Shoulda gone after her sooner, Bound thought, frowning as he tried to decipher the pensive expression on her lovely face. He had felt that something was wrong almost as soon as she had left them and disappeared into the crowd. He’d wanted to follow her at once but Gaze had disagreed, saying that they couldn’t exactly chase the curvy Elite into the Ladies Area.
But the feeling of wrongness just kept growing and eventually, Gaze had gotten it too. Bound thought he might have felt it first because Angel had given him her blood first, before she also gave some to his twin. But for whatever reason, when the two of them finally went across to the Ladies Area, the feeling that Angel was in danger was so strong it had nearly choked him.
When he’d seen that damn hand-written sign that said “out of order” and knew for certain something suspicious was going on, Bound had felt a terrible fear that they were going to be too late. A picture had flashed in his mind—a horrible image of Angel lying there in a pool of blood, her lifeless eyes staring at the ceiling…
He’d been massively relieved when the door had opened and Angel had been all right. But even now, Bound had the feeling that they had narrowly escaped something terrible.
Never shouda left her alone in the first place, he repeated to himself. It was a mistake he didn’t intend to make again.
When they finally got back to the penthouse apartment at the top of Trindall Tower, Angel seemed preoccupied. Bound wished he could know what she was thinking—he wished that he and Gaze had a bond with her. If they did, there would be a three-way mental connection between all three of them. Then he wouldn’t have to wonder what she was thinking—he would know.
“You okay, Angel?” he asked her as they climbed out of the hovercoach and walked into the opulent living area with its gold lamps and ornate furniture.
“You were awfully quiet on the way home,” Gaze added. “Did something happen with Mistress Crueltongue? Something we should know about?”
“Something you want us to do something about?” Bound asked in a growl. As a Kindred, he would never hurt a female, but if he found out the other Mistress had hurt his Angel in any way…
The little Elite seemed to consider confiding in them for a moment…but then she shook her head.
“No, no—nothing that needs to concern the two of you,” she told him and Gaze. “She’s just a lot of talk.” She lifted her chin. “But I don’t care what she says—I’m taking her down! Mistress Pricklethorn invited me to the next meeting of the Sacred Seven and I’m going to be there to present my case and get her damn mines closed down permanently!”
Her dark eyes flashed and her creamy brown skin almost seemed to glow. Bound couldn’t help thinking that she was fucking magnificent when she was angry—and so beautiful it made him ache.
Which reminded him that he was still wearing the damn crotchless trousers and his shaft was still achingly hard and poking out of them at an awkward angle.
“We’ll be with you, at your back every step of the way,” Gaze promised her.
“But for right now, I think we’d better get a bath and wash this damn oil off,” Bound added, nodding down to his crotch.
“Oh…oh, of course.” Angel blushed again—this time for another reason, Bound thought. “Go ahead and take a bath, then,” she said to him and Gaze. “I, er, think I’d better go get changed out of this outfit.”
“There’s a problem though, Angel,” Bound said, before she could turn away and leave him and Gaze to their own devices. “With the oil—don’t you remember?”
“Remember what?” She turned back towards them, a frown creasing her brow.
“The Gatekeeper said that only the hand that applied the oil could wash it off,” Gaze reminded her gently. “Bound and I can try to get it off on our own…”
“But we might not be able to,” Bound finished his twin’s sentence. “And if we can’t, well…” He nodded down at his still hard shaft. “This is gonna get pretty fuckin’ painful after a while.”
“Oh, dear!” Angel’s little hand flew to her mouth. “I wondered about that earlier,” she murmured. “Wondered if…if being hard for a prolonged period of time without being able to, er, get relief was painful for a male.”
“It is,” Gaze assured her and Bound nodded agreement. “I’m sorry, Mistress Alexa, but I think we’re going to have to ask for your help,” he added.
“Oh, well of course.” She blushed again—Gods, she was fucking adorable when she was embarrassed, Bound thought—and then lifted her chin. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s get the two of you cleaned up. But that’s all we’re going to do, mind you,” she added, giving them both a fierce look. “I, er, made a promise to myself not to touch the two of you inappropriately anymore and I’ve already had to break it once.”