Coda (Alexa O'Brien Huntress Book 13)

by Trina M. Lee

  “Falon.” I continued on my way to my car.

  “Alexa.” He fell into step beside me. Calm and cool, he clasped his hands behind his back and ambled along like he didn’t have a care in the world.

  In a long beige suede jacket and dark pants, Falon looked like he’d just stepped out of a men’s fashion magazine. The usual. Silver hair swept back with a devil-may-care flourish, he slid a sideways glance my way.

  “Is this a business call?” Briefly I met his gaze. It flashed me back to the night in the hotel when I’d seen the side he worked so hard to hide. The night everything had changed between us.

  “What else would it be?” He countered with a sneer. “Pleasure? You’ve barely called for me since Kale returned.”

  “That’s not true.” I ducked my head, staring at the ground as I walked. “You haven’t exactly made yourself available. Holding a bit of a grudge, are you?”

  He scoffed. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’ve been busy.”

  “Right. Of course. Being a grade-A asshole must take up a lot of time.” What I wanted from Falon was a strenuous fuck, an escape from the burden of who and what I was. The high only he could give me. What I didn’t want was drama, strange tension, and awkward moments. Or talking.

  “Not as much as you might think. I’ve got it down to an art.” Clearly proud of his accomplishments as an ass, Falon chuckled. “Smudge says you had a run in with the hunters.”

  His abrupt change of subject drew my attention. I eyed him suspiciously. “I did. And if you came here just to bust my ass about how I handled it, don’t bother. I’ve heard enough about it from Arys.”

  “Oh? All is not well with the king and queen of the city?” He snickered, enjoying his mockery.

  “Don’t make me punch you.” I pulled my keys from my jacket pocket as we approached my bright red Dodge Charger. It stood out in stark contrast against the white backdrop of winter. “I’m not in the mood for your snark tonight.”

  “It’s not optional. It’s how we communicate.” Falon pointed out. “And whether you admit it or not, it turns you on.”

  “Yeah, definitely not admitting that.” I shrugged off his laugh, but it continued to touch me, reminding me how long it had been. The withdrawal from Falon was much more prominent when he was standing right in front of me.

  I tried to play it cool. So maybe I’d like him to bend me over the hood of my car and make me forget my name. No way in hell did he need to know that. He’d been a dick to me so he could suffer. Of course that was shooting myself in the foot, so clearly my self-righteous irritation was misplaced.

  “I assume you have a plan to deal with the hunters.” Leaning against the driver door, Falon blocked me from leaving until he was good and ready to let me. Playing the game.

  “Of course. If they’re dumb enough to stick around, they’ll be dead as soon as I find them. Smudge said it’s in my hands, so don’t give me any lip about it.” Crossing my arms, I cocked a hip and readied for his attitude.

  A devilish grin curved his sensual mouth into something sinfully inviting. We had rules for a reason. I was not doing him on the side of the road. So if he could just stop looking so damn mischievous, that would really help.

  “She’s right,” he agreed. “You can deal with it however you like. It was an innocent remark, Alexa. Why so uptight?”

  The bastard angel was toying with me. He was right though. That was how we communicated. If Falon and I couldn’t snark and banter, I didn’t think we’d know how to talk to one another.

  “Don’t get me started.” Unable to meet his sinful gaze, I stared down the street. Empty. A side street with little traffic, there was nothing to break up the tension that always settled between us. “I have to find those hunters. So if you could just get out of my way, I’m going to go do just that.”

  “How bad is it? With Arys.” He dropped all pretenses. No longer using the hunters as a conversation piece, Falon sought the info he really wanted.

  Surprised by the seriousness of his inquiry, I studied him. I fully expected whatever response I gave to be met with sarcasm or some other kind of assholery. Curious as to why he cared, I opted for truth. “It’s bad. There’s no hope of making Shaz our keystone again. It’s probably just a matter of time.”

  Until we killed each other.

  I didn’t have to say that part though. It needed no words.

  Falon nodded. He knew how this would all play out. He’d seen it before. “Are you… Are you safe with him?”

