More Than Blood by Amanda Vyne Page A

Drained. You wouldn’t happen to know how she got there.”
    Aggie shrugged and drew deeply on the cigarette again, then blew a plume of smoke into the room. Her pale blue eyes appraised Gabe for a minute but then she shrugged as she rolled them back to Kel. “Why not? The Triumvirate won’t do anything about a dirty little crossbreed anyway.” There was a smirk on her face as she shot a smug look to Gabe, dull blue eyes slithering over him. “And House elders only concern themselves with their own. Blood rules, you know. One of the dealers came by a few days ago looking for a Guardian-Sanguen breed to use as a source. Sometimes it’s hard to tell before they go into their first heat, you know, but them Guardian boys took a real liking to her so I figured as much.” Her eyes raked over Kel. “You little strays can sniff out your own. So I gave him a sample. Yesterday, he wanted the whole thing. She was turning out to be more trouble than she was worth so I handed her over.”
    Gabe could feel the fury radiating off of Kel although she maintained that cold half smile she’d come in with. He wanted to touch her, but he didn’t think she’d accept him. Although their bond was tenuous without a full blood exchange, her pain made him raw and angry. He wanted to do something, punish the Elemental, but if he interfered he’d lose the little ground he’d gained with her. He would wait, let her respond in her own way. Besides, now that he’d been in the Elemental’s house he could come back whenever he chose.
    Kel cocked her head to the side, that little smile making her seem young and innocent. She had such a youthful face. It was a mask. Something dangerous seethed beneath the surface, and Gabe suspected this thin woman didn’t have a clue how strong it was.
    Circling her fingers over the smooth corner of the leather couch positioned in front of the fireplace, Kel looked down to watch a long claw extend from her index finger into the leather. She looked up at the woman coyly through her lashes, the fury seething in her dark eyes as the other three claws slid out and punctured the leather. She slowly walked behind the couch, dragging her claws over the back of it, shredding it, white stuffing pushing up as the material parted.
    “I’m sure you turned a tidy little profit. Peddling innocent young girls.” When she reached the end of the couch she flicked her wrist, sending bits of leather, stuffing, and wood scattering over the floor. Lifting her hand, she inspected her claws, calmly blowing a piece of stuffing from the one razor-sharp edge. When she stood before the woman the Fire Elemental was no longer smirking.
    A dangerous glint of blue flickered in the depths of the Elemental’s eyes. She’d dropped the cigarette and an iridescent blue flame encased her hands as she held them in from of her, palms facing outward.
    “Kelly.” The Elemental tsked. “Do you really want to have that particular lesson again?” Her voice was a raw hiss, her flickering blue eyes wary.
    Kel brought her other hand up to waist level and glanced down at it as the claws shot forward from her fingertips, razor sharp. When she looked at the woman her eyes were flooded completely black, the color of a fully matured Guardian on the hunt. She cocked her head to the side, blinking her eerie, glittering obsidian eyes. “Only if I can be the teacher this time.”
    Gabe should have been disgusted by the animalistic ferocity in her. He was paired with a female who had the capacity to tear someone apart with her own hands, but it sent a little excited thrill through him. He couldn’t prevent his own feral smile as the Elemental stumbled back a step, fear plain on her face, eyes darting from claws to eyes.
    It was obvious the woman had not yet met this Kel. “It was Jimmy Centrone. He gave me two grand, blabbering something about moving up to the big time with some new House connection. Told me if I could score him any more Guardian-Sanguen