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Copyright © 2012 by Wendy Higgins

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 KAIDAN’S POINT OF VIEW:
CHAPTER ONE OF SWEET EVIL

I was still pissed off when I got to the club that night. In the three months since I’d turned
seventeen father had been pushing me. Testing me. That afternoon I’d discovered what could
very well be my limit. Father hadn’t said a word, but his face was tight when we parted. I really
fucking hoped he’d let it go.
I was still thinking about it when we took the stage—thinking of the young girl’s face in
the photograph—Marisa’s “niece” who’d soon be arriving from Hungary. Thinking of the way
madame Marisa clicked her long, blood-red nails together, a sound that followed me into
nightmares. The way Father eyed me with expectancy when Marisa handed me the photo.
“She’s a bleedin’ child,” I’d spouted without thinking. I tried not to flinch when Marisa,
that devil woman, ran her nails down my arm. She was about the only woman who could do that
without turning me on.
“We’re not asking you to screw her,” Marisa crooned. “We just don’t want her too
terrified when her new owner touches her. Some buyers like that, but not this one.”
“She’s not that young,” my father said. I heard the edge of warning in his voice, a sound
that felt like slivers of ice shoved down my throat.
I glanced down at the picture again. It didn’t even look like she’d begun developing.
Eleven, perhaps? For the first time ever my revulsion overrode my fear. When it came to girls
my age and older women, I was down for anything. But pedophilia was fucking disgusting. I
handed the picture back and crossed my arms. Marisa rolled her eyes and smoothed a lock of her
long, black hair.
“Looks like your boy’s more plain vanilla than you thought,” she’d muttered.
“He’ll be fine when the girl arrives, luv,” Father assured her, eying me. “He’ll do what
needs to be done.”
But that’s where he was wrong. I knew he was into the worst-of-the-worst shit out there,
but there were certain lines I could not physically force myself to cross, and this was one of
them. Maybe the picture was old. I could only hope she was older than she appeared.
I got the hell out of there after that. I tried to erase the girl from my memory on the drive
to the gig. It’d do me no good to think about her or the hundreds of others like her.
Don’t feel.
 Don’t think.
Don’t acknowledge that it’s real. Just go through the motions, like always.
I took my place at the drums that night and twirled the drumsticks, savoring the familiar
feel of the cool, smooth wood between my fingers. Deep breaths. Time to clear my head in the
only way I knew how. Sitting behind the drums, I was myself. The real me. Even during sex I
couldn’t completely let go—I was hyper aware. Music was the only way.
I looked out at the packed house. Girls screaming, jumping up and down in front of the
stage. Loads of skin on show.
Yeah. I could do this.
Starting with feather taps and working my way across the set, I ripped a line of beats to
warm up. Immediately the energy in the room changed, heightened. Conversations hushed and
heads turned toward the stage, then voices buzzed back life louder than before. Michael shot me
a grin before he checked his cords and mic. A wicked beat could change the entire atmosphere in
a room. I felt eyes on me, heating my blood. Yeah, a good beat was sexy. Made people wanna
move their bodies...especially their hips...
Plain vanilla my arse.
Damn it. I had to stop thinking about today. Besides, Marisa was only sore that I’d
ignored all of her nasty advances.
Michael threw his strap over a shoulder, electric guitar slung low. He picked off a few
notes, eyeing Raj on bass until they both nodded, happy with the sync.
Michael motioned the deejay, who told the room to give it up for Lacivious. And they
did. The louder the better.
I purposely didn’t eye the energized crowd as Michael took to the mic with the welcome.
I had to focus. Couldn’t be distracted by all the chicks and their curves out there.
Michael gave me the go with a flick of his chin and I raised the sticks above my head to
count us in.
“One, two, three, four!” Bam.
We were on fire that night. First song was high-energy, throwing me into a chop out and
ending with muscle burn. All the shit in my life disappeared and there was only the creation of
beats—beats that vibrated the soul, bringing flesh to life, every cell thumping in a rhythm they
could barely contain.
 I imagined joy was something akin to this. Just letting go.
My forehead was already a bit damp at the end of the first song, making my hair stick. I
pushed it aside and got set for the second song, which started slower.
When the room settled I started us on the warm cymbal, a shushing build-up to a quiet
beat. Michael always made it to second base with the microphone when he sang this ballad
section. And then the real fun began—dramatic silent pause and stillness, followed by a raw, all-
out punishment of the drums, screamed lyrics, and a high-decibel refrain loud enough to rip the
roof off.
In. The. Zone.
My body took over and hit after hit fell just right until crash—slam of the cymbals. I
twirled the drumsticks in the air then tucked them under my arm.
Damn, what a rush. I felt good. Focused. Until my stupid wet hair got stuck in my eyes
and I couldn’t blink it way. I swatted it aside. We had a couple minutes before the next song
while Michael bullshitted with the fans a bit, keeping them worked up.
Speaking of worked up, two girls in front shouted my name so I looked. Mother Nature
had blessed them both with gigantic chests. They’d in turn blessed us all by wearing tiny shirts.
Such kindness deserved a grin. Maybe they’d make it backstage later. Could be fun...