  For the first time in pretty much ever, Falon got weird on me. Like really weird. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he seemed to have a hard time maintaining eye contact. I got the feeling he’d battled himself over that question.

  “He still wants to kill me, if that’s what you’re asking. But he hasn’t tried.” Not yet. Not since the night we’d gone into the FPA building to find Shaz.

  Arys had lost himself to the entity. It had found his obsession for tasting my death and exploited it. He’d tried to kill me, and Falon had stopped him. But he’d seen Arys at his worst, and perhaps I was extremely confused, but I could’ve sworn genuine concern flitted through Falon’s eyes.

  “He will. I saw it that night, how bad he wants it.” Falon paused, remembering. “I know you love him, but you can’t trust him. Don’t let your guard down.”

  “I can’t trust you either,” I quipped. “From what I recall you said you’d be happy to watch Arys and me kill each other.”

  “Yeah, I did say that.” The tension thickened. Falon reached to capture a lock of my hair. He stared at the blonde swirl wrapped around his finger with a furrowed brow. “But you can trust me. You probably shouldn’t. But you can.”

  I laughed. This entire conversation was making me uneasy. Suspicious. “Nothing about that makes any sense.”

  “Well nothing about us has ever made sense. Why try to figure it out now?” His gaze dropped to my lips. He wanted to kiss me. I could feel it.

  When a moment passed and he didn’t act on it, I said, “I’ll never give up trying to figure you out, Falon. You’re a puzzle, and I’ve started putting the pieces together.” I meant the taunt to pick at him, but it was also a promise. The more I uncovered about Falon, the more curious I became about him.

  “Never gonna happen.” He smirked. “All the time in the world wouldn’t be enough. You’ll just have to accept that I’m an eternal mystery.”

  So smug and self-satisfied he was. Typical Falon. Or was it?

  Just to screw with him, I slipped a subtle pulse of sensual power between us. He stiffened and released my hair before moving away from the car. His smile had vanished. In its place was wanton desire. And something else. A wariness I’d never seen before.

  “What’s your deal, Falon?” I decided to call him on it. “You look like you can’t decide whether to fuck me or flee me.”

  He lingered just out of reach, eyeing me as if contemplating his options. “I’d kind of like to throttle you as well. You play dirty, wolf.”

  “Me?” I scoffed. “That’s rich. I might taunt your dick a little, but at least I’m not messing with your head.” I grabbed the door handle.

  Before I could open the door, Falon groaned in frustration and surged forward. He pinned me to the car. “You think you don’t mess with my head? Somehow you got inside it, a place you don’t belong. I don’t know what you did or how you did it, but when it all blows back on us, you’ll go down with me. Might want to keep that in mind.”

  “This again? Falon, I didn’t do shit. Not on purpose.” Painfully aware of how close he pressed, I shrank back against the cold metal, unable to escape. Not that I wanted to. It took great effort not to wrap my legs around his waist. “If something happened, then it’s on both of us. It’s not like I forced you. I recall you being more than willing.”

  He stared at my lips. Again I sensed he struggled with himself. “Am I though? Is one of your victims ever willing? Or are they just mindfucked into thinking so?”
/>
  I snarled into his face. “That kind of accusation might have held water in the beginning. But that night in the hotel there was no power involved. I didn’t mindfuck you when you took me out of that bathtub, and I sure as shit didn’t mindfuck you when you got on your knees and licked me until I screamed your name.” Encouraged by the way he jerked back like I’d burned him, I finished with a strong, “You’ve never really been my victim. You want it as bad as I do, and we both know it. I’m not sure what’s going on with you, but you need to get your head out of your ass.”

  Without waiting for his response, I yanked open the car door and dropped onto the seat. He caught the door, stopping me from closing it. I started the engine anyway, willing to drive away with the door open if need be.

  “Alexa.” He said my name like it might have been a question but he wasn’t sure. For a strange, strained moment he stared at me, anguish in his gaze. “Be careful with Arys. If he hurts you, if you need help…”

  Falon didn’t know what the hell he was saying. He flung a hand up and turned away from the car. In dramatic fashion, he poofed. Gone. Leaving me to peel away with a squeal of tires that should’ve made me feel better but didn’t.

