Trina M. Lee

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

  Arys eyed me with an unreadable expression. He hid it well, but I’d hurt him. “So you did. A night hasn’t gone by when I haven’t thought about what it felt like to feel him die. Forgive me if I don’t care to relive it with you.”

  I cringed inwardly and gave myself a mental bitch slap. How did I even begin to back-pedal on this one? “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. Just don’t get yourself killed. Unless you’re ready to join the fang club.”

  “I have no intention of that happening. Not yet.” Did my tone sound too rushed? I hoped not. I didn’t want either of them to know just how much the thought of turning terrified me lately.

  I felt Kale’s scrutiny. If anyone would figure me out, it would be him. He crossed his arms over his chest and studied me. “I know you can kick-ass like nobody’s business, but are you sure you want to take a risk like this?”

  Despite the fact that Kale was backing his opinion, Arys shot him a dirty look. I couldn’t look either of them in the eyes. The interior of the club was sweltering from the heat of so many bodies, along with my own growing discomfort. I needed some air.

  “I’m sure neither of you would be saying this if you were able to come with me. Four wolves backing me are more than enough to kick some vampire ass. Would either of you really want to face that?” I challenged. Neither of them responded, leaving me feeling validated. I knew what I was doing, and they would just have to trust me on this.

  Reaching for my hand, Arys regarded me with an unsettling darkness. His gaze strayed to Kale, and he grinned. “I would much rather be at your side, as I should be, but if you insist on going during daylight, I understand. I will eagerly await your return.”

  Turning that sexy smirk on me, Arys gripped my hand tight and bit deep into my wrist. I gasped and gave a small cry of pain and surprise. In a dramatic move that stirred our shared power, he swirled his tongue leisurely over the bloody wound. A shock of heat pooled between my legs, and a blush stole across my cheeks.

  Despite the way my body reacted to him, I was mad. That was nothing but a territorial show, marking me in front of Kale. It made me feel like a possession to be claimed, and I was livid. It was in Arys’s nature to claim me as it was in mine to refuse to allow it. As much as I wanted to pummel him right then for such a cheap move, I had responded the way he’d known I would. Though my conscious will defied the idea of belonging to him, the rest of me responded in full. We were bound and, like it or not, I was his.

  With a low growl, I broke his hold on me and stepped away. Glancing furiously from Arys to Kale, I was mortified. Kale’s eyes widened as he reacted to my spilled blood, but there was pain in their depths. Instead of smacking Arys, I shoved past him and stormed outside.

  Blood dripped down my hand as I fumbled with my cell phone. I scrolled through my contact list for Brogan’s number. Pain shot up my arm from my bleeding wrist, and the urge to throw my phone in a fit of anger was strong. Before I could either throw it or hit send, Arys was there, pulling it from my hand.

  “I’m not going to apologize for marking you. I have every right.”

  I glowered up at him from beneath lowered lashes. “Everyone’s doing whatever they want and clearly feeling little remorse. That’s fine. Let’s all just run amok. We can self destruct together.”

  Arys grabbed me by the shoulders before I could turn away and searched my eyes. “That wasn’t really a reply to me. What’s going on with you?” When I pursed my lips and shook my head, he persisted. “Is this about Shaz?”

  “You know about that?” My accusatory tone was thick with suspicion.

  “Yes.”

  “For how long?”

  “A few days. And, don’t look at me like that. It was the pup’s place to tell you, not mine. Just like I didn’t inform him about your recent indiscretions. It wasn’t life or death, Alexa. It was personal. Therefore, not my place.”

  I wanted to argue with that but couldn’t. His logic was sound. Sticking Arys in the middle wasn’t going to change anything. The Shaz incident was eating at me, lurking in the back of my mind. I just kept seeing him with her, and I felt sick.

  The crimson droplets staining the concrete at my feet brought my attention back to the immediate issue. “This,” I held my injured wrist before me, “was not necessary. It’s the vampire equivalent to pissing on me, and I’m not cool with that shit. I’m already part of you. Permanently. There isn’t a damn supernatural being in this city that doesn’t know it. Rubbing it in Kale’s face is low, Arys. Even for you.”

