Once Bitten

by Trina M. Lee

  “Fuck!” I slammed my hand angrily against the wheel. “I’ve got to get out of here.”

  I made a motion as if to take off my seatbelt, and Jez grabbed my wrist. “Where in the hell do you think you’re going? The end of the train is right there.”

  When I threw the car into park and opened the door, she held firm. I panicked, and anxiety choked me. I couldn’t fight Arys’ demons and help Kylarai. The close confines of the car smothered me in the alluring scent of blood pumping from a healthy leopard heart.

  I was sick with worry that Jez may have to kick my ass yet.

  “Close the door and drive, Alexa.” Her voice was icy cold, as if she was aware that she was dealing with something more than me.

  The end of the train passed. Two vehicles came from the other side of the tracks, and I shut the door rather than risk losing it. Resigned, I shifted into gear.

  “I’m losing my mind, Jez. Don’t hold it against me. It’s that damn vampire. I can’t get him out of me.” One hand gripped the steering wheel until my fingers tingled, while the other hit the button for the automatic window.

  “I slaughtered a man two nights ago,” I rambled on, staring intently at the road. “A human. He was abusing his girlfriend, and the hunger hit me. I lost it.”

  When Jez spoke, her tone was carefully neutral. However, not a drop of fear rolled off her. “We do that all the time, Lex; we take out the trash.”

  “The supernatural trash though, the ones with a chance to fight back. This guy, he didn’t even see it coming.” I laughed bitterly; my anguish did nothing to ease the cramp in my guts. “His girlfriend did though. That pretty little thing chatting me up in the bar was his girlfriend, thanking me for setting her free. She lied to the cops, you know.”

  Jez’ sudden chuckle startled me, and I looked at her. “Shit, it doesn’t matter what monster you are, humans will always be the worst of the bunch.” When I lifted an eyebrow and shook my head, she added, “Take a look around. Everything humans do is destructive and for their own selfish gain.”

  “Hey now,” I admonished. “Just because you weren’t born human doesn’t mean none of us were. But yes, for the most part, I agree.”

  As we talked, I focused on the scent of Were rather than the scent of Were blood, an important difference. The hunger that chewed at my guts simmered down to a nagging but dull roar. Interesting.

  As we got closer to the sports bar, my temper returned. I was outrageously angry with Arys for allowing this to happen. We were supposed to maintain our weaknesses, not inflict them on one another.

  The distant sound of police sirens had me praying they hadn’t been called to Squires.

  A dark figure moved in the shadowed parking lot across the street from the sports hangout. I recognized Arys when he stepped into the beam of a streetlight. He motioned for us to pull behind the building to the back alley where we’d be out of sight from those passing by.

  Jez called Kale; she read the street address off a sign and snapped her phone shut.

  Kylarai’s white Escalade sat with the rear facing us with both doors open on the driver’s side.

  Arys jogged up as I cut the engine. Time seemed to stop and crossing the short distance between our vehicles felt like slow motion.

  Kylarai slumped against the back seat with one hand pressed tightly to her side;

  blood seeped between her fingers. She was fully conscious, but her small smile did nothing to ease her pained expression.

  “Oh, she’s Raoul’s kid, alright.” Her voice came out strained. I reached to touch her but stopped short as the scent of her blood hit me. “Who else would throw such a low blow?”

  “Don’t talk, sweetie,” Jez crooned as she crouched in the dirt beside the big Cadillac.

  “Let’s have a look.”

  The interior light was dim, but I saw the oozing gash when Jez gingerly lifted the hem of Kylarai’s shirt. The scent beat down my control, and I whirled on Arys so fast that I almost lost my balance.

  “Tell me what happened. And when you’re done, you can explain why you let this happen to me tonight.”

  His dark brows drew together, and he looked down his narrow nose at me with a cool stare. Perhaps he felt the bloodlust less strongly than I did. Due to his power and age, he should, but Arys was the insatiable type. I couldn’t determine what he was feeling.

  “We found Zoey Roberts inside the sports bar. She took off the moment she realized we were there. Kylarai chased her down in the parking lot, and the crazy bitch pulled a blade.” He sniffed lightly at Ky’s powerful werewolf blood.

