didn’t like her wearing the protest rings.’
    He frowned. ‘You really are worried, aren’t you? I’ve never seen you so uptight.’
    ‘You’re not the one who’s got to live with the aftermath of this.’
    ‘It’ll be fine,’ he said, brushing her hair back from her neck.
    But as he leaned in, she pushed him away. ‘You’d better not.’
    He pulled back, stared deep into her eyes. ‘What’s the problem?’
    ‘Leila’s mad enough. I don’t want her to know about you feeding on me too.’
    He widened his eyes slightly. ‘Are you serious?’
    ‘It’s bad enough I’m dating you. If she knows I’m feeding you as well, she’ll flip.’
    ‘Maybe you should tell her about some of the other things I’ve done to you,’ he said with a playful smirk as he leaned into her neck again.
    ‘Jake, I mean it,’ she said, her free hand to his chest. ‘I need to be careful.’
    ‘It’s no fun if we’re careful,’ he whispered in her ear before raking his incisors down to her pulse point.
    ‘No,’ she snapped, wrenching free. ‘Wait until we get down into the club.’
    ‘So you are coming then?’
    ‘You think I’m going to let all those stray females fawn over you?’
    He wrapped his arms around her waist. ‘You know how this works – it’s only you I bring up here.’
    She gazed into his eyes. ‘I know.’
    ‘Then ease up,’ he said, catching hold of her hips to ease her back against the door. ‘Anyway, you’re hardly one to criticise.’
    ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
    ‘Do you think I don’t see the way you look at Caleb?’ He leaned closer, a taunting gleam in his eyes. ‘Maybe it’s me who should be jealous.’
    Alisha broke a smile. ‘Maybe you should be.’
    Jake slid his hands over her shoulders to her behind, tugging her closer. ‘I wouldn’t go there if I were you.’
    Alisha raised her eyebrows coaxingly. ‘No? Don’t you think I could handle him?’
    ‘He’d eat you alive.’
    ‘Sounds like fun.’
    ‘You keep thinking that.’ He entwined his fingers in her hair to gently ease her head aside, kissing her lightly up her neck.
    She’d never asked him if he cared. It had never seemed important until then. ‘You promise you’ll look after us?’
    ‘I’ll take care of you every step of the way,’ he said with a smile.
    ‘I was so scared I’d lost you, Jake. Watching you like that. It was horrible.’
    ‘So show me how glad you are to have me back,’ he suggested, lowering his incisors to her neck again.
    ‘Not there,’ she said breathily. ‘Do it somewhere Leila won’t see. I mean it. She’ll freak. And I just don’t want to deal with it tonight, not after everything else.’
    Jake smirked as he lowered to his knees, dragging his kisses down her cleavage, her stomach, his eyes gazing playfully