Trina M. Lee

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

  I knew that my reaction to him was driving him further into insanity. However, I could not alter the beat of my heart or prevent the flood of fear that claimed me. I was running a series of options though my mind. If worse came to worse, I’d fight as dirty as it gets. And, he’d be sorry he tried this.

  My entire body was buzzing with an electrical charge. I was ready for anything. The crazed vampire pulled back, looking down at me with surprise. “My God,” he breathed. “Your eyes … they’re his.”

  I didn’t count on the extreme enjoyment that was written all over his face. I was learning very quickly that Harley was the type of guy that would laugh all the way to hell.

  “I love it!” He exclaimed enthusiastically. “I never would have dreamed this to be possible. Nothing living should have the kind of power that you have.”

  His comment was not so different from what I’d already been told by Arys. The evil shining like a dark light in his eyes made my stomach hurt. Even if I managed to hurt him, it would likely have the opposite effect and would only serve to empower him.

  “So I’ve been told. And though I may not know as much as you do, I am always willing to learn through action.” My fingertips sparkled with deep blue energy laced in gold. I knew when I slipped into a different mindset that Arys’s influence was strong in me.

  I smiled ruthlessly, waiting for Harley to decide how this was going to play out. Feeling trapped, the wolf in me was fiercely aggravated at his attempt to dominate me.

  “Oh, my dear wolf, you surely do coax the hunger within me.” Those dark eyes fixed on the pulse leaping in my throat.

  An image flashed through my mind, one from the dream I’d had while at Raoul’s. Oh please no, this couldn’t go down like that. I would force Harley to kill me before I’d let him bond me by blood. I couldn’t let him bite me, anything but that.

  I was facing a decision, a reaction to his action. Time seemed to slow down, and I became aware of another undead presence just as Harley turned his attention to the door. I identified Kale’s energy before he called my name. He couldn’t come in here. He’d get us both killed, or worse.

  The door burst open with an ear-shattering screech of wood and metal. Kale’s energy was livelier than I had ever seen it when he burst into the room. His different colored eyes were entrancing, and I stared at him in wonder.

  Harley waved a hand dismissively and hissed, “This had better be good, Sinclair.” Then to me he said, “Don’t tell me he’s another one of yours.”

  I was numb. I stared at Kale, afraid that he had just put himself in very great danger for me. It wasn’t worth it.

  “Kale, what are you doing here?”

  “Are you alright?” Looking to Harley behind me, Kale strode into the room. “Get the hell away from her.”

  Harley barely twitched a hand, but it was enough to take Kale down. He writhed on the floor near my feet, anguished sounds coming from him.

  “Stop it!” I stepped between them, attempting an energy wall that I expected to fall flat. It didn’t. It held, effectively stopping Harley’s attack.

  Adrenaline crashed through my veins, and I whirled on Harley, fangs bared, a growl rumbling in my throat. “This is between you and me. You want me? Then come and get me, but I’m not going to let you hurt anybody else.”

  Harley glanced at Kale as he struggled to his feet. I could feel him analyzing the connection between Kale and I, trying to determine how deep it went. I spoke to Kale but didn’t dare take my eyes from Harley or drop the wall I held strong.

  “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “You know what I’m doing here, Alexa. I’d know your energy anywhere. Are you ok? Did he hurt you?”

  Kale began to look me over, blatantly ignoring the other vampire. When he touched me, I couldn’t help but flash back to the kiss we’d shared and a fevered heat stole over me. Harley was smirking as he made a show of dusting off his suit jacket. I was sure I didn’t want to know what he was thinking.

  “Kale,” I said breathlessly, pulling away from him before the tension could grow between us. The entire room was filled with way too much vampire energy. It was overwhelming my senses. “You shouldn’t be here.”

  “Too late.” He shot a dark glare at Harley who laughed wickedly and eyed my barrier. “Where’s Arys?”

  “Good question.” Harley piped up. “I notice that he hasn’t come riding in to save you yet.”

  “Kale, please.” I shut out Harley’s words, refusing to allow him to get to me. “You have to get out of here. I can handle this. I swear.”

