Crazy Bitch

by Trina M. Lee

“Can we call Brinley?” Allie shivered and hugged herself tight. “I really want to see him.”

  “Great idea.” With a light hand on her shoulder, I guided her from the room. “We’ll call him right now. He can meet us somewhere safe. Is there anything you need to grab before we leave?”

  She shook her head, her face void of emotion. Again I was horror stricken, unable to comprehend how someone could hurt her and feel no remorse. The bastard didn’t know how lucky he was to be dead. Kylarai would have made him suffer far worse than I had.

  Once we were all in the Charger, I passed my phone to Allie in the backseat so she could call Brinley. “Tell him to meet us at The Wicked Kiss.”

  We were moving through the city, so fast it felt like the last twenty minutes hadn’t happened. Yet the taste of blood in my mouth made it real.

  Arys pulled his phone out of a pocket and tapped the screen a few times. “Shaz needs a heads up that we’re coming. If shit goes south, he’s got to be ready.”

  Fingers tight on the wheel, I listened to Allie’s hushed whispers as she poured out the details of her evening to Brinley. Beside me Arys swore in frustration when Shaz didn’t answer his phone. I was trying to wrap my head around the facts that we had a new wolf among us and her safety was now legitimately my responsibility.

  Allie passed the phone back between the seats. She sat back with a relieved sigh. “So what’s going to happen to me?”

  “You’re going to start feeling different. Stronger. Sharper senses. Animal instinct. On the next full moon you’ll shift, and you’ll be able to shift any time you like after that, but full moons are usually a must.” I caught her eye in the rearview mirror and tried for what I hoped was an encouraging smile. “My friend Kylarai is like a sister to me. She’s a wolf too. She’s very protective, and I think you two will really like each other.”

  “What makes you think that?” she asked, genuinely curious. “You barely know me.”

  “Ky’s going through a hard time too. I just think you two could really help each other. If that’s ok with you, I’ll take you to meet her. You can stay with her or with me. Whatever you want.”

  There was silence for several blocks before Allie spoke up again. “Am I a monster now?”

  Arys and I exchanged a look. My stomach dropped. “No. Monsters are horrible people who do terrible things. Evil. They come in many forms. A monster is who someone is, not what someone is. Don’t ever let anyone tell you different.”

  She accepted this with a nod I caught through the mirror. We were just down the street from the Kiss. I was running scenarios through my head, wondering how bad it would get when Arys and I went to Doghead. If Dayne wanted a fight, I’d give him a reason to start one. And I’d make sure that we finished it.

  * * * *

  An hour later and we were almost ready to go to Doghead to confront Dayne. Brinley had come, and we’d discussed Allie’s options. Basically it boiled down to the fact that she had none on his end of things. With me there was still hope for her future. Now that she was going to turn, he had no choice but to entrust her to me.

  “She’ll be safe with my friend,” I promised him, touched by the depth of his concern for this girl. “I won’t let anything happen to her.”

  Brinley nodded his dark head. The frown lines in his forehead were deeper than usual. Stress showed in the lines of his face and the bags beneath his eyes. His entire life was dedicated to the high-risk youth he worked with. They were more than a job to him; they were his very reason for being. I’d never admired a person more than I admired Brinley Kane.

  “I still want to see her.” He shot a glance over at Allie. She sat in a booth with Arys who snarled at anyone who even dared look in her direction.

  “Of course. Whenever you want. You’ll also have the address where she’s staying.”

  I noted the warmth that filled him as he watched her. Willow had once worn a similar expression, the night he’d saved me from a group beating and a few nights since. It hurt to think about him.

  Brinley rubbed a hand over his face and heaved a deep, tired sigh. “I can’t thank you enough for this. And for going to get her. You have no idea how much comfort it gives me to know I can count on your help.”

  His gratitude had never been the motivation for me to help him. Yet it meant the absolute world to me. I had the blood of people who didn’t deserve to die on my hands. Nothing I did would ever make that ok. Helping Brinley fed my soul in a way blood and death never could. It was the only time I knew without a doubt that I was fulfilling some greater calling.

