Trina M. Lee

by Alexa O'Brien Huntress Series Book 1-4 Box Set (Retail)

  Despite the perfection of the scene around me, the vampire’s bloodlust scarcely waned. The need for the kill was deep in my core, riding me hard. Hadn’t that damn vampire fed yet? Where could he be? At most times, the differing power of the wolf and the vampire co-existed somewhat peacefully within me. Now, they seemed to be battling for control. The approach of the full moon encouraged my wolf’s dominant and controlling nature as it warred with the cold power of the undead.

  A visible spasm wracked my body, and I gripped the railing tighter with both hands. The warm living energy of my wolf fought to battle the blood hunger, but something else appealed to my instincts. My head snapped up suddenly as the night air carried the scent of werewolf to me but not anyone’s scent that I knew.

  My eyes instantly searched the surrounding darkness; my every sense, on full alert. I was standing in the middle of the bridge, and my instincts screamed at me to both fight and to run. I inhaled deeply, pinpointing the scent to my right, the way I’d just come. I only smelled one Were out there lurking around. His energy was livid, and he was out to kill.

  I sprung into motion, moving slowly but steadily along the bridge, towards the other side. I didn’t want a confrontation on top where I could end up going over the side. I couldn’t imagine who this werewolf was stalking me or why. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared shitless.

  Judging the distance back to the Charger, I knew I’d never make it in time if this Were was intent on attacking me. Ever so slowly, I made my way down the other side of the bridge, grateful when my feet were back on solid ground. I could feel his energy grow stronger in its intensity as he advanced on me. I had yet to see him in the darkness. I could feel him though, getting closer with every step.

  I tapped into the hungry power I held inside, bracing for the attack that I knew was coming. His scent was musky and strong, as if he had been in wolf form for a long time. I was praying he wasn’t on four feet now, or he would easily have the physical advantage. We never saw foreign Weres in this town, not like this.

  Everything seemed to move in slow motion. The shape that came across the bridge then seemed to be nothing but a blur. I gave a small cry, throwing my hands up, the power rushing from me so fast that I almost collapsed. The rush of gold and blue hit him dead on, throwing him back. I turned to run, sensing only one but fearing more than that.

  I had barely made it ten feet when a clawed hand reached me, digging into my shoulder and down my back. I felt the blood spill from the gouges before the scent reached me. The adrenaline blasted through me so hard, I almost stumbled from the onslaught of it. I was afraid, but the bloodlust was quickly stripping that away, and I turned to fight him with all I had.

  A snarl broke the silence, and everything seemed to speed up again. In the pale glow of the moon, I could see that he had long, dark hair, stringy and matted. His eyes seemed to glow deep amber brown, and his large fangs flashed as he rushed me.

  My breath whooshed out as his weight slammed into me, taking me down beneath him. His fangs snapped just inches before my face, and I struggled uselessly to make my lungs work. I lashed out in defense, raining blows like bricks against his face. He seemed to be unfeeling as he took every one with little protest. His eyes were locked on mine as his clawed hands wrapped around my throat.

  He squeezed so hard that my vision blurred and white spots danced before my eyes. For a moment, I truly thought I was dying. The power of the undead saved me. It wasn’t afraid to die because it was already beyond mortal life. It wanted to taste this fiery werewolf, to drain everything from him slowly and completely. I reached out metaphysically first, drawing his energy to me.

  At first, he didn’t feel me drawing him into me, absorbing his strength, his very life. Then, awareness brightened his eyes, and he tried to pull back. I gulped in the air when he released my throat, grateful to be able to breathe again. I reached for him as he scrambled backward, suddenly desperate to put space between us. He thought that would make a difference.

  I leaped to my feet with my fangs bared and a loud growl rumbling in my throat. I wanted to taste his musky wolf blood as I drained his life energy away. My mind wanted to ask him what the fuck he thought he was doing, but my instinct just said kill.

  “Vampire.” The word came from him like a hiss. I almost wasn’t sure I’d heard it. His shock didn’t last long. He flew at me again, and this time I hit him with a psi ball that left him panting, but still, he didn’t stop. “You killed her. You killed Olivia!”

