Sinister Pretty (Alexa O'Brien Huntress Book 11)

by Trina M. Lee

  So much for our attempt to go in on the down low. Looping the cameras and causing a distraction had been for nothing. There would be no hiding our visit now.

  Grabbing hold of Briggs, I hissed, “Winston is here, and Arys is about to lose his mind all over those agents outside. Get moving.”

  He didn’t need to be told again. “Collins, I’ll sort this shit out,” Briggs tossed back over his shoulder on our way out. “Trust me, Agent Winston is dangerous.” Briggs might have agreed to come in with me because I’d put the pressure on, but he had his own reasons to be here now. A grudge that had nothing to do with me drove him.

  Owen remained behind.

  I stopped in the doorway, ready to drag him along.

  “Where’s Dayne?” he demanded from the madman. “Dayne Rivers, the Alpha wolf.”

  Collins backed away, hands up. “We don’t get those details here. We’re never told their names. They’re assigned a number.”

  I put a hand on the big wolf’s arm, exuding a subtle calm. “Owen, come on. We’ll be back for him. I need you. He needs you. We have to go.”

  For a moment, he hesitated, and I thought I’d have to use metaphysical force. Then he nodded and allowed me to lead him out.

  The five of us ran through the halls, taking every turn on Briggs’s heels. Being human, he was frustratingly slow. Once I recognized where we were, I stopped holding back and ran like wings carried me. Echo was right behind me, while the wolves hung back with Briggs.

  Up the stairs, I burst into the night. Fearing what I might find when I turned the corner to where Arys and Gabriel were, I willed him to stay strong in the face of temptation. Part of me would’ve been happy to join them in slaughtering those agents, but we’d come to free prisoners not grab the attention of FPA higher-ups.

  Careening around the corner on the crunchy, icy grass, I jerked to a halt at the sight of Agent Winston in Arys’s clutches. Alone, Gabriel held the agents within the energy prison, but the strain was evident in his furrowed brow and the hard set to his jaw. Bloodlust blazed in Arys’s eyes.

  “Arys, what the hell are you doing?” Seeing how close he teetered to the edge, I approached slowly.

  Though he didn’t seem to be crazed with blood hunger, I could see it there lurking behind his midnight eyes. Keeping him out of the building had been essential and wise. He possessed too much power to allow him to succumb to the evil and darkness of this place. The flicker of light inside me was the only thing that allowed me to go in there without a total meltdown.

  “Where’s Briggs?” Arys asked, an eerie lilt to his tone. He held Agent Winston by each arm. Her gun and Taser lay on the ground several feet away. She stared up at him, wary but enraged. He hadn’t enthralled her.

  “He’s right behind me.” A glance back confirmed that as Briggs jogged around the corner of the building with Shaz and Owen in tow.

  “Whatever you’re up to here, O’Brien, it doesn’t have to end badly. Let’s discuss this rationally.” Winston met my gaze before casting a disgusted glance at Briggs.

  “We’ve done enough discussing,” I said. “I’d hoped you’d be different from Briggs, but I think you might actually be worse.”

  Briggs scoffed, his chest puffed out like some cartoon hero. “Spare me the dramatic dialogue. You promised to make her talk. Now get to it.”

  I frowned and wagged a finger at him. “You’re not the one calling the shots. Shut your mouth and let us deal with it.” My biggest concern was keeping Arys from opening Winston’s carotid all over the snow-dusted ground.

  “Worse?” Winston repeated. “I’ve spent half my career cleaning up his messes. Whatever issues you’ve got with him, it’s his problem. Leave me out of it.”

  My temper flared. I pushed closer to Arys so I could get in her face. “No way, lady. You got right in the thick of it when you took over Briggs’s labs and refused to deal on the wolves. Which makes a lot more sense now. You didn’t want to give up your lab rats.”

  “Not to mention the part where she told you to kill me,” Briggs interjected. “Make her talk, Arys. I want to hear the truth from her lips.”

  My vamp let out a wicked chuckle at the presumptiveness of his order but replied, “My pleasure.”

  Agent Winston clamped her mouth shut and shook her head but didn’t dare deny it. A shudder racked her as Arys caught both of her wrists in one hand so he could stroke a finger down her cheek.

