by Trina M. Lee
“We should join you,” Kale volunteered. “It’ll give Jez a reason to go out. She’s been lying on the couch staring at the television since we got to her place.”
“You don’t have to do that. Take her to a movie or something. And make her eat something healthy.” It was a poor attempt at keeping them busy, but I didn’t want to risk either of them over this.
“Why don’t I let her decide?” There was a pause as Kale relayed my plans to Jez. I could hear her voice muffled in the background. Then Kale spoke again. “She wants to help you. Where should we start?”
I eyed the liquor bottles stacked behind the bar and licked my lips. Not tonight. I needed to be alert and fully functional.
“We’re all splitting up. Why don’t you two take the south side since you’re there already? Check in with me in a couple of hours, unless you find something. Not that we even really know what the hell we’re looking for.” Frustrated, I twisted a lock of hair around a finger, shooting glances toward the back. What was taking them so long back there? And did they really need to go together?
“I had my suspicions about this too,” Kale said, sounding so much like the calm, cool Kale I used to know. It was uncanny. It was also an illusion. “Still, Shya didn’t start to really look for this thing until Lilah was bound and almost out of the picture. It’s got to be worth finding.”
“Yeah, I know. I just think there’s got to be a better way. Someone has to know something.”
“Well yeah, Lilah did. And now she’s gone.” Kale turned away to speak to Jez who was whining about needing a drink. “I have to go wrestle a wine bottle away from this wild cat. Talk to you in a bit.”
An icy cold sensation stabbed through me, sharp and sudden, giving way to the familiar pang of bloodlust. The rise of vampire hunger hit me fast and hard, without warning. “Right. Talk to you later.” I ended the call before Kale could detect the breathlessness in my voice. It felt like I’d been punched in the stomach.
I stuffed the phone into my pocket and spun on the barstool to face the crowd. Eyeing the human patrons like they were helpless gazelle grazing unawares, I scanned them each in turn with predatory intrigue.
The need to devour someone was strong. Before I could slip from the stool and melt into the throng of lively prey, a vision flashed behind my eyes. Blood, blue eyes, Jenner. Arys’s voice whispered through my mind, calling me to him.
The hunger was getting stronger every time it hit me. My conscious control was growing fragile, along with what remained of my mortal strength. Shya was right. The power was harming me. It was running rampant through me, consuming the last part of me that was remotely human.
It should have been a sad or terrifying realization. As I glided down the back hall with an undead grace that was not yet my own, I felt only eager anticipation. My dark vampire called me, and I responded.
Arys and Jenner were in Harley’s old room at the far end of the hall. The room had been given a makeover, but that didn’t stop me from hesitating outside the door. It was impossible to go into that room without remembering everything that had taken place inside.
What was I doing? I came back to myself long enough to question how I’d so quickly gone from the club to the back rooms. It was a blur.
I backed away from the door, unwilling to discover what was going on inside. I knew Arys well enough to know walking away was safer than opening the door. Somehow I found the strength to retreat.
The sound of the door opening stopped me in my tracks. With building apprehension, I turned to find Arys in the threshold. He beckoned to me with a finger and a wicked grin.
Another step back. If I could just keep moving.
“Um, any chance you’re almost done in there?” My words were hollow, lacking conviction. Even as I inched away, my lungs filled with the cloying human scents of blood, fear, and lust. It was as nauseating as it was enticing.
“Come inside.” Arys stared at me, perplexed, as if he couldn’t decide if I were prey or predator.
“I don’t want to. Not with Jenner.” Fear rose up to suffocate me, choking off my reply. Anxiety crushed me as I faced my future. It terrified me. “Try not to spend the whole night in there.”
Arys’s eyes were a deep, drowning black due to his dilated pupils. He was walking on clouds, and I was quaking, torn between bloodlust and the struggle for control. Without moving from his place in the doorway, he reached out to me with a metaphysical touch, draping me in the midnight velvet that was his thrall.
