Trina M. Lee

by Alexa O'Brien Huntress Series Book 1-4 Box Set (Retail)

  Just the sight of the black Camaro parked outside the office set my heart racing. This was ridiculous. I think part of it was that I hadn’t told either of my lovers about the bloody power kiss we’d shared. Of course, it helped that I hadn’t seen either of them since.

  Nobody knew except for Jez. There was no way I was stupid enough to tell Kylarai. It just wasn’t worth mentioning. At least, not at this point.

  “Don’t let him know that I told you, Jez.” I stopped her with a hand on her elbow. “He really is like a brother to me, and he’s dealing with enough right now.”

  “Of course. No worries.” She beamed and blinked bright green cat eyes at me. “Kale will come around on his own.”

  I followed her inside, took a deep breath and focused on slowing my heart rate to normal. If I didn’t have a potential client coming by, I wouldn’t have even come in.

  At first glance, it appeared that Kale was the only one there. However, upon closer inspection I was able to determine Lilah’s spooky energy down the hall in her office. Lilah was both vampire and demon, older than dirt, according to some. I didn’t know much about her, but she’d saved my ass, and that made her cool with me.

  I couldn’t help but miss Lena’s presence. I wished that she were here, instead of out of town with Veryl. I always had so many questions for her. The witch was damn talented, more so than she let on.

  The front door latched behind us, preventing any unwanted guests from entering at leisure. The sound of it was loud in the quiet inside. Kale lounged in a chair at the table in the small kitchen with a newspaper spread out in front of him. He glanced up as we entered, a shadow of something unidentifiable behind his eyes. He banished it with a smile and a shake of his dark head.

  “Hey ladies, how are you?” Kale greeted us with a grin, and I could see that he was forcing casual as hard as I was.

  “I don’t know about you, honey, but I am ready to take out a vampire.” Jez deposited her shopping bag on the counter before digging through the fridge.

  “Just one?” Kale raised an eyebrow skeptically. “What about you, Alexa? Are you up for another hunt?”

  I had to force myself to meet his eyes directly. I didn’t want him to know how nervous he had made me. “No, I’m waiting for a client. You two will have to have all the fun for me.”

  “I can handle that.” Jez produced a container of leftover Chinese food. “Who’s is this?”

  Kale wrinkled his nose in distaste and fanned a hand before his face. “Does it matter? It smells hideous.”

  “Not a fan of Asian cuisine, Kale?” She pulled a fork from the drawer and dug into the container. “I hear those Asian chicks taste divine.”

  “I guess you would know,” he shot back at her, winking as he spoke. She frowned upon realizing that his lame joke had been better than hers.

  “Do we really have to talk about tasting people?” I dug through the cupboards until I found clean coffee filters. Couldn’t anyone put them back in the same place? I was carefully trying to avoid looking at either of them, knowing that Jez would have a grin a mile wide.

  Her peal of laughter had me rolling my eyes knowingly. Thankfully, she didn’t say anything facetious like I’d been expecting. Kale made a dramatic show of clearing his throat before rising to his full height.

  “How much longer will it be until you’re done stuffing your face and we can head out? I’d like to avoid cutting this one as close to dawn as last time.” He smirked at Jez as he spoke, and her cat eyes narrowed into a glare.

  “We did not cut it that close. Besides, it’s still early.” Jez paused, her fork poised in midair. She hissed softly. “I thought vampires had loads of patience. No need to get your panties in a twist.”

  Kale merely sighed, regarding her with a cool, unaffected stare. I turned to the sink, running fresh water into the coffee pot. It was more than obvious that Kale wanted to escape my presence as surely as I wanted to be relieved of his. It was just so awkward with that crazy kiss replaying in my head.

  I turned to pour the fresh water into the coffee maker, giving Jez a pointed look as I did so. All at once, understanding crashed over her features and a blush colored her cheeks.

  “You know, I can get something while we’re out. Just let me grab something from my office.” Dropping the Chinese food container, she dashed out the kitchen door and down the hall, leaving Kale and I alone.

  “How awkward is this?” The words just tumbled out of me, and I cringed inwardly in embarrassment. I flashed Kale a tight smile, feeling my cheeks flush.

  Despite the span of the kitchen separating us, Kale’s presence felt enormous. His energy seemed to overwhelm my senses once it caught my attention. His power was running strong and steady tonight, not unlike the brewing coffee that I couldn’t wait to drink up. I had to shake myself out of that mind frame.

  “Come on, Alexa. It’s us. It shouldn’t have to be awkward, regardless of what happened last night. Again, I’m sorry.”

  I shook my head and dared to cross the distance, laying a hand lightly on his leather-clad arm, just for a moment. “No apologizing. This is the world we’re part of, and we should know what to expect from it.”

  He seemed to consider this before nodding in agreement. “You’re right. And I, even more so than you, after this many years of existence. No worries then?”

  “No worries.” I busied myself with fetching cream and sugar, taking care to double check the expiration date before pouring the cream in my cup. “Your friendship means more to me than any of the power stuff that’s bound to come up. That’s what will keep us sane. I have enough insanity in my life with men. I count on you for normalcy.”

