Trina M. Lee

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

  “We’ll be ok, Ky. Kale can take care of things. And, I’ll watch my back. Promise.”

  “I guess that’s all I can ask.” She pulled me close for a quick hug before making me repeat my promise.

  I wasn’t stupid enough to believe that I was safe at the Kiss. Nobody was safe there. I wouldn’t be there alone. With two vampires and a werewolf accompanying me, I’d be as safe as I could possibly get.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  At first glance, The Wicked Kiss didn’t appear to be any different than it was the first night I saw the inside of it. The dance floor was packed, as always. The bar had a line up, and the rooms in the back occupied by vampires and their willing, or not so willing victims, were full. Yet, I could already feel the difference in the atmosphere.

  Kale had wasted no time in taking charge. As a regular and an old and powerful vampire, few would be ballsy enough to challenge him. The few staff members that hadn’t wanted to stick around after Harley’s death were gone though almost all of the staff had remained. They hadn’t seemed to care who was in charge, as long as they had a purpose in the club and a paycheck. That worked for me.

  I stood near the dance floor, sipping an iced tea and watching the combination of humans and vampires grinding and groping to the music. A few of the human patrons looked like they may be underage. That was something that was going to change and fast.

  Arys was in the back. I assumed he was in Harley’s room, though I wasn’t sure what he was doing in there. Shaz was getting a feel for the place as he was about to take over security duty. In addition, Kale was by my side, observing those that were willing to bleed.

  “It’s been far too easy. I keep waiting for something to happen.” Kale leaned close so that I could hear him over the loud music. “But, I’ll be ready when it does.”

  “And, what exactly are you expecting?”

  “I don’t know. It just seems too calm and normal here. Makes me suspicious.”

  His words made me look that much harder at everyone around me. Arys hadn’t been happy with my decision to give legal ownership to Kale or my choice to share the responsibility of running the place. It wasn’t up for discussion though. Arys didn’t like that Kale had sunk fangs into me or that I’d wanted it. However, after some of the things we had done recently, we had no choice but to live with it and let it go. Kale was someone I shared a connection with, a connection unlike the one I shared with my lovers. I’d stopped trying to define it.

  “I’m always suspicious in this place,” I replied. “But, now that Harley’s out of the picture, I’m ready to rumble anyone that wants to make trouble.”

  “I have to admit, I was worried about you. I hated seeing you so wrecked when Arys was gone. It’s hard to watch you suffer.”

  I reached for Kale’s hand and gave it a friendly squeeze. “Thanks, Kale. I appreciate that. It’s a touchy situation for sure, but we’re making do. He’s still beating himself up over the things he found out during his trip to Vegas.”

  Kale shrugged and turned his serious multi-colored gaze on me. “Well, good. He should be. He was an idiot to doubt you.”

  I hid a smile. “In Arys’s defense though, Harley was his sire. I can understand the attachment.”

  Kale scoffed, glancing away from me back to the crowded dance floor. “Even more reason to off the guy. But, I guess some of us regret the things that others thrive on.”

  I had nothing to say to that. I wasn’t a vampire. Not yet anyway. I couldn’t relate to what most of them had gone through. Kale’s experience had been horrific. I knew only some of what he’d endured, but it had been bad enough for him to alter his lifestyle, finding his victims at the Kiss and only taking the kill in rare circumstances.

  I watched as Shaz walked a slow path around the perimeter of the club. He wasn’t going to be taking care of typical security like the front door. I wanted his eyes and ears everywhere. A few of the human female clientele had approached him several times already in the hopes that he was seeking a play pal. He didn’t let on what he was though I suspected if they saw him sprout claws and fangs bigger than any vampire’s, they’d run shrieking into the night.

  I was laughing softly to myself at the visual my mind conjured when something suddenly grasped my attention. The atmosphere shifted ever so slightly, just enough to trigger my senses and set off my internal alarm. Something wasn’t right.

