Darker (Alexa O'Brien Huntress Book 6)

by Trina M. Lee

  Arys left the table, coming to pull me into his arms. I tensed at first out of sheer stubbornness, but I could never resist him. Sinking into the comfort of his embrace, I sought something deeper, something permanent. There was no such thing. We lived moment to moment, and I had to be grateful for that. I was, but looking ahead, fearing what had yet to come and might never come, it was breaking me down. I would face Lilah when the time was right. Until then I intended to protect people like Gabriel from the demons and the FPA.

  “Come on,” he guided me toward the stairs. “Let’s go to bed. You need to sleep once in a while.”

  “You go ahead.” I cast a longing glance at the laptop. “I’ll be up in a few minutes. Promise.”

  Arys’s gaze strayed warily to the computer. “Alright. Don’t be long. Or, I’ll come down here and carry you off over my shoulder. Caveman style.”

  I waited until he’d gone up to my bedroom to grab the laptop off the table and slip out onto the patio. Settling myself in a chair where I could watch the birds, I opened up a file and began to read about Kale’s sadistic mental state when Veryl first recruited him. It hit too close for comfort, so I put it away for another day and opened a different folder instead.

  I shielded my eyes from the bright morning rays. The sun didn’t burn me as it would a vampire, but I was incredibly sensitive to it. Though I genuinely enjoyed its brightness and warmth, I couldn’t handle it for long.

  Veryl had done an impressive job compiling info on all of us. I was a little awed by his collection of tidbits on people who had outlived me by centuries. It would take time to peruse it all thoroughly. Since Arys was waiting for me, I skimmed through, marking parts to return to later.

  I would have loved to spend all day reading the dirt Veryl kept on everybody, but fatigue was setting in. The events of my night caught up to me, and I yawned, exhausted. I had places to be later, and if I wanted to be of any use to Gabriel, I needed to sleep.

  * * * *

  A restless slumber had me tossing and turning. Every time I started to slip beneath the surface into unconsciousness, I would feel Kale’s hands on me again. I’d awake with a jolt, safe in the confines of my darkened bedroom.

  I lay there with Arys stretched out beside me. If the frown etched on his face was an indication, Arys’s dreams were also less than pleasant. Closing my eyes, I snuggled in against him.

  My thoughts strayed to Veryl’s files. There was a lot to go through yet. So far, I had learned that Shya had promised Lilah protection if she would help him keep his demons in line. What I wanted to know was protection from whom?

  The night she had given me the Dragon Claw, she told me Veryl was blackmailing her. His threats to expose her to someone had fueled her need to see him dead. That was where I came in. I had been the one to kill Veryl, and I wondered if I would regret it.

  If I kill him, everything he has on me leaks to the people I want it kept from. That’s what she said, her reason why I had to kill Veryl. So, Lilah did have a weakness. I just had to find out who it was. There’s no time like the present. I started to sit up, and Arys’s arms went around me, his grip tight.

  “Don’t even think about it,” he muttered into his pillow. “There’s at least three hours until sunset. Go back to sleep.”

  “I can’t. I was just going to do some reading.”

  “No.”

  I lay back down and huffed, a dramatic exhalation of breath. “It’s important. About Lilah.”

  “No.” Arys pulled me closer, burying his face in my neck. “It can wait a few more hours.”

  “Fine.” I didn’t really want to argue. I was happy to stay put beside him. He was right. I needed to let things go for a while, at least long enough to get a decent sleep.

  In Arys’s arms I drifted back to sleep, finding peaceful rest this time instead of fitful dreams. When I woke again after sunset, I was just starting to feel rested. With a groan, I hugged my pillow closer. Would a sleep-in day be so wrong?

  Against my will, I dragged myself out of bed and into the shower. I had time to peruse the files further before heading to the city.

  “Come back to bed for a bit, Alexa.” Arys beckoned me with a finger. “It’s a wonder you even slept at all.”

  “I’m not tired. Besides, I want to read through the rest of those files before we go.” I stood in the en suite bathroom dragging a brush through my long, wet hair.

  “The files can wait. They’ve waited this long.” The weight of his gaze was heavy upon me.

