Stunner

by Trina M. Lee

  Kale’s sudden appearance in the doorway was no surprise to any of them. They turned to him eagerly. Nobody wasted time talking. Kale lashed out with both power and physical assault.

  “Get your fucking hands off her.” The vehemence in Kale’s tone sent a chill through me. It was so dark, so evil. I was much more used to his calm, quiet side.

  Two of the four vampires returned his attack with their own. Their metaphysical ability wasn’t as strong as his. That was reassuring. They resorted to tag teaming him, the sound of fists flying and making contact was painfully loud.

  The one that we had come to destroy was on me with fangs bared. I slammed the palm of my hand into his nose, the resulting crunch was both sickening and satisfying. Blood poured from his shattered nose and I moved to follow up with another blow.

  He made a sound that was a strange combination of a shriek and a snarl. The power he hit me with burned and I went down hard on my ass gasping for breath.

  Kale had his hands full with the other three vamps. They had all forgotten me, something that happened often as I was never seen as the threat that I truly was. It never ceased to piss me off.

  I scrambled to my feet, ready to blast him but he was faster. By the time I realized what happened, his fangs were already buried deep in my neck. My blood poured out. I was disgusted and shocked as he greedily drank it in. I struggled against him but he held tight.

  The sound of anguish and pain reached me as Kale dispatched one of the vampires. He was a blur out of the corner of my eye, spinning to slam a stake into another that rushed him from behind. The remaining vampire tried to run for the open door. He didn’t get very far.

  The power that Kale threw at him was massive. It caused my skin to prickle with its intensity. The vampire exploded in a cloud of ash and dust. Kale whirled to find me in the clutches of our target, fighting uselessly to free myself.

  He jerked my attacker off me so fast that I stumbled and fell forward, onto my knees. My hands instantly went to my bleeding throat. Fury drove Kale and he literally tore the head from the other vampire with one amazing twist. The sound of flesh tearing and bone splitting turned my stomach.

  Kale was on his knees before me, pulling my hand away so he could get a look at my wound. My fingers were stained with blood but it didn’t drip as steadily as it would had it been life threatening.

  “Let me see it, Alexa.” Kale forced my head to the side to get a better look. I had a moment of fear when I sensed the sudden rise of his hunger.

  “No, Kale. Don’t. It’s ok. I’m ok.”

  “I’m not going to hurt you.” He easily overpowered me, holding me so that I couldn’t have escaped him if I tried. “It doesn’t look too bad. You heal fast. The bleeding is already slowing. Come on, let’s get out of here.”

  Hooking his arms under mine, he pulled me to my feet. I was shaky but managed to steady myself. I wasn’t afraid of Kale, not truly. Yet, I did have reason to be cautious around him. His past contained more horror and brutality than I could clearly imagine. I couldn’t be sure how much it would take to push him over the edge.

  I knew for damn sure I wasn’t imagining it when Kale’s energy grew thick with bloodlust. I could feel it like the itchy prick of a thousand mosquitoes biting me all at once. I had to resist the urge to scratch.

  “Kale?” Was the anxious tone in my voice as obvious to him as it was to me?

  “I’m fine,” he spoke through clenched teeth. “And so are you, now let’s go.”

  I let him drag me along to the car. The blood flow from my neck had already slowed considerably. Kale was right. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been. The wound ached, a throb that wouldn’t let up. I cursed myself for letting it happen at all. I knew better. If I’d just been more aggressive.

  “Fuck. I’m sorry, Kale. I screwed up. I should never have let him get the drop on me like that.”

  “Forget it. It’s not like this hasn’t happened before. You can take it. Just … try not to bleed in my car.”

  Chapter Three

  When I got back to Raoul’s house, I felt like all kinds of crap. I was tired, sore and more than a little pissed off at how everything had played out. Still, it was a job that allowed me to be what I was. A werewolf with the power of a vampire. Where else could I get away with that?