  I’d known Falon struggled with what had gone down between us in the hotel room that night. I hadn’t realized just how much until right now.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Arriving at The Wicked Kiss, I was rife with frustration and pent up sexual tension. I’d have liked to screw it out of my system with Falon, but his issues had destroyed the chemistry of the moment. Between his concern that Arys might harm me and his accusations over my inadvertent ability to tap his power, he confused the shit out of me.

  The need for him grew, creeping around within me like a slowly growing monster. Since my turn to vampire, I had yet to go long without an encounter with him. Eventually I’d have to address that. But not tonight.

  Immediately I located Ebyn Tyler, my current favorite willing victim. A rich playboy type, he was a hot as hell werewolf able to feed my need for power and blood better than any human. Though sadly not nearly as well as Falon.

  Feeling my gaze upon him, Ebyn glanced up from where he stood chatting up a woman who belonged in a law office or boardroom rather than a bar. Yet so many types were attracted to this place. There was no shortage of variety.

  With a finger I beckoned him to join me. A brief word to his friend and he met me at one of the comfy couches on the dimly lit half of the room opposite the lively dance floor.

  “I’d hoped to see you tonight.” Drinking back the last of his scotch, Ebyn abandoned his glass on a nearby table and slid an arm around my waist.

  Not in the mood to make small talk, I shoved him down on the couch and climbed on top of him. Power position. Always a favorite.

  “It’s been a while,” I remarked, eyeing his unblemished neck. Adjusting myself just right on his lap, I made sure to press against him just so. “I missed you.”

  Because Arys had been hanging around a lot more than usual, I’d kept Ebyn at bay. Arys had already managed to get a taste of him, and knowing that vampire’s hunger for wolf, I wasn’t risking my favorite mortal plaything.

  “You don’t like to share,” Ebyn teased, sliding his hands down over my ass.

  I allowed him a little touch. He’d never get all of me. My succubi harem was full. Though I was frequently tempted to take Ebyn as far as we could go together, it was neither necessary nor convenient.

  “No, I don’t.” Couldn’t argue that. Shaz was one thing. He wasn’t a victim but a partner. Falon and Ebyn were mine, victims, playmates. Arys had expressed interest in them both, but I didn’t want to share them. I caught Ebyn’s lips in a kiss that oozed desire-drenched hunger.

  He sank back against the couch like he might fall right through it. When I allowed him to catch his breath, he mumbled, “That’s ok, Queen V. You’re more than enough for me.”

  What made Ebyn so much fun, he’d started out being a cocky jerk to Jez and me. And now I was his queen. Perhaps he was a regular within my harem of men, but the rules were different for each of them. Fair? Maybe not. Practical though. We all got what we wanted, for the most part.

  Beneath me Ebyn grew hard. I squirmed just enough to coax a soft moan from him. Running my hands through his dark hair, I nipped his earlobe before making my way down his neck.

  The rush I sought enveloped me. The potency of his werewolf blood called to me. Knowing it tasted lively, like both animal and man, I dragged a fang over his jugular to tease the both of us. His hands moved from my ass up my body, over my ribs.

  Saccharine sweet, a honey-soaked energy set off alarms in the recesses of my mind.

  Kale.

  Refusing to be distracted, I didn’t turn around. This was what I’d come here for. I wouldn’t be denied. I focused on the steady beat of Ebyn’s pulse beneath my tongue. It leaped and jumped, increasing in tempo as his arousal rose.

  I tried to drag it out, to prolong the moment when his blood would flow. But I grew increasingly aware of that mismatched gaze upon me.

  Nope. Not looking. Not making eye contact.

  When I focused intently enough, the many energies within the building announced themselves. Jenner was here too, probably in the back ruining some lovely thing for any vampire that came after him.

  They could both feel me too, Jenner and Kale. Tapped into me as they were, the power I called with Ebyn had to be getting to them. A fox-sly part of me enjoyed knowing that.