I shifted on the stool. Damn. Stay focused, git.
The third song started. Raj picked the tune on his bass line and then I came in strong,
willing myself to get lost in the intricate details. When it ended I quieted the tinging cymbals
between my fingers. With a tilt of my head I flicked the hair from my eyes and grabbed my water
bottle from the floor.
I scanned the crowd, trying not to check out the cleavage-display again, and hoping not to
see the faces of a few girls who’d been stalking me lately. My scanning skidded to a halt at the
sight of a fresh-faced blonde staring right at me. She was cuter than hell with that wild mane of
long hair and a spicy red aura. But the bit I noticed next sent an iced razor down my spine.
Was that...a badge at her sternum? No. I stared. It wasn’t black, but there was definitely
something supernatural there. I searched around her, expecting to find a guardian angel sidled up
close, but she had none.
Shit. A bloody fucking Neph. Sent by my father, no doubt.
SHIT! He worked fast.
 I tried to swallow, but couldn’t, so I forced a few gulps from the water bottle. Now
Michael was giving me the go for the next song, so I dropped the bottle to the floor and pulled
the sticks from under my arm.
I’d lost all focus. I don’t know how I stayed on beat except the fact that we’d practiced so
much it was nearly second nature. I glanced back to keep an eye on the girl, but she was gone,
pushing her way through the crowd toward the loo. It took every ounce of self-control not to
abandon the band and jump from the stage to follow her. I thought I knew every Neph close to
my age, but I’d never seen her. I’d definitely remember that sweet face. That hair.
I silently cursed the song for being so long, but at least it was our last before the next
band came on. I didn’t normally use my extended hearing during a gig, but I’d have to make an
exception this once. I shoved my auditory sense over the massive crowd and straight into the
girls‘ loo. I listened, trying to make sense of the silly conversation while thrashing out the
backbone of the song.
“I heard that guy Kaidan has gonorrhea.”
I missed a beat and all my bandmates shot me questioning glances. I couldn’t remember
the last time I’d dicked up a song, but I was too concentrated on the bathroom drama to give a
rat’s arse.
Clearly the Neph was trying to keep the other girls from going backstage. Fewer
obstacles in her way as she came to find me and...do what? Kill me? Test me somehow for my
father and the other bloody Dukes?
And now what was she saying to the girls? She was taking it back and apologizing? What
the…? It didn’t make a bit of sense.
Finally the blasted song was wrapping up and I could get to the bottom of this rubbish.
The blonde came out just as we were rushed off the platform. I kept my hearing tight
around the girl as I walked backstage. She met up with some guy she called Jay. The
conversation sounded so bleedin’ normal. She might be a good actress, but she couldn’t fool me.
Anna. He’d called her Anna.
Jay was taking Anna backstage. Bingo. Time to play, little Neph.
Ah, cripe. Three local models were waiting for me when I walked in. I’d forgotten I
invited them. My mind was too preoccupied to fully appreciate the fit females encircling me at
that moment. I sensed the Anna girl walking in with two human boys.
 The girl next to me lifted a cigarette. I had my matches out and aflame before she could
reach for her lighter—a pub talent I’d perfected at age fourteen after having seen my father do it.
But I couldn’t pretend to be more interested in the girls as I watched Anna’s human boys leave
her there looking out of place and uncomfortable in her own skin, emotions on display all around
her. Good God, her aura! Why the hell was she letting it show?
The models chatted and I replied, but I couldn’t for the life of me take my eyes off Anna.
And then she looked at me, too, giving my pulse a punch.
Her aura went berserk, and she dropped her eyes, as if shy. As if. Did she think I was a
fool? She looked back up, and I swear she appeared terrified, which irked me. Balls to the walls,
mate. Time to confront her.
A slender hand grabbed my arm and called my name. I raised an index finger and
excused myself.
The Neph’s eyes darted all around as I approached, which only made me stare harder. I
didn’t know what she was playing at but she was about to lose.
Finally she held my eye.
“Who are you?” I asked.
“I’m...Anna?”
Trying to be cute, eh? Not buying it.
“Right. Anna. How very nice.” I leaned closer. “But who are you?”
“I just came with my friend Jay?”
She began to babble and fidget as I stared at her nervous aura and that amber and white
swirled badge. I’d never seen a Duke with an amber badge, and white was unheard of—the shade
of angels. Anna crossed her arms and I looked up.
Her lips were pursed like she was unhappy...and she had the loveliest beauty mark at the
top edge of her lips. God, I wanted to touch it...kiss it...lick it. Naturally, that led to imagining her
naked with that silky hair around her. Would she keep up the innocent act in bed? Nah, I
wouldn’t let her—I’d have her true vixen side showing in no time. Mmm...
Hey, asshat, she’s likely here to gather intel that could lead to your death, I reminded
myself, clearing my head before my body had a chance to take over. Besides, I had a “no Neph”
rule.
 This girl was strange, no doubt, but I couldn’t help getting closer and having a bit of fun
if we were going to do this whole “pretend” thing.
