Trina M. Lee

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

  “Yes, definitely. Let’s do a girl’s night. I could use one, too.”

  Shaz looked back and forth between us. “What does a girl’s night out consist of exactly?”

  “If we told you, we’d have to kill you.” I smiled and winked.

  Kylarai laughed and smoothed down her wild hair. “I promise to sleep and shower first though. I won’t make you take me out looking like this.”

  “Are you kidding?” Shaz let his gaze slowly sweep over her. “You’re a knockout, Ky. Never doubt it.”

  “Nice try, kid. You’re not that good of a liar.” Kylarai threw a sugar cube across the table at him. “So what’s new with you guys? Fill me in on all the latest. Arys worried me with his mysterious danger talk.”

  Shaz leaned down to retrieve the sugar cube from the floor. “Arys thrives on drama and trouble. I don’t think he’s happy if there isn’t something going on.”

  “It’s nothing we can’t handle. I told you about the blood ring Harley was involved in. Seems there are a few people affiliated with him that are looking for a little restitution.” I shrugged, hoping I came across as unaffected. I didn’t want her to worry.

  Kylarai’s eyes widened, and she shook her head. “You’ve got balls, Alexa, more than most men I know. I don’t know how you can deal with this stuff and stay so grounded. I’d be a basket case.”

  “Well thanks, but I’m hardly as well put together as it might appear. This is the perfect time for a night out. I’ll have to do laundry when I get home so I have something decent to wear.” By that I meant something without bloodstains.

  We chatted over another cup of coffee, until the sun was high in the eastern sky. I was stifling yawns like crazy when at last Ky shoved us out the door so she could sleep through the day. I longed for my own bed and my white wolf curled up next to me.

  “I’ll pick you up tonight at eight,” Ky called as we made our way down the front walk. “I can’t wait!”

  Though I was too tired to show it, I shared her enthusiasm. We didn’t spend as much time together since I’d moved out, and I really missed her. As long as I knew Lena was still safe, I’d be able to let myself go and have a good time. Good times were becoming fewer and farther in between. A relaxing night out with the girls was just what I needed.

  Chapter Nine

  We started in a relatively nice lounge sipping cocktails. When it became evident that the place was full of older couples out for a quiet evening, we began to reconsider. It was a nice place to enjoy a drink, but we needed a venue with a rocking dance floor and sexy man-flesh wandering around. I didn’t want to push Kylarai back into the dating scene, but she needed to see how much more was out there.

  By the time we headed downtown to a trendy dance club, the place was packed with guys on the prowl. Pushing Kylarai into some silly human fling was not my intention. But if it happened, I sure wasn’t going to discourage it.

  “Seriously, Alexa?” Ky glanced around the busy club. “Everyone here looks like they’re barely legal.”

  “What’s wrong with that? We’re here to have some fun. Go grab a drink. I’ll stay sober and drive home.” I gave her a gentle push toward the bar.

  She turned those gentle eyes on me, and I could see the masked pain within them. It hurt me to see that. Maybe this wasn’t the road to healing, but staying home buried in legal paperwork wouldn’t help either.

  “Come on, honey.” Jez took Ky by the arm and pulled her along. “Let’s go get a drink and hit the dance floor.”

  I followed Zoey when she pointed out an empty booth in the back. We were hit on twice by guys at the tables we passed. I knew a beauty like Ky would get the same attention. It was wasted on the rest of us. I wasn’t interested, and neither Jez nor Zoey were into men. They weren’t quite into each other either. I’d tried to play match maker, but ultimately, neither of them seemed interested.

  “She’s been crying. A lot.” Zoey slid into the booth across from me and leaned close so I could hear her over the music. “It’s been so hard not to hunt that fucker down and break his legs myself.”

  “I know. Shaz wants to kill him. Ky made him promise to stay out of it. But, I know if he runs into Julian, nothing will stop him.”

  “Good. Shaz should kill him. Julian is a waste of fucking space. He hasn’t come around since it all went down. If he does though, I’m not holding back.”

  We fell silent when Jez and Kylarai approached with drinks in hand. Jez took the spot beside me. Damn. I’d still hoped she would have sat beside Zoey. I just wanted everyone to be happy. Was that so wrong?