  Uh oh. It all made a little more sense now. He took another clawed swipe at me, this time painfully close to my throat, grazing my upper chest. It seemed that Kale and I had failed to consider that the she-wolf we’d taken out had a mate. Like any mate would be, he was hell bent on my death as retribution. And, knowing Shaz would be the same, I couldn’t blame him.

  “It wasn’t personal. She was endangering all of us.” I didn’t doubt for a moment that he had been a willing partner in Olivia’s rampage. I would have given anything to be in wolf form right then, but it just wasn’t possible, not unless it got really ugly.

  I tapped Arys’s power and threw the wolf clear, sailing through the air to land against a thick pine tree. He immediately tried to get up, but he was dazed and moved slowly. Running, I crossed the distance between us, landing on him with a series of power-fueled blows that snapped his head back and forth. I just knew that I couldn’t let him gain the advantage again.

  Despite the blows that resulted in a series of crunches and cracks and plentiful blood flow, he didn’t cease his assault either. When his body beneath me began to turn furry, I knew I was a goner if I didn’t get the hell out of there. I didn’t want to shift in the park and be trapped, unable to get in my car and leave. I had to get to the Charger.

  Leaping off him, I turned to run, feeling ashamed but knowing I couldn’t take him here and now. The sound of his paws hitting the ground behind me had my heart leaping into my throat.

  I threw up an energy wall between us, buying myself some time. He’d either have to wait for it to dissolve or go back across the bridge and around the pond the other way to catch me. Glancing back, I saw him slam right into the barrier and go down. I poured on the speed. My feet barely touched the ground as I ran.

  Fear drove me to move faster when I saw the large wolf scramble to its feet and take off the other way, across the bridge. I was closer to the Charger than he was, but he had twice as many feet as I did. I could taste blood in my mouth from a cut I’d sustained during our scuffle. The pain was beginning to set in as my injuries throbbed in time with my pounding heart.

  As I drew closer to the car, I fumbled my keychain out of my pocket. With a loud jingle, it dropped to the grass, and I had to jerk to a halt. Cursing, I snatched the keys from the ground and continued sprinting to the car. A large shadow was barreling around the other side of the pond, drawing closer with alarming speed.

  Thanking God for the remote unlock feature, I literally threw myself at the passenger side of the car, since he was coming up fast on the driver side. I had just gotten in and slammed the door shut behind me when his two hundred pounds of aggression crashed into the driver’s side of my car. Scrambling to get into the driver’s seat, I jammed the key in the ignition and felt absolute relief when the engine roared to life. I’d been afraid he would have done something to strand me here.

  Slamming the car into reverse, I pressed the gas pedal to the floor, and the car flew back in a wide half circle. If he was stupid enough to get in my way, I was going to run him down. He backed off though when I put the car in gear. In a blur, he darted out of my path and in amongst the trees. I didn’t stop driving until I was across town, safe in the parking lot of Lucy’s Lounge. Rather than park at the end of the lot as usual, I double-parked next to Shaz’s car in the staff spaces near the door.

  My heart had barely slowed in the five minutes it had taken me to cross town. Flipping down my visor, I studied my face in the mirror. I could have screamed
when I saw my face and the tangles and filth in my hair. My eyes were still Arys’s shocking blue, but that was the least of my worries right now.

  There were small, bloody punctures on my throat from where he had grabbed me. Crimson stained my bottom lip, and I could only imagine how bad the deep, long scratches down my back were. I’d need a full-length mirror to see it all.

  Finger combing my hair was almost useless, and I had to arrange it carefully so that the marks on my neck were hidden from the humans at least. Anything supernatural would know I was injured immediately. At least I wouldn’t have to deal with Julian here, since he was at my house, in my personal space.

  Taking a deep breath, I opened the car door and scented the air before getting out. Call me paranoid, but I wasn’t taking any chances. I reached the door in record time, nodding briefly to the bouncer just inside. He raised an eyebrow but waved me through.

  My first instinct was to look for Shaz at the bar. I knew I should go for the bathroom to get cleaned up, but I needed to see him. I had come close to biting it at the hands of a crazed werewolf intent on revenge.