  “No, they can’t wait. The FPA used Raoul’s affair with my mom to murder my parents. That’s why they have Juliet. They would have me, too, if Veryl and Shya hadn’t intervened.” I met his eyes in the mirror. “That was in the files along with some info that may help me deal with Lilah. I need to read the rest.”

  I filled him in on the details I had while examining my reflection. I gave my head of ash blonde hair a shake. Maybe it was time for another change, something big.

  “Maybe I should cut my hair,” I mused. “What do you think?”

  Arys shook his head vehemently. “I think you should read the files. Anything to keep you from hacking off that sexy mane.”

  I smiled. It was a small victory, but I’d take it. While Arys took over the shower, I hurriedly did my makeup. Dark, smoky liner outlined my brown eyes. A dash of mascara, a hint of blush, and I was done. I dressed in black leather pants and a cleavage-enhancing top. Then, I was off to the kitchen where I promptly got acquainted with a cup of coffee.

  I was limited on time so again I scrolled through the files waiting for something to catch my eye. I needed a solid day to do nothing but read Veryl’s meticulous notes. He’d gone to great lengths to obtain and keep some of this information. I was eager to dive in. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be tonight.

  “Don’t get obsessed, Alexa.” Arys swept into the kitchen with the scent of shampoo trailing him. His hair was wet and he was shirtless.

  “I’m not,” I said, distracted by the sheer beauty of him. “Now that I have access to the files, I’m afraid not to take advantage of it.”

  Arys leaned down to kiss me. Cold drops of water fell from his hair to run down my chest. “Damn, you look sexy tonight. You’ll have men falling at your feet. Think you can fight in those pants?”

  “I’m hoping not to have to fight at all. But, I can fight in anything.” I grinned. “If anyone has people falling at their feet, it will be you. I have yet to meet a woman that doesn’t want to be your victim.”

  “Does that include you?” He nuzzled me, a wolfish gesture that spoke volumes as to the depths of our bond.

  Reaching around me, Arys closed my laptop despite my protests. “We should go soon,” he said. “If you want to be ready for anything, we should hunt first.”

  “No way.” I slapped his hand away from the computer. “I don’t want to. Just give me a stiff whiskey, and I’m good to go.”

  “Until the bloodlust hits you, and you lose your friggin’ mind.” Arys gave me a dark look.

  Ignoring him, I gathered my things. I tossed my phone into my shoulder bag and swiped my car keys off the counter.

  “Since you won’t let me dig up dirt on Lilah, let’s get going. If you want to suck some young thing dry, that’s your business. I don’t want any part of it tonight.” I headed for the front entry to dig through my footwear. Arys was hot on my heels.

  “When are you going to accept what you are?” He boldly swiped the shoe out of my hand and tossed it on the floor. “You’re not human. You never will be again. Denying what you are will only hurt you in the long run.”

  With an indignant glare, I picked up a pair of boots and studied them. “I know what I am, Arys. I’m a werewolf. In case you’ve forgotten.”

  I slipped the black ankle boots on. They had enough heel to give my petite frame some additional height but were still low enough to run or fight in. It was a warm night. I was torn. If I wanted to carry the Dragon Claw, I’d have to wear a long co
at.

  “You’re more than a werewolf. You’re vampire too.” Arys’s tone was hard, unrelenting. “You can’t run from that. Living in denial will drive you crazy. You can either accept it and stay sane or end up like Sinclair, a five-hundred-year-old basket case.”

  I zipped the boots up and turned to face him. “I get that you’re having a hard time with this. I admit it; I’m scared shitless to become a vampire. It’s not like I have a choice, but I’ll deal with it my own way, in my own time. Back off.”

  The tension between us soared. We stared at one another, and I saw my anger reflected in his eyes. I didn’t want to go head to head with him again. Not tonight.

  Arys’s energy was scorching hot. A muscle twitched in his jaw. I was dreading the tirade that was coming. He surprised me. Spinning on his heel, he stormed upstairs to finish getting dressed. His parting shot was deadly, a blade of words that sliced deep.

