Freak Show (Alexa O'Brien Huntress Book 7)

by Lee, Trina M.

  “Is that right?” Holding up a hand, he stopped his men from tearing the woman’s clothes off. “That’s an interesting accusation coming from a creature who is a master of manipulation. Is making a victim want it any less of a violation?”

  Guilty as charged. He was right, and I knew it. But I wasn’t here to argue right and wrong with this wackjob. “How bad do you want to find out?” I taunted, slamming my cuffs against the bars. The sound reverberated through the room. “Get these off and see for yourself.”

  He chuckled, an eerie sound that was almost gleeful. “I don’t think so. I will however make this personal for you, seeing as you could use a little spirit breaking yourself.” Linden nodded to two of his guys. “Bring the male wolf out here.”

  Linden’s clients stood back and watched with interest as Shaz was dragged from the cage. I fought to get out but was forced back by a gun in my face. Any vampire that needed a human weapon to subdue another was a cowardly piece of shit. I would kill them all.

  They made Shaz stand there naked in front of everyone with several weapons aimed at him. His expression was hard, unreadable. But his eyes were all wolf.

  “Now then, finish what they started,” Linden commanded with a gesture to the woman pinned on the floor.

  “Are you fucking crazy?” Shaz stood firm, staring down the vampire with ease. “That’s not going to happen.”

  One of Linden’s clients spoke up, a strange lilt in his voice. “Make him do it as wolf.”

  I wanted to vomit. If there had been anything in my stomach, I likely would have. The expression on Shaz’s face indicated he felt the same.

  “I’m not hurting anyone,” Shaz said, stubborn refusal creasing his brow. “I’ll die first.”

  “If you won’t do it, I’ll have it done to her.” Linden pointed a finger at me. I had one for him as well.

  “Go ahead and try. You really have no idea what she will do to you.” Shaz laughed, something that seemed to surprise some of the vamps. He spoke through bared fangs. “Fuck. You.”

  Linden’s gaze flicked back and forth between Shaz and me. In a blur of motion, Linden threw a punch that knocked Shaz back several feet. He nodded, an unspoken command, and his guys moved in to finish what he started.

  They took turns hitting and kicking Shaz. Once he was on the floor, my wolf was throwing herself against my insides, desperate to break free and come to his aid. But she couldn’t. Together we were caged, watching and praying.

  A whimper sounded low in my throat. I tried to squelch it, knowing my distress was what Linden wanted. Blood red tears brimmed in my eyes, and I blinked them away. They would not fall now.

  Unwilling to lay there and die, Shaz shifted to wolf. It gave him a burst of strength, and he rounded on the vampires snarling and snapping. It wasn’t enough though. They had already done too much damage. They came at him from every side. The crunch of bone was audible as a booted foot slammed into his ribs again and again. A shrill yelp rang above the cacophony of panicked voices. It was a knife in my heart. My wolf was hurting, and I couldn’t get to him.

  “That’s enough,” Linden said, bringing the beating to an end.

  “As much fun as this has been, we’ve got to be going.” One of the waiting clients announced. “We’ll take that one.”

  The auburn-haired woman was jerked off the floor and forced from the room after them. I watched her go, feeling like I’d failed her.

  “I knew you wouldn’t be worth the trouble,” Linden said with a scowl my way. “If the interest in you wasn’t so high, I would kill you and save myself this hassle.”

  “You know you can’t take me,” I spat. “That’s why you have me bound and caged, isn’t it? I killed Harley, and you know I can kill you. Too bad for you, Linden, your greed has already put the price on your head. I will kill anyone you sell me to, and then I’ll come back for you. I promise.”

  Without a word, he turned his back on me and left. Needing no instruction, his lackeys filed out behind him. When the door closed, I slumped against the bars and sighed.

  Shaz’s sides heaved. He was on the floor, in and out of consciousness. He needed healing. If I lost him here, if he died this way because of me, I would never forgive myself.

  One of the women standing against the wall dropped to her knees beside him. She slid out of her jacket and placed it beneath Shaz’s head. He growled and whimpered, yet she was unafraid.

