Trina M. Lee

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

  “I just don’t want to think about it now. I need to get some sleep.” Her eyes widened, and she looked at Arys. “What in the hell?”

  Arys’s power had a sensual quality. I hid a smile, knowing she was reacting to him against her will. Kylarai didn’t like the power that Arys and I had. It made her uneasy, but right now, it was for her own good.

  “Take it easy for a few hours. You’ll be fine.” Arys released Kylarai’s hand, and she stared at it in wonder.

  “Thank you, Arys.”

  He rose and came to me. I noted how he “casually” scanned the street, and it gave me a shock. What did he think was out there?

  “We need to go. I don’t think anyone followed you, but I don’t want to chance leading the wrong person to Ky’s house. She has nothing to do with this. Better to keep it that way.”

  I stared at him in silence, unsure how to respond. He was freaking me out. The darkness suddenly seemed threatening, and I wanted to go home.

  Zoey’s slight rasp broke the quiet. “Are you guys in some kind of trouble?”

  “Nothing that can’t be dealt with.” Arys sounded confident.

  Kylarai met my eyes, and I knew what she was thinking. Just as I had kept my mouth shut about being right about Julian, she did the same. She didn’t trust Arys and knew our bond made me a target for power seekers. I couldn’t hold it against her, but I hoped like hell she wouldn’t get a reason to feel justified in that distrust.

  “Call me tomorrow, Ky. Get some rest and try to feel better.” I paused to give her a hug before waving to Zoey as Arys ushered me down the driveway.

  I paused when we reached my car, but he wouldn’t give me a chance to speak. “Get in your car. Drive home. We’ll follow you.”

  I looked past him to Shaz’s Chevy parked on the street. Shaz lingered nearby, waiting to leave. Swallowing hard, I opened my car door and dropped into the driver’s seat. I’d find out everything in a matter of minutes. The five-minute drive home would be just enough time to work myself into a nice state of panic.

  Chapter Four

  My hands shook despite the coffee cup I clutched. I took a deep breath, trying to stay rational. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I felt like I’d stumbled into someone else’s life. Surely, this couldn’t be mine.

  “This is more than I think I can handle tonight. How long have you known about this?” I stared into the mug of creamy coffee, wishing I could find comfort in it like I used to.

  Arys sat across from me, his posture stiff despite his attempt at casual. He wasn’t fooling me. “A few weeks. I didn’t want to say anything to you two until I knew for sure. I should have stayed in Vegas long enough to tie up loose ends.”

  “You said that you’d taken care of everything there. Didn’t you leave someone in charge?” I was grasping at straws, and I knew it.

  “He’s dead.” Arys ran a hand through his hair and dropped his gaze to the floor. “By getting involved in Harley’s Vegas business, I fucked with his involvement in a blood ring. I was too caught up in everything surrounding his death and the conflict here. I knew about this. I just didn’t think these guys would take it this far.”

  Shaz paced around the room, clenching his jaw. He hadn’t said much since we got to my place. “So what it really boils down to is that the power you’re packing can’t protect you from everything. You put Alexa in danger.”

  “Harley’s death put Alexa in danger. And you too, pup.” Arys’s gaze followed Shaz’s motions. “Do you understand what I’m really telling you here? Yes, I was the one who went to Vegas and messed with his business, but you two took him out. And, that left a hole in this blood ring. These guys lost a partner and a supplier, not to mention the most powerful vampire in Vegas. They’ll be looking for payback.”

  I tensed when I felt Shaz’s wolf rise to the surface. This was a serious situation. We were all in deep shit. Losing it on each other wasn’t going to solve anything though.

  “A supplier? How bad is it?” Shaz stopped mere feet from Arys and stared down at the vampire.

  “It’s bad.” Arys met Shaz’s eyes evenly. “These guys deal in serious fetish kills. Children, virgins, pregnant women … you name it, they have it. It ain’t pretty.”

  My stomach turned as revolting images flooded my thoughts. “God, that’s so friggin’ disgusting.”