“Don’t,” I whispered, eyes wide as I fought the urge to go to him. He was luring me in, seducing me without a touch. It was mesmerizing and held the promise of pleasure and satisfaction.
Shame slapped me like an unseen hand. This was what Kale felt in my presence. I wanted to feel bad. I knew that I should. Instead, I felt empowered. And then guilty.
It took everything I had to break free from Arys’s thrall. It was very much like fighting against myself. When my feet began to move, I turned to rush back the way I’d come. And ran straight into Arys.
I hadn’t seen him move. He was just there in front of me, blocking my path. He reached to steady me, but I stepped out of his grasp. Slowly, Arys advanced on me, driving me back toward the room.
His gaze dropped to my neck where only the faintest pink mark remained from his bite. He was riding the high, seeking the thrill anywhere he could find it. It was a powerful feeling that knew nothing of rationale. It was all about the gratification of getting off on power and blood.
“Why are you fighting so hard?” Arys drew closer; his steps, slow and calculated. “This is a bad time to have a change of heart.”
“I’m scared.”
“I know. The smell of it is absolutely divine.”
“I’m not ready,” I all but shouted. There was a sudden ringing in my ears as white noise drowned out my gasps for calming breaths. “I’m not ready to be what you are.” Clapping a hand to my mouth, I stared at Arys in bewildered horror. I hadn’t meant for that to slip out.
He moved fast, closing the space I’d put between us. Pulling me close, he forced me to meet his gaze.
“It’s too late for that. It’s already inside you. Fighting it will only drive you mad.” He kissed me then, slipping his tongue into my mouth. The taste of blood was tangy, silencing my unspoken protest.
I almost caved. The temptation was nearly more than I could stand. Digging deep, I found the will to resist. My fear was stronger than the hunger. This time.
I shoved away from Arys, holding up a hand to ward him off when he reached for me again. A blue and gold psi ball hovered in my palm.
“I’m going to wait for Willow outside. Don’t kill anyone. That’s a demand not a request.” I turned my back on him, ready to slam him with the psi ball if he tried to stop me. He didn’t.
Arys watched me go in silence. This was going to come up later. I was sure of it.
Forcing me to do something I wasn’t ready for wasn’t his intent. I knew that. Hell, I’d done it before. More times than I’d like to admit. It was the clock counting down the minutes left in my mortal life that had put the fear in me. It was harsh, unnerving, and entirely unwelcome.
My stomach clenched and rolled. I returned to the club to find Willow seated at the bar. I shook my head and gestured to the door. I couldn’t stay inside a moment longer, or somebody would die.
He slammed back the three tequila shots in front of him before following me out. I didn’t stop until I reached my car and sat safely inside. It was blessedly free of human scents, and I took a few deep breaths to steady myself.
“Is everything ok?” Willow asked as he slid into the passenger seat. “You look pretty shaken up.”
“I was just reminded of how dangerous it is to be in the same building as two Vegas vampires while they’re on the prowl.” I dug my keys out and started the car. If I didn’t focus on the real goal, I’d end up in a room with two vampires and a shitload of bad choices.
Willow studied me, the ligh
t in the parking lot shining through his dirty-blond hair. He looked so human in jeans and a t-shirt; his silver wings, absent from sight.
“You know, Alexa, it’s ok to be afraid. You’re facing something huge. It would be more worrisome if you weren’t.”
His presence was an immediate comfort. I nodded, grateful to have such a voice of wisdom in my life. “I keep thinking I’m ready. The bloodlust and the power, it’s been part of me for so long now. I keep expecting it to get easier, but it never does. I’m afraid of how much it will change me when there is no light left to balance out the dark.” It was what I feared most, what I would not say to Arys. When I turned, the yin yang balance of light and dark would shift, becoming unbalanced.
“So you were never really meant to be a vampire. That doesn’t mean you can’t still be you. Fear focuses on what has yet to come. You need to be at home in the present. It’s all you’ve ever really got. It ain’t over til it’s over.” Willow’s hand was warm on my arm as he gave it an encouraging squeeze.