  “Fine. You’re on your own. When you lose your fucking mind and drown in a sea of blood, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  Chapter Ten

  Music poured down the street from The Spirit Room. Hard rock serenaded the night. It put a little extra oomph in my step. I never could resist the sound of electric guitars.

  I perused the line up at the door for Brogan and swaggered past a small group of leather clad, long-haired guys sharing a joint. Their whistles and catcalls brought a blush to my cheeks. Not one to normally seek out male attention, I couldn’t help but be flattered. It wasn’t often I had human men reacting to me that way. It was nice to know it had nothing to do with power or supernatural hungers.

  “Alexa,” Brogan called from near the front of the line. “Over here.”

  Her dirty blonde hair lay on her shoulders in soft waves. In tight blue jeans and an Aerosmith t-shirt, she was casual but hot. The guy in front of us kept tossing glances back her way while she pretended not to notice.

  “Is Gabriel here? Have you seen him yet?” I asked after exchanging pleasantries.

  “No. I’m sure he’ll be here. His best friend’s in the battle of the bands tonight. He wouldn’t miss it.” She leaned close and her tone dropped low. “Unless something happened to him.”

  “Stay positive,” I replied, scanning the vicinity for anything unusual. “He’s inexperienced but he’s not helpless.”

  The queue inched forward until we finally got inside. The place was packed with rock n’ rollers. It was a fair size, bigger than The Wicked Kiss, excluding the back rooms. A smoke machine filled the air with a haze that covered the crowd gathered near the stage.

  Right away I recognized the all-girl band Crimson Sin. They’d played in my club recently. The lead singer was a werewolf. I could feel her wolf’s energy, hot as fire and burning with passion for her craft. With her purple hair flying and a sexy growl into the mic, she had no problem holding the audience’s attention.

  We approached the bar where the bartender was a flurry of activity. As we waited for our turn to order, I scanned the building, feeling for anyone or anything supernatural. So far, it was just the werewolf on stage and us. Of course, when it came to demons and angels, they could lurk without being seen or felt, and the bastards could pop in out of nowhere. I hated that.

  “I can’t shake this bad feeling I have,” Brogan shouted over the music. “Gabriel is young, and he probably feels invincible. I don’t think he realizes how dangerous our world is.”

  I paid for our drinks, passed Brogan her beer and took a sip from my whiskey. “Hell, I’m still figuring that out myself.”

  The liquor burned as I swallowed. I couldn’t help but think of Arys and the tangy scarlet nectar he was hunting down. Without me. All of a sudden, I became painfully aware of the scent of human blood. All around me were hundreds of beating hearts, pumping blood through the veins of so many would-be victims.

  I took another drink, concentrating hard on the way it smelled and tasted. I hoped the alcohol would wipe away the thoughts of blood and prove Arys wrong. Instead, I had to control my urges with effort. I could master the bloodlust, I knew I could.

  A commotion broke out in front of the stage. A heckler had messed with the wrong woman. A purple blur was all I could see of the Crimson Sin singer as she leaped into the crowd and began pummeling the guy. It didn’t take much to set off that wolf temper. I craned my neck to get a better look. As long as she wasn’t unleashing the fangs and claws, a little ass kicking wouldn’t hurt the lippy jerk much in the long run.

  A bouncer broke up the fight, and the show continued. The energy rolled off the crowd, an excitement-driven force that caused my skin to prickle. I pulled it into me, savoring the raw human essence. It was a rush.

  As long as we were there, we might as well have a good time. We blended into the throng of people in front of the stage. The band was great, likely the only all-female group in this contest. I didn’t need to hear the competition to know I wanted these ladies to win.

  Though Brogan was unable to relax completely, I had no problem riding the high of the music and the crowd. I moved to the beat, but my gaze continuously swept the building. I kept expecting Falon to appear, and I wanted to be ready for it.

  However, I didn’t anticipate Juliet striding through the door in snug blue jeans and a cute little one-sleeved top. Red lipstick and long brown curls added to her badass appearance. I blinked a few times, unable to believe she had been the little girl I remembered from my childhood.

