Chapter 8: Give In To Me

Nash's baritone moan echoed through the arena as he began to sing. "It’s no lie. I know what you want to do. Just like the thousand girls who came before you."

He chuckled devilishly between the lyrics and the blood auras in front of us turned from light crimson to dark maroon. Oh, yeah. He was going to get lucky that night, in more ways than one. "I know just what you want from me and I’ll give it all to you, if you give in to me."

As Kyon joined in with the bass and I with my guitar, the crowd exploded. Nash gyrated his hips against the mic stand, making a silent promise to one special girl. I shuddered as the seduction spell he pushed into the audience rocked backward.

Thankfully, I was mostly immune to it. I felt the spell like a mosquito in my ear, an annoyance. That night, however, he pushed harder, seemingly trying to prove his power. I had to wonder what prompted such a display.

The tempo increased in preparation for the chorus. Zane and Kyon’s voices joined our oldest brother. "Give me all you’ve got to give, baby. I’ll unleash the beast in me."

Nash stepped back from the mic stand and began unbuttoning his shirt. The others continued. "I’ll show you what pleasure is, baby."

In the brief pause between that line and the next, Nash pulled the mic free from the metal clasp holding it in place and glanced back. Narrowing his eyes, he smirked.

"And you will give in to me."

Nash’s head eased back around nonchalantly. Oh, bullsh*t, dear brother. He wanted total control, and I'd just about had enough of his power trip. It was time to show him just what his little sister was capable of.

Directing my attention to the stare I’d been ignoring—the one red dot, laser-locked on me—I decided if Nash could flaunt his strength, so could I. Anthony stood just off stage, with his arms crossed over his chest. After I hunted, I'd give Anthony the night of his life.

As Nash finished stripping from the waist up, Zane released his Vintera Telecaster and wrapped a hand around his own mic. His tenor was an aggressive contrast to Nash’s. As far as I was concerned, Zane should’ve been our lead singer. The sound that came from his throat.... Nothing in the world compared.

"It’s no lie. I wanna break your will in two. Leave you breathless, calling my name to the moon." There were no games with Zane. He didn’t feel the same need Nash did to play with his food, or his family. He just performed, fulfilled the role expected of him. Knowing he had the ability to play mind games and chose not to was refreshing.

He growled the next line. "You think you can handle all of me. Well, I’ll give it all to you, if you give in to me." The growl faded into the rhythm and his hands fell back on the Fender.

Through the second chorus, Nash continued to tempt and torment the fans. He pushed harder, the wave slamming into me with all the force of a Mack truck. He was, indeed, making a statement. Hold it together, Fallon, I reminded myself. Another few seconds. Just stay strong a little bit longer. Then, you can rock Nash's world.

I prepared myself for my solo, channeling all the extra energy into my own spell. When the chorus ended, Kyon and Kade stopped playing, leaving me alone with Zane’s sensual and haunting chords.

I closed my eyes for a moment, rolled my head in a circle over my shoulders, and drew Anthony’s ever-growing desire in with a deep breath. When they opened again, I knew my irises would be a piercing, radiant orange, like the burning embers of a bonfire. It was part of the spell. It was hypnotic, allowing me to draw in my prey effortlessly.

Running my fingertips across my collarbone, I half-sang, half-moaned in the sultriest tone even I had ever heard. "Oh, you can’t get enough. Oh, whoa-oh. Give me all you got." My hand dropped to my thigh, fingers looping under the hem of my skirt. It was all about setting the mood.

I thrust the spell into the world, making sure to direct it toward our manager waiting in the wings. It was unfortunate the others would be affected, too, but such was the way of war. Collateral damage was unavoidable. I was sure they'd forgive the annoyance. "Mmm-mmm. Hit me with your best shot. Oh-oh, ahhh."

Nash’s eyes widened as he stared back at me. I wanted to ask him what was wrong and if he was ready to play nicely yet, but I couldn’t. Such inquiries would lead to forced confessions I had no intentions of making to the public.

Like the professionals they were, Zane, Kyon, and Kade didn’t miss a beat, falling back into the song and delivering another chorus. Nash, however, focused his stunned expression on me, as if he just could not fathom the idea I was capable of not only breaking his spell, but also casting one of my own.

I dragged my tongue over my lips and continued. "Oh, I’ll take you there. If you can keep up."

I knew what poor Anthony was going through, and I silently promised to make it up to him later. I sucked in a deep breath and pushed my voice an octave higher. "If you’re man enough. Oh, if you’re man enou-ough."

For my own safety, I’d hidden the full extent of my supernatural abilities from my brothers, but I never expected they would think so little of me. But no matter. After years of f*cking with me just because he could, it was time for Nash to be put in his place. He wasn’t the strongest, or the fastest, or the most powerful of Graham Perry’s spawn and it seemed—judging from the stunned expression that remained on his face—he was figuring that out.