  “I’m not leaving you, Alexa. We’re partners, and this is just another dirty vampire to be wiped out.”

  Harley quirked an eyebrow in interest at Kale’s words, and I cringed inwardly. “Is that so? Well, I’m sorry to have to disappoint you … friend.”

  With a flick of his wrist, Harley destroyed the wall of energy I held steady. He literally jerked the power that fed it, and I stumbled, pained as the sensation became physical. He downed Kale with another powerful blast before stepping over his unconscious form to capture me in his arms.

  Harley was done playing around. I cried out as he aggressively bit into my flesh, his fangs sinking deep into my neck just inches from Arys’s bite. It hurt immensely and yet, my body was still flooded with that sexual need for him. Just that easily, I had lost.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Pleasure flooded me. I clung to Harley as he fed from me, wanting to feel more of him. More pain, more pleasure. My thoughts were dominated with the aching need to have all of him.

  As Harley pressed deeper with his fangs, I squirmed against him, unable to fight the amazing sensations. There was a small sense of rationale left in me that urged me to fight back. If only I actually wanted to. The vampire energy in the room was too strong, and it literally swept me away. When he lifted me in his arms and carried me to the bed, I barely even noticed.

  I moaned when he placed me on the soft mattress and slipped his fangs from my body. He licked and sucked at the oozing wound as my blood flowed. I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him close like a lover.

  With one hand, Harley stroked the inside of my thigh, and I shuddered in his embrace. His power called to mine, encouraging it to grow and to envelope us in a heady glow. It was electrifying, and yet it was nothing like anything I’d experienced with Arys. My power didn’t try to bond with Harley’s. Instead, it seemed to roll over and around his energy, tasting and enjoying it, but never becoming one.

  He brought his head up to look at me, and my intentions wavered. His eyes were absolutely jet-black, and my blood smeared on his lower lip reminded me that I should be afraid. Very afraid. I was an idiot. I had played right into his hands and proved to be less than a challenge.

  “My God, you taste divine.” Harley licked his lip slowly, sensually. He smiled as if intoxicated. I tried to get up, and he pressed me back against the bed with a hand on my chest. “I have to do it, Alexa. I must make you mine.”

  His words hit me like a punch in the guts, and I shook my head, confusion slowly becoming clarity as I fought to see through the desire he ignited in me.

  “No,” I whispered, struggling to find my voice. I looked to Kale, unconscious on the floor, then back to Harley. “Get off of me.”

  “I was hoping you’d fight. In fact, I was counting on it.” Kneeling over me, he pinned my wrists above my head in a move too smooth to have not been practiced. “This is going so much better than I’d anticipated.”

  My stomach turned as a wave of nausea hit me. If his intention hadn’t been clear before, it certainly was now. I knew what he wanted, and I couldn’t let it happen. He was going to try to force me into a blood bond. And, if I kept succumbing to the false sensations of pleasure, I wasn’t going to be able to put up a fight.

  I tried to tap my power, but I couldn’t maintain focus as I wrestled to free my hands. “You don’t want me, Harley. I am a werewolf, a mated Alpha. I can’t offer yo
u anything.”

  “Don’t insult my intelligence, sweetheart. You’re going to take my blood and complete this bond one way or another. I’ve taken more than enough from you. It’s already begun.”

  Hot tears stung the back of my eyes as I furiously tried to blink them away. Though I couldn’t recall exactly how I’d gotten myself into this situation, I was pretty sure it had to be my fault.

  Harley never took his eyes off me as he raised his wrist to his mouth. He bit into it with a warm, wet sound that both tantalized and horrified me. The scent of his blood almost caused me to salivate as the bloodlust rose up inside me. I licked my lips, the temptation to taste it commanding me to reach for his arm.

  Everything inside me that was wolf warred with Arys’s undead needs. The wild animal in me refused to be dominated by this male. Two men could take that role with me, and he was not one of them. The two powerfully opposing sides of me faced off, and I whimpered in confusion.