  Before I’d even made it halfway to the bar, my white wolf’s head snapped up as he scented my blood. With a word to Tawnie, his partner behind the bar, he was moving through the crowd to get to me. My bottom lip trembled as he drew closer and when he pulled me into his arms, I choked back a sob.

  “What in the hell happened to you? Don’t tell me this is about Arys or Harley.” Shaz’s expression grew venomous, and I shook my head vigorously. He pushed my hair back, scrutinizing the marks on my neck before dragging me back towards the staff hall at the back of the building.

  “No,” I said, clinging to his heavenly warmth with relief. “It’s not that at all. It’s a wolf that Kale and I killed … her mate attacked me in the park.” Saying it sounded so ridiculous. I hadn’t considered this outcome.

  With his interest piqued, Shaz scented me closely. His jade eyes widened as he got past the blood and nightclub scent, picking out the musky odor of the wolf who had dared to touch his mate. When he looked up at me again, his eyes were all wolf. “Where is he now?”

  “No! You are not looking for him.” I touched his cheek, forcing him to look at me. “He’s out of his mind. Please, don’t.”

  “Alexa, you’ve got to stop this. You can’t shelter me anymore. I’m not a kid. I’m your mate, and I am going to make it clear to every wolf that I am the Alpha male in this town. You can’t deny me that. It’s in every part of me.” His chin lifted in defiance, and a gleam lit his eyes that I’d never seen before. Still, I couldn’t back down.

  “You can kick the living shit out of Julian and anyone else in this town if you feel the need to. But please, don’t go looking for this wolf right now.” I pressed an urgent kiss to his lips, forcing him to respond. I felt the fight go out of him as his shoulders sagged, and he deepened the kiss until it was hot and passionate.

  Arys’s bloodlust honed in on Shaz and I had to pull away. Looking into my blue eyes, he nodded knowingly. “You want to bleed me right now, don’t you? That son of a bitch isn’t supposed to let this happen to you.” His anger teased my senses, bringing a smile to my lips though I didn’t find it at all funny.

  “Don’t freak out about it. He said he was going to hunt.” I breathed deeply, savoring the delightful aroma of living, breathing humans. My fangs had disappeared upon leaving the park, but my gums tingled in anticipation, and I ached to sink teeth into something soft and full of life. Shaz’s intoxicating Were energy was both painful and pleasurable.

  Shaz scoffed but didn’t spit out the retort that I knew he had. “Stay put. I’m going to get you a warm cloth or something.” His hand lingered, tracing the outline of a bruise on my jaw.

  “He got me good, right down my back. I’m not sure how bad it is.” I turned so that he could lift my torn hoodie and shirt to examine the wounds. He swore softly, and a second later, his gentle touch against the stinging claw marks made me jump in sudden pain.

  “Sorry,” he murmured, carefully replacing my clothing. “It’s deep, but you’ll be fine. I’ll get you some ice.”

  When he’d disappeared from sight, I leaned back against the wall near the staff hall. It gave me a clear view of the door and my vampire, should he walk in. His hunger didn’t dominate my focus as it had earlier, but it did continue to gnaw at me.

  I didn’t have to wait long. My dark lover strode into the Lounge with a cool energy that reached out to touch me before our eyes met. He didn’t look anywhere but straight at me, and my heart raced for an entirely new reason. The hunger dissipated, and a cool wave swept the heat of it away. Unable to deny the need, I reached for him.

  Arys swept me off my feet, pulling me close in a possessive embrace. “What happened to you, my wolf? Your car looks like it’s been side swiped.”

  “I just ran for my life from the mate of a wolf Kale and I killed. I should have seen it coming.” I enjoyed the feelings that ignited in me at his touch. The heightened power within me reached out to him, entwining so that I felt like I was falling into him. The illusion was shattered when he began to look me over. “I’m fine, really. He just caught me off guard.”

  “And what does the wolf pup say about this?” Arys’s eyes narrowed, and I knew what he was thinking.

  “Don’t you dare start with him. I do not need that shit right now.” I glanced around for Shaz, expecting his return at any moment.

  He gave me a look that said I was being ridiculous. “I mean, that I’m sure he has no intention of allowing this werewolf to get away with an attempt on your life. Simmer down, Alexa. I fed an hour ago. Why are your eyes so blue?”