  His low chuckle was soothing and comforting because it immediately banished the strange atmosphere that had settled. Jez reappeared in the doorway with a file folder tucked under one arm.

  “Ready?” Her bright eyes flicked back and forth between us.

  After the two of them had left, I beat a hasty retreat to my office for some quiet time alone. I didn’t get that very often and even brief moments were worth savoring. I wasn’t sure when my potential client was due to show. It could be any time. I didn’t even have the client’s full name. In fact, I wasn’t even sure what gender I was expecting or if this were a human or a supernatural. Had I really agreed to this? I had to start paying more attention.

  I passed some time checking email and catching up with various online avenues while waiting for this mystery person to show up. It was likely a run of the mill vampire hunt. One vampire gets ticked at another and outs them for some treacherous deed, gaining them a death sentence. Meanwhile, the original vamp never gets exposed as the one behind it all. Not all vampires were bold and brash. Of course, a cowardly vampire rarely existed for long.

  After an hour passed and nobody had shown up, I began to get restless. I wasn’t one for sitting around idly. It wasn’t that I had anything better to do right then, but I would have rather been slaying vampires with Kale and Jez than sitting on my ass in boredom. It wasn’t long before I heard Lilah let herself out of the building.

  When the front doorbell rang, I almost leaped out of my skin. A shot of adrenaline slammed through me, and I had to take a deep breath. As my legs carried me to the door, I had to fight the sensation that they were made of jelly.

  My fingers closed over the lock and the strangest feeling swept me. Everything inside me screamed not to open the door. I paused and questioned the rationality of that. It just felt like a vampire. And, I had just been reading a slasher novel all alone in a large, dark office.

  I forced myself to clear my thoughts and focus on my instinct. It continued to persist that whatever was on the other side of the door was something I did not want to meet with face to face. The bell sounded again, and I stood motionless, uncertain.

  Despite all of my instincts, something else was pushing me to open the door. The promise of something big on the other side was almost too much to ignore. Against my better judgment and
the cry of protest from my wolf, I unlocked the door and pulled it open. A thousand different words for describing stupidity flooded my brain as I looked out on the vampire smirking down at me on the front step.

  Harley Kayson looked just as he had in every memory of Arys’s I could recall. To say that I was frightened would have been understatement of the year. I was staring at a monster far worse than what any horror author could conjure up.

  I stared at Harley with dread etched on my features. He smiled back at me, knowing he had me right where he wanted me. I swallowed hard but didn’t dare speak.

  “What’s wrong, Alexa? You don’t look very happy to see me.” He stared at me with eyes so dark they appeared black. “I assume I need no introduction.”

  He took his time looking me over from head to toe and back again. A shake of his head drew my attention to his short, dark hair. The barest traces of silver lined his temples. Clad in an obviously expensive suit, he looked as if he had just stepped out of one of Arys’s memories.

  “You’re just like he said you were. But better.” If his words were supposed to ease my panic, they succeeded in having the opposite effect.

  With a thought, I held energy ready at my fingertips. It didn’t seem to faze him. Instead, it encouraged his interest in me.

  “So it’s true.” He nodded more to himself than to me. Before I could consider slamming the door in his face, he shoved past me, glancing around at the empty office. “You can relax though. I’m here to talk … this time. Is there somewhere that we can sit? Or, would you prefer to stand?”

  My mind raced a mile a minute as a series of horrific images flashed behind my eyes. This monster was beyond vampire, he was pure evil. I stood my ground as he slowly circled me, getting a good look.

  “What the hell do you want?” My voice shook with fear, and I swallowed hard.

  He studied me pensively. “I haven’t decided yet.”

  “Yeah, well I don’t have time for this shit. You really should be going.” I wanted to toss the power I held ready, but something was sapping my confidence. He was giving me a daring look. He wanted me to do it.

  Harley cleared the remaining few feet between us in less than a second. I gasped when he stood close, gazing at me with open, raw hunger. I swear I felt my heart come to a stop.

  Before I could react, he grabbed my hand, ignoring the dancing blue and golden yellow within it. I almost choked on my fear when the power I held fell flat. He took it into himself with a touch, as easy as if I hadn’t been resisting.

  A smile of pure pleasure crossed his face as he tasted my energy. “I’m sorry, darling, but I’m not about to spar with you here. You and I are going to have a little chat. It’s your choice how much of that chat is talking and how much of that is power games.”

  I obviously had little real choice in this matter. Of course, the last thing I wanted to do was battle it out with Harley. I sighed and crossed my arms over my chest. “What do you want to talk about?”

  “What do you think? There seems to be just one thing we have in common.”

  “Arys.”

  “None other.”

  “What about him?” I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at the intimidating vampire.

  “I want to know more about what you have with him. He wasn’t inclined to do a lot of talking about that when he took it upon himself to defend your honor, which I have yet to truly threaten.” He raised a dark eyebrow and grinned. That action seemed to be threat enough for me. “You are not like any other werewolf, human or vampire. You seem to have a little of every world, and my dear Arys is somehow connected to you. It’s only natural that I am curious.”

