by Trina M. Lee
I brought a hand to my mouth and dragged my tongue over my bloody fingers. Juliet’s hysterical cries were shrill, ear piercing. Her horror at witnessing my act of murder and retribution was understandable. She really didn’t know who I was. I myself was just beginning to find out.
Arys watched me suck a scarlet-stained finger into my mouth with obvious intrigue. Poor Kale wasn’t quite so restrained. The hunger in his enchanting eyes was palpable. I knew he wanted to join me. I could feel it. He and I made a deadly duo together.
“What do you want to do with them?” Arys nodded to Briggs at his feet and gestured to the remaining agents, most of which held their hands up in surrender.
I stood up slowly, licking the tip of a bloody claw. The rush of what I’d just done had me walking on air. I swayed as I stepped away from Hunter’s corpse, but I was as steady as I’d ever been. Empowered by the circuit of power I shared with every vampire present, I glided over to where Arys had Briggs pinned on the ground. Juliet watched me with a hateful glare.
I gestured to the tense agents awaiting a decision. “Gather your dead. Leave your weapons. And get the hell off my property.” To my vampires I added, “Hold these two until everyone else is in the vans. No more death tonight. Get Briggs on his feet.”
Arys jerked Briggs up, forcing a pained sound from him. He held the agent’s arms behind his back in a grip that I knew had to hurt more than Briggs let on.
“Don’t think for a second that letting me live will keep you alive,” Briggs spat. Rage filled his brown eyes. It was nice to see a real emotion on the usually strong and calm Fed.
I stood close enough to Briggs to smell his cologne along with his deliciously human scent. “I know you think you’ve got everything figured out, but you don’t. I’m not just Shya’s sacrifice. I’m not only a werewolf with vampire power. I am a Hound of God. A wolf called to battle evil. Do your research. Learn your shit. And stay the hell out of my way. Your misguided efforts are interfering with a greater plan. The death of your people is on you. Come for me again, and I will kill you, but not nearly as fast as I killed Hunter.”
Fury poured from Briggs. It tickled my senses, taunting my bloodlust. I was starting to understand what Arys meant when he said my anger turned him on.
“Evil battling evil. I find that hard to believe,” Briggs seethed. “You are a killer, O’Brien. Plain and simple. Warring with Shya doesn’t change that.”
I reached out but didn’t quite touch him. Instead I touched his aura, running my fingers through it with intent. He responded as I’d hoped. A shudder racked him as he found pleasure in my metaphysical caress. It was just too easy.
“There isn’t a person present here who doesn’t have blood on their hands. Get off your high horse, Agent Briggs. You’re a dirty Fed with an immoral agenda. I wouldn’t doubt that your kill count is much higher than mine.” I pulled on his energy before pushing it back with a hint of my influence, just enough to coax a groan from him. “I’ve seen the FPA basement. There are human beings suffering down there.”
All at once I dropped the metaphysical contact and stepped back. My tone dripped venom when I said, “I never claimed to be perfect. You need to stop pretending you are. I’m not the enemy, and I will not be treated like one. The next time you get it into your head that I’m the problem, remember that I let you go. I won’t do it again.”
A low growl drew my attention to Juliet. She was all fangs and wolf eyes, snarling at me like a rabid beast. “You’re a monster,” she declared, like it was news.
“We’re all fucking monsters, Agent O’Brien.” I threw down the gauntlet with the use of her government title. There was nothing personal left between us. “Some of us have just accepted it. Unfortunately, those who deny their dark nature the most tend to be the worst offenders.”
Neither she nor Briggs uttered another word. We released them, and they promptly climbed into the waiting vans. As I watched them drive away, I couldn’t help but wonder when the FPA had become a bigger pain in the ass than Shya. This wasn’t over. I knew it undoubtedly.
“That went well,” I sighed.
“You know you’re going to have to kill him someday,” Arys said. “Briggs. He won’t ever let up on you.”