  Jez was quick to avoid an awkward moment by launching into one of her many stories of dating failure. She really did meet some of the weirdest chicks out there. When she got Kylarai laughing, I started to relax. I couldn’t help but feel like it would be my fault if Ky had a shitty time out with us.

  When a waitress passed by, Jez was quick to grab her and order a tray of shots. That was one way to kick off the evening. Once my companions started on those shots, the mood lightened considerably. We talked up a storm. Girl talk was the perfect remedy for male-inflicted woes. I could see Ky start to shake off the tension that had held her captive. After a few shots, she was visibly relaxed. Ok, so it wasn’t the best medicine for a broken heart, but it was better than nothing.

  Zoey wasn’t much of a drinker. However, Jez and Ky had drunk enough for all of us by the time an hour had passed. Weres could safely hold a lot more liquor than humans. Still, Ky and Jez were giggling like drunken lunatics.

  I was happy to sit there and let the massive amounts of human energy wash over me. I was so used to shutting it out, but now that I had better control, I was able to filter out any negativity and just enjoy the lively sensation of so much human energy packed into one place. If I focused, I could hear the sound of hundreds of hearts beating. The noise quickly became overwhelming, exceeding the fine line between enough and too much.

  “Let’s get this party started. It’s time to shake your sweet bits, ladies.” Jez tossed back another shot and got to her feet. “Come on. That means everyone.”

  I exchanged a look with Zoey who rolled her crystalline blue eyes. I shrugged and let Jez drag me out of the booth. Once she got going, there was no stopping her. It was a challenge just to keep up.

  We made our way to the dance floor and were quickly intercepted by a group of guys looking for some female company. Jez wasn’t so great at polite rejection, so I kept her moving, leaving Ky and Zoey to deal with the guys. I smiled to myself when Kylarai actually paused to talk to them. I knew it was too much to hope she’d take it further than that, but it was a nice start.

  “So what do you think?” Jez leaned in close, casting a glance back at Ky. “Do you think she’s starting to have fun?”

  “It looks like it. I wish there was more I could do for her.”

  “You’re doing all you can. Being there for her is the most important thing you can do right now. It will get better with time.”

  Would it? I thought about Raoul. He broke my heart years ago, and I felt like I would never truly be rid of the heartbreak. I think many people have that one person, the one they can never escape, regardless of time and distance. I prayed Julian wasn’t Kylarai’s. She deserved better than that.

  Lost in thought, I forced myself to feel the rhythm of the music and dance with Jez. By the time Kylarai and Zoey joined us, I was fighting the ghosts of my past. Zoey made it that much harder. She was Raoul’s daughter. She had killed him in front of me. Now, almost a year later, here we were, dancing and sharing concern for our friend. It was almost too screwed up to believe.

  Seeing a genuine smile on Kylarai’s face made it easy to forget about how fucked up my life was. Tonight was all about her. Everything was going great. At least it was, until a pushy guy decided he wanted to be part of our group, and he wasn’t taking no for an answer.

  It started when he approached Zoey. She quickly shot him down with little more than a look. Refusi
ng to take a hint, he made a pathetic attempt to grind with her on the dance floor. She gave him a light shove and a warning glare. It did little to deter the drunken fool.

  He laughed her off, as if she couldn’t possibly be serious. I watched the scenario play out, ready to intervene if necessary.

  “Look asshole, I’m not fucking interested. Got it?” Zoey went from calm to seething before I could blink. It alarmed me.

  Her admirer appeared confused. The rest of us kept dancing as if we weren’t paying attention, but clearly all three of us were taking note of everything. My biggest concern was Zoey throwing a punch and getting us tossed out. She wasn’t a full Were. She was a hybrid. Still, she was stronger than the average human, and I knew she could lay this guy out cold. The woman was a damn murderer. This guy had chosen the wrong girl to harass.

  “Come on now, baby. Don’t be so uptight. It’s all good. Let me show you what a real man can do for you.” The idiot just didn’t know when to give up.

  I looked to Jez, half expecting her to get up in the guy’s face; she was bad for that. Instead, she seemed to be on the same wavelength as me: avoiding conflict would be best tonight.