  “So now what?” Shaz glanced from Arys to me, worry heavy in his gaze. “What exactly do they want?”

  I had to admit, some naive part of me had never entertained the idea of the kinds of fetish kills Arys had described. I didn’t want it to exist. I knew I lived in a world of blood and death. But this? This was beyond what I knew. It was vile.

  Arys was surprisingly calm. “Retribution, I guess.”

  “What does that mean?” I forced the question out, afraid to hear the answer.

  “They took my guy apart piece by piece before they killed him. They spent all night doing it. This is a dead serious business, one I’ve managed to stay the hell away from. Until now.” The troubled shadows in Arys’s midnight blue eyes were chilling. “They’ll want Harley’s killers to take his place in their circle. Or, they might just want an excuse to stir up shit in our city. It’s hard to say really.”

  “Piece by piece?” I sputtered around a sip of coffee.

  “With Harley missing and his Vegas businesses shut down, I can imagine it had a big impact on them. It’s anyone’s guess what they’ll do.”

  Shaz resumed his slow pacing. I wanted to tell him to sit down already because it was driving me crazy, but it seemed to be keeping him from jumping all over Arys. He was angry though. I could feel it rolling off him.

  “So all this power you and Alexa have, enough that she killed Harley … none of this means anything to them? It doesn’t protect you or make you a threat to these people?” Shaz’s tone was accusing, and his clenched fists shook. “If not, then what the fuck is it good for? It has just put all of us in danger.”

  Arys made a frustrated noise that sounded a little too close to a growl for my liking. “Look, wolf,” he snapped. “Nobody has power like what I share with Alexa, but power comes in many forms. There are others that possess enough to make them a serious force to be reckoned with, and there are a lot of them. The vampires that benefit from a blood ring like this are nothing like the bottom feeders you see at The Wicked Kiss. This is a whole different kind of vampire, my friend, and they are not fucking around.”

  “Oh yeah?” Shaz snarled with a viciousness that had me up off my chair. “Where do you fit in, Arys? What kind of vampire are you?”

  “Ok guys, that’s enough.” I didn’t give Arys a chance to snap back at Shaz. Arys had done some horrific things to his victims in the past. That wasn’t the point right now. “Let’s try to keep our heads here. This is obviously stressful enough without taking shots at each other.”

  They both continued to glare darkly at one another though they remained silent. Shaz sat down in the chair I’d just vacated, a major relief. He was quiet when he spoke next.

  “So what do we do then? Wait around for these bastards to show their faces?”

  “I wish I could tell you.” Arys didn’t look at him when he replied. “I don’t know what they intend to do. All I know is that if they want something, they’ll come for it.”

  I had to resist the urge to take up pacing where Shaz left off. I felt restless and trapped. “So, this is like the vampire mob or something? I don’t want any part of it.”

  Arys actually chuckled at that, and I frowned. “Oh, Alexa. Sometimes I forget how new to this world you still are. These creatures are killers and nothing less. They want the pain and the agony of their victim more than they want the actual death. Dragging out every moment until that final breath, for days even, that’s what they enjoy. They are not vampires consuming blood to survive. They are true killers that make death an art form.”

  “Ok,” I murmured more to myself than to either of them. “No reassurance there.�
�

  “What is it that makes you so different?” Shaz’s question rang with challenge. “You’re a killer, Arys.”

  I tensed, fearing what Arys might say to that. He was a killer, there was no disputing that. But, I’d killed too without reason and would have done so again if Kale hadn’t stopped me. Could Shaz judge Arys as a killer without including me in that?

  Arys rose and headed for the short flight of stairs that led up to the main level from the sunken living room. He paused at the bottom and looked thoughtfully at Shaz. “Even I know that you’re not truly that narrow-minded, pup. You were right there by Alexa’s side when she killed Harley. You tore his throat out, did you not? Like it or not, we’re in this together. Better get used to it.”

  I followed Arys to the front door, exhaustion setting in. Sunrise couldn’t come fast enough. All I wanted to do was drop into bed. So much for that bath I’d planned.