  “It’s one of the few things that gives my life meaning right now,” I said, feeling comfortable enough to admit such truths to him.

  We shared a quiet, thoughtful moment, or as quiet as one could get in a place like The Wicked Kiss. We stood near the front entry, waiting for Jez who was on her way to pick up Allie.

  “Eventually, something legal will have to be put into place. Allie’s been in and out of foster care over the years. She always ends up on the street, but I’ll still have to let them know where she’s staying.” A scowl crossed his face when he said ‘them,’ meaning the system which he felt had failed his kids.

  “We’ll work it all out.” I lay a hand on his arm, just a quick, friendly touch. “What’s her story? I mean, where are her parents?”

  “Dad split. Mom caved under the pressure. Turned to drugs and alcohol. Allie started running the streets. Everything spiraled from there.” Brinley’s brows rose in surprise as he watched a vampiress grind all over two happy and willing human males on the dance floor.

  “Shit. That’s harsh.”

  Brinley nodded, captivated by the raunchy display in front of us. “This place is just…wow.”

  “It sure is.” I was mildly envious of the vampiress. Having two men work as a team to please you was an unforgettable experience. The nights and days I’d spent between Arys and Shaz were among my favorites, but I shook myself out of the memories before they could suck me in. “I’m going to take off now. Jez will be here any minute. She’ll take Allie to Kylarai’s. Allie will be safe there. I promise.”

  Brinley stuck out a hand. Overcome with a surge of emotion, I ignored his hand and grabbed him in an impulsive hug. I squeezed him so hard he grunted. I pulled back and smiled in apology.

  “We’ll be in touch soon,” he said with an awkward smile.

  He joined Allie in the booth. Arys, after ruffling her hair and leaving her with parting words, joined me at the door.

  “What did you say?” I was curious what kind of thing my dark vampire would say to such a young girl.

  “I told her I was going to teach her how to rip a man’s heart out with her bare hands.” He smirked. Yep, that sounded about like what I’d have expected him to say.

  Arys caught sight of the vampiress and her two playmates gyrating on the dance floor. With a hand on the curve of my hip, he pulled me close. “Don’t you miss it?”

  His touch ignited a spark in my belly. I reached to caress the side of his face. “Hell yeah, I do.”

  He kissed my neck and murmured, “Then let’s go to Doghead and get our wolf.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  The Doghead parking lot was littered with vehicles. Shaz’s little blue Cobalt was among them. Briefly I wondered if he was still planning to trade it in on something newer. Banishing the thought, I prepared to face Dayne and his many wolves.

  There was a chance they would try to jump us, but Arys and I together could hold our own against a pack of wolves. Although a few hundred was pushing it. Dayne seemed to operate the pack like a motorcycle gang. His pack had absorbed the other two main city packs, which gave him run of the city.

  Wolves hung out in the parking lot smoking, drinking, and swearing. Several of them flicked curious stares our way as the Charger crawled through the lot. I didn’t see Dayne or Shaz. There was a chance they could be running in the River Valley. I’d be pissed if I came ready for a confrontation only to have Da
yne be elsewhere.

  Before I could get out of the car, Arys grabbed my hand. There was a pulse followed by a tingle as power crawled up my arm. He tapped the force we shared, calling it forth so that we both hummed with it. Werewolves weren’t adept power readers, but they would be able to sense it like static.

  “We can’t do anything to endanger Shaz,” I said, shooting him a warning glance. “This is between us and Dayne.”

  “Except it’s not,” Arys countered. “It’s between us and every wolf in this pack. It’s too late now. You’ll just have to trust that Shaz can take care of himself. Hasn’t he done enough to prove that by now?”

  I nodded, knowing he was right. Still, I was allowed to be unhappy about it. “Of course he has, but nothing will stop me from worrying about him, Arys. We have a history. I can’t help but feel like I have to look out for him.”

  “He feels that way about you too. Why else would he join this pack? You need a man on the inside.”

  I turned sharply toward him. “That’s not why I wanted him to join the pack. He needs a place where he can belong, with other wolves. He’s been surrounded by vampires, and it’s changed him.”