  His dark gaze held no hint of repentance. “It was nothing compared to what I’d really like to do to him. Live with it, Alexa. It could have been worse.”

  This territorial vampire nonsense with Kale was heads and tails beyond the tension Arys shared with Shaz at times. Arys enjoyed the conflict with Shaz, and ultimately, he always conceded to my wolf, acknowledging Shaz’s place as my Alpha mate. It was different with Kale. It scared me because I didn’t really know if I could trust Arys not to take it to the next level.

  Slipping an arm around my waist, Arys pressed close and brushed his lips across mine. I couldn’t stay mad when the touch of his tongue to mine had me melting. The burning heat of my power mingled with the icy cold of his to encase me in a rousing warmth. This man would always be my kryptonite. Dammit.

  I bit his lower lip aggressively. “You’re a real pain in the ass sometimes, you know that?”

  “I do what I can.” His soft murmur was accompanied by a mischievous smirk. “If Sinclair was just a toy to you, I might feel differently. But, I know what he wants from you, and I can’t help but remind him that I got here first.”

  I’d done the same thing with the snooty chick that lived in Shaz’s apartment building. “Yeah, yeah. That’d better be all you do.”

  I tensed when Arys brought my bleeding wrist to his lips. Placing a soft kiss to my injured flesh, he breathed in the scent of my blood and sighed. “You’ve been killing.”

  “Yes.” It wasn’t something I’d want to freely admit to anyone else. “Fighting it makes it so much worse.”

  His shoulders slumped, and when he looked at me, there was guilt in his eyes. “I can’t watch the bloodlust drive you mad. Because it will, and you will grow to hate yourself.”

  “What choice do I have? Fighting it breaks me down until I lose control. I’m already hating myself.” Turning off my emotions during the kill didn’t make them cease to exist. It simply locked them away in a place where I could pretend to forget. For now.

  Arys shook his head. “No more of this. We deal with it, you and I. You can’t be killing humans. Not while you’re still mortal. It will take away the last of your humanity, and as selfish as this sounds, I’m not ready for that yet.”

  I slipped a hand into his glossy black hair and nuzzled him. “Neither am I.”

  His lips were warm against my face as he kissed the side of my nose. His concern meant the world to me. I wouldn’t have to fight this battle alone. I could have wept with relief.

  My reassurance was short-lived. A chill crept through me when Arys said, “Then it’s settled. We hunt together.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  I sipped from a Tim Horton’s coffee, watching Brogan form a salt circle on the pavement. It was just past dawn. The Wicked Kiss’ parking lot was almost empty save for a few vehicles, one of them being Kale’s Camaro. Any vampire who hadn’t left yet would be trapped in one of the back rooms for the day.

  I knew Kale was alone in his room. His lingering presence spoke louder than his earlier invitation. As I watched Brogan prepare to cast a locator spell, I tried not to think about Kale’s admission of love. My focus had to be on finding Claire and Maxwell. Everything else could wait.

  At such an early hour, the traffic passing by the club to go downtown was scarce. It wouldn’t pick up for a while yet. Every time I heard a vehicle, I glanced up expectantly, looking for Shaz’s car. He would be arriving any moment wit
h Kylarai, Zak and Julian. Arys had left an hour before dawn but not before making me promise to maintain an open mental link with him until I was finished with Maxwell and Claire. I was confident that we would take them down. It might not play out the way I envisioned, but it was going to happen.

  Sitting in the middle of the salt circle, Brogan pulled four blue candles from her bag and arranged them around her at the north, east, south and west points. She placed a goblet of water before her. Taking a stick of jasmine incense from her bag, she glanced at me expectantly.

  “I’ll need that hair now. And, as much quiet as possible. Do you think they’ll be here soon?”

  “Any minute now. We can wait so they don’t disturb you.” I pulled my wallet out of the back pocket of my jeans and retrieved the auburn strands of Claire’s hair. I’d taken extra care not to lose it.