  “I begged Shaz not to go after him. That wolf was out of his friggin’ mind. It was Kale and I who caused this, and we will have to deal with it.” I crossed my arms over my chest and frowned, confused. “They’ve been blue for awhile now.”

  If I hadn’t sensed Shaz’s approach, I would have known it by the look Arys instantly wore. He looked as if he had the taste of something bitter in his mouth. I rolled my eyes and ignored him when he muttered, “I bet he just loves my eyes on you.” Men, I so did not understand them.

  I accepted the warm towel Shaz held out to me with a smile and turned so that he could place a cloth filled with ice against the wounds on my back. I sighed with relief as it eased the burning. Shaz’s energy grew to mirror the aggressiveness that Arys was putting out, but he didn’t so much as antagonize the vampire.

  Arys seemed to avoid my gaze purposefully, and I knew why when he blurted out, “So, are we going to go hunt down this son of a bitch or what?”

  My mouth dropped open, and I stared in shock at Shaz when he met the other man’s eyes and said, “You read my mind.”

  They stared at each other because neither of them had the balls to look at me. Swiping the ice-packed cloth from Shaz, I spun around to confront him. “Excuse me?”

  “Well come on, Lex, you have to be serious here. Independence is one thing, but this is my place as your mate. You can’t handle everything yourself.” Shaz shrugged and a glimmer of pain passed over him. “You don’t have to.”

  I made a noise of disbelief and wiped my neck wounds with the warm towel. “You two, together? You’re more likely to kill one another than that werewolf.”

  Arys snorted and chuckled. I ignored him and stared at Shaz. He looked incredibly uneasy, and by the way his eyes darted around, I knew it was because of my eerie blue eyes. Sighing, I turned to wipe the bloodstained skin of my back. I was unable to reach, and Shaz took the towel from me, cleansing my tender skin with a loving touch.

  “I wish you wouldn’t be so uptight all the time,” he admonished. Arys met my eyes and gave me a wink and a nod, as if in agreement with Shaz. I wanted to pout and stomp my feet over the fact that he was saying this stuff in front of the cocky vamp, but I huffed and puffed in silence as he continued. “If we don’t take him out now, he’s just going to keep coming after you.”

&nb
sp; I hated that he was right on that count, but it wasn’t worth it to me to risk him for anything. However, I also knew that he was right about one thing. I couldn’t keep treating him like the kid that he used to be. Shaz was nothing if not a man. I just couldn’t help but be protective of him.

  “I know that. I just don’t like it.” I scowled when I caught Arys smirking like a cat with a mouse. “And, I don’t like the idea of the two of you running around in the dark together.”

  “What are you afraid of, Alexa? That we might actually get along just fine? I think that would scare you more than if we were trying to tear each other apart.” Arys ran his tongue lightly along the metal ring in his lip, drawing my eyes to it. I had the sudden urge to tug on it with my teeth.

  What really sucked was that I couldn’t deny that he was right. A part of me didn’t much enjoy the idea of my two men alone together without me. I guess I didn’t trust them, or rather, I didn’t trust Arys. I didn’t think he would hurt Shaz, but I didn’t trust him to keep his opinions to himself, either.

  Shaz looked frustrated. “I just want to get this guy before he makes it out of town. I can get Tawnie to take over the bar for awhile. Let us do this, Lex.”

  The thought of him going out there without me turned my stomach. “Not without me.”

  “Out of the question,” Arys piped up. “You smell wounded, like prey. You will only endanger yourself if you go looking for him.” When I stared hard at him, willing him to shut up, he shrugged and said softer, “We’ll have each other’s back, alright? No harm will come to your wolf.”

  “You can’t go back out there.” Shaz nodded, but I could see in his eyes that he hated agreeing with Arys. “We’ll be fine. I promise. Why don’t you head home?”

  I gritted my teeth, fighting back the urge to lose my temper with both of them. I didn’t want to feel like the wounded female, dammit. I was the Alpha in this town. “Julian and Kylarai are there. I could have torn his face off earlier.”

  Shaz immediately perked up. “Julian is there?”