Trina M. Lee

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

  The passion he kissed me back with matched my own in its fierceness. When he pulled back and gazed deeply into my eyes, the first question out of his mouth was, “Where did Arys go?”

  I’d kind of hoped my kiss would have swept the vampire from his thoughts. I was feeling the lively pull of the moon. I’d just have to get his mind to focus on other things.

  “I don’t know. It doesn’t matter.” I didn’t hesitate to run my hands over his hard chest the way I wanted to. “So where do you want to go?”

  Shaz trailed a hand through my hair, entangling it in his fist. A playful smile danced along his lips. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Here?”

  “Here.” I nodded, ignoring the curious looks from those going up and down the stairs. “I just have this ache inside me that I need you to ease.”

  Between the moon, the power I shared with Arys and my own wanton desires, I was ready for him. I had been since arriving.

  Shaz appeared to consider it. It didn’t take long. “Where would you like to go?”

  “Anywhere you want.”

  He surveyed the club before saying, “Let’s go out back.”

  Honestly, I’d expected more resistance from Shaz. It was clear that the rousing atmosphere was stripping away his inhibitions and riding him hard, too.

  He entwined his fingers in mine and pulled me along toward the back exit. Nobody used the exit except for staff. The back door led into a dark alley that just led to another alley and the back of the neighboring buildings.

  Outside that door, Arys and I had wiped out a crazed vampiress that had tried to kill me. I used our bonded power to destroy her, forcing the energy into her until her heart burst. That entire scenario had been utter madness, especially since she had been trying to employ my services. She’d wanted me to kill Arys.

  I didn’t notice either Ky or Jez as Shaz and I snuck down the long back hall past the washrooms, to the door at the end. I did wonder where Arys ventured off to, but I trusted that he could take care of himself.

  I was wild with anticipation when we slipped out into the night. The sudden change in atmosphere was like a slap to the senses. It was so quiet, only a dull roar could be heard from inside. The stars twinkled overhead. The one, lone streetlight stood yards away, casting a pale glow just beneath it.

  I allowed Shaz to lead me away from the door to the far edge of the building that was draped in darkness. He pressed my back against the cold brick, taking a dominant role right off the bat. The intrigue that that one action instilled in me was adrenaline inducing.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” He gave me one last chance to reject the impromptu setting.

  “I can’t believe you have to ask.” I maintained eye contact with him as I ever so slowly lifted the front of my skirt up.

  As I revealed more flesh, his eyes darted to my thighs and what lay between. “Forget I asked.”

  His first response was to thread a hand into my hair so that he held my head tight, a display of control that thrilled me. His lips immediately sought my throat. The generous erection that he pressed against me was perfectly outlined by the thin leather. The material felt cool and smooth where it touched my bare skin.

  When he looked at me again, his eyes were all wolf, and his four fangs made his young face achingly beautiful. His energy was running strong, and I reveled in it. In that moment, it was just the two of us and the moon.

  Shaz nuzzled my neck, the tip of his warm tongue darting out to trace the edge of my earlobe. I remembered how Arys’s lips had just been in that same place, and the fire grew within me.

  My breath caught as he reached beneath my skirt, hooked his fingers in my thong and dragged it down my legs. After stepping out of it as daintily as I could, I quickly untied the cape and tossed it aside.

  The sound of people in the parking lot on the other side of the building carried to us. On our side, it was quiet. Nothing moved but the slightest breeze.

  In one swift motion, he picked me up and switched us so that his back was against the wall to support our weight. He had a hand under each of my thighs, and I wrapped my arms around his neck eagerly.

  He freed himself from the confining leather pants and slid into me with a slick thrust. I was positioned so that I could move with him as he supported my weight. The excitement of what we were doing and where only added to the overall intensity.

  We were directly face to face, almost forced to look into one another’s eyes. And, I loved it. The carnal look in Shaz’s eyes as he buried himself deep inside me was both frightening and enticing. I fell into the mesmerizing pull of his jade orbs as well as the natural rhythm that we had together.