  I scanned the vicinity, trying to appear as if I wasn’t. A negative energy felt too harsh and focused on me. I looked at Kale to see if he felt it, too. The way he surveyed those around us told me he did. Everything in me warned of danger. My body reacted defensively. Claws and fangs lengthened, ready for battle. I was confused, unsure of what it was I was preparing to take on. I didn’t like this.

  Shaz was on the opposite side of the room talking to a guy sitting alone at a corner table. Arys still hadn’t returned from the back hall. He must have sensed it too because I felt him in my mind, the lightest touch of concern.

  Before I could form a telepathic response to Arys, Kale shoved me so hard I stumbled and fell. In the very same breath, a power ball exploded against the wall where I’d been standing, leaving a smoking hole behind. Screams rang out, and people scrambled to get out of the area.

  I got to my feet as a vampire seemed to appear out of nowhere. He was dark haired with light eyes. I didn’t recognize him. Kale was between us, his hands glowing with power. I saw him hesitate, as if afraid to lash out with bystanders so close.

  Our attacker didn’t have that same caution. He hit Kale with a blast that terrified me before physically throwing him across the dance floor. I bit back a cry when Kale crashed into a pool table, sending the whole thing smashing down in pieces.

  Before I could react, the vampire grabbed me by the throat and slammed me against the damaged wall. The strength and power that emanated from the mysterious vampire was painful in its intensity. I fought hard, raking his face with my claws and kicking him. He didn’t budge. I gathered my power, prepared to unleash what I had. A sharp pain in my chest stopped me. I was stunned to find a stake pressed between my ribs.

  “Go ahead and try it.” The vampire seethed between bared teeth. “By the time you blast me, I’ll already have this stake in your heart.”

  “What the fuck do you want from me?” I gasped out with the small amount of breath I was able to draw. My hands burned with the power that sought release. I struggled to hold it back. The stake buried in my flesh just beneath my left breast promised pain and death. I was stricken with fear.

  “Something like you can’t exist. You just can’t be. I stake you now, and you won’t be rising again. It’s over for you.”

  I saw the flash of white blond hair as Shaz launched himself at the vampire holding me trapped. I winced, expecting to feel the blow of the stake. The vampire didn’t so much as release his hold on me, and he downed Shaz easily with a roiling ball of energy.

  “Don’t,” I begged.

  “I will never bow down to you, werewolf,” hissed the vampire with raw hatred. “You are unnatural, and your power will never bind me. Your death may also mean my own, but it will be worth it. I’m nobody’s slave.”

  I was confused, unable to make sense of his rambling. His eyes were crazed, and the pressure on the stake increased substantially. I felt it bite through my flesh, and I tried to scream. His hand on my throat made it near impossible.

  When Arys appeared, it was as if he’d come from mist. I didn’t sense his approach nor did I see it. The snap when he grabbed my attacker’s wrist was audible despite the loud music that still played. Realizing he was in trouble, the vampire attempted to plunge the stake deeper, but Arys had already ripped him away from me.

  I slumped to the floor, gasping for air and holding my wound. Blood oozed between my fingers. I watched as the two vampires struggled. Arys’s eyes were wilder than I’d ever seen them. He wasn’t just pissed. He was on a mission to destroy.

  I pulled the stake from my
body, horrified by its bloody tip. I’d never been on this end of the stake before. It was terrifying, and I had a whole new respect for all of the vampires that had met their final death this way.

  I couldn’t tell how bad the wound was, and I was afraid to find out. Each breath hurt, and my vision began to grow dim. I fought to keep a clear head, refusing to pass out. The two vampires were a blur before me, but with a blast of power that I felt in my core, Arys gained the upper hand and soon my attacker was nothing more than dust and bone on the floor of the club.

  A voice was trying desperately to get my attention. I tried to focus on Shaz kneeling at my side, but it was difficult. I was glad to see he was ok after the hit he’d taken. I searched for Kale, relieved when I spotted him pulling himself from the rubble of the pool table. When Shaz pulled my hands away from the bleeding puncture in my chest, I was too weak to resist. The power I’d been holding fell away, causing the atmosphere around us to hum with a high-frequency squeal.

