Junkyard Queen (Alexa O'Brien Huntress Book 12)

by Trina M. Lee

  I retreated until there was nowhere left to go and watched the mad scientist tangle with his abhorrent creation.

  Briggs did his best to keep Ash from biting him. Zombies had never come across my radar in the time I’d been part of this world. However, there was no telling what could be done with black magic and bad intentions. I doubted Ash might transfer anything to a vampire. My main concern was ensuring he didn’t get near Jez whom I shoved behind me.

  Emitting an ear-splitting shriek, Ash pressed closer to Briggs. He was strong. Stronger than anything dead should be.

  Briggs bellowed for us to help him. Not bloody likely. He should reap what he’d sown. Who was I to stand in the way of that justice?

  A gunshot went off. Ash’s head exploded in a spray of blood and brain matter. He collapsed to the floor, taking Briggs down with him. A twitch and he stopped moving.

  Juliet stood near the door, gun poised for another shot. When Briggs stood up but Ash remained on the floor, she holstered the piece.

  Three agents flanked her, all of them wearing equally shocked expressions. Pretty sure they’d never encountered a zombie before.

  “Why’d you kill it?” Briggs attempted to straighten his ripped jacket before he decided it was too far gone and peeled it off. “I can’t study it now. Not in the same manner. You’ve botched my experiment.”

  Nothing could have prepared Juliet for this moment. Her dark gaze took in the scene: Briggs splattered in brains yet concerned only for his lost experiment. Jez and I huddled as far as we could get from his madness. The remains of a creature that had so recently been a scared young man.

  Jaw clenched, Juliet’s mouth tightened into a tight, thin line. I knew that look. Emotion threatened to overwhelm her.

  Tension took hold as we all awaited her reaction. Turning to the closest agent she said, “Cuff him.”

  The Fed did a double take, as did we all. His hand went to the silver cuffs on his belt. “Are you sure?”

  Juliet shot him a glare fiery enough to melt glaciers. “Did I fucking stutter?”

  Emerging from the study area, Briggs approached her with his hands raised in placation. He had the nerve to laugh in disbelief. “I know you’re upset, Juliet, but don’t you think the cuffs are a bit extreme?”

  I, for one, was all for the cuffs. Briggs had slapped them on me enough times. He deserved to know how it felt to have his power muted and even thrust back at him.

  All eyes focused on Juliet. Curious to see how my sister planned to handle this, I kept quiet.

  “It’s Agent O’Brien,” she snapped. “We can do this with or without pain. Take your pick.” Hands on her hips, Juliet dared Briggs to put up a fight. I think she hoped he would.

  His gaze drifted over her to the agents who stood at the ready. He could simply hold out his wrists and accept his fate. But no, that would be too easy. After all, he was the product of my blood.

  “On what grounds are you arresting me?” Briggs challenged, giving her one last chance to back down.

  Juliet’s eyes slowly bled to wolf. “Nobody authorized this experiment. With good reason. This is outside the morality regulations. What happened to you, Thomas? Seriously.”

  He tilted his head, listening to something we couldn’t hear. The entity.

  Briggs jerked a thumb in my direction. “Her. She happened. A long time ago. And then she happened again when she killed me. I’ve always been dedicated to my profession. Figuring her out is part of that.”

  To my sister’s credit she looked absolutely revolted. Briggs’s fascination with me wasn’t news though, not to any of us. When Veryl hid me from the FPA soon after I was bitten, Briggs settled for enlisting Juliet, but she didn’t wield the same power since she didn’t have a twin flame connection. Briggs’s interest became a fixation once he found me alive and well. And now that compulsion had led to a dead teenager who was nothing more to Briggs than a test subject.

  “Do it.” Juliet snapped her fingers, and all three agents surged forward.

  Ready for them, Briggs raised both hands and hit them with an energy blast. The agents fell back, two of them going down hard. Juliet drew her gun and popped the safety on the crossbow bolt rig that sat on top.

  “Would you really do it?” Briggs asked. “Can’t you see how vital this kind of research is to an organization like ours? The right breakthrough could launch your career to the top. Think about it.”

  “You don’t care about my career. Or me. This isn’t research anymore. It’s obsession.” Hand steady, Juliet pointed the gun at Briggs’s heart. “Let them cuff you or I pull the trigger.”

