by Trina M. Lee
“Can’t imagine a woman like you having many rules.” Sounding drunken, he traced a finger up and down my arm. “At what point do we say fuck the rules?”
I laughed, a low sensuous sound as I bent to nibble his ear. “There is no we here, sweet thing. I’m the one calling the shots. My game. My rules. Besides, you’re married.”
“Don’t remind me,” he muttered. “I told you. It’s a business arrangement. I can guarantee you she’s up to far worse than I am right now.”
I didn’t care and said as much. With my own small harem of insanity, I couldn’t be bothered with anyone else’s relationship. Right from the start, I’d informed Ebyn he would not be joining that harem, and I meant it. He was here to serve a purpose, one that he benefited from as well.
The touch of my tongue on his warm skin silenced him. His breath came faster. Beneath me he’d grown hard. The arousal spilled from him like a downpour.
Although I had yet to receive an assignment, stepping into Veryl’s role meant change. Not only was I giving this willing victim thing another shot, I’d made some changes to my hunt. Though I’d never admit it to Falon, he’d been right about one thing: I needed to keep from being the very thing I hunted. I couldn’t afford any more slipups.
Because the hunger for the kill lived in me, I had to feed it. Denying it would only compromise my sanity, as it had Kale’s. I only needed to maintain control over whom I killed and when. Since I needed to keep the killing under control, I took a page from Rachel’s book, seeking out those who truly deserved it: the people who had harmed others in unforgivable ways and would no doubt do so again, the human garbage that nobody would miss. I still helped Brinley take out the trash. He didn’t need to know.
Kale. He occupied my thoughts a great deal. I worried for him.
Briggs had made his greatest mistake when he threatened Kale. I had yet to speak with the doomed agent. He was smart enough to give me time to cope with the effects of that night, expecting me to cool off. However, there would be no cooling off. My wrath burned eternal for Agent Briggs. Every night that Shaz suffered fed that fire.
The pounding of Ebyn’s heart echoed in my ears. I loved this part.
Ebyn stiffened when my fangs caressed his vein. Slow, savoring every second, I sank fangs into the trembling werewolf. He groaned and slumped against the back of the couch. His blood hit my tongue and I sighed.
The effects of wolf blood and energy were dizzying, giving me a slight high that was both relaxing and rejuvenating. Perhaps I should’ve been wary, considering my dark half had an addiction to wolf blood. But Arys’s addiction came from a dark place, a hunger for me. Besides, I yearned for blood far more potent than any wolf’s.
Ebyn gazed up at me with wolf eyes. “Goddamn, Queen V, I think I love you.”
I scoffed, secretly pleased with myself for having such a stupefying touch. “Don’t be a jackass. And stop calling me that.”
As Shaz had given up on getting Arys to stop calling him pup, I surmised that I might have to overlook the ridiculous nickname Ebyn had bestowed on me. Although, in Shaz’s case, I think he’d grown to like it.
My white wolf had shown signs of improvement in recent nights. His condition no longer demanded Kylarai’s constant attention. He could now stand to have Arys and I in the house with him, though he could only take a few minutes at close proximity before we had to give him space.
Arys was with him now. Soon I would join them. After such a horrendous week, I’d needed this little outing. The world wouldn’t stop turning so we could put ourselves back together. But we would anyway.
“You should go,” I said when Ebyn had had sufficient recovery time. “Have anything you want from the bar. It’s on the house. Tip the bartender though. Nobody likes a bad tipper.”
Ebyn pushed to his feet, listing slightly to one side before straightening himself. “Shit, V, that was better than sex. Although I’d gladly take sex too.”
“Have a good night, Ebyn.” I rolled my eyes at his departing form. “Probably shouldn’t drive for a while. And if any vampires make a run at you out there, tell them you’re spoken for.”
He turned at the door to give me a salute before dissolving into drunken laughter. “Something tells me anyone else would be a step down from you. Until next time.”
I waited for the door to close behind him before pulling my phone out. After several moments of debate, I selected Jenner’s name from the contact list and listened to it ring.
Half expecting my call to go ignored, I was impressed when he answered. “I’m not breaking into your busy stage schedule, am I, Jenner?”
“You are,” he said, low and smooth. The seductive tendencies of our bloodline couldn’t even be dulled by a long distance phone call. “I was just about to go on, but I wouldn’t dare miss a call from you.”
Sarcasm. Also spoken in that seductive tone. I could almost picture the devilish glint in his ice blue eyes.
“Good to hear.” I got right to the point. “I need a favor.”
“A favor, huh?” Intrigue replaced the seduction in his voice. “I can get on board with that. As long as it doesn’t somehow put my ass on the line.”
Getting comfortable on the couch, I explained the FPA hit on Kale. I hadn’t told Kale about it. I couldn’t decide if I should or if that might somehow endanger him further. Talking to my sister would be pointless. The moment she discovered Briggs was a vampire, she’d disown me.
“So what exactly are you asking, Alexa?”
The sound of slot machines was audible in the background, calling me back to the city I’d grown to love and hate. “Actually, I’m not sure,” I admitted, wondering if I’d thought this through. “I guess I’m hoping you can do something. Pull some strings with your FPA. Find out if the hit is real. Learn what can be done to call it off.” I felt stupid, staring at the carpet, wishing it wasn’t too late to hang up. “I just… need to keep Kale safe.”
Jenner was quiet for a moment.
I readied for his mockery. I just didn’t know who else to turn to.
“Alexa, I can’t make any promises. But I’ll look into it.” There was a pause before he chuckled. “Of course you know what my favors cost.”
“Do I?” I asked, feigning innocent and clueless.