  Every one of my cells raged at me to lash out at him, but the vicious shadow dancing behind his eyes held me in check.

  “I couldn’t go after her without leaving Ky behind,” he continued, his gaze unwavering. “So I let her go. But, Ky sure put the attack on her first. Once the knife was pulled, all bets were off.”

  “So Zoe’s injured too?” I felt hopeful.

  Going easy on her was no longer on my agenda. She blew it. Raoul’s plea to keep her alive meant nothing to me now. With the way I was feeling, Zoey would be jealous of poor dismembered David when I was through with her.

  “Oh yeah,” Arys laughed low and smooth, tickling my insides. “Ky got in a few good digs. She didn’t try to play nice. Wherever that girl headed, she is bleeding, roughed up. We can track her.”

  I understood now and felt absolutely moronic. “That’s why you haven’t fed? So that you can track her easier?”

  “Of course.” He looked at me like I was asinine for asking, and I shot him a dirty look. “I’m a vampire. It’s all about the hunt and the kill for me. Appeasing the hunger eliminates the driving force of the hunt. You’re a predator; you should know.”

  I did know but not the way he meant. My predatory urges were more inclined to slaughter anything nasty that walked with a human form rather than the deer and bunnies of the world. Kill Bambi and Thumper? No thanks. However, supply me with a psychotic vampire or child abuser, and I’ll gut them with a smile on my face. My predator had a logic that Arys’ bloodlust did not.

  I turned back to Kylarai. She patiently allowed Jez to bind the wound with shreds of Ky’s shirt. The blood was slowing.

  “So, what are you waiting for?” I directed my words at Arys as Kale and Shaz rounded the back of the building in Jez’ Liberty. “Get tracking her then.”

  “Not without you.” Arys squinted against the headlights and raised a hand to shield his eyes. “We can track her on foot while they attend to Kylarai. They can meet up with us once we’ve found Zoey.”

  My gaze went to Ky. Her grey eyes sparkled with determination, but her jaw clenched in pain. “Go get that bitch, Alexa. I’ll be fine. Go now before she gets much farther.”

  Shaz and Kale climbed out of the Jeep. Shaz ran to join us around Ky.

  “Did you call Fox?” I asked at the same moment Shaz said, “Fox is on his way.” I had to smile, just a little.

  “Great. Have him head to my house. Kale, please go with Ky and Shaz-,” “Don’t tell me to go with them. I’m not sitting this one out.” Shaz gave me a look that I knew well, the one that dared me to tell him otherwise.

  “Fine, but I’m going on foot with Arys. Zoe is bleeding, and we can track her. Drive my car and keep your phone handy. Head to Raoul’s. I think she might go there.” I didn’t give anyone further chance to contest my instructions. I wanted to get moving while the blood hunger was still within my grasp rather than the other way around.

  Jez stood up from tying the strips of cloth around Kylarai’s middle, tight across the healing wound. “I’ll follow Shaz with my car so Kale can jump in here with Kylarai. See you on the other side.” I nodded and gave her arm a friendly squeeze.

  Shaz accepted the keys that I placed in his hand. The buzz of his wolf prickled my skin unexpectedly. He was wound tighter than a guitar string.

  “Alright, I’m taking off. Give Raoul a call on your way.” I resisted the urge to rub m
y hand where we’d touched. “He’s been calling my phone.”

  “He called mine, too, but I didn’t answer.”

  Ky raised a blood-covered hand silently to indicate that she too had gotten and ignored a call. Raoul had to know I was hunting his daughter. Well, he could save his temper tantrum for when I got there to kick his ass personally. Hopefully, Zoey didn’t beat me to it.

  I leaned down to face Ky and squashed Arys’ hunger deep inside me. I nuzzled the side of her face, similar to what Raoul had done to me. I wished we were in fur on four legs.

  “Take it easy. I swear she’s dead for this,” I assured her.

  Her eyes pleaded with me to hurry.

  “Alexa?” Shaz caught my elbow, and I met his eyes. “Please be careful.” He didn’t shorten my name, so I knew he was more freaked out than he was letting on. I reached up to tousle his hair gently.