  “I’d rather do it now, before they get here. I’m not quite as good at this as my mother is. Was.” Brogan’s face fell, but she quickly hid the emotion that I could sense building within her. “Anyway, I need to concentrate. The fewer people here, the better.”

  “No problem. I’ll give you some space and tell them not to arrive yet.”

  Crossing to the opposite end of the parking lot, I perched on the hood of Kale’s car and sent a text message to Kylarai telling them not to come until I got back to them. Then I reclined against the Camaro’s windshield and watched Brogan work the spell.

  I couldn’t help it when my mind strayed back to Kale, so close but so far. Was he thinking of me, too? Did I really want the answer to that? I could just imagine his reaction if he knew I was reclined on his prized possession with thoughts of him swirling in my head. I owed him an explanation and an apology. It wasn’t going to come easy.

  A cool wind picked up suddenly, ruffling my hair. Brogan sat in a meditative state, her lips moving fast. I could only catch bits of what she said. None of it was in English. The candle flames flickered and the scent of jasmine carried to me on the breeze. With eyes closed, she dropped Claire’s hair into the goblet and stirred it with a finger in a clockwise motion.

  Brogan’s blonde hair lifted gently as the wind whipped around her. Goosebumps rose up on my skin in response to the power she called. It felt pure, earthy, but strong. She was underestimating herself if she didn’t think she was as good as Lena. I was willing to bet otherwise.

  I was intrigued by the power a skilled witch could call. It was not unlike my own. However, the manner in which they accessed it was much different.

  Watching Brogan reminded me of all the times I’d done the same thing with her mother. I hadn’t let myself truly feel Lena’s loss. It was too hard. But, it would come. It had to. I didn’t want to let her go. Though it wouldn’t bring her back, today there would be retribution for what had happened to her.

  A satisfied but sad smile crossed Brogan’s dainty features, and her eyes snapped open. Motioning me over, she called, “I’ve got a location.”

  Hopping off Kale’s car, I almost skipped over to her. The wolf inside me was readying for a fight. I was almost excited.

  “You were right.” Brogan began blowing out the candles before extinguishing the stick of incense. “They moved pretty far from the last address you had for them. They’re on the outskirts of town, a farmhouse to the east. I’m coming with you.”

  I paused during the text I was typing to Ky. “Um, no way. I can’t risk you, Brogan. Your mother would never be cool with that.”

  “Well, she’s not here, and these are the people who killed her. You have to let me come. Would you have it any other way if you were in my position?” Her jaw was hard set, and a challenge was in her eyes. “I know they’re dangerous, Alexa. I’m not powerless. I’ll let you call the shots. Just … let me be your backup.”

  I finished typing the text before answering. I was torn. I would refuse to be left behind if I were her. She did have power. It’s not like she’d be defenseless. Shit.

  “Fine. But, you follow my lead, and don’t you dare get yourself killed. This is completely against my better judgment.”

  She nodded solemnly, but there was a glimmer of light in her small smile. “Thank you.”

  It wasn’t long before Shaz’s car turned into the lot. A small thrill of anticipation shot through me. It wouldn’t be long now. Any remaining doubt I’d had was fading fast.

  For a moment, I felt heavy discomfort when Shaz stepped out of the car. I swallowed hard and pushed the negative thoughts aside. Whatever was up with him, with us, it was irrelevant right now. It had to be if I was going to stay focused.

  Much of the awkward apprehension slipped away when he pulled me into his arms as if nothing had ever happened. Was I making it out to be more than it was? If he could put it aside, then I could do the same.

  “Are you ready to do this?” His jade orbs shone with enthusiasm. He was eager for this.

  “I think so.” I glanced over at his car where the others waited. “How’s Julian? He’s not going to be a liability is he?”

  With a shake of his blond head, Shaz grinned. “Not on my watch.”

  “Then let’s go.”

  * * * *

  Brogan had been right about the farmhouse. The evidence of the death of the occupants verified that our vampires were inside. The sun shone down brightly, trapping them effectively. The golden light stung my eyes but, otherwise, didn’t harm me.