A voice in the back of my mind enticed me to go back inside. So I put the car in gear and drove away. “You never cease to amaze me, Willow. What I wouldn’t give to have the wisdom and insight you have.”
“It’s available to all. Seek and you shall find.” He beamed a bright smile at me and reached to mess with the radio. “So, you and I will take downtown tonight?”
I nodded, finding strength in his positive outlook. Willow had every reason to exist in a state of sorrow and rage, yet he didn’t. I couldn’t blame him for spending a hell of a lot of time drinking himself numb after what he’d suffered. Still, he continued to serve his purpose. I had to do the same.
Willow kept me talking as I drove. From Shya to Jez, I vented out my thoughts and fears while he nodded and encouraged me to continue. I knew what he was doing, but the therapeutic moment was cleansing, and I needed that.
When we pulled up in front of a small but quaint church, I was in a better mood, ready to tackle the task set before me. I got out of the car with a spring to my step. I didn’t know what the hell I was looking for, but I was going to do my best.
I fell into step beside Willow, eagerly approaching the little church. “I can’t help but feel this is all some kind of ruse,” he said. “Having us all run around the city without a real goal seems like a good way to keep us all busy.”
“Agreed.” I nodded. “I’ve had a similar thought myself.”
I strode up the front step and waited for Willow to open the door from inside. He disappeared, a moment later tugging the door open. When I saw how easy it had been for him to access the place, I assumed there was nothing there to find. Of course, maybe that’s what someone wanted us to think.
I went to cross the threshold, and the demon mark on my forearm burst into flames. A heavy force jerked me from my feet, throwing me clear off the church’s front step. I hit the ground hard and rolled with a shriek. The flames went out, leaving my arm raw and aching. I took a deep breath and shook the hair out of my eyes. What the fuck?
“Are you hurt?” Willow helped me up, grabbing hold of me so he could scrutinize the black dragon. “Your arm seems fine.”
“I don’t think I’m hurt. Much. What the hell was that?” I stared at the church door, which slowly swung shut with an ominous thump before examining the scraped flesh on my elbow. I’d left my leather jacket in the car. Hitting the concrete walkway that hard, wearing just jeans and a tank top, friggin’ hurt.
Willow shook his head and swore. “That was what Shya took your hair and blood for. A curse. He really doesn’t want you finding this thing first.”
“That motherfucker,” I seethed. “I’m fed up with that bastard demon dictating where I can and cannot go. Who the fuck does he think he is? I can’t take this shit anymore. I’m done with it.” While I ranted and raved, Willow stood quietly by, waiting for me to get it out of my system. His silence seemed to fire me up even more. “You know what? I’ve got to do something. He can’t get away with this.” I stormed back to the car spewing obscenities. My mind raced, concocting a hasty plan. I was done with Shya pulling my strings.
“It’s just a run of the mill demon curse, Alexa. It’s not permanent. Don’t let it get you so worked up. It’s a waste of energy.” Like always, Willow was the voice of reason.
“I can’t let him get away with this anymore. It’s got to stop. I’m going to go see him.”
“No.” Willow was just suddenly in front of me, shutting the car door as I pulled it open. “Running straight to him in a rage could be exactly what he wants. There is not a damn thing you can do until the scroll makes an appearance. Until then, it’s best if you stay away from Shya.”
“But, I—” My protests died as he shook his head. The need for vengeance was all consuming, demanding to be answered. Yet I knew Willow was right.
“He will come for you eventually. There is no need to rush that moment. Everything happens in its own time. Trust me.”
I fell quiet, accepting his wisdom as sound despite the anger boiling over inside me. Willow knew what he was talking about. Demons were still new to me, and I didn’t think I’d ever truly understand them.
I focused on taking several slow, deep breaths. The fall air was cool and crisp. After a minute I felt better, calm and even refreshed.
“Ok,” I said with a nod. “I trust your judgment. I’m just at the end of my rope with this.”
“I get that. Really, I do.” Willow stepped away from the car. A mischievous smile graced his lips. “But since we can’t do anything here, why don’t we go for a drink? It looks like you could use one. Or five.”