“Let’s not go there tonight. I don’t want to think about it.” I joined Jez in picking up the abandoned FPA weaponry. It had to be safely stored somewhere, maybe in the storage closet beside the men’s washroom.
A pounding bass beat preceded the slick black Dodge Challenger that pulled into the parking lot. It jerked to a stop beside me and a tall, burly werewolf stepped out. He was built like a rock. I wouldn’t doubt he could bench press me with one arm. A bandana was tied around his head of short, dark hair. His short-sleeved shirt showed off a variety of tattoos. It was the pack’s moon tattoo on his neck that told me all I needed to know.
His gaze took in each of my companions in turn before settling on me. Deep brown eyes took note of the blood on my hands and face. It got no reaction from him.
“You’re Alexa?” He asked, continuing without waiting for an answer. “I’m Owen, Dayne’s enforcer. He sent me to give you this.” He handed me a small, sealed envelope. Inside was a Doghead business card with an address scribbled on the back. “He didn’t want to send it via phone in case of FPA tracking.”
“Smart,” I remarked, making a mental note to pick up a burner phone or two. “They are very much on top of tech tracking. Is there a specific time he’d like this to happen?”
“The sooner the better. He wants me to shadow you. I’ll keep my distance. You won’t even see me.”
I pursed my lips and studied him. I wasn’t an idiot. Clearly Dayne had sent his enforcer to ensure I really did the job I said I’d do without screwing him over somehow.
“Fine,” I agreed, handing an armful of guns to Willow. “We might as well get this over with. I don’t have a lot of time to spare.”
Arys broke in then, just as expected. I had to stifle a smile. “I’m coming with you,” he said, a stubborn edge to his tone.
“I need you here,” I said aloud but inside his head I said, ‘You know we can’t be alone together right now. It’s not worth arguing about.’
A muscle twitched in Arys’s jaw. His unease echoed through me. “I’ll stay, but you have to take someone with you.”
Jez and Willow both volunteered. Neither of them were right for this kill. Jez was still bouncing back from the other night, and Willow had no place helping me kill a werewolf who was unknown to him.
“Could you excuse me for just a moment?” I gave Owen a smile that I hoped was both secretive and friendly. Holding up my bloody hands, I turned toward the lively nightclub. “I just need to get washed up. I’d invite you in but werewolves tend to draw the wrong attention here.”
“No worries. I’ll wait out here.” Owen headed back to his car and watched us go.
Discussing who was the safest choice to accompany me was not something I wanted to do in front of a stranger. The Doghead pack expected me to earn their trust. I expected the same from them.
Jez followed me to the ladies room where she hassled me while I washed up. The washroom was loud, filled with women doing everything from gossiping to makeup touch ups. A few of them were wary of my presence, but I wasn’t the one feasting on them in a back hall bedroom. Yet. So for the most part, they ignored us.
“Come on, Lex. We make a great team. I need a good hunt to feel like myself again.” She took the opportunity to reapply her bright red lipstick. Her watchful cat gaze kept darting to me in the mirror.
“If the situation were different I would take you in a heartbeat, Jez. But I think I need a vampire to back me on this one.” I washed my face and hands, watching Agent Hunter’s blood run down the drain. In a matter of seconds, the evidence of what I’d done was gone.
“A vampire?” She scoffed. “Not Kale I hope. You make each other crazy.”
“Thanks for the update. I wasn’t aware.” With a wet p
aper towel, I cleaned up a smear of eyeliner. Then I balled up the paper towel and tossed it at Jez, who saw it coming in the mirror and deflected it expertly without ruining her lipstick.
“So what do you want me to do?” She asked, popping the lid back onto her lipstick. “Don’t send me home. I can’t sit there feeling useless. I could slip.”
“No slipping.” I gave her arm a warm squeeze. “You’re going to beat this now before it has a chance to become something bigger than it already is. Stay here with Kale and Willow. I won’t be long.”
Jez pouted, turning those fabulous full lips on me as if she’d practiced the expression a thousand times. “If any vampires take a run at me, I’m plucking out eyeballs.”