  “I’m not going to beg,” Winston declared, refusing to show fear in the face of the ultimate predator. “I didn’t spend the last forty years hunting your kind to end my life begging for mercy.”

  Arys dragged his finger over her jaw, pulsing erotic, violent energy. “Oh, you will beg, my dear, but it won’t be for mercy.”

  “He’s not going to kill her, right?” There was danger in Briggs’s question. His dark eyes flashed with his desire for vengeance.

  “Let me guess, you want the right to take her out yourself.” I nodded. “You’re a shady motherfucker, Briggs. I kind of respect that.”

  A sinister growl drew all our gazes. Owen’s face reddened with barely restrained rage. “When do I get my turn with her?”

  A glance around revealed that everyone present wanted a piece of Winston, other than Echo, who’d taken off while I was preoccupied. Even Shaz stood there with arms crossed, wolf eyes blazing. In such a short time, Agent Winston had worked a number on each of us. It would be so easy to let them at her.

  However, it didn’t feel right.

  “Nobody is killing Agent Winston tonight.” I caught Owen’s eye and tilted my head toward the street. “Why don’t you take off? Go to Hanna. She needs you.”

  Reluctant but aware he had no grounds to argue, Owen clenched his teeth. “Fine. Just remember, Alexa, we haven’t found Dayne. If he’s dead, these people will bleed for it.”

  “Fair enough. Tell Hanna I’m sorry I went in without her. I felt it best to move quickly.”

  Once Owen had vacated, Arys drew our attention with a growl. He vibrated with the strength it took to hold back. “Now, let’s get on with this, shall we?”

  He turned the heat up, flooding the atmosphere with power. His thrall rolled over all of us, sweeping me up before hitting Shaz. Briggs, who backed away as if that would help, fell still.

  Winston resisted. She fought as hard as Briggs had the first time he experienced our touch. I’d never witnessed anyone resist Arys, and she was no exception. Maggie Winston might have been a ballbuster who’d survived four decades of hunting and studying creatures of the night, but she was no match for my dark vampire.

  She quit struggling to escape and fell toward him. Arys plucked the bobby pins from her hair, freeing her silver-streaked tresses from the tight bun she favored. It tumbled over her shoulders, inviting his touch. An involuntary gasp slipped past her lips when he slid a hand into her hair.

  Tension held me immobile. Watching Arys in his element thrilled me. It always had.

  “Now, Maggie, let’s have a little chat, shall we?” Arys purred, leaning in to savor her human scent. So close their faces almost touched, he seduced her with a husky whisper. “Tell me about Agent Briggs. Tell me who ordered his death upon his return.”

  The sound of Winston’s heart reverberated in my ears. Its steady beat increased with every passing second. Staring up into his enchanting eyes, she tried to hold the words back. Stuttering and stammering, she failed: “I-I d-did.”

  “I knew it,” Briggs muttered. “It can’t possibly be because I wouldn’t sleep with you decades ago, so it must have something to do with the Orlando incident. Surely you’re not petty enough to still carry a grudge over that.”

  Winston was oblivious to us, her focus dominated by the vampire running his tongue over her vein.

  Arys gathered her close so he could drag his mouth over her throat. The moment his skin touched hers, Winston sagged in his arms, unable to stand. “So you lied to Alexa about the higher ups. And what about the wolves? Did you li
e about them too?” Kissing her jugular, a smile crept over Arys’s face when she groaned.

  “Yes.” Winston grabbed hold of him, her knuckles white from the strength of her grip. Her voice quaked. “I found out about Briggs’s modification program. I knew he’d never let me in.”

  “Is that why you wanted to see Briggs dead?” A victim of his own thrall, Arys sounded a little drunken.

  The atmosphere pulsed with heady energy. I bit down on my bottom lip in an effort to keep the building tension from releasing in a ragged sigh. Shaz wasn’t so subtle. Running a hand through his hair, he swore softly and paced in a circle, unable to keep still.

  Cheeks flushed and eyelids lowered, the crack in her voice didn’t match the lust on her face. “Orlando was my promotion. He got me demoted and transferred against my will. I’ve waited fifteen years to take back what he stole from me.”