  Jez motioned to the entry. “I know of a great place to dance a few blocks from here. Let’s just take off.”

  It seemed to be the safest bet. It would be useless to interact with this guy any further. I didn’t want that kind of trouble. Now if only trouble felt the same way about me.

  We had almost reached Ky’s Escalade when trouble caught up to us. This guy didn’t seem to know his persistence had turned to obstinate ignorance.

  “Give me one chance to rock your world,” he slurred as he lumbered toward us.

  “Is this guy for fucking real?” Jez laughed at the absurdity of it all.

  I had a sick feeling in my gut. Zoey’s energy was hot with rage. I fully expected her to verbally tear him a new one, so I was stunned when she lost it completely.

  In a flash Zoey was on top of him. She knocked him to the ground and began to land blows that hurt me to watch. I hesitated for just a moment. When I saw that her eyes had gone wolf, and she snarled down at him with fangs, my heart almost stopped.

  “Zoey, don’t!” I grabbed her from behind. Without taking her eyes off her prey, she elbowed me hard enough to knock me on my ass. I gasped for air, winded by the blow.

  “What the fuck?” The sight of fangs bared inches from his face had our drunken friend sounding stone cold sober and terrified.

  Everything seemed to move in slow motion when Zoey bit into his throat. Kylarai gave a little shriek, and I began to panic. As a hybrid, Zoey’s wolf was trapped inside her. If it got out, she’d be trapped in wolf form again. I’d freed her of it once, but I didn’t know if I could do it again.

  The scent of blood was strong and immediate. It hit me hard, teasing me even as I watched in horror. The guy on the ground gave a strangled cry that became a horrible gurgle as blood entered his windpipe. Oh God, this was not good.

  Jez grabbed Zoey around the waist and threw her. She skidded across the pavement with an angry cry. Her victim was beyond help. He was bleeding out fast. The scent was tantalizing, stirring my hunger. The urge to taste him was almost impossible to resist. I had no real options left. I moved fast. Grabbing his head tightly, I closed my eyes so that I didn’t have to watch as I snapped his neck.

  “Oh my God!” Kylarai was clearly distressed. Her eyes were wide, and she trembled. “Oh my God! What just happened?”

  I glanced around the parking lot. Nobody appeared to have heard the commotion. In downtown Edmonton, it likely hadn’t been enough to draw the wrong attention. Regardless, we had to move the body before someone came along.

  “We need to throw him in the back of your truck, Ky. We can’t leave him here.”

  “Are you crazy? I’m not putting him in my truck.”

  Jez held out a hand to Kylarai for the keys. “We have to. Not for long. Just to avoid having anyone find him.”

  Zoey stood several yards away, watching us in silence. Blood stained her face and clothing. She didn’t say a word, but when Jez pulled Ky’s Escalade to a stop beside us, she moved quickly to grab the body.

  I pulled out my cell phone and hit Kale’s number without thinking. I didn’t know what else to do. I watched as Kylarai paced back and forth beside the vehicle. Come on, Kale. Pick up! Kale’s voice had never sounded so good.

  “Please tell me you’re not busy. I really need your help.” I barely let him get a word out. “I’m at a club downtown with the girls. We’ve had a bit of an accident.”

  “What kind of accident? Where are you?” The noise in the background indicated that he was at The Wicked Kiss.

  “I have a body here that I need to get rid of. You were the first person I thought to call. We’re at a place called Dominoes.”

  “Alright. I’m on my way.”

  I hung up and took a long look at the situation. Kylarai was swearing at random to nobody in particular. Zoey was silently staring at the bloody spot on the concrete, and Jez was looking at me expectantly. We had a body stuffed in Ky’s truck and a vampire on his way to get rid of it. So much for a normal night out with the girls.

  * * * *

  The four of us were quiet. There wasn’t much to be said. Zoey had shown me what a liability she was. It had taken very little to make her snap. She was high-strung and dangerous. I knew this already, though. She’d murdered countless people, one being her father. I was conflicted as I stood near the Escalade waiting for Kale.