  “This will all blow over. Right?” I could hear the uncertainty in my voice, and it made me cringe.

  Arys drew me into his embrace, hugging me close. He deeply inhaled my scent, and I snuggled in closer.

  “Of course,” he whispered. “We’ll deal with it. In the meantime, stay alert. Make sure you’re not followed, and try not to be out alone too often until this is settled. Shaz, too.”

  His kiss was loving and tender. I melted when he slipped his tongue into my mouth. I would have had much more appreciation for it if we hadn’t just been discussing fetish kills for vampires.

  The pre-dawn sky was beginning to show signs of the coming sunrise. Reluctantly, Arys pulled away and opened the door. I watched him disappear into what remained of the night. I was coming to realize that there was no such thing as a normal life. Not for me. At least, not anymore.

  Chapter Five

  I didn’t expect to see Kale’s car in the parking lot when I got to the office. Good. I had a few things to say to him after I was through speaking with Veryl. It had been a while since the bossman had wanted to see me. Our relationship was strained. I had little to say to him these days.

  I’m not sure what made me do it, but I cloaked my presence before exiting the car. Neither of them would be able to detect me. Another advantage of being other than human was how easy it was to slip inside unheard. The front door made the slightest squeak, causing me to swear beneath my breath.

  Pausing in the entryway, I listened to the sounds of the office. My sensitive ears picked up the low tones of two male voices. The sound of the clock ticking in the kitchen was especially loud as I concentrated. Whatever Veryl and Kale were discussing, it was heated.

  I really hadn’t intended to eavesdrop when I snuck inside. I was simply curious, and lately, I’d been incredibly suspicious. I was in the dark on too many of the things going on around here. That had to stop.

  I slowly made my way down the hall. Veryl’s door was at the very end. It was closed. Their voices carried, and I was surprised to hear the absolute venom in Kale’s tone. It was a far cry from his usual calm, cool and collected. Interesting.

  “She’s never going to do it, you know. You need to tell her what’s really going on around here. And when you do, shit is going to hit the fan.”

  There was silence, and I held my breath, waiting for Veryl’s response. I had a sick feeling in my stomach that the “her” in their conversation was me. We worked with a few other women. It could be any of them, right? Yeah, not likely.

  “It’s not that simple. You should know that. I didn’t expect her to have as much power as she does. It makes her better for this than I could have imagined. They want her on the big jobs now, but how do I say that to her without getting my head torn off?” Veryl sounded desperate.

  “I know that she doesn’t take lightly to deception. Can you blame her? Either lay it on the line and let her choose or don’t, but I’m not keeping anything from her anymore.” Kale’s tone was low and deadly.

  My pulse began to race. I didn’t like what I was hearing. I swallowed hard. Should I keep listening or show myself? I didn’t think I needed to hear anymore. I dropped my hold on the power enforcing my shields and waited.

  Instant silence. As I’d expected. A full minute passed before the door opened. Veryl stood in its frame, a frown marring his sharp features. “Alexa. Funny. I didn’t sense your arrival.”

  “Good. You weren’t supposed to.” My wolf stared out at him through my eyes. He appeared unnerved.

  “We were just discussing something. Why don’t you come in and join us?”

  I stepped into the room and took the chair next to Kale. I gave him a pointed look which he ignored. Despite his poker face, I could see the truth in his mismatched eyes: they had definitely been talking about me.

  Veryl took his place behind the desk. He turned off his computer monitor before turning his attention to me. “I suppose we should talk. How much did you hear?”

  “Enough to know that I was right to be suspicious. Just cut the crap and tell it like it is. Please, don’t screw with me anymore.”

  I’d worked with Veryl for years. He was a former paranormal investigator turned vampire. He had people like Kale, Jez and me work for him, along with a few others. We were pretty much hired guns. We killed other supernaturals, and for the most part, we weren’t given a lot of reason for it. I’d always assumed there was a reason to wipe them out, the main one being that some of them risked drawing unnecessary attention to the rest of us. I had known for a while that there were things going on behind the scenes that Veryl kept from us. I had a feeling I was about to discover one of them.