  “Figures,” Briggs muttered, unable to hide his satisfaction at hearing the truth. “I knew she’d never let that go.”

  “What happened?” I asked, shaking myself from the stupor I’d fallen under.

  Briggs lifted a shoulder in a careless half shrug. “I was a Junior Field Agent. Winston was a Senior Special Agent hoping to become a Supervisor. I hijacked one of her sources. Used the intel to track the head of a blood ring in Orlando. The biggest we’d ever encountered at the time. Funny things those blood rings. You put them down, and they just keep popping back up. Every city has at least one, at some point. You’d do good to keep that in mind, O’Brien. There’s a lot going on outside the walls of your whorehouse.” The unapologetic Fed also shrugged off my scowl. No regret showed in Briggs as he spoke.

  I didn’t doubt there was nothing he wouldn’t do to get ahead and stay on top. “Stop rambling.” I took a threatening step toward Briggs. “Don’t change the subject. What happened after you stole her case? Let me guess. You became the big man you are now.”

  Shaz stepped forward, watching me with the wolf’s wariness.

  Something about the Fed’s cavalier attitude set me off. His willingness to screw over a colleague left me unsettled. My sister was his colleague. Would he sacrifice her when it served him?

  “It’s a dog eat dog world, O’Brien. Don’t act like you haven’t done your share of taking out those who stand in your way.” Waving a dismissive hand toward Arys and Winston, Briggs curled his lip in disgust. “That’s enough. You can stop this vile shit.”

  “You sure about that?” Arys spun Winston in his arms so her back pressed against his chest. Tipping her head to the side, he caressed her exposed neck. “I’m just getting started. Don’t you want to see her bleed?”

  I’d heard everything I needed to hear. Raising a hand, I waved for Arys to drop her.

  He feigned a pout, which came off far sexier than it should have.

  “We’re done here,” I said. “Let her go.”

  The high-intensity vibe thrumming around us fell away, dissipating slowly. It clung to me like a spider web. Such a small taste of Arys’s power was a tease.

  No sooner had Agent Winston’s head cleared than she launched herself at Briggs. A guttural cry wrenched from her as she hit him, taking him down.

  He probably should’ve seen it coming.

  Wrapping both hands around his throat, she squeezed. “You derailed my career. You set back years of hard work and dedication. You owe me, Briggs. You fucking owe me.”

  “Should we do something?” Shaz asked, looking mildly amused.

  I watched, fascinated by Winston’s sheer strength and the power of her rage. Briggs grabbed her hands, unable to pry them from his windpipe. He choked and struggled, fighting for air. Then his training kicked in. He brought his hands up between her arms, hitting them both hard enough to upset her grip. Twisting his body, he flung her off, rolling them over so he was on top.

  “Yeah, we probably should.” I could’ve watched the two Feds pummel each other all night. However, I needed them both alive until I could figure out whom I wanted to head this lovely agency. Killing both would only put a bigger target on my back.

  Before I could intervene, Gabriel’s shout rang out. “A little help here?”

  I turned in time to see him lose his hold on the energy barrier. It wavered before dissolving completely. Exhausted, Gabriel fell to his knees.

  The freed agents wasted no time. Angry and afraid, they jumped into action. Several of them swarmed Gabriel, blocking him from sight. The rest came at us, some with the intent to help Briggs or Winston, others seeking only to cut us down.

  A few slaps of power drove them back, toppling most of them like human bowling pins. Shaz leaped into the action, fists swinging. Arys fought at his side, doing the same with both fists and power. Ducking and dodging, they disarmed each agent they faced.

  A crossbow bolt struck my thigh, unleashing the beast within. Tearing it free, I stabbed it into the chest of the guy who’d shot it. With both hands held out before me, a wave of dark energy burst forth. It tore through a dozen agents, downing them on contact. With coughing and choking, their blood spattered the ground as their insides were crushed. Damn, dead agents hadn’t been part of my plan.

  Briggs and Winston were so intent on killing one another that they barely paused to assess the chaos. Both well trained in physical combat, they rolled and wrestled, throwing punches and head butts.