  “In a good way. You’re just not willing to entertain the thought that his tie to us could be beneficial to him, both now and in the future.” With a shrug Arys opened the door and got out, leaving me to chew on that.

  Grumbling, I got out too, this time bringing the Dragon Claw with me. It hung from a belt slung about my waist, the dagger’s sheath against my hip. Though I hoped I wouldn’t have to use it, I wanted to send a message: I’d come in peace before, but this was different.

  As we approached the warehouse-turned-werewolf bar, each wolf present took note of us. Some of them exchanged words with each other, questioning what was up. They were about to find out.

  Owen met us at the door. He appeared there, a large, hulking shape that made it seem like someone had run to fetch him. With a bandana tied around his head and an open leather vest, his powerful build was on display. Muscles rippled in his tattooed arms, and though I tried to avert my gaze, I couldn’t help but check out his abs. No wonder he was Dayne’s enforcer. The man was built solid. He was just as magnificent in his wolf form.

  “You shouldn’t be here, Alexa.” Owen’s gaze strayed from me to Arys and back again. “It’s a wolf night.” He pointed to the full moon overhead.

  I shrugged, not giving a shit. “I want to see Dayne. Now. You can tell him that I had to rescue a fourteen-year-old girl from one of his wolves tonight. Leo to be precise.”

  Allie had shared the creep’s name with me. She couldn’t even say it without a snarl in her voice. Remembering brought the rage back full force. If Owen didn’t get out of my way, I’d throw him on his ass.

  Owen was wary, but he knew it wasn’t bullshit. “Fuck. Wait here.”

  He turned away to find Dayne, and I strode in right behind him. I wasn’t waiting outside like an interloper. Plus, I wanted to see if Shaz was inside.

  Loud music screamed through my ears. The place smelled like wolf, booze, and more wolf. It was almost overwhelming. It wasn’t as crowded as I’d expected. Maybe one hundred wolves or less. The others had to be running in the River Valley.

  That platinum hair caught my eye, as it always did. Shaz was at one of several pool tables with a few others, Izzy among them. She leaned in close to hear something he said before throwing her head back and laughing. Jealousy that I had no right to feel burned through me, and I hated myself for it. The bold, black moon tattoo on the side of his neck almost stopped me in my tracks. I’d known it was coming but seeing it did something to me. Something that felt a lot like loss.

  “That wolf is ours and always will be. Don’t doubt that for a second.” Arys’s murmur against my ear did nothing to abolish the sick sensation crawling through me.

  As we drew closer Shaz’s head snapped up, and a smile lit up his face. It faded as soon as he saw my expression. Dropping his pool cue on the table, he beelined for us. He shouldn’t have since Owen reappeared with Dayne at just that moment.

  They met us there in the middle of the building, surrounded by tables littered with empty bottles and glasses. The wolves shooting pool and occupying the dance floor began to take note of us, realizing this wasn’t a friendly visit.

  “What the hell is this about one of my wolves and a young girl?” Dayne barked, cigar clamped between his teeth. “This better be damn good. Bringing him here is a sure-fire way to start shit.” Dayne pointed at Arys. “This is wolf territory. We’d made a temporary exception for you, Alexa.”

  I held up both hands in invitation. “You start shit; we’ll finish it. I’m done trying to keep the peace with you, Dayne. I’ve bent over backwards trying to play nice. Tonight I found one of your wolves with a fourteen-year-old girl that he purchased. For sex. So I fucking killed him. Oh, and I should mention he clawed her, on purpose. Against her will. Said she needed more stamina.” I paused so he could absorb this. “I can’t imagine you’d condone such a thing.”

  Dayne’s typically grumpy expression remained rooted in place, but something moved behind his ice-blue eyes. “Of course not. Do you have proof of these accusations? Vampires are good liars. Don’t expect me to believe something like this without evidence.”

  Arys spoke up, not content with staying quiet. “You’ll find his body in his house. The girl’s scent is all over him, all over his bed. Is that good enough for you?”

  Dayne’s steady gaze on mine wavered ever so slightly. He raised a hand, and the music came to a startling halt as voices stopped and a silence came over the place.