  “Are you the same?” She asked, her gentle eyes meeting mine. “A wolf, like he is.”

  “Yes,” I heard myself say. It may have been the very first time I told a human that I was not one of them. “I am.”

  I was curious about her. Why was she here? It took great effort to search for her thoughts in the mess of voices in my head. They jumbled together until they were just white noise. Then I heard it, her voice. Her kind heart was born of a desire to serve others, to care for them. She was a woman of God, a nun who took care of those in need.

  I didn’t think I could be any more disgusted with Linden, but I was. That likely meant the woman he had just sold off was one too. Evil wore many faces. At times, it even wore mine. This was my opportunity to be what so many proclaimed me to be, an ambassador of the light.

  “We’re going to get out of here,” I told her. “All of us.”

  She searched my eyes and bit her lower lip. Then she nodded. We had no choice but to trust each other.

  Sloane entered with two of the children in tow. She snapped at them to sit down and behave before gliding over to me. She was careful to stand a few feet away from the bars.

  “I know it doesn’t mean anything, but I just wanted to apologize. This was never supposed to be personal. I’m sure there’s a valid reason why Arys is so in love with you. I’m sure you can be quite lovely.” When I didn’t respond, she ignored my silent glare and continued. “If you hadn’t killed Harley, Jenner and I would never have been at odds. I wouldn’t have had to lie to him. You belong here. But Arys is family, so I’m sorry it has to be this way.”

  “You know Arys. He won’t be getting on any plane out of here without me.” I curled my fingers around the bars and stared at Sloane like she was prey. Because she was now.

  She began to fidget with her blonde waves before brushing a non-existent thread from her skirt. Anything to avoid my eyes. “Yes, well, there are ways of dealing with him. Without you around, there’s nothing to stop the sun from having him next time, is there?”

  I couldn’t bring myself to feign surprise. Vampires were not known for their lasting loyalty. They were very much a dog-eat-dog kind of species.

  “Well, seeing as you plan to stand by and benefit from my being sold into slavery, think you can fake some humanity and heal my wolf? He doesn’t deserve to suffer.” It was a long shot, but I had to try.

  Sloane looked confused. She shook her head making her waves bounce. “There are very few healers among our line. I am not one of them.”

  I bit back an accusation. I had to think back. Had I ever seen another vampire in our bloodline heal other than Arys and Harley? Healing wasn’t a trademark of the undead by any means. I had just assumed it was possible with great enough power.

  I sat back on the cot, which creaked and groaned under my weight. A spring stuck up through the flimsy mattress into my thigh.

  “You know I’m going to kill you, right?” I wanted her to go away. These Vegas vampires were growing tiresome.

  She turned to go, pausing by the door. All eyes were on her, the enemy. “If things had been different, I’m sure we would have been great friends, Alexa. This city has been my home for over a century. It took me a long time to rise up in the ranks here. Staying on top meant maintaining ties with Linden. I don’t expect you to understand.”

  “Oh, but I do,” I called after her, a menacing grin curved my lips. “I too have a position to protect. It started with your sire. It will continue with you.”

  Sloane didn’t waste time with petty comebacks or elaborate threats.
It was nice, almost respectful. She simply left the room without a second glance.

  Another wave of pain racked my skull, and a few drops of blood fell from my nose to stain the concrete. I was desperate. Twisting my hands at an awkward angle, I managed to get a clawed fingertip to touch the dragon on my forearm. Blood welled up from the wound. It was immediately followed by a searing pain and the stench of sulfur.

  “This has to work,” I said through clenched teeth.

  It did. The air moved, and for the first time, I was relieved by it. Falon appeared with a curse. He slapped my hand away from the demon mark with a hiss.

  “Do you want to reign down hellfire on your ass? Shya will torture you in so many ways for tampering with that mark. As much as I’d love that, I’d probably join you.”

  “Where the fuck did you go? Were you just going to leave me here to be sold off to some twisted vampire who will use me as a blood slave?” I was furious and also a little scared. I thrust my bound wrists at Falon. “Get these off of me.”