  It all felt so natural, like it always did with Shaz. Two wolves and the moon, united. So, the sudden rising of the undead power inside me was both unexpected and surprising.

  As Shaz and I moved as one in the dark outside Lucy’s Lounge, I felt Arys. He was close, so very close. Amidst the throes of passion, the awareness did little more than stoke the inferno raging inside me.

  My heart raced with the barest trace of fear when I felt those dark blue eyes on us. If Shaz felt it too, he gave no sign. Instead, he kissed me with total abandon.

  I knew the exact moment Arys emerged from the dark behind us. Like a ghost, he seemed to materialize from thin air. Because my back was to him, it was Shaz’s face that he looked into.

  I watched him as he stared into the vampire behind me. Shaz’s pace slowed but never stopped. I was willing to bet he’d been more aware of Arys’s approach than I thought. The look he wore was challenging, but it lacked menace.

  The next thing I knew Arys was just there, his hard body against my back. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous pressed between the two of them. I flashed back to Arys’s question before he left me in the bar. Could I handle both of them? Was it even wise to try?

  Part of me fully expected Shaz to withdraw from the situation. But if anything, he liked it. He thrust into me harder, forcing a small cry from me. All the while, he stared over my shoulder at the vampire.

  Arys moved slowly, his energy, strong and enthralling. He reached one hand under my thigh, careful not to touch Shaz as he helped to support my weight between the two of them. Shaz looked suspicious, but he also had a curiosity that I could read in his eyes like a book.

  With his other hand, Arys reached up to sweep the hair away from my neck. He stroked a finger ever so gently along the sensitive skin beneath my ear. I realized exactly what his intention was then, and my heartbeat thundered inside my head.

  The two men shared a look, and I could sense what it was they were not saying. I risked a glance back at Arys. He stared at Shaz with heat in his gaze and more. There was nothing friendly in the look they shared. The rise of power that enveloped us then was enough to force a moan from me. I was amazed to hear Shaz echo it.

  As Arys’s lips and tongue touched my neck, I shuddered. I saw my white wolf give the briefest of nods, his eyes locked on the vampire as fangs sunk deep into my flesh.

  I let out a pained cry as my blood spilled and the power responded. Though I was tempted to close my eyes, I wanted to watch Shaz’s face.

  He stared at the place where Arys’s fangs were embedded in my flesh. There was a combination of horror and intrigue on his youthful features. However, I couldn’t help but notice the renewed intensity of Shaz’s motions.

  A trickle of blood began to run down my neck and chest with Shaz’s eyes following it. Arys licked and sucked at the wound, feeding the energy that seemed to captivate us all.

  I was hurtling fast toward climax. The sensation of being between the two of them was so extreme I couldn’t believe it was real.

  As I’d suspected he wanted to, Shaz gave in to the urge to lick the spilled blood from my chest and collarbone. For the briefest of moments, his head was just inches from the vampire’s. As we all fed off each other, the rush of white noise grew loud around us.

  I clung to Shaz as the aftershocks
racked me. With one arm, I reached back to Arys, my hand brushing against the side of his face. He promptly placed a kiss in my palm, staining it with a faint bloody smear.

  Power hummed around us, cloaking us in a blanket of it. Of all the things I expected to feel right then, the urge to cry wasn’t one of them. Hot tears threatened to fill my eyes as I was overcome by the energy and my own personal emotions. I blinked quickly, but it was too late.

  The tears fell to my cheeks, and I saw shock spread across Shaz’s features. He caught a drop on his finger, examining the crimson tear. He knew just as well as anyone that only vampires cry blood tears.

  Arys took a step back, bending to gather my things. Shaz lowered me so that I could get steady on my feet again. I tugged my dress into place, smoothing it anxiously. My legs felt like jelly.

  “Alexa, are you ok?”

  I smiled at my white wolf as Arys draped the cape over my shoulders. That silly wolf worried about me too much. He was high as a kite on my blood and power, and all it took was a few tears to snap him back to reality.