  Finding Arys and Shaz still holding their own, I ran for Gabriel. I couldn’t see him beneath the swarm of agents. A blast threw them back, taking my feet out from under me as well. I hit the ground and rolled, back on my feet in time to see a fireball roar toward me. Throwing my hands up, I formed an energy circle in time to keep from being incinerated. The offending agents it headed for were not so lucky.

  The acrid scent of burnt flesh assaulted my nose. Every man and woman who’d attacked Gabriel lay twisted and charred, barely recognizable as human. Gabriel himself remained on his knees, slumped over, a trickle of blood running from his nose. Power overload. Not something I saw often in vampires, though not many vampires knew black magic.

  Scorching two dozen Feds to death was apparently all it took to bring the commotion to a halt. Winston barked an order for the remaining agents to stand down. She stood several feet from Briggs, glaring at him with blatant accusation.

  “You’re a traitor,” she hissed. “I’ll have your badge for this, if not your life. Working with the goddamn vampires, what are you thinking?”

  Briggs vibrated with adrenaline. “I’m not working with them. I’m their fucking captive.”

  “Would you care to join him?” Wincing, Arys plucked a bolt from his forearm. Blood trickled down the side of his face from a forehead gash.

  Winston stared in disbelief. “You kept him all this time?” Hair a mess, clothing torn, her chest heaved. Still, she looked pretty good for a woman that had just gone a round with Briggs. “I should have suspected as much.” Shoving her hair back from her face, Winston fixed me with a cold, calculating stare. “I won’t be giving up the wolves or this facility without one hell of a fight. This is one of a handful of high-risk cities serious agents are vying to work in. I won’t be going anywhere.”

  I glanced at Briggs who nodded and swiped a hand across his bleeding nose. “You said you were here temporarily.”

  “That was before I found Briggs’s private experiments. It’s far more interesting than patrolling Calgary. And besides, he owes me.” Winston caught her hair up in both hands and twisted it into a bun that somehow stayed with just a little tucking and prodding. “Both of you need to stay out of my way. Otherwise, Agent Juliet O’Brien will pay the price. I’m pretty sure she means something to both of you.”

  I felt Briggs tense though we stood several feet apart. Keeping my expression void of any emotion, I fought back the urge to throttle the life out of this woman. “You have no idea who you’re fucking with, lady.” I grinned, all fangs. “But you’re going to find out.”

  Turning a pleasantly wicked smile on me, Winston waved a
hand, and the remaining agents began to retreat. “I certainly hope so.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  The moon I so loved seemed to mock me. The first night of the three moon nights had passed without incident. Shya’s curse would be activated tonight. I could feel it in my gut. The true full moon, tonight, that would do it. I thought I’d be scared, but I’d merely grown impatient to get it over with. To know. Finally.

  It had been a quiet couple of nights since our visit to FPA HQ. Too quiet perhaps. Agent Winston had crafted a great first impression: the understanding agent seeking to make nice with the local vampires. All bullshit. And I’d known it too, but I’d hoped she was legit anyway. Shame on me.

  She had done me a favor though. The vampires who hated me were already changing their tune. Echo wasted no time in spreading the word about what the FPA was up to, assuring the vamps that I wouldn’t stand aside and allow this abomination. Just last night at The Wicked Kiss, I’d been approached by several vampires offering their assistance, anything I required.

  I guess Arys’s hybrid queen wasn’t so bad after all. Not if I kept the FPA off their asses.

  Leaning on my bedroom windowsill, I stared out into my backyard. Quiet and secluded, a tree-lined sanctuary in small town Stony Plain outside the big city of Edmonton, it was a whole other world. Crossing from one to the other and back again proved to be a challenge, not unlike the struggle of living as two creatures never meant to share a body, mind, or soul.

  My gaze on the moon, I wondered when exactly would it happen? Would it hurt? Would it be permanent or a one-time thing? The timing sucked. If Shya’s curse prevented me from handling this FPA mess, I’d be screwed.

  Fucking demons.

  I was thrust against the window before I realized the sound of the shower had stopped. Strong arms encircled me from behind. Arys buried his face in my hair, breathing deeply of my scent. His skin was damp and hot from the shower. Jerking me hard against him, I felt the exciting bulge of his erection.