Trina M. Lee

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

  As Kale drew closer I could see that his eyes were solid black. His pupils were so enlarged it was impossible to see that his eyes were really two different colors from heterochromia iridium. He was soaring high alright; no doubt about that. The rush of the kill had many effects. I wasn’t eager to see it on a vampire who had kept himself on a short leash until now.

  I was relieved when Kale stopped several feet away. I had a feeling he did it more for his benefit than mine. I tried to shield against the pull I sensed from him, but my nature yearned to respond to it. I wanted to taste it, to feel it glide over me like a metaphysical second skin. Kale and I shared the same weakness: each other. My power always wanted him.

  “Does ‘What in the fuck?’ cover it?” I stared into his dark, glassy eyes, hoping to see some semblance of sanity in them. “I can’t believe you did this.”

  “You can’t?” Kale tilted his head to the side and looked me up and down. “I’m not an amateur. I was going to get rid of the mess.”

  Dressed all in black with his leather duster cloaking him, Kale looked as good as he always did, but I was more lured by the flow of power surrounding him. I knew how good it would feel.

  “When did you start killing again?” I focused on my irritation, ignoring the honey sweet, coercive vibe that called my power to him.

  “Does it matter?” Crossing his arms, he leaned back, against the wall opposite me. The weight of his gaze unnerved me.

  “There’s no point in talking to you right now, is there? I have to get going anyway. I’m going home.”

  “Already? But, I just got here.” His smile was more than a little evil. The last time he’d looked at me like that, the bastard had bit me.

  I regarded him warily. “I’ve tried calling your phone for hours. Now I see why you were ignoring me. What you do is your business, Kale. I can’t stop you. But, this stuff shouldn’t be happening in here. You’re fucking looped, and you know it. We should talk when you come down off this high. Not now.”

  “I can tell you right now those two dead hookers are likely among the tamest things you’d find in here tonight if you could see behind every closed door.”

  I wasn’t in the mood to argue. “Hey, it’s your club. You own it, and you can do whatever the hell you want here. I’m sure you want to deal with this before sunrise so I’ll just leave you to it.”

  “What’s the rush?” Kale stepped away from the wall, blocking my way past him. “You know I won’t hurt you.”

  “I know you want to. Have you forgotten that I’ve heard this before?”

  He reached a hand out towards me as he pulled on my nervous energy. “I won’t hurt you. Not unless you beg me to.”

  The memory his words conjured up brought a flaming hot blush to my cheeks. Not so long ago, the intoxicating allure of power had led me and Kale into an unplanned intimate encounter. He’d taken my blood, and I’d all but begged him to bang me on the desk in my office. It hadn’t happened, thanks to Jez’s interruption, but it had come damn close.

  He chuckled and took a step that brought him into my personal space. “You’re adorable when you blush.”

  I refused to let him intimidate me. The heady wave of energy that surrounded him like an intoxicating perfume teased my senses. I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was doing it on purpose, trying to force me to react to him. That wasn’t going to happen. To react would be dangerous, and he knew it as well as I did.

  I was tongue-tied as I tried to muster a response. “I got nothin’.”

  He was quiet for a minute, regarding me with that dark gaze. His power called to me, reminding me of why Kale and I were rarely alone together anymore. It was dangerous. Forbidden fruit always was so much sweeter. I hated how I reacted to him. Our uninhibited impulses exploded as my sensuality made me weak.

  Nope. Not happening. If I gave in to the luscious way our power felt, even for a moment, I’d find myself begging Kale to bleed me … and Lord knows what else.

  “You don’t trust me, Alexa?”

  Might as well be honest. “I guess that depends what you mean exactly. You’re a cold-blooded killer that’s had himself on a tight leash for many years. You’re about as unpredictable as they come.”

  “Yeah there’s that. But, you think I might try to kill you, don’t you?” He took that extra step. My skin grew hot at his proximity, and I drew in a deep breath. Stepping away would only provoke him.

  “Can you really blame me for that?”

