I looked longingly after Shaz, knowing I had to let him go. He was an Alpha wolf. He’d be fine. Right?
Remembering my drunken leopard friend, I searched the crowd for Jez who had vanished from sight. In her inebriated state, she’d never be able to fight off a vampire, especially not one like Sloane. No vampire made by Harley could be trusted.
“I should find Jez. How long do I have until Shaz fights?” I couldn’t believe I was asking so casually with such acceptance. This was so wrong.
Jenner perched on the edge of the poker table, watching me fidget with my whiskey glass. “Your friend will be safe with Sloane. I promise. In fact, she’ll have the time of her life.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Swirling the deep gold liquor in my glass, I grasped my power, making my eyes bleed to wolf and then to glow Arys’s vampire blue. I peered into Jenner, hoping he saw the resolve in my eyes. “If anything happens to either Jez or Shaz, I will kill you. And if I go down trying, I’ll still find a way to take you with me.”
We shared a moment then, Jenner and I. For a brief space in time, I think he truly believed I could and would be the one to end him. Then he shrugged off the dazed wonder and replaced it with a smarmy sneer.
“Your wolf fights next. So we should probably head down there. I like a ringside view.”
Without waiting, Jenner headed for the elevator. Angry and cursing up a storm beneath my breath, I followed with one last glance back for Jez who was still missing with Sloane.
Re-entering the fight arena made my knees shake. I walked in a surreal haze. The harsh sting of reality sought to cut through the remains of the euphoric buzz. It had faded along with the effects of the whiskey like a short-lived illusion shattered by impending doom. The usual.
I did my best to tune out Jenner’s gloating. He led us to a VIP section near the fight cage where we sat on velvet sofas and watched the current fight while waitresses offered their blood to us.
“Spit it out,” Jenner said to Arys. A cheer from the crowd drowned out his words. “There’s something you want to say. I can see it all over you.”
Arys sat stiffly, his arms crossed, eyeing Jenner like a snake in the grass. “Harley kept the shady activity much quieter than this. How do you do this every night without the FPA shutting it down?”
“Harley’s activity was filthy. That blood ring was too dirty, even for me. And I like it dirty. The FPA was happy to let me do whatever I wanted with the place after his death. I have a little arrangement with them. I withdrew from the blood ring, and they leave me and the club alone.” Jenner was pleased with himself.
Arys had tried to shut down Harley’s blood ring soon after his death. He’d failed. I found it hard to believe Jenner was able to dissolve something so many vampires were determined to hold onto.
“So Harley’s death worked out quite nicely for you. How convenient,” Arys said with an eye roll. “Must be good for business to have the FPA on your payroll.”
“You’re having problems with your local sector, I presume. A little bargaining can go a long way. Try it.”
“If only it were that easy,” I interjected, reconsidering the whiskey.
“Oh, but it is.” Jenner was just so sure of himself. Arrogant as all get out, he spoke with condescension. “Everyone needs something they can only get from someone else. It’s business.”
“What about demons?” I countered, knowing he wouldn’t have a smarmy answer for that. “Is there much demon activity here? Seems pointless. Everyone is already sinning.”
His gaze dropped pointedly to the black dragon wrapped around my forearm. “I don’t associate with them. Nobody with any sense would get caught up with demons.”
The slimy son of a bitch didn’t know a damn thing about my deal with Shya. My temper flared, and I was contemplating slashing Jenner’s throat with my claws when Arys cut in. “How did you dissolve Harley’s blood ring?” he asked. “Claire and Maxwell were desperate to keep that going. I can’t imagine they were the only ones.”
A shadow flickered across Jenner’s face. “I took care of it.”
He was being purposely vague with good reason, I was sure. The blood ring Harley had been running was vile, a twisted supply and demand of victims for fetish kills. Children, virgins, redheads, whatever a vampire wanted in a victim, they could find. It was truly sickening. Discovering that Jenner had hated it would have made me muster an iota of respect for him if he hadn’t just endangered my wolf.
“And what does Hurst say about all of this?” The name dropped from Arys like a bomb, causing Jenner to stiffen. It was familiar to me, though like most of Arys’s memories, everything about Hurst remained buried.