  Before I even walked through the door I could feel the immense werewolf energy inside. It was when I swung the door open that I was slapped with hot sexual energy. My stomach dropped and I knew what was going on before I saw Belle slither down the stairs, wrapped in one of Raoul’s robes.

  I hated her. I had hated her since the first time I laid eyes on her. And I hated him too.

  She cast a scathing glance at me as she swept into the kitchen. I kicked my shoes off, glaring at nothing as I listened to her digging around in the fridge. I paused at the bottom of the stairs and looked up. Raoul’s bedroom door was closed.

  Belle returned with a bottle of wine in one hand and two glasses in the other. The urge to grab that bottle and smash it over her head was strong, almost too much for me to resist. It was Shaz that prevented it. He entered the room at just the right moment.

  “Rough night?” Belle asked with a smirk, eyeing my filthy attire and tangled hair. “You look like something the cat dragged in.”

  “How hard did your brain have to work to come up with that?” I snapped.

  Belle’s smile grew wider and she paused halfway up the stairs. “Don’t blame me because you can’t hold Raoul’s interest, Alexa. You were nothing but a new toy. I guess the novelty has worn off.”

  With that, she flounced up the stairs without a look back. With fists clenched, I moved to follow her and Shaz quickly intercepted me.

  “Don’t, Lex. She’s not worth it.” He forced me to meet his eyes. His gaze slid to my neck, taking in the scabby vampire bite. “You’re hurt. Are you ok?”

  I was hurt alright. The pain came from the inside, my physical troubles forgotten. I felt sick to my stomach at the thought of Belle and Raoul together. I should have known better.

  It wasn’t the first time he’d done this. What else did I expect? We weren’t together. Not the way I wished we were. I hated myself for longing for that. It wasn’t going to happen. Raoul made it clear. He wanted what he wanted and made no apology for it.

  “I’m ok.” My words came out on a sigh.

  Shaz steered me into the kitchen where he poured me a straight shot of whiskey. He didn’t bother with any words of false comfort, no pitiful “there there”. I adored him for that.

  I accepted the glass of dark bronze liquor that he pressed into my hand. It burned a fiery path down my throat but the resulting glow that spread throughout me was numbing and welcome.

  I wanted nothing more than to storm up the stairs and tear Belle’s throat out. The bitch would be sorry. It was just a matter of time. She was married to a rich, elderly man who knew nothing of her true nature or the fact that she was nothing more than a trashy slut. Karma had to come for her at some point.

  The reality of the situation was crushing. Just a day after he’d been with me and now he was with her. I felt so used. I was nothing to Raoul.

  “Lex?” Shaz studied me closely and I was both grateful to have such a sweet friend and embarrassed that my pain was so evident. He was a sweet kid. One day, he’d make some lucky lady incredibly happy.

  “Let’s go sit outside. Get some air and just relax.” I held my empty glass out for a refill, giving him a look when he didn’t fill it high enough. A genuine smile spread across my face when he took the glass from my hand and passed me the whiskey bottle instead.

  I followed him out the patio door off the kitchen and to the swing in the backyard. Shaz’s warm, wolf energy felt comforting and I clung to that feeling, knowing it was temporary.

  Taking a large swallow of the potent whiskey, I laid my head on his shoulder and let him swing us. We didn’t need words to fill the quiet. It wasn’t uncomfortable and everything we could p
ossibly say seemed to pass between us anyway.

  After a long silence, I said, “I can’t be here anymore.”

  “Yeah. You need to go. He’s going to ruin you. And I don’t want to see that.” Shaz reached to stroke the back of my hand with a gentle touch.

  I raised my head to look at him and he leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to my temple. I was falling apart inside. It felt like my entire world was falling down around me. I had put so much hope into Raoul. Like a fool, I’d fallen hard for him and been naive enough to believe those feelings might be returned.

  When I was alone later, I might cry. But right here and now with Shaz, I didn’t feel the need. I only felt the driving urge to make a change, to walk out of this place and never look back.