  “Of course.” I nodded, hating that he referred to Arys as his. Arys had never been his. I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying so. “I’m sure you know we’ve bonded our power.”

  “What have you gained from that?” His eyes remained on mine, but I could feel his analysis of me on every level.

  “I’m still not entirely sure. It’s come with a bit of a learning curve.” I was choosing my words carefully, and from the dark look he gave me, it was apparent.

  Harley paced a very slow circle around me so that I had to turn to keep him in my direct line of sight. His coal-black eyes were eerie. A chill coursed down my spine as they peered deep into me. I felt myself falling into them before I could stop it. The next thing I knew, he had me up against the wall, a hand on either side of my head. It was dizzying, and I struggled to clear my mind.

  He pressed close, so that I had to keep staring into those drowning pools of black. I gasped when he brought his lips to mine, a gentle press that I couldn’t deny while gazing into those hypnotizing eyes. Though I knew that this was his allure as a powerful vampire, I couldn’t combat it.

  I expected him to deepen the kiss, but he didn’t. The press of his open mouth on mine was enough for him to draw my energy directly into him, intimate but not entirely invasive. I was stricken with fear that he would bite me. I didn’t want him tasting my blood. He never did though.

  Harley tasted sweet, like forbidden candy. My resistance burnt up like a flammable substance until it was nonexistent. When I found myself reaching for him, I came back to myself with a start. I began to struggle harder against him, and he stepped back with a strange smile pulling at his lips.

  I felt ashamed of my weakness and inability to resist him. My hand flew to my mouth, touching my lips as I pondered what had just happened. Harley laughed, low and smooth. My stomach clenched in response.

  “He hasn’t blood bonded you.” Harley ran his tongue over his lower lip, tasting me. “It’s incredibly easy to see why he was drawn to you. You are damn powerful.”

  I had to concentrate on the mechanics of breathing. I shook my head and choked on my words. I gaped at him for a moment. “You stole the power right out of my hand. How powerful can I be?”

  “That has nothing to do with it. I merely took what you were freely giving. It was idle power, fair game.” He shrugged as if it was common knowledge. “What can you really do?”

  I thought back to what I’d done to the vampiress that I’d killed with Arys. I’d forced power into her until her heart exploded. Telling Harley about that couldn’t possibly work in my favor. I was glad mind reading was a selective ability for vampires, much like energy manipulation. Some were better than others.

  “Nothing,” I answered blankly. “I’m just a werewolf.” I feigned the best, vacant-eyed expression possible.

  “Alright, Alexa, have it your way. I won’t be put off that easily. You have successfully made Arys more powerful than even he would have dreamed possible. And, if you think that’s going to go unnoticed, you’d better think again. I won’t be the only one crawling out of the woodwork to get a taste of you.”

  I shuddered at his words, hating the feeling of him on my lips. What I hated most was how badly I’d wanted to taste his power as well. I glared at him with all of the hate I could muster.

  “Why are you here, Harley? What is it that you really want from me?” I came away from the wall with my hands balled into fists.

  He nodded thoughtfully, a slight tilt to his head. “I want to know what Arys has that I don’t. I want to know what is so important that he is willing to destroy anything that dares to threaten you. Clearly he loves you, yet he chooses not to bond you.” Harley’s voice was low, contemplative. “I want to know what joins him to the most powerful werewolf alive.”

  I stared at him fearfully as if he were mad, which I was pretty sure he was. This was all about what Arys had that he did not. Was it just a vampire’s need to dominate or was there more to it?

  “All I can tell you is this, whatever Arys and I have, it’s meant to be. It’s bigger than we are and try as I might to find my way out, it is here to stay.” I saw no harm in divulging that much to Harley. I was hoping he would see it for the truth it was and leave me alone.

  He remained motionless, but his energy sparked hot around me. What I wouldn’t have
given to have Lilah return right then.

  I felt myself shrink beneath Harley’s sinister gaze. True terror struck me when his power reached out for me, battering my personal shields.

  “I created him, wolf. Arys is mine before he will ever be yours.” Harley took an unsteady step toward the door, and I knew he was fighting the urge to hurt me. Or worse. I knew better than to argue with him. “And whatever is his, is likely to be mine, if I should will it.”

  My breathing effectively stopped then as his words squeezed my heart like a vice. I stared into those inky orbs, the blank expression on his stony face stealing any response I would have had. His threat was clearly spoken, leaving no room for confusion. I began to pray silently that he would just leave before this situation could get any more fucked up.

  “I just had to see you for myself,” he continued, edging closer still to the door. “And, I see what a rare and powerful beauty you are. So much so, that I do not trust myself to stay another minute without tasting your blood. I’m afraid our visit is much shorter than I would have liked. I promise you that next time, we will get to know one another a little better.”

  He winked then, his self-satisfied smile unfading. The moment he disappeared through the door, I was moving. I slammed the door closed and secured the locks before backing into the kitchen, a hand over my mouth as I asked myself what the hell had just happened.

  Oh, I knew what happened, but I couldn’t believe that it was real. Harley Kayson had set his sights on me. His intentions were clear. Just as Arys had feared, Harley had taken an unhealthy interest in me. And, his obvious jealousy was something to be concerned with.