“A drink? Are you kidding me?”
I got into the car, pausing to check my phone for messages. Nothing. Arys and Jenner were probably still at the Kiss getting drunk on blood, and other things. I couldn’t search anything on holy ground, apparently, so I was now back to square one.
“Let’s go to Woody’s and shoot some pool. You can let off some steam, then we’ll track down the others and come up with a new plan.”
I couldn’t come up with a better idea. And a drink sounded pretty damn good to me. “You win.”
Woody’s Pub was a little hole in the wall that gave the illusion of an abandoned building from the outside. Willow had taken me there the first night we met. It was strange to think that he’d known me before that night. A warmth spread through me as we walked inside. I was grateful to have a friend like him.
The small sports pub was relatively busy. Most of the patrons were middle aged and up. The scent of beer, chicken wings, and Old Spice hung on the air. The TVs mounted in the corners held everyone’s attention. Whether it was hockey, football, or whatever they watched, it meant nothing to me.
“Willow, hi,” the bartender greeted him. “Haven’t seen you in a while. Can I get you the usual?”
“The usual would be great. Double it.” Willow slapped some cash on the bar and led me to a free table near a pool table at the back.
I groaned, watching him gather pool balls in preparation. “Willow, I can’t drink tequila with you. That shit is toxic.”
“No more toxic than that whiskey you’re always hugging.” He tossed me a pool cue and gestured for me to go first.
“I beg to differ.”
The bartender brought over a tray of tequila shots with a saltshaker and a bowl of limes. I grimaced as Willow handed me a drink. Holding his own, he clinked our glasses together. Forgoing the salt, he tossed it back, unfazed.
I stared into the small drink, disgusted. If I never drank that shit again, it would be too soon. No sooner had that thought crossed my mind than I realized this very well could be the last time I’d ever get the chance to drink with Willow.
With that ugly thought haunting me, I drank back the shot with a noise of disgust, banged the glass on the table, and reached for a lime. Holding the slice of fruit in my teeth, I lined up my shot and slammed the cue ball. The balls broke apart, scattering across the table. I sun
k two solids. Not bad.
We shot a few games of pool as we made our way through the tray of drinks. It didn’t take long for me to lose track of how many I’d had. The familiar numbness set in, reminding me why so many chose to get lost this way. Before long I would exchange it solely for blood. That should’ve bothered me, but the tipsy haze prevented a genuine reaction.
“That’s three games for me. None for you,” Willow bragged, tossing the chalk at me and laughing when it bounced off my head.
“Ow, you ass.” I rubbed the spot it had hit, laughing far more than was necessary. My drunken giggle was fueled by the need to laugh. I didn’t do it as much as I needed to these days. It’s a wonder what a good, hard belly laugh can do for the soul.
The fun ended when the door opened, and two vampires walked in. They didn’t hesitate or linger, heading straight for us instead.
I exchanged a look with Willow who tightened his grip on the pool cue. I did the same, knowing it was likely my only weapon. We were in a human bar. Tossing around psi balls would only lead to more trouble.
“At last, I get to meet the ill reputed Alexa O’Brien.” The tall, blond one leading the duo strode right up to me, throwing a punch that knocked me back into the pool table.
I tasted blood. “Is that the best you’ve got?”
Licking a smear from my bottom lip, I smashed the wooden pool cue into the side of his head. The Dragon Claw hung on my hip, but I didn’t want to kill them with witnesses.
“Let me guess, you’ve taken it upon yourself to do something about Arys’s mortal queen,” I said, swinging again. He caught it this time, and we both held tight, trying to overpower the other. “You assholes need to get it through your heads that I am not the enemy.”
“Anyone with the power to rule two different breeds of monster is the enemy. Especially when I’m one of them.” He tried to jerk the cue from my hand, but my grip was solid.
Willow had the other vampire pressed against the wall, holding him with an arm crushing his throat. Fools. If they hadn’t known what he was, they were about to find out.