  The face-off that ensued was uncomfortable to watch. I wondered if perhaps Juliet had been in love with him. For her sake I hoped not. She deserved better.

  Taking slow, silent steps I slipped from behind the partition. I couldn’t allow her to kill him. She could be pissed at me forever over turning him if she wanted, but hopefully she’d recall the moment I stopped her from having to kill the man who’d shared her bed.

  Briggs had eyes only for Juliet. Reaching for the power in my core I found it lively, electric, hot with the essence of Falon. A flick of my wrist and Briggs was on his knees. I curled my fingers one by one into a tight fist, tightening my grip on him. His back arched and his limbs stiffened. Unable to move he flopped over, his skull cracking against the floor.

  Juliet holstered her gun and pulled the cuffs from her belt. She didn’t go easy on Briggs when she jerked his arms behind his back and slapped those cuffs on. “You’re going to have a lot of time to think,” she hissed. “Clearly, you need it.” To the others she barked, “Get him out of here. Take him to the execution chamber. Strip him of all weapons and keycards. Don’t fuck up.”

  The execution chamber. I remembered it well.

  Located at the end of the main lockup hall, it was where they locked vampires deemed to be trouble. Kale had spent some time in there, and lucky me, Briggs had tossed me in with him. Every unfortunate werewolf, human, or other being under FPA control whom Briggs decided had to die would be trapped in there with a starving vampire while the entity whispered its madness. Hence the title of execution chamber.

  I had to bite my tongue to keep from shouting something snarky about karma after him. The look on Juliet’s face made me swallow the urge. Tough battle.

  When the three Feds and Briggs had disappeared down the hall, I took a step toward my sister, ready to offer sympathy and understanding.

  She cut me off with a seething glare. “Don’t.” Her tone hard and brittle, emotion ran amok within her. I knew her well. “Don’t enjoy this.”

  “What?” Only my sibling could incite this particular and immediate rage. “Why would I enjoy any of this? Being the object of your boss slash lover’s mad science hasn’t exactly been fun for me. He’s been making my life hell for months.”

  Juliet’s eyes bled all wolf. Her beast wanted a piece of me. “I’d say you evened the score by turning him.”

  My own wolf rose in response to hers. In a blink I felt my eyes shift to wolf view, four fangs in my mouth instead of two. “Even? Briggs and me, we’ll never be even. Shaz is suffering because of him. People are dead, yours and mine. And he put out a hit on Kale. A hit that goes into effect if Briggs doesn’t check in with the hitman on a regular basis. Nothing about this is even.”

  She fell silent but her stony glare never relented. With a frustrated growl she went to peer inside the partitioned area. Her shoulders slumped when she stood over what remained of Ash.

  “I’ll see if I can find Briggs’s contact in Vegas,” she said. “Kale’s a good guy. He came through for me there more than once. I won’t let anything happen to him.”

  Jez breathed a visible sigh of relief.

  I couldn’t help but wonder what had gone on in Vegas. “Thank you.” Standing there awkwardly, I found myself at a loss for words. Anything I said would likely just piss her off, but I tried for a peace offering anyway. “Look, Juliet, I’m sorry for
how things have gone. I wish it didn’t come to this. You know I love you. Nothing will change that.” Of course that didn’t mean I wouldn’t lay a bitch slap on her if she threw a punch at me again.

  “I know.” She nodded. “You should probably go, Lexi. I have a lot to handle here.”

  What. The. Fuck.

  So she blamed me still, even though Briggs had been the driving force behind almost everything since she left town. Hell, for everything separating us. Hurt, I tried for my best poker face. I didn’t want her to see how deep she’d just cut me.

  “We need to talk about Briggs,” I tried, avoiding any attempt at a conversation involving feelings. Evidence showed that wouldn’t be happening. “You know you can’t just keep him locked up forever. He might seem safely contained here, but that thing is talking to him. Getting inside his head. I can help you.”

  Cold as ice, Juliet turned her back on me. “Briggs is my problem. I’ll take care of him.”

  Jez winced and put a hand on my arm. The stubborn sister side of me wanted to ask Juliet what the hell her problem was. How could she just dismiss me like that?