  Falon’s sudden arrival had set off a series of shrieks and wails. He silenced them all with a look. Pinning me with angry silver eyes, he crossed his arms and glared. “Let’s get one thing straight. I don’t work for you, bitch. I am damn good at what I do. I get shit done, and I don’t take orders from hybrid scum.”

  There was no time to argue. I continued to thrust my cuffed hands at him, clamping my mouth shut so I wouldn’t call him the many foul names that came to mind. The kids were traumatized enough as it was.

  With a muttered, “Fuck,” Falon grasped the cuffs and snapped them off as if they were made of plastic. Power flowed freely through me again, and it took great restraint to keep from setting the cot on fire.

  “Thank you.” I rubbed my sore wrists and pointed to the locked prison door.

  Falon snickered. He produced the Dragon Claw as if from a place unseen and tossed it on the cot. “Shya’s instructions were to give you what you need to stay alive. I’ve done that. Now you’re on your own. If you die, it’s not my problem.” He lowered his voice as if telling a grand secret. “I kind of hope you do.”

  Gone, just like that. The same vicious side of me that promised Sloane death added payback for Falon to my hit list. I couldn’t kill him, but I would find a way to make him sorry for treating me like such shit.

  “Was that…? Was he…?” The nun was ghostly pale, gaping in wonder. The name Sue rose up from the myriad of voices. Her name was Sue.

  “A demon? Yes. Well, no. But he might as well be.” I did a double-take when I saw her hands go together in prayer. “Hey, lady, please do not ever mistake him or anyone like him for a true angel. He is the enemy.”

  “I never thought they would look so human,” she mumbled, blinking rapidly.

  “Yeah well, it’s a lie.”

  I concentrated on the lock that stood between me and a shot at freedom. The power went out from me, leaping erratically. It took great strength to focus it on only the lock. This was no time for accidental casualties. There was a spark of gold light and a loud metallic clang. The lock gave way. I bit back a cry of victory.

  Carefully, I eased the door open. I kept expecting Linden’s lackeys to burst in and catch me. The Dragon Claw felt good in my hand, ready. Unfortunately, it caused some unease in my fellow captives.

  “We’re getting out of here,” I said, looking at them all in turn. “We have to work together.”

  “How the hell did you do that?” One man with a scruffy beard and a black eye asked as he watched me walk free of the tiny prison cell. “What are you?”

  I sighed. It seemed that I could never escape that question. It passed the lips of many when I was around. “I’m a werewolf.” A simple answer was the best answer. “I just have a few extra bonus add ons. Upgrades, you could say.”

  “Like in a video game?” This from the cutest little boy with a Batman t-shirt and the bluest eyes I’d ever seen on a human. “Are you the good guy?”

  I stared, frozen, into his innocence. If he knew the many horrific things I’d done, he would definitely categorize me as a villain. In a world of black and white, there was no place for one like me. I walked in both worlds. Everything in me felt inclined to protect him. To protect all of them. Willow was right. I knew it then.

  “You got it, kid. I’m one of the good guys.”

  I knelt beside Shaz, setting the dagger aside. His breath came too fast and shallow. His eyes rolled back in his head. I couldn’t get him to look at me.

  Healing had proved difficult for me. It came from a place of life and nature, taking precise concentration and intent. I had done it before, with Arys’s guidance. Sloane’s revelation encouraged me. It meant that the ability to heal had been meant for Arys and me, somehow. It was a gift.

  I can do this.

  I placed my hands on Shaz, clenching his bloodstained fur between my fingers. Taking several deep breaths, I counted backwards from ten and prayed nobody would come through that door.

  It was easy to feel and touch his broken energy. Aligning it to mine, I pushed a gentle, warm flow of light into his battered body. The constant chatter of voices in my head beat at my focus. I fought to shut it out. The wolf within demanded my attention. She heard nothing, saw nothing, only Shaz. The connection between us grew stronger. Power flowed out from me, seeking and finding its target, breathing health and vitality into this wolf that I loved with every part of me left that was wolf and human. The sound of other people’s thoughts faded. Shaz was all I knew. My being was devoted to keeping him alive. Nothing else proved stronger than that devotion. I steadied the flow between us, giving all I had until his energy hummed happily once again.