  He pointed to two guys sitting at the closest table. “Go check out Leo’s place. Call me when you get there.” No questions asked, they were up and out the door.

  Shaz stood back watching the scene unfold. He stood with neither Dayne or me, but his mere presence made me painfully aware that his loyalty was about to be tested.

  “What do you want from me, Alexa? If you think this changes the fact that vampires are killing my wolves, you can think again.” Dayne puffed a plume of smoke in my face and cracked his neck with a stretch.

  Owen stood next to him, a silent giant ready to act at the command of his Alpha. They mirrored Arys and I. The difference was that they had a large pack of wolves to back them.

  I was still confident about the odds. “Have you stopped to think that maybe your dead wolves had it coming?” My tone dripped acid. There was a shift in the atmosphere as tension rippled through the pack.

  Dayne was stony faced. The touch of his simmering anger was hot, like fire on my skin. He chuckled. The sound alone was a threat. “So I guess it’s safe to say that you won’t be bringing me the vampire responsible for those deaths.”

  Shit. I fought hard not to look at either Shaz or Arys. “You have a choice now, Dayne. Bring a war to my doorstep and put all of your wolves at risk, or work with me for the good of both the werewolves and vampires in this city. If you let your ego make this decision, you’ll be putting a lot of lives on the line.”

  “Or, we could just kill you both. Right now.” In a blink Dayne’s eyes were solid wolf. “From what I hear, I’d be doing the vampires a favor. Maybe the best way to keep the peace with them is to get rid of you.”

  Well, that was one way of looking at it. Much to my chagrin, he was probably right. The vampires remained divided in their opinion of me. Most of them were happy to mind their own business and do their own thing, though there had been a small rebellion intent on getting rid of Arys and me. It hadn’t worked out for them. So far.

  “You can try.” To add emphasis I raised a hand, and a cool breeze whipped through the building. “Give us a reason to level this place. Go ahead. Be an idiot.”

  Dayne’s gaze flicked to Shaz who stood nearby, hands clenched. “You’re gonna bring this place down with him inside?”

  I shrugged, barely flicking a glance Shaz’s way. “He can take care of himself.” If I let my gaze linger
on him, some kind of emotion would show in my eyes. I couldn’t let Dayne see just how much Shaz meant to me.

  The overload of tension tightened the atmosphere to choking. Hurting these people was not what I wanted. This was all on Dayne.

  “So we’re supposed to just call it even despite the two wolves killed by your vampires?” The Alpha wolf shook his head and surveyed the rest of the room. “What do you guys think of that?”

  Shouts rang out as about half of the wolves present made their feelings known. Shaz and Izzy were not among them. Dayne ate up the aggressive demand for violence, grinning broadly around the cigar clenched in his teeth.

  Arys, casual and disaffected, crossed his arms and grinned right back. “Does it really mean that much to you to have the vampire responsible?”

  What the fuck was he up to? I gave him a glare, which he ignored. So I shot him a telepathic warning to shut up, but that went ignored too. The first pang of panic took root.

  “It does.” Dayne gave a short, sharp nod. “It’s the principle of the thing. What kind of Alpha would I be if I didn’t demand restitution for the murder of my wolves?”

  “Principle, huh?” With an arrogant swagger Arys closed the distance between the two of them. “Well, I’m right here.” He chuckled as confusion spread across Dayne’s face. “That’s right. It was me. What are you going to do about it?”

  I wanted to scream. Damn fool vampire! So much for keeping the peace.

  Three. Two.

  I never made it to one before the place erupted in violence. Moving in synch, Owen and Dayne lunged at Arys. He raised a hand, and they flew backward in opposite directions. Owen hit the bar to my left and slid to the floor, stunned. Dayne crashed into a few wolves gathered near a pool table, taking them all down like bowling pins. It would have been comedic if all hell wasn’t breaking loose.

  Everyone sprang into motion. So many bodies moved at once, it was impossible to watch them all. Several wolves rushed to Dayne in an effort to protect their Alpha from further abuse. Even more of them swarmed Arys and me.