  Ebyn slipped a hand up my side to cup my breast. His hard-on strained against me, nestled as it was between my legs.

  “Fuck, V, I want to know what it feels like to be inside you,” Ebyn panted, his mouth on my shoulder.

  “It’s better this way.” I bit gently at his skin without yet puncturing. “The wanting, the needing, that’s what makes this so damn good.”

  Ebyn chuckled, sounding drunk on both scotch and me. “I bet you drive a lot of men insane.”

  He didn’t know a damn thing about Kale, but that remark hit a little too close to home. I couldn’t help myself. I glanced up and half turned to find Kale and Jez at a booth near the door. She chatted animatedly while sipping a purple drink.

  But he was staring at me.

  Our eyes locked. As much as I enjoyed a little fun with Ebyn, it was Kale I wanted to feel between my legs. And he wanted it too. Across the room I could see it. Feel it almost. High on the wolf beneath me, I allowed a playful grin to tug at my lips.

  Then I turned away from Kale and bit into Ebyn’s gorgeous neck. His blood hit my tongue. He pressed tighter against me, and I drew on the overflow of lust emanating from him.

  Knowing Kale watched heightened the pleasure I took in Ebyn’s desire. Blood was always better at the moment of orgasm. Hence Arys’s tendency to wait for that vital moment. Even as I basked in the force of wolf blood and lust, I wanted more.

  So easy it would be to make Ebyn lose it. I could probably make him come without ever laying a hand on him. But ultimately, it wasn’t his climax I craved.

  When I’d taken all I wanted from Ebyn, I slid off his lap and smoothed back my hair. He gazed up at me like a lush, totally blotto. Gently I patted the side of his face. “Always a pleasure, Ebyn.”

  “Hell yes, it is.” He caught my hand before I could pull away and kissed it. “I love how you smell like wolf.”

  Someone else loved that too. Someone watching me right now. I disentangled myself from Ebyn and leaned down to peer into his eyes. “There are hunters in town. They’re looking for wolves. Don’t let them catch you alone. Might want to lay low until I deal with it.”

  I left him with that warning and a promise to see him again soon. With an extra kick to my step, I sashayed over to the booth where Kale and Jez sat. He watched me with a fire burning in his hungry gaze.

  “Hey,” I greeted them, playing for calm and cool even though I felt like I could fly as I soared on wolf blood and desire. To Jez I added, “Haven’t seen you in a
few nights. Did Smudge fill you in about the hunters?”

  She nodded, golden curls tumbling over her shoulders. “Yeah, I got the notice. Lex, you’ve got a little…” She motioned to her the corner of her lip.

  My tongue darted out to capture a stray smear. I noted how Kale’s eyes followed, how his pupils dilated. I smiled. “Oops. Got a little carried away there. It’s been a rough week.”

  Jez shoved over, and I slid into the booth beside her. Right away she began talking a mile a minute. “Not me. I was just telling Kale about Smudge and me having our first official date last weekend. Have I mentioned how dreamy she is? Because she’s pretty fucking dreamy.”

  As she yattered on about their date, Kale and I exchanged a knowing look. I would miss this. The three of us. No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than Kale looked away, like he’d thought the same thing.

  Nope. Not today, insanity. Not playing your game.

  I had a nice buzz going on. And hunters to find. The pain would have to wait.

  But time would not. Because the clock continued to tick down the time we had left.

  As Jez regaled us with tales of running the streets with Smudge, seeing how the watchdog operated, Kale and I watched her attentively, occasionally stealing glances at each other. He didn’t shield against me this time. Instead he let my high-strung vibes roll over him.

  When Jez made her way back to the news of the hunters, I broke in. “I’m headed out to look for them now. After the shit Wyatt pulled last night, I’m gunning for that motherfucker.”

  Jez rubbed her hands together gleefully. “Oh, first name basis already. Now this is interesting. Count me in.”

  “You sure about that? They can’t know what you are, Jez. They already know about me.” I didn’t fear for Jez though. The woman could hold her own. Still, I had to offer her the choice to sit this one out.