  “I will. I promise.” There was nothing else that I could say. “I’ll see you soon.”

  Because I couldn’t sink into his arms the way I wanted to, I grabbed my phone from the Charger and gestured to Arys to lead the way.

  Chapter Nineteen

  We started in the parking lot of the sports bar; Zoey’s blood hung on the still, muggy night air. With Arys’ bloodlust, I easily picked out the scent of human amid Kylarai’s pure Were aroma. With no rain or wind to interfere, tracking Zoey was almost too easy, barely a challenge.

  She most certainly headed towards Raoul’s end of town. I dialed his number as we went; I hailed his voice mail with a litany of my favorite curses. A sick sensation of dread settled in my stomach.

  “There’s no answer.” I was hot and itchy in my skin. The instincts that drove me commanded me to ditch the restrictions of a human form and go as wolf, but I had to wait until the time was right. As great as the advantages were, pulling fur in the middle of town wasn’t something I wanted to add to my list of stupid moves.

  “Maybe she’s already there,” Arys mused with his head cocked to one side as he studied the stars.

  I hesitated for just a moment when her trail led across the golf course. It was the fastest way to Raoul’s. The well-maintained green was soft and springy beneath my boots. It felt good enough to roll in.

  Though Zoey ran only ten to fifteen minutes ahead, she was long gone. She was faster than the average human, but she was injured. That didn’t seem to be slowing her down though.

  I suspected that she’d already made it to Raoul. I considered letting them battle it out. Raoul was impossible to talk to, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she killed him before we arrived out of sheer frustration.

  On any other night a trek through the dark, deserted golf course would have been nice, maybe even a little sexy. The silver moon shone brightly against the dark backdrop of the sky. No one was in sight.

  As if reading my mind, Arys nudged me playfully. “Do you think Raoul can take care of himself if we take a five minute time out?” When I raised my eyebrows and shook my head he added, “Alright, alright, a ten minute time out.”

  “Very funny.”

  “Would you do it with the wolf pup?”

  His question nearly brought me to a halt; I stumbled in the grass. “What’s it to you? Don’t tell me you’re going to get all jealous male on me, too.”

  “He was jealous?” I heard only amusement in his tone. I didn’t have to look to know he wore that amazing grin of his.

  “That’s not the point. You told me to go to him. Don’t start playing the territorial card or so help me, I’ll knock out a few of those perfect teeth.”

  He laughed loudly, and I jumped. I was a real ball of nerves tonight.

  “Don’t get me wrong, my love, a part of me is a little envious, but we have something that extends well beyond sex, deep into the power of our metaphysical make up. Something that so many will never know.” He leaned into me so quickly that I barely saw him move; I stopped in my tracks. “But, I also know that I must be realistic.”

  He turned away; he walked ahead, but I’d already caught the somber note in his dramatic words and action. Drawn to him, I took a hurried step to catch up.

  “Wait. What do you mean by that? Realistic.”

  When he stopped, I got the feeling that he didn’t want to look at me, but he did anyway. I think he was afraid that I’d see the emotions lurking behind his eyes, waiting to betray him.

  “You’re an incredibly complex creature, Alexa. A strange combination of the compassionate human heart and the ruthless leadership of one of the finest animals on earth. Our journey together is far from over, but I know that you will never long for me at the end of the day.”

  I found no trace of regret or anger in his voice, merely acceptance of the fact. I was tongue-tied and unsure of what to say. I looked eagerly to the street ahead as we neared the end of the golf course.

  “Shit, Arys,” I poked him lightly in the side. “Why are you getting all sentimental on me? Is it because you think she’s going to kick my ass?” I forced a laugh in a lame attempt to sound like I was kidding.

  We came out in a gated community just a few blocks from Raoul’s street. We hopped a wall. Dogs started a chain of barking, which had me hauling ass over the stone wall onto the street beyond before the ruckus brought people out on their doorsteps.

  When we stood at the end of Raoul’s street, I called him one more time. A shiver raced up my spine when somebody picked up.