  “We are all that’s left of our family, Juliet. If Briggs and your career are more important to you than the blood we share, then that’s a fucking shame. If you need me, you know how to reach me.”

  Having nothing left to say to the sister who seemed to have written me off, I left with the bitter sting of tears burning my eyes.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  A hand on the throat of my victim, I shoved him inside my office and kicked the door shut. Whirling him around, I pasted him against the back of the closed door.

  About as willing as they come, Ebyn Tyler grabbed my ass and dragged me against him. I allowed him to briefly grind his hard on against me before grabbing his wrists and forcing them down by his sides. Ebyn had a tendency to get handsy. I often had to remind him who was in charge and that it wouldn’t be changing any time soon. His presence here was for my pleasure, although he got to enjoy it too.

  It was New Year’s Eve. Two nights since Briggs had called me to the FPA. Two nights since a young wolf I’d wanted to protect died as a sick experiment birthed from the brain of a deluded vampire that I had turned. I needed to unwind. To take what I wanted from the willing wolf before me and send the year off with a bang. And a bit of a fuck you.

  “I’ve been thinking about this all week. Damn, woman. How is it possible that every time feels better than the last?” Ebyn strained forward, trying to kiss me.

  I evaded his attempts and shoved his head to the side, exposing his gorgeous neck. The scent of him hit me right in the stomach. Man and wolf. Primal heat. Potent blood surged beneath the surface of his skin. “How is it possible that you smell so fucking good?” Pressing my mouth against his neck, I savored the way he triggered my senses.

  Ebyn and I had met one night when Jez had been watching him as part of her P.I. gig. A rich playboy type, he embodied many qualities I disliked. Yet being forced by the now deceased Agent Winston to bleed him had led us here, to a mutually enjoyable experience.

  I didn’t have to like him to enjoy him. And enjoy him I did.

  One could argue that victimizing a willing man didn’t make me any less of a monster. A killer. But Ebyn had tasted my allure and wanted more. I couldn’t fault either of us for that.

  Ever so lightly I dragged fangs over his jugular. Just a tease.

  “You’re killing me here, Queen V. When do we get to the good stuff?” Ebyn strained to break free of my hold.

  Easily I held him right where I wanted him. I dragged my tongue over his vein. “It’s all good stuff. Don’t be so impatient. Learn to ride the waves.”

  “Speaking of riding,” Ebyn chuckled.

  I cut him off by brushing my lips over his. Not quite a kiss. More of a gentle grazing. Then I grabbed him by the shoulders and thrust him toward the couch.

  The boom of bass reverberated through the building. The party was well underway. I hoped there would be no drama tonight. Just in case, Arys and Gabriel would be around. I imagined they were doing something not so different from what I was up to.

  No Shaz, who opted to ring in the new year with Dayne and Hanna. Couldn’t blame him there. New Year’s Eve in a vampire bar had the potential for high energy debauchery.

  Ebyn fell back onto the couch with a laugh. I stood over the dark-haired werewolf. Good looking, a slightly crooked nose as if he’d been punched a few times too many, Ebyn had his charm. His playboy charisma didn’t work on me though. During our encounters I was the one working the charm.

  He gazed up at me with dark wolf eyes. Daring in a manner I admired, he ran a hand up the side of my leg. “What does it take to be your midnight kiss, my queen?”

  Of all the egomaniacs I knew, Ebyn might just be the worst. Ok, nobody beat Arys. However, it was obvious Ebyn didn’t hear no a lot.

  “Sorry, sweet thing. You’re the opening act of my evening. I don’t think you could handle being the main attraction.” Gently I dragged the tip of a claw over the side of his face and under his chin. “And I’m not your queen.”

  “Aren’t you?” he challenged. “You’re vampire and werewolf. Top dog of each. I have no problem serving you, your Highness.” Ebyn grabbed my hips and pulled me closer, pressing his face to my stomach.

  I had no doubt he meant to serve me in many ways.

  As I pulled away, I put my heeled boot on his shoulder and shoved him against the back of the couch, hard. He made a wolfish sound of intrigue and amusement.

  “You’re serving me now,” I said, climbing onto his lap.