  I collapsed beside him, my head in my hands, and blood running steadily from my nose. My ragged breaths became gasps, and I coughed.

  Thanks to the angel blood crashing through my veins, the exhaustion was short lived. I recovered quickly. The burn out that followed the inevitable crash from so much power was going to be brutal. So I’d better make it worth it.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Trust Shaz,” I said. “He’ll get you out of here. And take care of each other. Nobody gets left behind.”

  I stood near the door, speaking to the group of frightened captives. The Dragon Claw was ready in my hand for when the door opened again. At my side was Shaz, as wolf, strong and alert.

  I didn’t have much of a plan. I would take on Linden and his guys, keep them busy while Shaz led the humans out of the warehouse. It was growing harder to restrain the force within me. If I never took blood from an angel again, it would be too soon.

  For the better part of an hour, I’d listened to stories. The men and women told tales of being kidnapped and abused at the hands of Linden and his crew. They’d been lined up against the wall while vampires ogled them. Harsh punishments were handed out to those that dared to fight back.

  Linden was a crime lord in his own right. He took human trafficking to another level. Taking him out wouldn’t be enough to abolish an organization like this. Still, I couldn’t go home and pretend it didn’t exist while they treated innocents like cattle.

  Innocent blood was on my hands too. I would not make the error of having a holier than thou attitude toward Linden. My mistakes were just that though. Mistakes. When I hunted with the intent to lure and kill, I chose ones with blood on their own hands.

  Touching base with Arys, I assured him I was fine. He and Jenner had found Roscoe who had yet to give them anything on Linden. Arys was still of the mind that he needed to come for me. Having to stay away and wait it out was driving him mad. I refused to put the kids at greater risk. There was no way to predict what Linden may do if Arys arrived on the scene.

  My palm grew sweaty on the dagger handle. I was nervous but eager. I didn’t have to wait much longer for a vampire to return with the rest of the children. Standing behind the door, I waited for it to close and expose me.

  I was on the guy before he could react to seeing me out of
the cell. Shoving the dagger into its sheath, I grabbed his head and snapped his neck, letting him fall. Then I swiped his phone, keys and gun so they wouldn’t be lost in the destruction of his body when I dusted him.

  “Who knows how to use this?” I offered the gun to the first guy who held up a hand with a semblance of confidence. “You take the rear. Cover everyone else on the way out. Especially the kids and that lady there.” I motioned to the pregnant lady who wore a hard, stern expression. She was braver than I ever would have been in her place. “A gun isn’t the best weapon against vampires, but a good face shot or two can buy you some time.”

  A broken neck also wouldn’t keep a vampire down long. A quick swipe of the Dragon Claw’s blade ensured he wouldn’t be a future problem. His dusty remains had both the kids and adults fascinated. They would never look at the world the same again after this night.

  “Stay here until Shaz comes back for you,” I reminded them one last time. “We’ll clear a path out of the warehouse.”

  I met Shaz’s calm green eyes. He inclined his head in a wolfish nod, and I slowly eased the door open. I could see half of the lengthy table from the tiny crack in the door. Just one vampire sat there. He was engrossed in whatever was on his smartphone screen. A few others lingered near the door. It creaked as I opened it, and they turned to catch me sneaking up on them.

  So much for a sneak attack. I flung the door wide, hands crackling with power. Shaz raced past me, lunging at the closest vampire. Hitting him full in the chest, Shaz took him down with a snarl, tearing the guy’s throat out with a vicious snap of jaws.

  I hit the others with a fiery blast that engulfed them all. An exhilarating rush of power flowed from me, seeking and finding its target. It was a relief to rid myself of the angelic force. It didn’t belong to me, and I needed it out of my head.

  A shout rang out from the one at the table. I threw a flaming psi ball at his head, and it hit with an uncanny precision and strength. His head burst into flames, the rest of him was quick to follow. The smartphone clattered to the floor.