“He doesn’t say much of anything these days.” There was, for the first time, a crack in Jenner’s tough exterior. He held Arys’s gaze, but it seemed hard, as if he wanted to turn away.
“Who’s Hurst?” I looked back and forth between them. I hated feeling out of the loop.
“He sired Harley,” said Arys. “He’s old, much older than me or Jenner. It’s been several decades since I’ve seen him.”
“It’s been decades since any of us have seen him,” Jenner added. “Hurst is the oldest, wisest vampire I know. He’s also a recluse, unwilling to deal with the irritation of humanity any longer.”
I waited for further explanation but received none. “So,” I prodded. “Where is he?”
“Yes,” Arys nodded. “I’d like to know that as well. It would be nice to speak to him.”
“Nobody sees Hurst unless he initiates it. He’s close enough to stay aware of the goings on of the city without being part of it.” Jenner held his hands out and shrugged, dismissing the subject.
I ran a finger around the rim of the whiskey glass, pondering what it must be like to have lived so long as a vampire that one tires of existence. It was as fascinating as it was tragic. Many questions danced on the tip of my tongue, none of which Jenner would answer. I didn’t bother to ask.
“Does he know I’m here?” Arys asked. There was visible tension in his shoulders. His restraint was going to break at some point. It wouldn’t be pretty.
“He probably knew it before I did. Nothing slips past him.” An uncaring shrug from Jenner conveyed that he wasn’t close with Harley’s maker.
Another loud cheer went up from the crowd. The fight announcer’s voice boomed through the arena. He pronounced the winner; the fight was over. A dead wolf was dragged from the ring, the victor barely on his feet. Shaz was next.
Dread filled me, and my stomach flipped. Desperation seized me. “Jenner, please, let’s work something out, strike a deal of some kind. Shaz doesn’t belong in that ring.”
He leaned forward, pressing his fingertips together while giving me a thoughtful once over. “I beg to differ. You don’t sound too confident in him. Funny considering you were confident in his ability to help you murder my sire. Tell me, Alexa, would you like to take his place?” Raising a dark brow, he flashed a cocky smile at me, but his gaze strayed to Arys for a reaction.
Arys appeared unruffled, but I could feel the hate-filled rage he held tightly reined. With an eerie sense of calm, he said, “He’s going to kill anything you put in there with him. Don’t think for a minute that we’re even after this. I’m going to make you wish I’d never come back here.”
“I wish many things. That is already one of them.” Jenner was flippant, but his fingers dug into the tabletop. “Don’t forget, Arys, we’re only halfway done here. I’ll have your lady on stage before the night is over.”
Before either Arys or I could snark back, the announcer drew our attention back to the ring. His voice thundered through the place, and my strength crumbled.
“Are you ready for the next fight?” He asked, receiving raucous jeers and applause in response. “You know the drill. Take a good look at each opponent and place your bets.”
I turned in my chair to see Shaz enter the fight cage. He wore only the long shorts of a boxer. Both
hands were clenched into fists as he fixated on his opponent, a thirty-something lanky werewolf with light brown hair and dark eyes that were pure beast. Both men had eyes only for each other. They were ready. I was terrified.
Shaz had a great physique. He’d always been in shape, but his time in the mountains had given him additional muscle and tone. Unfortunately, sheer force wasn’t enough to win a fight like this. He had to want it more than his opponent, and he had to be clever in his attacks.
The crowd grew loud with activity as patrons placed their bets with the designated arena bookies. My panic was growing in leaps and bounds. Why was Arys so unaffected? I wanted to shake him.
“Arys,” I spoke through gritted teeth. Turning my growing ire on Jenner, I said, “I won’t let him die in there.”
Jenner scoffed. “Don’t you dare even think about interfering, or I’ll toss your ass in there to take on the winner.” To Arys he said, “Talk some sense into your woman, brother. She’s a loose cannon.”
“I’ll show you a loose cannon,” I roared, on my feet with fangs bared.
“It’s Shaz’s fight, Alexa,” Arys warned. “We must stay out of it. He requested it.”
