Dark Kiss

Bishop’s gaze flicked to me as I rubbed my arm. “You okay?”

While I was glad he’d gotten Stephen to let go of me, I wasn’t running into Bishop’s arms with gratitude. “Did you follow me here?”

“Something like that.”

I let out a frustrated groan. “Can’t anyone just talk to me straight? Why is everyone avoiding my damn questions tonight?”

Bishop’s brows went up. “Okay, fine. Yes, I followed you here. Better?”

“Yes. Stalkery, but better.”

“I’m not stalking you.”

“Spoken like a true stalker.”

“So let me start again.” Stephen eyed Bishop with distaste. “Who are you and what do you want?”

There was nothing pleasant about the way Bishop studied him back. In fact, he looked predatory. “You’re the one who kissed Samantha, aren’t you?”

Again, Stephen didn’t seem inclined to answer that particular question, so I did it for him.

“It was him,” I said. “Here on Friday night.”

Bishop’s glare turned into a glower. “Why wouldn’t you explain what it meant to her? What she could expect? It was the least you could do.”

“Luckily for her, you filled her in on the details. Didn’t you?” Stephen walked an appraising circle around Bishop. “I don’t know you. You’re not one of us, which makes me wonder what business it is of yours what I do.”

“Trust me, it’s my business.”

Stephen shrugged. “She liked it. She was practically begging me to kiss her.”

He was such a jerk. Begging? Hardly.

A muscle in Bishop’s cheek twitched. “She didn’t understand what it meant.”

“She’s with me now.” Stephen drew closer, as if challenging Bishop to push him back. “You got a problem with that?”

“Excuse me?” I snapped. “I’m with you? Not the last time I checked.”

He gave me an amused look. “You’ll get used to the idea eventually. Be happy about it, even.”

“Don’t count on it.”

“Where’s the Source?” Bishop asked evenly. “Is it you?”

Stephen didn’t speak for a moment, but then he laughed. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, you do. The one who created you. Created all of you. I need to talk to him or her. Soon. We have important things to discuss.”

Stephen grabbed hold of the front of Bishop’s T-shirt. “No, what I think you need to do is leave now. And Samantha is going to stay right here with me, where she belongs. Give her a few minutes and she’ll be enjoying herself. She might be only seventeen, but that’s more than old enough for the fun I have planned for her.”

The next moment, Stephen gasped as the tip of the golden dagger pressed up under his chin.

Stephen’s chest moved in and out as his breathing increased. “Get that thing away from me.”

“Why would I? From what you’ve told me so far, I’m thinking you’re just a minion. You’re meaningless. You turned an underage girl against her will and gave her the hunger. I don’t care if she wanted to kiss you or not. She didn’t know what it meant. You didn’t explain it. That she isn’t now consuming souls all over the city is her saving grace in my eyes. She’s different than the rest of you. She’s special.”

There was that word again in relation to yours truly. Special.

Bishop had finally gotten the attention of the others hanging out in the lounge area, but not one made a move to help Stephen. Couldn’t say I blamed them. That knife was very sharp.

And—oh, boy. I think it was glowing a little, just like Bishop’s eyes had last night. That was no normal knife. And Bishop was no normal guy.

But I already knew that.

The corner of Stephen’s mouth turned up in a half grimace, half grin. “You’re going to kill me right here? In the middle of a club full of kids? You’ll never get out in one piece.”

“Nice of you to worry about my well-being. Thanks for that. Now, why don’t you make things easier on both of us. Where is the Source?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then you’re not much use to me, are you?” Bishop dug the sharp tip of the knife deep enough that a thin trail of blood ran down Stephen’s throat.

Stephen’s voice turned pitchy. “She doesn’t just stroll in here shaking hands and kissing babies. I don’t find her, she finds me.”

“At least now I know it’s a she.”

An edge of defeat went through Stephen’s eyes. “Are you going to kill me?”

“And risk opening up the Hollow in here? Not tonight.”

Stephen frowned. “The Hollow?”

Bishop gave him a wry grin. “Guess your boss hasn’t told you everything, has she? Sucks for you. When was the last time you fed?”

“Friday. With Samantha. The others here aren’t feeding.”

“And why is that?” Bishop actually looked amused by this. “You know what happens if you feed too much? Have you seen it with your own eyes?”

Stephen’s expression shadowed and, if you ask me, went a little green. “The one you’re calling the Source tells us what to do. She warned us what could happen if we get too greedy, and most of us believed her.”

“Does she come here?”

“No. This is where I hang out. She’s never been here before.”

Bishop’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t approach Samantha again.”

“I didn’t approach her. She came here.”