  Not so long ago, I had wanted nothing more than to kill Zoey Roberts. Nobody would let me, not even Shaz. I’d claimed her as my own pack mate out of obligation, hoping for the best. As I stood there questioning that decision, I knew I was being a hypocrite. A killer was a killer, and I was one, too. Hell, I got paid for it.

  I recognized the sound of Kale’s ‘73 Camaro before I saw it pull into the parking lot. Good. The sooner this night of fucked up insanity ended, the better.

  It didn’t occur to me that things could be more awkward until Kale got out of his car. He and Kylarai had dated for a few months before she’d paired up with Julian. They had developed a genuine affection for one another, but Ky didn’t want any part of the vampire world. They’d quickly called it quits. Ky didn’t know about the strange dynamic that had developed between Kale and me, and I preferred to keep it that way.

  “Hello ladies.” Kale nodded to the others as he approached me. His gaze lingered on Kylarai who stood at the opposite end of the Escalade.

  She took a few steps toward us but stopped as if uncertain. “Hi, Kale. It’s nice to see you again.”

  “It’s nice to see you, too. You’re looking beautiful, as always.” The smile he gave her was endearing. I was relieved to see that he wasn’t all vamped out tonight. I should have confirmed that before calling him over here.

  “Thank you.” Kylarai blushed slightly and ran a hand through her hair in a nervous gesture.

  Uncomfortable didn’t even begin to describe how I felt. I waited while they exchanged pleasantries, doing my best not to let my discomfort show on my face.

  Jez was completely unfazed by everything. In fact, she seemed bored with it all. “Where were you tonight, Kale? We didn’t drag you away from anything good, did we?”

  “Nothing good enough to make me pass up the opportunity to assist four lovely ladies.”

  “Oh, please. Your charm is wasted on us. Might as well save it.” She gave him a playful smack and pointed to the back of the Escalade. “Our friend is in there. What do you think?”

  Kale peered into the truck and immediately looked at me as if he assumed that I’d done it. I shook my head and frowned.

  “I’m sorry. You were the first person I thought to call.” I shrugged and tried to look apologetic instead of offended. “Things got out of hand here. It happened so fast.”

  “Don’t apologize. I’m glad you called. You know I don’t mind.” The look he gave me reveale
d the fire lurking in the depths of his eyes. I tore my gaze away, hoping nobody else sensed the sudden increase in my heart rate. He pressed his car keys into my hand, and I jerked back as if his touch had burned. “Take my car and go to The Wicked Kiss. I’ll deal with this and meet you there.”

  “Really? You’re leaving me with your baby? What did I do to earn that kind of trust? Never mind. Don’t answer that. I’ll try not to get involved in any street races I’m not sure I can win.” I winked and gave him a teasing smile.

  “I’m going to assume you’re joking. And if you’re not, I don’t want to know about it.” With a grin, Kale accepted Ky’s keys from Jez and climbed into the driver’s seat of the Escalade.

  The four of us piled into Kale’s car. The scent of leather and a cherry air freshener was faint but pleasant. The scent of blood clung to Zoey, and I had to open the window. I readjusted the seat and mirrors, catching a glimpse of Kylarai’s wide-eyed expression in the backseat.

  “We’re going to The Wicked Kiss?” She didn’t sound happy. “Haven’t we had enough trouble for one night?”

  I wouldn’t worry about Kylarai in a place like The Kiss. I knew she could hold her own without losing her mind. I didn’t want to take Zoey in there.

  “Maybe we can just wait for Kale in the parking lot.” I made the suggestion, thinking it would be the safest plan.

  “Well if we’re going there anyway, we might as well go in.” Jez was too busy checking her makeup in her compact mirror to see the dirty look I shot her.

  Zoey seemed to know what I was thinking. She spoke up from the backseat, her voice low. “I’m sorry about all this. I fucking blew it tonight. I don’t know why I lost it like that.”

  Well, I sure did. Because you’re the lunatic hybrid daughter of a man with questionable genes. I kept my mouth shut and thanked God that Zoey couldn’t read minds.

  “It’s happened to every one of us at some point.” Jez turned in her seat to give Zoey a reassuring smile, and I cringed. Why was she encouraging this?