  “Yes. I can.” Kale ran a hand through his hair. “Are you going to hold that one time against me forever? It was once. Yeah, you’re mortal. You smell and taste so damn good. But honestly, I’d rather make love to you than kill you.”

  Oh hell. My lungs deflated, and I struggled for air. Stunned didn’t begin to cover it. “Oh don’t go there, Kale. I don’t even know what to say to that.” I’d almost prefer it if he wanted to kill me, at least I’d know how to react.

  “Stop with the awkward tension. We should be beyond this.” In a bold gesture, Kale danced a hand down my body, careful to never actually touch me.

  I could feel the waves of energy as they pulsed under his manipulation. A shiver ran down my spine, and I had to resist the urge to scratch an itch that wasn’t physical. He wasn’t wrong. I was the one that made things weird with us. I was still carrying around some personal shame for offering myself to him during a moment of extreme weakness.

  “How can I not feel awkward? You’re practically fucking me with your mind.”

  His chuckle didn’t put me at ease. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”

  “You’re going to regret saying that after you come down from this little high you’re on. It can’t last forever you know.”

  “We’ll see about that.”

  “You’re impossible.”

  I had to admit, Kale was enchanting when influenced by the power of the kill. It brought out the true nature in every vampire, the killer that always dwelled within each of them. It was delightfully powerful and seductive, and because of that, it was also deadly.

  I felt immediately when the atmosphere began to pulse. He was influencing it, trying to coerce a response from me. His expression was carefully neutral, but his eyes were watchful and mischievous.

  “I never missed the rush of the kill much until recently. Besides, you got me thinking about what I was starving myself of.” Kale’s voice dropped in tone. He continued to trail his fingers through the energy surrounding me. It gave me chills.

  “Yay me.” I pushed back against him, creating resistance, like two opposing magnets. “Can’t say I’m proud to be credited for your return to murder and mayhem.”

  Kale held the resistance between us until I visibly shook from the effort it took to push against him. I almost fell forward when he dropped it suddenly. Taking advantage of my drop in control, he drew on my aura. Pulling my energy to him, he was able to manipulate what I was feeling.

  I knew what he was doing. A careful push and pull that created a growing, heady wave that surrounded us. It called to the core of my being, enticing my hunger for his power. Kale knew damn well how strong my desire to consume him could become. He was playing off that, trying to stoke the flames of my hunger in an attempt to lose us both in the fire. Bad vampire.

  “It’s more than that though.” His whispered words were laced with longing. “You made me feel alive again after decades of self-imposed confinement. You set me free.”

  “Don’t forget who you are, Kale. I like that person.” The air seemed to grow thick, making it hard to breathe. He was seriously testing my control. All but offering himself to me, Kale was making it difficult to convince myself that I didn’t want his blood and everything he offered with it.

  He still wasn’t touching me, but he might as well have been. As much as I’d mastered control over my power in recent months, it didn’t take much to test that. Kale was doing a fine job of it.

  “When was the last time you had a really satisfying hunt? Tel
l me, Alexa. How long has it been since you held down a struggling victim, feeding off the fear, spilling the blood? You know how the power grips you, how it holds you. You know how good it feels when that first drop of blood spills, and there is no turning back.” Kale clenched a hand into a tight fist, opening it suddenly to reveal a spiraling silver psi ball that spun several times before dissipating. “It’s better than an orgasm.”

  He was right. What I felt when I killed was very sexual but also very deep and dark, a power that I possessed but never truly commanded. Lost in that power, we became little more than conduits for something bigger, something that wouldn’t be denied.

  “It certainly is.” I dropped my gaze to the floor in a vain attempt to escape his effect. My hunger stirred for the thrill he spoke of, and I groaned inwardly.

  “We would be beautiful together, you and I.” Kale slipped a finger beneath my chin and lifted my gaze to his. His touch was warm.

  I pulled away and in one smooth motion grabbed hold of the pulsating mass of power he had stirred to life. I drew it close, binding it so that it reacted to my manipulations. Absorbing Kale’s power into me along with my own and bending it to my will was something I’d learned not so long ago. It worked quite nicely with the right focus.