  We had to drive two cars to fit everyone. It was also safer, in case some of us didn’t make it out, the others could still leave. If Maxwell was as clever as I thought he was, he would know we were coming for him. He’d be ready. Yet, he wasn’t smart enough to skip town. Typical.

  With the Dragon Claw in hand, I faced the four wolves that sat ready and keen before me. Both Shaz and Julian wore matching expressions. They were looking forward to this. Somehow, I didn’t entirely find that reassuring. Their eagerness to kill vampires was helpful for the current fight but alarming in its implications. There was no love lost between vampires and werewolves.

  “You guys know the drill. Don’t leave anyone alive, and don’t give them a chance to fight back if you can help it, especially the male with the power. He’s extremely dangerous. But, if you can incapacitate him without dusting him, leave him alive. I have a few questions for him.”

  I had nothing more to say. We had three vampires to kill, one who was deadly. Hesitating would weaken us. It was time to do this.

  I could feel Arys in my head, observing the only way he could. He was thankfully quiet, allowing me the illusion of being alone with my thoughts. Knowing he was there enhanced my concentration. I would think of nothing while he was in my head but the task at hand.

  Striding up to the front door of the old but well-kept farmhouse, I kicked the door open. I wasn’t surprised by the angry swarm of energy that greeted me. I was ready for the attack. Drawing on my bond with Arys, I absorbed what I could of the blast and deflected the rest.

  I paused in the doorway, the dagger in one hand and a psi ball in the other. The windows had been boarded up haphazardly, preventing the light from penetrating the interior of the house. Maxwell stood in the open foyer right in front of me, his face absent of any real expression. I couldn’t see either Claire or their remaining vampire lackey yet.

  The wolves swept past me, two on either side. The sound of snarls and growls quickly filled the eerie silence. Both Shaz and Julian lunged at Maxwell who quickly lashed out at them with a blast of power which I intercepted with my own. The two wolves almost collided in their frenzy to get to him. He was fast, moving to avoid them in a smooth motion that left them scrambling to regain their footing.

  “I knew you’d come. I didn’t think it would be so soon after we broke you though.” Maxwell smirked and pulled his power tight to him, forming a circle.

  From deeper in the house a scream rang out as Zak and Kylarai found Claire. She wouldn’t stand a chance. Brogan hung back near the door, but I could feel her readiness.

  Something
told me that the Dragon Claw would cut through Maxwell’s barrier as if it wasn’t even there. It would be over too fast. Perhaps it was stupid to hold out, but I didn’t want him dust, not yet. Not until I could get some answers from him regarding Arys’s little secret, something Arys wasn’t going to be happy about.

  “Is that what that was all about? You didn’t break me, asshole. Not even close.” This was already going better than I’d hoped. With Maxwell trapped inside his own circle, he wasn’t much of a threat.

  I advanced on him, testing the dagger by swiping it boldly through his bubble. It dispersed immediately. The shock that adorned Maxwell’s face was priceless. Grabbing him by the throat, I threw him up against the foyer wall so hard the windows in the house rattled.

  Shaz paced close by. I saw no sign of Julian though the sound of conflict reached me from the back of the house. A series of snarls and snapping jaws were followed by a yelp I recognized as Kylarai. I fought hard to tune it out. Losing my focus would put us all in greater danger.

  Maxwell pushed against me with fiery hot power that burned. I smiled because this time I was ready, and I knew I could take him. The direct connection to Arys infused me with enough power to knock me breathless. It burst through me from head to toe, using me as a living vessel to channel it. I wasn’t sure how much I could take before it overwhelmed my mortal form, but I guessed I’d find out.

  I pressed the dagger to Maxwell’s throat, careful not to let the blade bite into his flesh. Not yet. “Ready to do a little talking, pal?”

  “Screw you, wolf.” He was putting on a tough front, but the heavy sense of apprehension slowly trickled from him.

  “I have questions, and you have answers. Play along, and I’ll kill you fast. If not, I can really drag this out.”

  A strained cackle poured forth from Maxwell. “We’ll have plenty of time to play twenty questions during the trip back to Vegas. Still not willing to make this easy on yourself? I told you. Help me get what I want, and then I let you go.”