  A hand in his hair, I gripped tight. Closing my eyes, I basked in the intoxicating sensation. It rolled over me and through me, promising a kick of mortal blood with a slap of lively wolf energy. More potent than anything human, it fed my blood hunger and added a little extra kick just for fun.

  Beneath me was the evidence of Ebyn’s arousal. He was worked up enough for the both of us. So rather than dragging it out any further, I gave us what we both wanted.

  Sinking fangs always came with this sudden rush, followed by relief, and then bliss. Ebyn stiffened beneath me. His blood hit my tongue, and then he sagged against the couch with a groan. I drew hard on the wound, eliciting another groan that became more of a growl. With careful control I took just as much blood and energy as I needed to steal from Ebyn.

  And somehow, due to experience and losing control with someone who could handle it, I was able to keep my shit together. Yay me.

  A sharp bang on the door preceded Falon before he stormed into the room. He slammed the door shut so that it shook in the frame. “Well, I can see why you haven’t been answering your phone.” Falon took in the sight of me straddling Ebyn, blood staining my lips. He flung a hand at me in disgust. “Are you never satisfied? I mean, do you ever get enough?”

  I blinked through the blood haze, annoyed that he was crashing my high. “I’m a vampire, Falon. I need blood on a regular basis. Mortal blood. Pretty sure you know how the whole vampire thing works.”

  Crossing his arms, Falon glared in haughty derision. “Looks like a lot more going on here than blood.”

  This couldn’t be right. Was I hallucinating, or was Falon acting possessive?

  “I’m a succubus. Energy is part of it. Energy is power. It’s like food and water. I need both. Blood and power.” With a smirk, I shoved Ebyn’s grabby hands away and climbed off him. “Jealous, Falon? Seems so unlike you.”

  Repulsion made Falon’s face something almost ugly. “That’s because it is unlike me. I believe you’ve mistaken my judgmental disgust at your gluttony as something else.” Someone was in a real mood.

  Afraid to take my eyes off Falon, I waved a hand at Ebyn. “You better go. Sorry to cut things short. This is business.”

  I licked the blood from my lips, noting how Falon’s gaze followed the motion. Understandably disappointed, Ebyn dragged himself from the couch, sparing a glare for the fallen angel. Inwardly I
cringed. The wolf didn’t realize how easily Falon could destroy him.

  “I look forward to next time.” Ebyn grasped the door handle with both hands as he almost lost his balance. Drunk on the power of our exchange, he raised both brows at me. “Until then, your highness.” Somehow he made it out of the room without falling on his face. He should’ve had more recovery time.

  Falon’s scoff couldn’t have been more dramatic. “Your highness? Boy, do you ever have him mind fucked. What a steaming load.”

  Irritated, I tried and failed to act like he wasn’t getting under my skin. “I assume you have a reason to barge in here. You’re ruining my high, and that kind of pisses me off.”

  “Forgive me, your highness,” he mocked, sarcasm leaking like an oil spill. “Maybe if you’d checked in about the wolf kid like you were supposed to, I wouldn’t have to chase you around.”

  “Really?” I laughed, giddy from the heady wolf in my system. “You came here to be a dick because of that? Seems like a poor excuse to me.”

  Falon kicked my chair out from my desk and sat down. “Right. Because I simply couldn’t wait to see you again. I made up some stupid shit to come interrupt your blood and sex session.” The derogatory expression he wore beckoned for a punch to his face.

  I had to clasp my hands together to keep from throwing one. “Not that it’s any of your damn business, but I wasn’t going to screw that wolf. Sex is not part of what we do.” Why was I telling him this? It had nothing to do with him. Who I did or did not screw was no business of his.

  “Did you find the wolf kid?” Falon flipped a one eighty on the topic. Then he fiddled with the adjustment levers on my office chair. “We need to keep tabs on him, Alexa. I told you to—”

  “He’s dead,” I broke in. “So spare me the lecture. I meant to report it, but it’s New Year’s Eve, and there’s a lot going on around here.”

  Pulling a lever, Falon dropped down a foot and cursed. “Dead? What do you mean he’s dead?”

  So much for the after-feed bliss. My afterglow had burst like a balloon that had been pricked with a needle. “Briggs used him in an experiment, and now he’s dead. That’s the long and short of it. Juliet arrested Briggs. As far as I know he’s in the FPA execution chamber.”