“You have my permission to pluck all the eyeballs your little heart desires.” It was impossible to keep from laughing.
“I’d rather hunt a narc werewolf. You get to have all the fun.”
When we returned from the washroom, Arys had made up his mind. “I don’t like the idea of you killing for the wolves. However, I know that’s your territory, and I have no right to argue that choice. But I want you to take Jenner with you.”
Jenner didn’t appear surprised. He had already heard this. I waited for his protest, but it never came.
“Really?” Disbelief colored the word. “All right. I suppose that makes sense.” It did. Both Kale and Arys were too dangerous to be alone with in a situation that involved blood and death. Would it ever be like that with Jenner? God I hoped not. Once I turned, this kind of thing would stop. Wouldn’t it?
“I’ll stay here in case the FPA sends anyone back. Switch phones with me in case they try to track yours. My phone isn’t under a real name. They shouldn’t have it on their radar.” Arys pressed his phone into my hand. Then he pulled me close for a kiss that was both longing and frustrated.
I shot a glance to where Kale fended off admirers across the room. “No getting into it with him. Promise me.”
Arys rolled his eyes and kissed me again. “You ask a lot sometimes, you know.”
“Don’t worry, Lex. I’ll keep an eye on them.” Jez snickered when Arys playfully nudged her with an elbow.
Willow held out a hand. In the other was a tequila shot. “Address? If we don’t hear from you in an hour I’m dropping in to check on you.”
“Thanks, Willow. You’re the best.” I tucked the Doghead card with the address into his waiting palm after taking one more look at it. Then I turned to Jenner and shrugged. “Let’s go kill a government informant.”
* * * *
I wasn’t sure what I’d been expecting when we pulled up to the address Dayne had given me. It was a warehouse, some kind of storage facility or shipping yard from the looks of it.
“I don’t know why, but for some reason I was expecting his home address,” I said, studying the surroundings.
Jenner and I sat in the Charger, watching and waiting for something amiss. The place was deserted, leading me to question whether or not it was abandoned. It seemed like a good private place to pull off something like this. It also seemed like a great way to mislead someone.
“That would be too easy,” Jenner observed. “And too high risk. The last thing you need is a neighbor witnessing something they shouldn’t. Unless you’re willing to kill them too.”
I most certainly was not interested in living out that scenario. The creepy warehouse would have to do.
“I’m going to go take a look around. Can I trust you to have my back?” I met his frozen gaze, seeking a spark of truth. Jenner might be Arys’s brother, but he didn’t like me, with good reason. I wasn’t entirely convinced I could trust him.
“That’s what I’m here for, isn’t it?” A chuckle shook him. “I wouldn’t trust me either if I were you, but I’ve already proven that I came to help out a brother. Give me a little credit.”
“No, you proved that you wouldn’t stand by while Arys killed me before it was time. That doesn’t mean you won’t take a shot at it yourself.”
He held my gaze. It made me want to squirm, but I managed to sit still. The familiar energy he exuded was comforting, seeking to draw me in. I shielded hard against it.
“True,” he admitted with a nod of his dark head. “I guess there’s only one way to find out. And that’s by trusting me.”
“After the shit you pulled in Vegas, that’s not likely to happen. Just don’t fuck me over, or I’ll have to kill you. And I really don’t want to explain that to Arys. He didn’t take it so well with Harley.” Throwing Harley’s death in Jenner’s face was low. Still, he needed to be reminded of whom he was dealing with.
A glare made his face ugly and hostile. “Go. I’ll have your back.”
I wanted to say something to smooth over the mess I’d just made of the conversation. I opened my mouth but nothing came out. There was no friendly medium here.
Instead of trying to make friends with a vampire who hated me, I got out of the car and quietly closed the door. I reached out mentally to feel for anyone in the vicinity. Owen’s wolf energy was distant but close enough to be felt. There was another wolf here too. Closer. It had to be my target.
For just a moment I reconsidered. Only the promise of a Doghead alliance kept my feet moving. Silent and stealthy, I crept around the perimeter of the large empty yard.