  He brought his bleeding wrist closer, and I leaned as far away as I could. He’d have to drain me to the point of death in order to turn me into a vampire this way, but that wasn’t what he sought. Harley wanted to blood bond me so that Arys never could. And, by doing that, he would seal my fate. Upon my mortal death, I would rise as a vampire, bound to him forever.

  The thought truly was worse than death itself. I’d rather he killed me then and there. As badly as I wanted to run my tongue along the bleeding punctures in his wrist, I was wolf first, and that ruled me. I made the decision consciously, and something inside me snapped.

  With a snarl, I jerked my bound hands free and sat up with my fists flying. Harley’s head snapped back as I caught him with a mean right hook. He was momentarily stunned, giving me just enough time to roll off the bed as he grabbed for me. I hit the floor hard and scrambled to my feet.

  He lunged off the bed at me, blood dripping from his self-inflicted bite. The scent hit me, and my will started to crumble. I wasn’t going to be able to hold out much longer, but I’d be damned if I would go down without one hell of a fight.

  My instinct told me to run for the door, but I couldn’t leave Kale behind. Harley threw me into the wall with my head hitting hard. For a moment, I saw stars, and the next thing I knew, he had thrust his bloody arm in my face, filling my nostrils with the intoxicating scent.

  I growled and snapped at him, driving him back but just for a moment. He avoided my attack and came at me again, trying to pin me so that I couldn’t move. I couldn’t use metaphysical power, not when he could simply use it against me. I was strong, but he was stronger, and my heart sunk when he caught my right arm and twisted it behind my back.

  It was all over for me. When Harley brought his deliciously crimson wrist to my lips, my mind cried out in protest, but the blood hunger swayed my intentions.

  Arys was just suddenly there with Shaz at his side. His blue eyes filled with rage as he took in the scene before him. Three strides and he reached Harley, grasping him tightly with both hands and jerking him away from me.

  “Alexa! Are you ok?” Shaz smoothed my messy hair back from my face so he could peer into my eyes. I could feel the crazed expression I wore as I gaped at him, wondering if he were real or just a torturous figment of my imagination.

  Across the room, Arys had Harley pressed against the wall, gripping him tightly by the lapels of his jacket, letting fly with the shots. Harley didn’t hesitate to retaliate, and I winced when the two vampires collided in a mash of fists and fangs.

  “Tell me, Alexa,” Shaz said, giving me a slight shake as I continued to stare over his shoulder at Arys and Harley. “What happened?”

  “Nothing,” I gasped. “I mean, other than the obvious.”

  His eyes narrowed, and he studied the fresh wound in my neck. “He hit you. Don’t deny it because your face is bruised.”

  The glance he cast over at Harley was pure venom, and I started to think I’d have to stop him from jumping in. The vampires were on each other like two rabid dogs. I didn’t want to watch, but I couldn’t look away.

  When the first blast of metaphysical power was thrown, I felt it in my guts. Every time Arys lashed out, he drew on my power, too, and it felt like a cold fire burning in my core.

  They were out of control, each vampire fighting to get leverage over the other. The scent of blood filled the air, thicker now as it mingled with mine. It was empowering, and I embraced the rush that filled me and let my instincts take over.

  I had to separate them before they killed each other. I was terrified for Arys, and I wanted this madness to stop. I lashed out with enough force to knock each of them off their feet without serious injury. It happened so fast. They were both abruptly on their asses, staring in confusion.

  Blood spilled down the side of Arys’s face from a gash in his eyebrow. It ran down his strong jaw, dripping steadily. Though Harley sported a hell of a shiner, he also carried a natural air of menace and twisted joy. A streak of blood marred his left cheek beneath his eye running to his upper lip. His malicious grin spoke nothing of pain or upset, only anticipatory intent.

  With a scathing glance at Arys, he said, “Who invited you?”

  “Stick it in your ass, Harley. This is the last time you make trouble for my wolf. I’m ready for you. But, Alexa is off limits.”

  There was no mistaking the widening of Harley’s eyes as he took in Arys’s hate filled expression. Was it just me or did fear flash behind his gaze? He dismissed it in a blink, recovering his malicious smile.