  Kale looked pleased with himself. “So, you do want to play.”

  “You, my friend, are asking for trouble.” I was caught in the intoxicating lure of dizzying energy.

  “You know you want to. How long do you think we can keep pretending there isn’t something between us?”

  “You play dirty, Kale.” I shook a finger at him, refusing to answer.

  Kale’s eyes narrowed when I automatically reached for my keys. “You’re going to bail out of here like a bat out of hell now, aren’t you?”

  “You’re dangerous when you’re like this. I’m not sure I like it.”

  “You know that you do.” He smirked, and I flipped him off.

  “What it means is that I’m going home to pour a glass of wine and slip into a hot bath. We’ll talk when being face to face doesn’t result in a power play.”

  “Leaving me with thoughts of killing and you naked in the bath. You’re evil, Alexa.”

  “What can I say? I do my best.” I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. I didn’t trust the darkness in his eyes. Maybe it was my imagination, but it seemed to be growing.

  “So um, killing and me in the bath, try not to think about those things at the same time. Ok?” It wasn’t easy to slip by him and down the hall without turning my back on him. I must have been incredibly obvious.

  He didn’t laugh like I’d hoped. His serious gaze followed me. I was painfully relieved when he didn’t move. I still had the urge to run. Dammit.

  I waved when I was a safe distance away. “Goodnight, Kale. Try not to be the monster beneath anybody’s bed for the rest of the night, hmm?”

  His jaw clenched, and he forced a smile. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  * * * *

  An old Joan Jett song played quietly on the radio. It was approaching three in the morning, and I was starting to burn out. I could feel the approach of dawn just a few hours away. Once I was on the highway headed for home, the effects of Kale’s power games and Arys’s fierce insistence began to ebb.

  I really was looking forward to that bath.

  Shaz had insisted on staying behind a bit longer when I left. We didn’t carpool due to our unpredictable schedules.

  I was waiting expectantly for him to call so that I knew he was safe.

  My phone rang as expected, but it wasn’t Shaz calling. It was my best friend Kylarai, a divorce lawyer that kept more frequent daytime hours than I did. She usually didn’t call at this time of night.

  I hit the hands-free button and was about to say ‘hello’ when the sound of sobbing filled my car. “Kylarai?”

  “Fucking son of a bitch! You were right, Alexa. Julian is nothing but a piece of shit.” Her words broke as she spoke through tears. A few more sob-filled curses followed, but I got the gist of it.

  “What happened, sweetie? Are you ok?”

  She sniffed and took a long, shuddery breath. “I’m not sure. I just caught him with another woman in his apartment. I’m just heading home now. I think I broke my hand punching the bastard out.”

  “Shit. I’ll meet you at your place. Just try to calm down. I’m sorry, Ky.”

  It was bittersweet news. Julian was a jerk. Kylarai could do better than him. But, the last thing I wanted was to see my dear friend hurt. I shook my head, knowing how protective Shaz was of Ky. Not to mention Kale, Kylarai’s ex. He’d sworn to make Julian sorry if he ever hurt Ky.

  Stony Plain lay just a few minutes down the highway from the city. It didn’t take long to reach the small town we called home. I went straight to Kylarai’s, bracing myself. I would be there for her no matter what, regardless of whether I’d approved of her relationship or not.

  She was sitting outside on the front step when I got there. Cradling one arm tightly to her body, she sat beneath the glow of the porch light with her head in her good hand. She looked up when I came up the walk. Her face was tear-stained, and her grey eyes were red-rimmed. My heart broke for her.

  “I feel like such an idiot. There must have been so many signs. How could I fall for that shit? I’m a fucking divorce lawyer for God’s sake. I know all about the cheating type. Fuck!” A fresh wash of tears streamed down her face, and I felt guilty.

  I’d known Julian was cheating on her. Shaz and I had caught him with another woman while out one night. I gave Julian the chance to tell her first. He didn’t. I’d asked him about it recently, and he’d had little to say. I should have told her, but she knew I hated him. I didn’t want to be the one to split them up. It wasn’t my place.