  “Alexa O’Brien,” purred the most sensual female voice that I’d ever heard. “The woman my father both loves to hate and hates to love.” There was a pause, and I heard her take a ragged breath. Ky must have got her good.

  “Have you killed him yet?” I cut to the chase, sounding both bored and irritated.

  “What?” She snapped, and I stiffened.

  I fixed my eyes on the darkened house down the empty street. Arys, tense and ready beside me, brought me more relief than I wanted to admit.

  “You heard me. If you’ve already killed him then I won’t waste my time by coming in there.”

  “You’re sick, bitch.” Her reply was snide.

  The need to kill grew overwhelming. I snapped my phone shut and strode angrily down the street. My boots clacked loudly, announcing my arrival.

  “It’s not that I don’t think we can easily take care of this pathetic little problem, but where is everybody?” Arys gestured to the empty street. No Charger or Liberty was in sight. The mournful sound of a train whistle blew; they were stuck on the other side.

  “Don’t tell me you’re nervous about facing a human half breed without back up,” I teased.

  I couldn’t help it. I was anxious as hell and having a hard time thinking about anything that didn’t include blood and violence. Even the scent of the powerful vampire at my side was trying my patience, encouraging me to quench the undying hunger that cut up my insides.

  “Hell no.” He didn’t miss a beat. “Just afraid of being in a house with two wild women.” I felt his gaze suddenly narrow on me. “Are you going to be alright?”

  “I don’t know,” I admitted as I shoved my shaky hands in my pockets. “Just don’t let me kill the wrong person.”

  He nodded. “Let’s go inside.”

  The curtains were drawn in the front window, but a light shone beyond. I thought I saw a flash of movement.

  I reached out instinctively for Arys’ cool, inviting hand. Our auras wasted no time mingling, and I welcomed the cold vampire energy.

  When I reached for the doorknob, it wouldn’t budge. I hadn’t really expected an open invitation. I glanced at the doorbell but didn’t bother.

  I braced myself with the stair rail. I focused on the soft spot below the knob and let loose with a high kick that I’d learned from Jez. The door frame splintered in an ear piercing shriek of tearing wood. The door hit the wall so hard that it bounced back at me, vibrating on its hinges. The front sitting room was empty. I wasn’t looking forward to venturing inside.

  “Beautiful,” the vampire
breathed.

  A jolt of his power rushed through me, and I embraced it. I wanted to go in there tapping every power source I had. If the crazy bitch thought she was going to knife me, I’d blow her through the damn roof.

  “Do you smell that?” Arys stalked past me into the house while I lingered uncertainly near the doorway.

  He had a lilt to his voice that indicated the effect our combined power was having on him. I can’t say that I wasn’t happy that it was a battle of control for him, too.

  Zoey’s blood was thick on the air inside. Drawn by the scent of injured prey, I followed the tall, dark vampire.

  Muffled voices reached me. They were in the windowless study off the kitchen. They had to know we were here. The front door had been anything but quiet.

  Our footsteps were silent as we made our way into the large kitchen. I paused in the threshold between both rooms; Raoul’s beloved wolf tapestry hung in tatters. Only claws would do that.

  As I took in the damage of Zoey’s rage, the energy in the house shifted. At Raoul’s office, Arys stopped mid-motion as he reached for the doorknob. He risked a glance back at me; his pupils were huge.

  I panicked when I saw him vamping out. I needed him to maintain the power that we’d called. I opened my mouth to tell him not to blow this when the office door suddenly burst open.

  Raoul crashed through the opening, narrowly missing Arys as he tumbled and rolled.

  The vampire appeared at my side with his body positioned to defend an attack.

  Raoul was gracefully on his feet in an instant; with one hand outstretched, he pointed an accusing finger at me.

  “You,” he snarled. “It’s because of you that Zoey’s hurt. If she dies, I’ll fucking kill you, Alexa. You promised!” A harsh cough wracked him, and he spat blood on to the pristine white tile.

  In an instant, I held a psi ball in my palm. Raoul could sense the energy as the golden blue ball swirled in my grasp.

  “She stabbed Kylarai!” My voice was shrill; it hurt my own ears. “I’m not playing by anyone’s rules here, Raoul.”