  “Your wolf?” Harley questioned. “The one that you will not claim?”

  I instinctually reached for Shaz’s hand. The action wasn’t missed by Harley who raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Or, could it be that you cannot claim her, because someone else already has?”

  When Arys spoke, his tone was low and menacing. I could almost feel the quiver in it as he pleaded with the other vampire. “Please, don’t make me kill you. You know I don’t want to do that.”

  Shaz’s predatory stare looked back and forth between Arys and Harley. He was ready for a fight. The intent in his stiff stance and expression was unmistakable. I squeezed his hand, willing him to stay calm.

  “You seem to have quite the quaint little ménage à trois going on here. I didn’t realize you liked the beasts so much.” Harley paced casually on his side of my barrier. “If all you wanted was to do a werewolf, we could have explored that centuries ago.”

  As Arys and Harley stared at one another, the atmosphere grew painful with the strength of their animosity. I knew there was no way this was going to go smoothly. I was awash with power, instinctually reacting to their unspoken threats.

  “If you want to finish this now, then by all means, let’s do so.” Arys’s jaw clenched tightly, and he angrily wiped the blood away from where it ran near his left eye. “I’ve tasted your death for decades. I’m not ready to kill you, but I will do anything to protect her.”

  Terror filled me, and I turned to him, ready to beg him to stop this. But, he had eyes only for his sire, and the look in those inky blue orbs chilled me to my very soul.

  Harley’s smile had vanished. He now wore a look of utter calm, but it was disturbing in its serenity.

  “I am not negotiating with you, Arys. Kill me if you will, but see if I don’t do my damndest to take her down with me.” He nodded in my direction as he spoke.

  A growl immediately rumbled in Shaz’s throat, and his body tensed beside me, ready to fly into action. I maintained my hold on his hand, refusing to let him go.

  “What do you want with me anyway?” I finally spoke up, hoping to bring a sense of rationale to the situation. “I can’t imagine what I have that you want.”

  He stared at me curiously for a long moment until I felt extremely uncomfortable. “No, I don’t suppose you would.” Looking at Arys he added, “You don’t even know what you have here. She is completely wasted on you.”

  Arys frowned, assessing the statement. He didn’t seem to know what to
make of it any more than I did. “This isn’t the old mine versus yours game, is it? Aren’t we beyond that? I tired of it so long ago.” He looked exasperated, like one dealing with an unreasonable child.

  “Everything is a game to you.” Harley began to pace, taunting Arys openly. “Do you even know any other way to play? We both know she’s just the latest in your lengthy history of conquests. And, we both know what happens to those conquests when you’re finished with them.”

  I didn’t take my eyes off the finely dressed vampire, noting how he moved. Arys moved in response to him, closing the distance separating them. His fingers danced with energy that was bright gold with only a hint of blue playing around the edge. I felt the power call to me, too, wanting to join through us. I continued to resist, fearing it would push the boundaries of my control.

  Even though Shaz couldn’t visibly see the brilliant energy, he immediately reacted to it. There was no way to avoid feeling something so strong. His eyes closed for just a moment, and a shudder caused his body to convulse.

  “I’m not here to rehash the good old days with you. I’m here to make sure you never make the mistake of touching Alexa again.” The growl that came from Arys astonished me. I wasn’t the only one. Shaz and Harley wore similar questioning looks, but Harley recovered first.

  He appeared absolutely bored and uninterested when he crossed his arms and simply said, “Then, stop me.”

  Shaz responded rather than Arys. My heart exploded with adrenaline when he said, “I would love the opportunity to finish you off.” In a move that was not usual for Shaz, he taunted the vampire with a beckoning motion that promised pain. “You dared to force yourself on my mate. You can’t be allowed to think that’s ok.”

  The intrigue written all over Harley’s handsome face when he looked at my wolf had me on the defensive. He didn’t seem opposed to the idea of taking on a werewolf.

  Was Shaz out of his mind? The thought of my wolf getting physical with Harley was enough to make my skin crawl. The vampire surveyed the room, taking in all three of us. I could almost see the strategic thought process going on inside him.