“You do.” His tone took on a hard edge. “Every woman I bleed only takes the edge off the constant craving for you. If I help you out, I’ll be expecting to have that craving sated next time we’re in the same city. For one night, at least.”
Son of a bitch. The number of people I owed was beginning to rack up. Not good.
It wasn’t like I could blame Jenner for making such a demand. If I were in his position, I’d never have even accepted my call, let alone been willing to help. Of course, his help was entirely self-serving.
“Are you willing to work out the details with Arys?” I countered. No way I was agreeing to anything involving Jenner without Arys’s consent. The two were pretty much brothers.
Jenner sounded a little put off. “He’ll take a lot of the fun out of it. But yeah, I’m willing.”
“Fine. Don’t be in too much of a hurry to come back this way.” I laughed but I wasn’t joking. “And keep me posted.”
“You are a royal pain in the ass,” he said, the sound of slot machines fading. “I’ve got a show to put on. I’ll be in touch.”
Good thing I hadn’t asked him to teach me a thing or two about his immaculate control. Although that lesson might be worth bargaining for, as Jenner had the best self-control of any vampire I knew. Cool and calculated, he planned every move he made.
Feeling as satisfied as I was going to get tonight, I headed home, my thoughts turning back to Shaz. He was still in rough shape.
When I’d last spoken with Owen, he’d told me that Dayne suffered a few nights of restlessness and mild illness. Like most drugs, Dayne’s system processed my blood with only minor side effects.
Now the Alpha wolf had to focus on picking up the pie
ces of what was left of his pack. I couldn’t imagine what Doghead was going through right now. Izzy, Owen, and the Alpha pair had walked out of the FPA building alive. Jett had performed at The Wicked Kiss last night. Several of those we’d gone in to free were recovering from their time in lockup. However, Doghead had lost so many recently. When they were ready to talk, I planned to extend my support in any way I could.
The trek home was spent in quiet contemplation. My mind kept going back to The Circle. Veryl had kept so many secrets. I’d waited years to discover the truth behind his mysterious ways.
Jez had been on board right away when I’d told her about it. Eager to get back to hunting the streets, she’d dissolved into excited giggles as I told her about forming my own team.
I hadn’t told her about her father. It was just so friggin’ hard to look into those bright green eyes and say something that would dim their light. I would though. I had to honor my duty as her friend.
Tonight Jez was working a P.I. job in the city, so her Jeep was absent from my driveway when I arrived. I hesitated before letting myself in the house, fearing that entering too suddenly would jolt Shaz.
This whole situation fucking sucked.
“Are you kidding me?” Shaz’s voice greeted me when I stepped inside. “You expect me to eat this?”
“Is that any way to talk to someone who just cooked for you, pup? Try showing some damn gratitude.”
The air smelled of burnt food. Smoke wafted down the hall. I kicked off my boots and padded down to the open-concept kitchen and living room where Arys stood beside the couch with a spatula in hand and a sexy glower on his face.
Shaz reclined on the couch, resting with a blanket and pillow. He winced when I walked in and put a hand to his head, a marked improvement.
“Arys, this is not edible.” Shaz held out a plate with a blackened sandwich on it that smelled of burnt cheese.
I glanced at Arys, unable to stifle my laughter. “How did you manage to burn the inside of a grilled cheese sandwich as well as the outside?”
His frown didn’t help. He thrust the spatula at me. “Here. You take over cooking duty. I’d much rather give him a sponge bath anyway.”
“Yeah, that’s not going to be happening.” Shaz thrust the plate at Arys. A burst of erratic energy accompanied the gesture, and the plate smacked the vampire in the chest before hitting the floor, sending the sandwich skidding under the table.
Such outbursts of energy weren’t happening as frequently now. Still, every time it did, my heart seized. I carried a constant fear that it might never stop.
Arys cleaned up the mess without a snarky word, much to my surprise. He’d barely left Shaz’s side since Kylarai gave us the ok to come back into the house. Though he never put it into words, Arys’s concern ran deep.
We had yet to discuss what happened in FPA HQ, when he’d tried again to kill me. We needed to but maybe we never would. His obsession with killing me was something I didn’t think either of us knew how to live with.
Careful to keep my power as shielded as possible, I ran a hand through Shaz’s disheveled hair. “I’ll make you something. Arys has no business cooking for anyone. Ever.”
He leaned into my touch. The unrest I sensed in his wolf saddened me. Shaz grabbed my hand and kissed it, frowning as if it pained him. “I’m glad you’re back. He’s been tormenting me since you left.” A hint of a smile quirked Shaz’s lips when Arys responded with a middle finger.
The sense of normalcy between them brought me some much-needed relief. Shaz’s steady improvement enabled me to face another night. There was nothing more important right now than his well being.
Too many unknowns lay ahead: The Circle. Briggs’s idiotic blackmail. Willow’s upcoming ritual.
Somehow I had to be prepared to deal with them all, as well as Shya’s curse.
I looked at both of my men in turn and found the source of my strength. I wasn’t in this alone. Come what may, I’d face it head on with those I trusted more than anything.
I went to the kitchen to rustle up something edible for Shaz.
Arys flopped down on the end of the couch opposite him muttering, “You just wait for bath time, pup. Then we’ll talk about torment.”
With a shake of my head, I fetched some fresh sandwich fixings from the fridge. We were a hell of a dysfunctional bunch, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I live in Alberta, Canada with my bass player husband, fierce teenage daughter and three annoying but super cute cats, and a Dodge Charger named Delilah.
I love to hear from readers so don’t hesitate to drop me a line.
For news and information on the next book in the Alexa O’Brien Huntress series, JUNKYARD QUEEN, please visit:
www.TrinaMLee.net