  STUNNER

  An Alexa O’Brien Prequel Short Story

  Trina M. Lee

  Published 2012

  Copyright © 2012, Trina M. Lee

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  Published by

  Dark Mountain Books

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

  Chapter One

  Walking into a nest of vampires wasn’t the smartest decision I’d made this week. Cocky, ignorant, even a little bit stupid. If I survived it, my colleagues, Kale and Jez, would never let me hear the end of it.

  I knew better than to hunt alone. The problem was that I hadn’t taken the time to determine how many vampires I was dealing with. I had only come for one. A sloppy mistake for sure. One that may now get me killed.

  Six vampires. Too many for me to take on. Having my hands bound behind my back rendered me pretty much helpless. I couldn’t direct my power properly this way. I lacked the focus needed.

  “You know, I think I’m ready to leave now. This was a big mistake on my part. So if you’ll just cut me loose, I’ll let you get back to your evening.” I smiled brightly, refusing to openly acknowledge my growing fear.

  The three vampires keeping watch laughed and joked about how their evening was looking up, thanks to me. Their buddies were outside, making sure I had come alone. Because I had let the hunger for the hunt outweigh my common sense, I was alone. I had told nobody where I was going. Not even my closest friend, fellow werewolf, Shaz. Young, reckless and dead. Talk about learning the hard way.

  “It ain’t every day we get a sweet piece like you walking in here.” The short, stout vampire seated on a stool directly across from me leered. He wore a grin that exposed yellowing fangs. I shuddered at the thought of them touching me.

  “Especially a werewolf,” added another guy as he sniffed at me as if I were fresh meat.

  I leaned as far away as I could, which wasn’t far. Irritated by my obvious rejection, he snapped his teeth together, inches from my face. I jumped, cursing myself again for such a foolish blunder.

  These vamps hunted innocents. Soccer moms and accountants. Regular every day people that never deserved to die that way. I’d come here to right a wrong and succeeded in making myself a victim.

  The third vampire present, Octavia, stared out the window. She was the one I’d come for. “If they don’t come back soon I’m going to open a vein on her. Can you smell that? She has power.”

  Thanks for reminding me, bitch. I kept the thought to myself but focused on the power coiled in my core. The wolf was useless right now. I couldn’t shift while bound. That left my metaphysical abilities, as erratic and misguided as they may be.

  I concentrated on Octavia, feeling she was the biggest threat in the room. Her energy felt lively and hungry. I needed to prove I was a force to be reckoned with.

  “Screw that.” The first guy spoke up. “You can bleed her after we’re done with her.”

  Oh, God. This was just getting better. I’d rather Octavia kill me than have to live through whatever those creeps had in mind.

  “It’s taking those idiots too long. Something is wrong.” Octavia turned to me with a raised brow. “Any idea what that could be?”

  “No.” I really didn’t. My shoulders slumped. I wasn’t able to focus my power. Not without use of my hands to direct the force that filled me.

  I turned my attention to the heavy zip ties binding my hands together behind my back. It was possible to break out of them. If I didn’t have to deal with the awkward angle of my wrists, it would be easier.

  “One of you go check on the others,” Octavia ordered. “This feels like a trap. If they ran into trouble I’d like a heads up.” So she could run. Octavia had a tough front but it didn’t go far beyond the exterior.

  “I don’t answer to you,” Yellowteeth snarled.

  The two of them glared daggers at each other. I took the opportunity to tug at the zip ties, testing them for weakness. Their buddy saw an opportunity too and he went for it.

  He was on me before I could scream. Ravenous and wild, he sank fangs deep into my neck. A strangled sound escaped me, something between a shriek and a growl. Blood poured down my neck and chest, soaking my shirt. The sound of my heartbeat in my ears was deafening.

  Octavia responded first with a closed fist that knocked my attacker back several feet. “Can’t you control yourself? You’re no better than a goddamned animal.” Her shouts were muffled by the pounding in my head.