  “I’m going to level with you, Alexa.” Veryl leaned forward on his desk to pin me with his gaze. “You’re a smart lady. You know by now that things aren’t exactly what they seem here. I am only one man in a very large and powerful organization.”

  That verified some of my suspicions. I’d suspected Veryl’s orders came from somewhere else. However, having it confirmed did nothing to ease the sick feeling growing in the pit of my stomach.

  “How much of it is human government?”

  “The question really is, how much of the government is human? Anyway, that’s an entirely different topic. The government has their own agenda.”

  That was reassuring. “I knew there was more going on than you’d ever say. But go ahead, tell me what it really has to do with me. And, why wait until now to tell me about it?”

  Kale remained too quiet for my liking. I wanted to kick him but resisted the urge. I didn’t dare take my eyes from Veryl. Whether I could make him squirm or not, I wanted him to feel the weight of my gaze.

  “Isn’t it obvious? We recruit those with serious power. You have it. You always have. But naturally, we started you out small. Simple vampire kills, something to help hone your skills while reducing the number of vermin on the streets. But now, you’re big time.”

  He let that last sentence hang between us, allowing its true meaning to sink in. Fury crashed over me like a wave on the beach. I was suddenly soaked in it. Deep breaths did little to help.

  “And, someone wants to take advantage of that. Right?”

  I glared daggers into him. Things had been strained between us since I’d found out that Veryl had taken advantage of a personal situation that had hurt me deeply. He’d kept Raoul’s secret from me, hiding the truth about the attack that turned me. The reason why was painfully clear: to gain access to my power.

  “Nobody has taken advantage of you, Alexa. Lord knows Kale would never have allowed that.” Veryl flashed Kale a dark look. “I assume you heard enough to know he was arguing on your behalf. He believes you will refuse the position you’re being offered, and I don’t disagree with him.”

  I glanced between the two of them. Something unsettling lurked in Kale’s brown and blue eyes. “And, this would be?”

  “Not the pathetic newborn vamps you’ve dealt with before. There are real powerhouses out there. Like you. Some of them know things they shouldn’t. Some of them are spies. And, others a
re traitors.” Veryl gave a dismissive wave, as if the reason didn’t really matter. “And, a great many of them are human.”

  I let that sink in for a moment. This week was really starting to look bad in terms of news and revelations that I’d much rather live without.

  Kale shifted uneasily in his chair. “I didn’t think that hunting humans was something you would agree to.”

  As I received more information, I had more questions. “Why are the people on your hit lists chosen? Really. Because I’d been under the impression there was a damn good reason. And now, I’m starting to reconsider that.”

  “Does it matter?” Veryl asked with a tone that one might use when dealing with a stubborn child. “I’m not at liberty to tell you more than required. In fact, I’m not always given that kind of information, for obvious reasons. In some cases, the less people know, the safer they are.”

  “I don’t like it.”

  “You don’t have to like it, Alexa. You just have to do it. Liking it is just a bonus.”

  He fixed me with a steely glare that would have intimidated me once. Now, it had me smirking like a rebellious teenager. In recent months Veryl had avoided me. At least, he wouldn’t stay in a room with me a moment longer than he had to. He no longer tried to test my power by invasively brushing up against me metaphysically. Instead, he shielded hard when around me so he wouldn’t feel my power at all. I still hadn’t decided if I was relieved or insulted by that.

  “Just be honest with me for once. Why is getting any information out of you like banging my head against a brick wall?” Vampires horde information like its toilet paper in a natural disaster. It’s ridiculous.

  Veryl fixed me with a look that he meant to be scary. “There are people who don’t want to waste your abilities on bullshit kills. What you have is valuable, and it makes you valuable. Do you understand?”

  This was interesting. “I do. Please, go on. I’d like to hear more about these mystery people.”

  “There’s nothing more to know. Information is given on a need to know basis.” He shrugged as if there was nothing more to it.