More like demanded it, I thought bitterly. Jenner smirked, and without second-guessing my decision, I tossed the contents of my whiskey glass into his face.
Jenner moved fast, a blur of motion. He grabbed me by the throat and jerked me close. Whiskey dripped from his face. “You have no idea who you’re fucking with, little wolf. I could have you on your knees begging me for your pathetic life before Arys could so much as blink.”
That was clearly an exaggeration. In a reflexive reaction, I smashed my knee into Jenner’s groin with enough force to drop him. When he stared up at me in open-mouthed surprise, I placed a hand on his forehead and reached for his power. It recognized me, bending easily to my will. I put the squeeze on him, focusing on his lifeless heart.
“This is how I killed Harley,” I said slyly. “A power push that caused his heart to explode. And that’s what I’ll do to you if you ever touch me again.”
A handful of Jenner’s vampires surged forward from their place in the crowd, ready to protect the master of their city. I stopped them with a hand, sweeping my power out like a wave crashing over each of them in turn. Drawing on my link to Arys, I took them all down.
Taking advantage of my small lapse in focus, Jenner slapped me with a psi ball I never saw coming. It slammed into my chest, knocking me breathless. I lost my balance and stumbled backwards. Arys’s quick catch kept me from falling.
“Enough!” Arys threw an energy wall up between me and Jenner, who got to his feet, cursing up a storm.
I took a few deep breaths, ensuring I could still breathe. That attack had carried some serious weight. Jenner was no lightweight, being almost as powerful as Arys. I would have to be more cautious during our next face off.
Tearing through Arys’s barrier was tempting. I could do it because of our bond. Instead, I spun on my heel and stormed off across the room. I was fuming, wishing I could sink claws into Jenner until he screamed like a little bitch.
Passing a waitress with a tray laden with cocktails, I swiped one and asked her to bring me something stronger. Too bad I’d wasted a drink on that sniveling vampire.
I planted myself on the opposite side of the room against the back wall where I could see everything. Arys and Jenner were right where I’d left them, heads close together as they spat profanities at each other.
I turned my attention to the two wolves inside the cage. They both moved in place, predatory and anxious to fight. The announcer stepped back into the center of the ring, and the crowd’s excitement grew. I groaned.
“I hope you’ve all placed your bets. Now let’s see what kind of beasts we’re gambling with here.” The announcer gestured to each man to shift. They did without hesitation, leaving their shorts in tattered pieces. The crowd loved this. “At the sound of the bell, the fight begins. It ends when one of you is dead. Good luck. Fight hard.”
The announcer left the ring. Apprehension was heavy as the crowd waited for the bell. I closed my eyes, willing myself to wake up from this horrible dream. The waitress returned with my whiskey, forcing me to look. I exchanged the empty cocktail glass for the double shot of rye, dropped her a tip and sighed.
The bell rang. I almost choked on the liquor. Aw hell, here we go.
Shaz hung back circling the outside of the ring. His opponent opted for the rush attack. The brown wolf flung himself at Shaz, snarling and snapping. He was too aggressive too soon. His timing was wrong and instead of sinking fangs, he ran face first into the cage. Shaz leaped on his back, getting in a few good bites before bounding backwards to circle again.
The brown wolf wasn’t so quick to make a move this time. He hung back, watching Shaz, seeking a way to his throat. I held my glass so tight I thought I felt it crack. Remembering to breathe would be a good idea.
Incessant shouts from the audience rang out, demanding blood. The majority of the crowd was human, slick businessmen in their pricey suits, seeking a bigger thrill than any human club could offer them. Monsters. Every damn one of us. Being human didn’t change that. Somehow, it made it worse.
Shaz moved fast, feinting left then right, then going left again. He leaped, crashing against the other wolf with all of his weight. The two of them tumbled across the ring in a brown and white ball of fur.
A yelp cut through the myriad of voices. I recognized it as Shaz. My stomach dropped, and I leaned heavily against the wall at my back. My hands hummed with energy. I could stop this. I could do it right now.
The wolves sprang apart. Blood stained the floor. Shaz’s blood. A whimper rose in my throat. My wolf was desperate to fight at his side.