  As the scent of my blood permeated the room, all three vampires set their sights on me.

  “What the hell is that?” Yellowteeth shoved the others aside to get to me. “Smells like heaven.”

  I braced myself. It wouldn’t take long to finish me off. What a way to go. At the hand of my own stupidity.

  Octavia reached me first. Having the power advantage over the others, she tossed them aside with little more than a gesture. But her power paled in comparison to what I felt coming. A cool breeze filled the room, its cold, dark source unseen. The undead energy held the promise of violence and death.

  The door burst open with the sound of splintering wood. The vampire moved fast, a blur of motion. With barely a look at Octavia the power went out from him and slammed her against the wall. In the same moment, he punched a fist into Yellowteeth’s chest, tearing his heart free with little effort. The remaining vampire beat a hasty retreat, fleeing through the open door before the newcomer could grab him.

  “Arys, please!” Octavia begged, her back to the wall as the dark haired vampire advanced on her. “I tried to stop them.”

  I struggled to focus on escape. The atmosphere was energized with a tangy, intoxicating power. It called to me, luring me into a deep, dark abyss. The promise of pleasure taunted me.

  Octavia whimpered, a pitiful sound that stripped away any semblance of danger she may have possessed. There was terror in her eyes as Arys grabbed her by the throat and bounced her head off the wall.

  Arys Knight was not unknown to me. I’d heard his name. He had a hell of a reputation as one of the biggest of the bad around here. This was really not my night.

  His power felt bottomless. It held an allure that would draw any foe or victim into a web of irresistible danger. Tall with the body of a god and a head of short, disheveled jet black hair, Arys was as intriguing as he was intimidating. Deep blue eyes sparked with fury as he stared into Octavia.

  “I told you not to touch this one,” he snarled. “I warned you what would happen if you so much as looked in her general direction.”

  “I didn’t. I mean I wasn’t going to hurt her. I swear.” Desperation tainted Octavia’s words. She fought to break free of his hold but she wasn’t going anywhere. “She came here looking for trouble and she found it. We didn’t pursue her. I promise.”

/>   The zip ties cut into my flesh as I tried to reposition myself so I could attempt to break them. I didn’t want to be here when Arys finished with Octavia. I’d rather take my chances fleeing into the night with the vampire who got away.

  “She’s bound and bleeding, Octavia. There’s no talking your way out of that.” Arys placed a hand on both sides of her head. The power went out from him and her mouth opened in a silent scream. Seconds later, her entire body exploded.

  Pieces of her rained down around me, bits of flesh and gore that quickly dissolved into dust and ash. Panic gripped me and I fought hard to seize those last precious moments before he came for me.

  I took a deep breath and clenched my teeth. Stretching my hands as far apart as I could to make the zip tie taut, I banged the tie against a wooden slat on the back of my chair. A sharp pain shot through my sore wrists but the tie snapped.

  I was on my feet, gazing up into midnight blue eyes. He was just there all of a sudden, blocking my path before I could take a step. Too late. It was all over.

  He stared into me as if he could see into my soul. My mouth was as dry as cotton. I swallowed hard. The weight of his enchanting gaze held me immobile. I opened my mouth to speak but no sound came out. Intrigued. Mesmerized. Terrified. I was all those things and more as he reached out to touch me.

  I trembled in anticipation, fearing how he might be planning to finish me off. The wolf inside me demanded that I run or attack. I had to at least go down fighting. Instead, I stood frozen, caught up in the heady pull of his allure.

  Arys was as beautiful as he was deadly. There was a hard set to his jaw that hinted at a ruthlessness I had no desire to bear witness to. Silver rings shone in his ears, nose and bottom lip, enhancing his edgy but eye catching good looks. His eyes were sapphire pools that beckoned me to fall headlong into their depths.

  I gasped at his touch. His skin was cool, indicating he hadn’t fed recently. That wasn’t going to help me get out of this. When his gaze strayed to my bitten neck I began to visibly tremble.