When I asked where her angel was I thought for sure she’d drop the charade and just
fucking say what she came to say, but she didn’t. She seemed genuinely flustered, like she
thought I was referring to her non-boyfriend as an angel. If this was all an act, how could she get
her colors to jump around like that: light gray, medium gray, fuzzy, sharp, and yeah boy...a nice
swirl of red. She wanted me, but I could tell she wasn’t happy about it.
Why wouldn’t she just tell me who she was and what she wanted? Why play this game
when she knew I could see she was a Neph?
I stepped back. A thought occurred that sort of freaked me the fuck out. What if she
didn’t know?
No.
That wasn’t possible. Maybe back in the day when Dukes had countless kids there could
be unaccounted Neph orphans, but everything was tightly regulated now. Someone had to know
about her. Maybe she was kept hidden from other Neph to be used as a secret weapon against us
—confuse the hell out of us and then go for the kill.
I wondered how far she was willing to take this little game. I looked over at the humans
she came with.
“Not your boyfriend, eh?” She was starting to appear angry, which I found entertaining.
“Are you certain he doesn’t fancy you?”
I grinned and she jutted out her chin, standing a little taller, which wasn’t very tall at all.
“Yes, I am.”
“How do you know?” I asked.
She seemed to ponder this question before spouting, “I just know, okay?”
I lifted my hands and laughed in the face of her cute show of sassiness. Perhaps I was
having a bit too much fun with this whole thing, but I couldn’t help myself. It was just so
ridiculous. I was determined to out her by any means possible. Intimidation hadn’t worked, so it
was time to turn on the charm.
“I’m terribly sorry, Anna. I’ve forgotten my manners. I thought you were...someone
else.”
I stuck out my hand. “I’m Kaidan Rowe.”
 She pulled a hand away from her chest and took my hand. Hers was soft and cool and
seemed right at home in mine, which was an idiotic thing for me to think. This little Neph was
doing bizarre things to me.
I was about to pull my hand away when hers suddenly warmed...and she full-out blushed.
Un-fucking-believable. How did she get herself to do that? And her aura was going mad again,
lust winning out as the dominant color. And just to be sure she wasn’t simply an expert at mind
games, I opened my sense of smell and let it surround her.
Oh my damn. Definitely giving off pheromones.
Oh...she smelled so good. Like a fresh pear. And some dainty flower I couldn’t put a
name to. That was gonna bug me.
Right. I chuckled at the craziness of it all and slowly took my hand back. I was about to
tuck my sense of smell away until I got an idea. One more test for her. I searched down the
street, bypassing foul scents until I found what I was looking for.
“Ah, smells good. There’s nothing like American hotdogs. I think I’ll have one later.”
She looked at me like I was crazy and said, “I don’t smell anything.”
“Really? Lean toward the door some. Breathe a bit...deeper.”
I could tell she knew what I meant. Her face tightened in concentration and her little nose
slightly flared until I knew she’d smelled it. One mile away. I waited for her to try to deny it, but
she only shook her head and blinked at me. Yeah, that’s right...I can do what you can do, so let’s
cut the shite, shall we?
“Hmm. I suppose I was mistaken then,” I said with a healthy dose of sarcasm.
This had really gone on long enough. I needed to get her away from the public eye and
get some answers. Things were not adding up.
One of the models took that inopportune moment to approach. I whispered what she
wanted to hear—that I’d be over in a moment to take her home, and then we had all night. She
walked away satisfied, while I felt anything but. I couldn’t get out of work to chase this Neph
girl, especially if I was under some sort of surveillance. But I would find her. Her human friends
were over there giving their information to our road manager. I’d find out where they lived, what
school they attended, what parties were happening in their area...I had resources.
“Maybe I’ll see you around, Anna. I’ll be sure to give your boyfriend Jay’s songs a
listen.”
 I heard her say, “He’s not my…” as I walked away, back to my gorgeous dates waiting
none too patiently.
I listened from afar as the bloke Jay came back to her, inquiring about our conversation. I
almost laughed when he said, “Man, y’all looked like you were gonna rip each other’s clothes
off!” and she hit him. Instead I winked at her, and damned if she didn’t blush again.
She deserved an Oscar.
I tried to give the models my full attention, but all I could think about was the Neph girl
when she left. I listened to their conversation as they drove away. She was just about to ring
someone named Patti when they exited my range of hearing.
“Freesia!” I said when the name of the flower finally came to me.
The models gave one another funny looks and giggled.
I shook my head. “Sorry. Don’t mind me.”
They laughed now and I grinned, feeling like an idiot—an unfamiliar feeling for me.
Intrigue like I’d never before experienced flooded me, and I didn’t like it. I couldn’t get
her out of my head. Everything about her screamed of innocence, but that was impossible. Her
sudden appearance in my life drove me to distraction—something I could not afford. Still, I
replayed our meeting for days, images of her all-natural appearance, open expressions, and the
seemingly authentic friendship with a human boy.
Either this Neph had some twisted, ingenious plan to entrap me, or she truly didn’t know
what she was, which meant serious danger for her. Not that I should care. One thing was for
certain: I wouldn’t rest until I found out more about this Anna.