  “Yes, Shaz. I promise I am.” I wanted to ask how he felt but didn’t want to put him on the spot in front of Arys.

  The vampire stood quietly to one side, observing Shaz but acting as if he weren’t. No sooner had I tied my cape securely than the back door of the Lounge burst open.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Tawnie stood illuminated in the glow from inside, casting a frantic glance around. It didn’t take long for her to spot our small group huddled in the dark. If there hadn’t been three of us, she may not have noticed us at all.

  “Shaz,” she called frantically. “We have a pretty bad fight going on in here. We could use your help.”

  “I’ll be right there Tawnie. No worries.”

  Shaz’s eyes never left my face as he replied to her. The power that belonged to Arys and I was clearly manipulating him. He’d tasted me both physically and metaphysically, and it had affected him. The dazed expression on his face seemed to overrule his struggle for control. I smiled when he actually gave his head a shake as if to clear it.

  Tawnie disappeared back inside. Arys maintained a safe distance as if unsure what to expect from Shaz.

  Shaz nuzzled the side of my face as he would in wolf form. “I’ve got to run, but I’ll find you after.”

  I didn’t want to let him go, not before the afterglow had begun to fade. He didn’t look at Arys as he made his way to the door though he had to have felt those vampire eyes following him. Knowing the taste and feel of my blood lingered on him drove me crazy with curiosity. I wanted to know what he was feeling.

  When we were alone, Arys turned to me with a satisfaction in his eyes that reminded me of the cat with his paws in the fishbowl. I trembled in the breeze as the sweat cooled on my skin. He swept me into his arms in a swift, smooth motion.

  “The wolf pup certainly surprised me.” He spoke soothingly, my head tucked beneath his chin. “He is bolder than I ever would have believed.”

  “You don’t give him enough credit.”

  “He loves you madly.”

  Arys’s observation hung heavily as if suspended in the atmosphere around us. It struck me as a strange thing to say just then.

  “I know,” I murmured. My hand went to the place on my collarbone where Shaz had licked the blood from me. “I don’t deserve him.”

  “Nonsense. You’re both so young with so much yet to experience. Enjoy what you have while you have it. Don’t learn the hard way that there is no time for regrets.”

  I pulled back to study his face. He raised an eyebrow and gave me a playful smile, but I wasn’t fooled. He clearly spoke like someone who knew firsthand.

  “What’s up with you, Arys?”

  “What are you talking about?” He fidgeted then, something extremely uncharacteristic. I tuned into our energy and focused on him, the vibes of his emotions. He was trying to shield what he was feeling from me. I could sense it.

  “What’s with the cryptic remark? And, all of a sudden, you’re encouraging my relationship with Shaz. You tend to be very back and forth on that.”

  “Yeah well, I’m an asshole. But, I’m also realistic.” He shrugged and held out a hand, playing with the psi ball that rapidly formed. Like always, it was a gaseous vapor swirl of blue and yellow, the color of our energies.

  “How realistic?” I laughed when he gave me a dirty look. He dropped the ball, and I felt the energy reach out to us as well as the natural elements before it ceased to be.

  “We should get back inside before your lady friends start to think you’ve abandoned them.” With a warm hand, he steered me towards the door.

  I didn’t miss the way he scanned the area before turning his back to it. He seemed more alert and wary than usual. I didn’t sense anything when I mentally searched the night around us.

  The moment we stepped inside, my senses had to readjust to the volume and the many smells. I winced against the onslaught. All of my senses were heightened after our power play outside. It was a little unbearable.

  Before we reached the end of the staff hall, I paused near the ladies room, gesturing for Arys to go on without me. I needed a personal moment to refresh and check on my appearance. I also had a wound that oozed two matching drops of blood.

  Thank goodness it was Halloween. With all the fake blood in the building tonight, no one would notice a splash of the authentic stuff. But, the wound looked incredibly real. I’d worn enough to know. I used my hair to hide it as I ducked into the washroom.