  “What the fuck is she doing here?” I muttered. I was willing to bet the casually dressed man at Juliet’s side was also FPA. Leaning into Brogan I said, “Maybe you should check outside for Gabriel while I talk to my sister. Something is up here, and I don’t feel good about it.”

  It didn’t take long for Juliet to spot me. I headed in her direction, and she leaned in to speak to her companion who quickly disappeared near the bar. She had a perfectly plastic looking smile plastered onto place when I approached.

  “I didn’t think this was your scene,” I said lightly, attempting small talk.

  She didn’t bother to play along. “A little out of your element, too, wouldn’t you say? Everyone here is human.”

  “What are you doing here, Juliet?” Fine. No small talk. We’d do it her way.

  “It’s confidential.” Her eyes narrowed, and for just a moment, her wolf lurked behind her eyes. “Stay out of my way, and I’ll stay out of yours. Agreed?”

  I shook my head. “I can’t make any promises. Not until I know why you’re here.”

  “I’m looking for someone. That’s all I’m sharing. I’m sorry, Alexa. I’d just rather not do this,” she gestured from me to her, “if that’s ok.”

  I was stunned. And, I’ll admit, more than a little hurt. My sister was giving me the brush off.

  “I’m not your enemy, Juliet. The FPA has poisoned your mind.” My tone was snide, more so than intended. “Do you even think about the things they ask you to do?”

  “Poisoned?” She spat. “They took me in when I had nowhere to go. They tried to help you, too.”

  “They recruited mom and dad to get to me.” I shouted the words at her without a second thought. The loud music quickly swallowed them up, but she had heard. “You’re just a walking, talking weapon to them, Juliet. You can’t trust them.”

  Her irises began to bleed across the whites of her eyes. She fought back the wolf with a worrisome desperation. “Who I can’t trust, is you. You kill monsters to keep a secret. We kill them to protect the public.”

  “Is that so?” I challenged, my wolf bristling for a fight. “Is that why the FPA is holding several of them in the basement? Along with humans. For the protection of the public? I suppose that’s what the lab is for, too.”

  Juliet paled, her gaze darting around for her partner. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Then maybe you’d better take a look in the basement sometime.” I started to walk away, then paused for a parting comment. “If you’re here for Gabriel, you�
�re wasting your time.”

  She opened her mouth to respond, but I beat a hasty retreat outside to find Brogan. I’d just reached the door when I slammed into someone’s chest and went down hard on my ass. Falon stood over me wearing an amused grin. Son of a bitch.

  “Looking for the witch?” He extended a hand as if to help me up but pulled it away before I could accept. Stepping over me, he surveyed the room, his gaze landing on Juliet. “This will be interesting.”

  I scrambled to my feet and rushed after him. “Falon, did you do something to Brogan?”

  “Of course not.” He scowled at me as if I were a stain he’d suddenly noticed on his jacket. “I merely suggested that if she wanted to live through the night, she would be better off leaving well enough alone.”

  “Don’t threaten Brogan,” I snarled. When he walked away from me, I grabbed his arm and refused to be budged. “I’m talking to you, Falon.”

  His silver gaze dropped to my hand. He stiffened and I froze. Void of humanity, Falon’s expression chilled me to the bone. If looks could kill, I’d have been dead several times over.

  “Just because you’re Shya’s pet wolf doesn’t mean I won’t hurt you,” he said, calm, cool and oozing menace. “I’d love a reason to. Go ahead and give me one.”

  My temper flared, and the power rose within me in response. “I’d love a reason to tell Shya that you’ve been fucking Lilah. Looks like you just gave me one.”

  I didn’t know why the fallen angel wanted that tidbit of information kept from Shya. However, I was counting on Falon’s secret to give me an advantage that a straight up power struggle wouldn’t. I spun on my heel to go.

  “Wait… bitch,” he conceded. “What’s it going to take to shut you up?”

  I beamed a bright smile at him, confident in my victory. “Stay away from Gabriel.”

  “Out of the question.”

  “Fine.” I turned away again, and this time he grabbed my arm hard enough to bruise.

  “Shya needs him to work a spell. What am I supposed to tell him? That you wouldn’t let me bring him?”