Coming to the conclusion that my target was inside, I made my way toward a back entry. Dayne must have sent him here. Could he possibly know why?
My senses were lively, taking in metaphysical information at a radical speed. I knew when Jenner had left the car and made his way along the path I’d walked. Owen was still distant, as he’d promised, though I was sure he’d come close enough to survey the place.
There was a squeal of metal as I inched open the back door. So much for approaching on the sly. No matter. He would smell me coming eventually.
The warehouse definitely was abandoned. It stunk to high heaven of mildew and something greasy, possibly rotten. It must have housed food products at some point. Gross.
I came through a small back room that led to the main area. It was wide open with a high ceiling and one dim light burning overhead. I came to an abrupt halt when the werewolf caught my scent and spun to face me from where he stood near the main door.
Shock registered on Stuart’s face. I almost wished I didn’t know his name. Too many personal details made this kind of thing a whole lot harder.
“He sent you? The hybrid?” The first words out of his mouth were followed by a few expletives. “I’m not even good enough for Owen? Ok, I see how it is.”
“Let’s not make this a discussion,” I said, sliding the Dragon Claw from its sheath as I crossed the large room. “I’m here to earn an alliance, and you’re here because you broke one.”
“I didn’t though. Really. The FPA thought they were getting some good shit from me, but I didn’t give them anything they could use. I swear it.” Stuart was frightened, a poor trait in any werewolf. He swiped a hand across his sweaty brow before pushing it through his thinning hair.
“Don’t waste your energy talking. The bottom line is that you spoke to the FPA. That is an absolute no-no among our kind. It makes you a traitor. We all know what happens to traitors.”
The wolf rose up behind his eyes. Perhaps he would fight after all. I wouldn’t feel too great about killing him if he cried the whole time.
“I’m not a traitor,” he insisted. The stink of a lie rolled off him. He knew damn well what he was. Good. That made this easier.
“You are, and we both know it. You’ve endangered children because of what you’ve done.”
He didn’t deny it. Shaking his head vigorously, he backed himself up against the front door as I approached. His fingernails lengthened into claws, and his eyes were solid wolf.
I rushed forward, hoping to land a killing blow before he could shift. I swung the Dragon Claw, aiming for a neck wound, but it sliced through air. Stuart dropped down in time to escape my assault. Seconds later he
was a big brown wolf shaking free of tattered clothing. Fangs bared, he lunged at me with a snarl. I swung the dagger again, using it to keep him at bay. He snarled and snapped, unable to get close enough to attack.
With my free hand I hurled a slap of power at him, taking him down with a yelp. He struggled to his feet, but I was there with another blast. I held him pinned with a stream of energy heavy enough to take down a much larger animal.
Stuart struggled to break free. Twitching and flailing on the floor, he never ceased the growl that echoed in the vast, empty building.
I lifted the dagger, prepared to bring it down in one strong swoop. In his desperation Stuart twisted around and bit wildly at nothing.
Then he got lucky.
Fangs sunk into my ankle, and I shrieked. Before he could crush the bone, I kicked him hard in the face with my other foot. I followed up with the dagger, stabbing it downward, seeking any part of him I could hit. It pierced the flesh of his flank, and he released me.
The pain was excruciating. A werewolf bite was deadly, always meant to inflict as much damage as possible. Having no time to examine the wound, I swung again. This time the Dragon Claw founds its mark. It plunged deep into Stuart’s chest. I jerked it free and prepared for another blow, but he fell face first into the hard concrete floor and didn’t get up.
“That was impressive.” Jenner’s voice broke me out of the moment. He stood inside the main entry, watching with arms crossed. “Much faster than I’d expected.”
“Ditto.” I sat heavily on the floor and pulled up my pant leg. “Fucker bit me though.”
“So? You heal fast.”
“Not as fast as you. Not yet anyway. It friggin’ hurts.”
The bite was deep. All four fangs had punctured my ankle. Blood oozed from the wounds, staining my hands as I applied pressure to it.