  “Lex? Are you ok? You’ve got to speak to me, baby. Come on!” Shaz was shaking me lightly. Turning away, he shouted, “Arys! We need you. This isn’t looking good.”

  My head swam, and my tongue was thick and dry when I tried to speak. I wanted to tell them that I’d be fine, but nothing came out. Those I cared about surrounded me. Arys was quick to respond to Shaz’s plea. He joined the white wolf at my side while Kale hovered nearby, ensuring that those left in the club went on about their business.

  “Let’s get her into the back where we can take a better look.” Arys lifted me in his arms, and I yelped from the sudden shooting pain. “It’s ok, my love,” he whispered to me. “It’ll be ok.”

  I faded in and out of consciousness. At some point, I realized I was lying on a bed, Harley’s bed. That had to be a bad omen.

  “It didn’t hit her heart,” I heard Arys say, though he wasn’t speaking to me. “But, she’s losing a lot of blood, fast. I think I can slow it.”

  The room grew deathly quiet. The ceiling above me was blurred and seemed to grow farther away. A warm sensation started within the wound itself and expanded to fill my entire body. I recognized Arys’s energy, flowing through me with a healing touch. There was a sharp pang in my chest, which was quickly replaced by a soothing sensation.

  It got easier to breathe as Arys pushed his energy into me. Closing my eyes, I could feel my body knitting itself back together under his influence. I was fatigued from the blood loss, but my strength was returning. My mind was beginning to form thoughts again.

  “What the fuck was that all about?” My voice cracked, but I got the words out. “Did you know that bastard?”

  Arys shook his head, his expression grim. “No. I hate to say it but I’m not surprised this happened. I knew something like this was coming. It was inevitable.”

  “He said things to me,” I said, struggling to sit upright. “They didn’t make any sense. Something about refusing to be a slave to a werewolf.” I shook my head and frowned. “I don’t know. It means nothing to me.”

  Kale stepped forward from his place in the doorway. “You’re unique, Alexa. And powerful, you’ll be even more powerful when you do rise as a vampire. Perhaps some see you as too powerful. A threat.”

  I looked from him to Arys, finding matching expressions on their faces. Shaz sat heavily on the bed beside me and reached for my hand. He shook his head but remained silent. I was sure he was cursing the fact that I ever met Arys. Being the wonderful man that he was, he didn’t give voice to those thoughts.

  I stared at the burn mark on the carpet, the spot where Harley had perished. It was never going to get easier no matter what I did. Blood bonds, gaining control and skill or wiping out a master vampire up to no good, none of it was going to save my ass.

  I couldn’t help but wonder what life would be like if I’d remained a good little werewolf, minding my own business and hiding the natural power I’d been born with. I didn’t share the stream of questions running through my mind. I simply mulled them over, knowing it wasn’t about what might have been but rather, what was.

  “I don’t think you should be here anymore.” Arys’s jaw was clenched, and he paced the length of the room.

  “What difference does it make? I can’t sit at home watching TV every night just to avoid the occasional shithead vampire. Be realistic, Arys.”

  Kale sighed and shrugged. “Girl’s got a point.”

  Arys shot him a dark glare, and I ignored them both, lifting my shirt to check out my injury. They could argue all they wanted. I wasn’t going to be controlled by anyone.

  The stake puncture still hurt, but it had almost closed completely. My bra and shirt were bloodstained, as was my skin. I reached a tentative finger to touch the pink scar tissue lightly. Arys was a miracle worker.

  It was too quiet. I glanced up to find all three of them watching me. I was immediately self-conscious. Tugging my shirt back into place, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and got up. A wave of dizziness hit me, and I wobbled unsteadily. Shaz steadied me with a hand on my arm.

  “You need to rest, Lex,” he said. “We should go home.”

  “She needs blood,” Arys stated with a pointed look at Shaz.

  “Fine. She can take mine.”

  I met Kale’s eyes while Shaz and Arys were giving each other telltale looks. He and I shared a thought. He seemed to know what I was feeling as I sat there with my two over protective lovers.

