Bane of My Existence

Chapter 24

"We're not on the best of terms at the moment." As much as he hated it, Kinsey wasn't going to open up to him anytime soon, but he needed to know what happened to her. "Go talk to her. Find out what happened at work."

She scowled at him. "Oh, I'll talk to her, but I don't have to tell you anything. You're lucky I have my priorities straight, or I'd be beating your ass for hurting her." With that, she marched to the bathroom and slipped through the door.

As soon as she was gone, Kalem leaned back on the counter, rubbing circles around his temples. "Fuck. That hurt. Whatever that was."

The device Victor used on them. Whatever it was, it was effective against shifters. Enough to knock them off their feet, rendering them defenseless. It was a wonder they were left alone. He half expected to have his ass dragged back to the Bane Building. There would have been nothing he could have done to prevent it. He and Kinsey were left defenseless.

A deeply unsettling thought.

The scientists over there were getting creative with their weapons. Meanwhile, all his people had were their teeth and claws to defend themselves. Hardly effective anymore.

Kalem bounced off the counter and ran a tea towel under the sink. He used the reflection in the window to clean up the blood around his ears, nose, and eyes. He turned, tossing Damon the towel, then crossed his arms. "So, what now?"

Damon dabbed the blood off his face while he considered his options. "High Witch Colleen might make a Mimic potion for me, then we'll see if Mister Skilled in the Art of Infiltration and Recon can actually find us something useful."

Kalem waved it off. "I'm sure Dayton will follow through. I was talking about Kinsey. Victor has his eye on her--and now he knows she's been in contact with you."

"He won't kill her."

No, after the way he saw him eyeing Kinsey, how close he was to her, even his fucking stench told him, he definitely had other plans for her.

"Maybe not, but she smells like one of us and something tells me he's aware of her change."

She had changed all right, but how? What did Victor do to her? What did he plan to do with her?

The bathroom door opened, drawing him away from his thoughts. Kinsey exited in a fresh t-shirt and jeans; she hung Victor's coat on the rack by the front door then faced them. The tears were gone and she had adopted a more stoic front, but her eyes were still red. Her pain was far from forgotten and when she glared at him, he felt just how badly he had hurt her.

Of course, he had known all along how much this would tear her up inside. He had just hoped it wouldn't come to this. He wanted to pretend he had never intended to use her and continue living the fantasy in their perfect little bubble.

He was either a naive idiot or hopelessly in love.

"You're still here?" Kinsey seemed surprised. She remained standing, arms folded over her chest, while Sabrina took a seat on the armchair, watching her friend very carefully.

It cut him that she had to ask. "I've spent the last few hours afraid that I might never see the woman I love again. I'm not leaving until I know you are safe."

She stood locked in place, her golden eyes burning bright, an everlasting flame of hatred devoted to searing his heart.

Her whole body quaked, as fiercely as any shifter about to shift. "No. You don't get to say that." She thrust a finger his way, and he winced. "You used me, Damon. You told me lies to make me feel better about myself, so I would trust you! You only ever cared about getting information on the Corporation! I cared. I. . . I loved you!" She bit her lip, taking a moment to compose herself again. "I want nothing to do with you, Damon. I don't need you--or your protection. Victor is sending one of his men to look out for me."