  “Aw, Ky. I know there’s nothing I can say. This is one of the worst kinds of hurt. I wish you didn’t have to go through it.”

  “You all hated him so much, even Shaz. And, I didn’t have a clue. Maybe I’m just desperate and willing to settle.” She winced in pain.

  “You are not desperate. Don’t talk like that. He’s the bad guy here. Not you.”

  I reached gently to take her arm, and she surrendered it to me. Her hand was bloody and bruised black. It looked incredibly swollen. I assumed several small bones were broken.

  “I should get Arys to heal this, if that’s ok with you.” I reached for my phone and hit the speed dial for Arys. “That’s going to start healing soon. The bones could set wrong.”

  We had a connection in the city for stuff like this. Werewolves just can’t go to human doctors. Our rate of healing and our often extensive injuries would be enough to draw the wrong kind of attention.

  “Can’t you do it?” Her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible.

  I glanced at the blood staining her knuckles. It smelled strong. Pure werewolf. “I wish I could, Ky. I think Arys is the safer bet on this one.” With remnants of Kale’s influence clinging to the inside of my head like cobwebs, I didn’t want to take any chances. Healing wasn’t quite my forte, either. It was one area where I lacked confidence.

  I kept the call to Arys short and to the point. He was just as clipped when promising to be there soon before hanging up without another word. Strange.

  The front door opened, and Ky’s roommate, Zoey, stood there looking down at us where we sat on the step. “I thought I heard you out here. What’s going on?”

  Zoey and I shared a knowing look. She hadn’t been Julian’s biggest fan either. Kylarai recited the events of her night to Zoey and me. Though she continued to sniff and swear, the tears were slowing.

  “Do you want me to separate that boy’s balls from his body?” Zoey offered hopefully. “I swear, I wouldn’t mind.”

  Kylarai attempted a halfhearted smile and shook her head. “No. If anyone gets to do that, it’s going to be me.”

  “How’s his face?” I asked, wishing I could see it for myself.

  “I’m pret
ty sure I broke his nose. Still, it’s not enough.”

  I shook my head thoughtfully. No, it wasn’t enough. To this day I regretted that I’d never been able to make Raoul, the first man to break my heart, suffer the way I had for what he’d done. And now, he was dead.

  The three of us sat huddled together with Kylarai in the middle. She leaned into me, and I stroked a hand through her chestnut-brown locks. Her scent was flowery with an underlying hint of wolf. She smelled like home.

  It didn’t take long for Arys to arrive. I was mildly surprised to see that Shaz was with him. Ky groaned when she saw Shaz. I couldn’t say I blamed her. The only reason Shaz hadn’t run Julian out of town by now was because Ky had asked him not to.

  I gave Shaz a look, warning him not to say anything now that could wait until later. Other than the quiet, knowing fury burning in his jade eyes, he was calm. I moved so that Arys could take my spot on the step. He and Kylarai didn’t bother to exchange pleasantries. It wasn’t required, and they had a somewhat strained acquaintanceship as it was.

  “It’ll be easier if I can touch you.” Arys was gentle as he held Kylarai’s damaged hand.

  Zoey sat stiffly, her discomfort with Arys plain, but she watched him with curiosity. Ky wiped at the remains of her tears with her free hand. I could feel the tension in Shaz’s stiff posture. I followed his gaze to Kylarai. He wasn’t happy. I loved him for caring as much as he did.

  “Shaz, please. Don’t do anything to Julian.” Kylarai pleaded. “He’s not worth it.”

  I felt it when Arys pushed healing energy into Ky. She gasped but remained still. Arys’s fingers lightly brushed the surface of her bruised skin. She would be pain-free within minutes. Arys was a master at healing.

  “You know what, Ky?” Shaz paced on the neatly cut lawn. “I won’t do anything to him yet, though God only knows why you care. Guys like him deserve a lot more than an ass-kicking. He’s definitely getting at least that much.”