  He gave me a slight nod, and I smiled. Much as I loved both Arys and Shaz, there was a side of me that just didn’t come out with either of them. It came out when I was hunting and killing with Kale and Jez.

  “Just get me home and into a warm bath, please?” My hand went to my sore ribs, and I allowed Shaz to support my weight with an arm around my waist.

  I paused to give Kale a friendly hug before slowly making my way out of the room. I made a mental note on the way to have Harley’s room completely renovated. As it was, it gave me the creeps.

  Kale returned to the main part of the club to try to maintain a semblance of normalcy. I could just imagine what the patrons were thinking.

  The sound of moans, laughter and even shrieks from the back rooms accompanied us as we left through the rear hall exit. The Wicked Kiss … hell of a place. It was part of my life now. And, I’d be back.

  Epilogue

  The air smelled like spring. It wasn’t far off now. I was happy to say goodbye to the snow for another season. Traces of ice and snow remained here and there in the shaded spots beneath the trees, but most of it had melted away.

  The grass beneath my paws was still dead and faded, but it would soon be glorious green. I could feel the earth beneath my feet, the way it hummed with life and vitality despite what took place on its surface. It was immense in its power, a giant web of energy that connected us all together. It was beautiful.

  I’d been spending more time in the forest recently. I’d missed it. It wasn’t easy having so many sides to me. Human, wolf … vampire. Sometimes I felt like I lost the true me in the mess of the rest. Where did I, Alexa, fit into those labels? I wasn’t sure anymore.

  My runs in the forest had been solo more often than not lately. I was desperate to hear myself think, to feel my limbs move and to be caught up in the whirlwind sensation of being part of nature. There was something about being alone there that made me feel … real.

  The sun hadn’t been down long. The sound of birds singing hadn’t yet faded, and I trotted along in bliss. Like so many times before, I was tempted never to leave, to stay amidst the forest forever. If only.

  I glanced up at the darkening sky, watching as the last hint of day slipped away. I was struck with sudden fear that the day would come when I would never lay eyes on the sun again. I was nocturnal by nature but to have it taken away from me, completely forbidden, I couldn’t bear the thought of that.

  I felt the eyes that watched me before I saw the black wolf in the distance. My first thought was Zoey but no, that wasn’t pos
sible. She was at Kylarai’s, in human form, the form she would probably remain in for the rest of her life. Besides, the eyes that followed me were not crystalline blue but a deep coal black.

  My heart increased to a dangerous tempo. I froze in my tracks, unable to tear my gaze away from the black wolf. It couldn’t be. It was impossible, but I’d know Raoul anywhere. No doubt in my mind, I was staring into the eyes of my Alpha, my first true love.

  How? The one word echoed inside my head. This couldn’t be. He was dead. A dream, it had to be a dream. I wanted to wake up. Will he ever go away?

  As I watched, the black wolf approached me. His steps were slow but determined. I had the urge to run, but my feet were rooted to the ground, so I waited pensively.

  As he drew closer, the shape of the wolf wavered and began to fade until mist took its place. When the mist cleared, Raoul stood naked before me with a perfectly neutral expression on his rugged face. He knelt in front of me and took my face in his hands. When he brought his lips to mine, I realized I was no longer in wolf form.

  He kissed me tenderly, the softest touch. His hands on my face were warm and alive. My eyes filled with hot tears that didn’t fall. I expected to feel many things like fear and confusion. Instead, I just felt solemn.

  I was afraid to touch him. As real as he felt, I knew he wasn’t, and I feared my hands would go right through him and cause the illusion to fall to pieces. Raoul’s musky wolf scent filled me, teasing my beast. An ache deep inside reminded me that I missed him, desperately.

  He pulled back and peered into my eyes as if searching for my soul. Several questions danced on the tip of my tongue, but I was unable to give voice to them. I could only sit there while he pushed my hair back from my face in a gentle gesture.

  “Alexa.” His voice was strong and smooth, and I felt like I’d heard it just yesterday rather than so many long months ago. “You know who you are. Never forget it.”