  It was pretty busy inside. The majority of the stalls were taken, and four girls crowded the mirror. Shit. I recognized one of them right away.

  Amanda caught sight of me reflected in the mirror behind her. She was studiously trying to fix fake eyelashes.

  “Hey, Alexa!” She called over the noisy din of chattering women. “Great costume. Are you having a good time?”

  I smiled at her, but my focus was on grabbing an empty stall and escaping conversation. “Yeah, it’s really pumping out there. How are you? I love the Cleopatra look. Very hot.”

  I rushed by before she could stop me, slamming the door of the stall behind me. I willed them all to leave. I didn’t want to come out and get roped into a conversation with Amanda.

  The girl is a total sweetheart, but ever since I’d slaughtered her abusive boyfriend, she had developed a strange fascination with me. She didn’t know exactly what I was, but she’d seen enough with her own eyes to know it wasn’t human.

  I closed my eyes and counted to ten, thinking hard. When I reopened them, the washroom was quiet. Incredible.

  When I came back out, no one was there. I couldn’t believe the projected power of my influence had driven them out.

  I wasted no time in wetting some paper towel and wiping up the bloodstains on my neck. After washing my hands, I arranged my hair so that the bite couldn’t be seen. It was sore but pleasurable in the raw pain.

  There would be no hiding it from Jez or Kylarai. They would smell the fresh wound right away. My face was especially pale, and I pinched my cheeks in an attempt to bring some color back. After a few minor make-up touch ups, I went to brave the teasing and ridicule of my friends.

  It took me a minute to pick them out of the mass of people. The crowd had increased in size since I’d gone outside. I could sense Shaz, but he was nowhere to be seen.

  Jez’s golden hair stood out on the dance floor where she danced with a couple of girls dressed as naughty angels. Surprisingly, Kylarai was dancing with them. Julian and Zak were still shooting pool across the room. Didn’t they have anything better to do?

  I made my way towards Jez and Ky, shaking my head no when a waitress intercepted me. By the time I reached them, they had taken a seat at a nearby table. Jez’s expression was knowing and amused, but Ky looked astonished. I pulled out the chair across from them and sat down, a silly smile on my face.

  Kylarai gave me a more pointed, raised eyebrow look. “I’d ask where you were
, but I already know.” She smiled and winked before sipping from some ice water.

  “What can I say?” I shrugged, trying for casual. “I couldn’t resist.”

  “And, so you shouldn’t.” Jez leaned over to nudge me. An approving smile revealed tiny fangs beneath her ruby red lips.

  “Where did Arys go? He took off out of here in a hurry.” Ky looked curious, and I frowned in response.

  “He just left?”

  “Yeah, right before you showed up. Weren’t you with him?”

  “I was. I went to the ladies room.” If I thought about Arys hard enough, I could still feel his presence in the vicinity.

  A strange sensation began to unravel as I grew suspicious. Where was Arys and what was he up to? He had been acting a little sketchy since he arrived. Something told me I wasn’t paying enough attention. The intensified power running through me was trying to come to the forefront of my mind, trying to make me aware of something.

  “Speaking of the ladies room,” Ky interrupted my thoughts. “Is it insanely busy?”

  “Not when I left.”

  “Good. I’ll be right back.” She grabbed her purse from the tabletop and got up from her chair. She was soon just a green figure among the rest of the crowd.

  I scanned the crowd but saw no sign of Arys. I could still feel him when I concentrated, but that didn’t tell me much.

  I pushed my chair back with a loud scrape. “I think I’m going to go hunt down Arys. If I miss him and he comes back, tell him I’m looking for him,” I said to Jez.

  She waved a hand at me dismissively before sipping from her bright blue drink. “I’ll keep an eye out in case he comes through here.”

  Just to be sure, I went around the building once to confirm that he was not inside. I even ran up to the second floor where the atmosphere was more laid back. TVs hung from the ceiling, each playing the same hockey game. My vampire wasn’t up there either. I hadn’t thought so.