The whiskey burned my throat. I tried to concentrate on the hot sensation as it scorched a path to my stomach. If Shaz came out of this unscathed, I was going to shake him until his teeth rattled. No, when he came out of this. When.
There was a burning hot fury emanating from Shaz when he lunged again at the brown wolf. He was forceful, pinning his opponent against the cage. They struggled there, each seeking to gain the advantage over the other.
I tore my gaze away, staring at my feet but seeing only the outcome I feared most playing out in my mind. Good Lord, why did we come here? I had known there would be trouble. If something happened to Shaz, I would never forgive myself.
“There isn’t a single part of me that doesn’t believe he’ll win this.” Arys’s voice infused me with a sense of calm. Lost in thought, I hadn’t noticed his approach. He leaned on the wall next to me and slung an arm around my shoulders. I stood stiffly, unable to relax against him.
“I know I should think that too. Shaz can hold his own. It’s just the ‘what ifs’ that are killing me. I feel like I’m going to throw up. I won’t watch him die, Arys.”
“You won’t have to. That wolf has a lot of rage to get out. There’s no better place for it than here.”
In silence, we stood there, watching the wolves viciously tear into one another. Every blow that the brown wolf landed had me cringing. It took all of my strength to restrain myself. It would be so easy to toss some power into that cage, to separate them or kill the brown wolf.
“Don’t even think it,” Arys said, anticipating my intentions. “Not only would it cause more hassle with Jenner, but it would undermine Shaz as a man. He doesn’t need you to save him.”
I bristled, hating the truth in Arys’s words. It was so crappy of him to play the man card, but I understood. Shaz had to do this, to defend his choice to help me take Harley down. It was his way of showing Jenner and every other vampire in their bloodline that he was an Alpha wolf for a damn good reason. I didn’t have to like it, but I had to stay out of it. Damn, that sucked.
The brown wolf went down beneath Shaz, his legs kicking as he desperately tried to dislodge his attacker. Blood sprayed. He was definitely hurt. Was it enough?
Shaz backe
d off to assess his opponent’s injuries, a mistake on his part. The brown wolf sprang, sudden and swift. He timed his attack perfectly. Fangs bared, he bit into the side of Shaz’s neck. The snow-white fur quickly became bright scarlet as his blood flowed.
He went down hard, unable to shake the brown wolf’s hold. The audience was on its feet, arms raised. Boos and cheers rang out, as the gamblers shouted for their wolf to win.
I rushed forward, shoving through people to get closer to the ring. A security guard stepped in my path, pushing me back. I tossed him aside, wrapping my fingers around the cold metal of the cage. Power filled me so hard and fast I gasped.
“You really want to make this night of hell never ending, don’t you?” Arys pried my fingers off the cage and pulled me into his arms, easily overpowering me physically.
“We have to help him. Before it’s too late.” I was frantic, struggling to escape. My gaze locked on Shaz. Get up, I willed him. Get up now!
His jade-green eyes found me there, near the ring. He had a hardness that I’d never seen. In a move that astonished me along with most of the crowd, he twisted his body, fast and smooth. The action tossed the brown wolf over him, onto his back. On his feet once again, Shaz struck twice, then a third time, finding that sweet, vulnerable spot. He buried his fangs in the brown wolf’s throat and tore.
There was so much blood. The sticky sweet scent mingled with the booze, sweat and various colognes to make an aroma cocktail that sickened me as it enticed. Both wolves were bleeding but only one was still standing.
I could have cried with relief. Still, Shaz wasn’t out of the woods yet. He was unsteady on his feet and bleeding profusely.
“That’s not much blood,” Arys whispered in my ear. “It’s the white fur. It makes it look worse than it is.”
“Stop doing that. Stay out of my head.” Again, I tried to be free of his hold, but his grip remained firm. The whiskey glass fell from my hand to shatter as it hit the floor.
I waited several heart-stopping moments for a referee to enter the ring and proclaim the brown wolf dead. About half the crowd cheered in victory, having placed their bets on my white wolf. The wolf within me cheered with them though she had more to lose than cold, empty cash.
Freak Show (Alexa O'Brien Huntress Book 7) Page 9
