by Trina M. Lee
He felt good trapped under me. I had far more strength than he did, and I knew how to use it. I straddled him, pinning him with an arm against his windpipe. My other hand was poised ready to slice his throat open.
I had the sudden temptation to play with him a little, to draw it out excruciatingly slow. I knew the urge came from the vampire in me, but that made no difference. I was riding a high that was dark and erotic. Once his blood spilled, it would bring about a whole new world of pleasure. I licked my lips in eager anticipation.
“Why are you following me?” I growled down into his face. His eyes were wide with terror. Had he really underestimated me that much? I was insulted.
He made a garbled sound, and I let off just enough so that he could take a breath.
“Dylan thinks you're hiding the hybrid,” he gasped out. I choked off his words before he could continue.
Now I had a name for the unwelcome Alpha. Not that it mattered.
“And, he was stupid enough to send you here alone to check?” I laughed, thoroughly amused. “I love seeing that look in your eyes, that horrifying realization that you guys were all wrong about me.”
He tried to shake his head, but I held his neck pinned too tightly. I wasn't in the mood to chat. Dragging a claw along the side of his neck, I opened up a thick gash that instantly dripped fat crimson drops. Something tightened inside my stomach, almost painfully, as the bloodlust came on strong.
Dipping my fingers in the strong Were blood, I brought my hand to my lips. As soon as I tasted the raw wolf blood, I lost the remainder of my control. On some level, I willingly gave in, following the promise of euphoria and satisfaction.
I tore into him like I was a starving woman presented with a gourmet meal. Blood spattered my face as he thrashed around. It didn't take long for the life to drain out of him. My hands were stained red. There was no conscious thought in my head when I bent to taste his blood again.
There was no high better than this. His strong, living energy wrapped around me as I drew it in. More than that, I just wanted to devour him.
When I'd finished with him, there wasn't much left. His throat was splayed open in a way that would have once made me sick to my stomach. Now I felt little more than the urge to grimace. I fished around in his pocket for a cell phone. It didn't take me long to go through the recently called numbers and find the number for Dylan, the so-called Alpha male.
It barely rang once before it was answered by a low, hurried voice. “Tell me this is good news, Jake. Did you find the O'Brien bitch?”
I waited a few seconds before responding, hoping to instill some worry in him. “Oh yes, he found me. Sadly, he didn't live long enough to report back to you, Dylan. I'm afraid that you have fucked up by mistaking me for someone that isn't capable of protecting my town and my wolves.”
“Zoey Roberts is your wolf?” He growled in my ear. “She's a goddamn murderous half-breed that isn't either wolf or human. What in God's name is wrong with you?”
“Me? Hey, I'm not the one trespassing on your turf. So save the bullshit. Get out of my town or you're next.” Flipping the cell phone closed with my bloody hands, I almost tossed it down on the body but decided against it.
After stuffing it in my pocket, I dragged the cooling corpse into the trees lining the cemetery. I figured that some of the local coyotes would take care of it. They were always scrounging for something to eat.
I was soaring on a major high. The fact that I'd just killed and then made the threat to do so again had me giddy and resisting the urge to giggle aloud. Jake's car was a rental, and he'd used it to follow me to do Lord knows what. So, it was unlikely that it had even been rented with an authentic legal name. That worked for me. Not my problem.
Deciding that the falling snow would take care of the bloodstains near the angel statue, I crept away through the dark. I crossed the empty road to the walking path and made my way to my car. I didn't see another person or vehicle the entire time.
I imagined that Dylan would be having kittens right about now. Good. I fully realized that my actions had clearly stated that I was claiming Zoey Roberts as one of my own. I wouldn't let them have her. I couldn't. All it took was a mental image of Raoul's challenging eyes as he lay dying at her hand, and I knew I had to protect her for the man that I'd never stopped loving, even when I hated him. God Raoul, I thought. How I wish I could slap you.
When I got into the car, I purposely avoided looking in the visor mirror at my reflection. I knew I looked like something out of a horror movie. Driving with claws was difficult but doable. I headed for home and a hot shower. The taste of blood was strong in my mouth. I was virtually vibrating with the newly acquired energy I'd drawn in. If this was what it felt like to feed as a vampire, maybe the future wasn't so bleak after all.
Chapter Ten
Hours later, I stood outside Kylarai's house, listening to the sound of her footfalls as she hurried to answer the door. It was shortly past midnight. I knew she would still be up.
When she swung the door open, the scent of Julian hit me. Oh great, that was just what I needed on top of everything else tonight.
“Alexa, hey.” She stepped back and waved me inside. “What's up? You look like you've seen a ghost. Come in.”
“No ghosts, but I did just kill a werewolf. We have some trouble in town.”
I was surprised how different the atmosphere in the house was since I'd moved out. It had once felt like home when I walked in. Now it felt like Kylarai's house. Unfortunately, Julian's scent was overwhelming. Since I hadn't seen his SUV outside, I assumed it was in the garage. If I'd know he was there I still would have come by, but I would have been better prepared for it. At that point, I was thankful my bloodlust was sated.
“You mean the wolves looking for Zoey? You killed one? Is that a good thing?” Ky's voice held a note of panic, as if she was waiting for me to give her a reason for it.
“I hope so. Where's Julian? He may as well get the low down on this, too.”
I followed her into the living room where Julian was lounging in front of the TV
with a beer in hand. He looked up when we entered the room. His eyes were guarded, but his expression was neutral. We tried to avoid one another as much as possible. It didn't always work out so well. This was different. This was about pack business, not personal issues.
“Alright Alexa,” Ky said, perching on the arm of a nearby easy chair. “Tell us what's up.”
I recounted the events of the evening for them, assuming Ky had already told Julian about the visit Shaz and I had paid to the wolves at the motel. Neither of them moved nor spoke until I'd finished. It didn't take long to give them the basics.
Julian broke the silence first. “So why don't we just hand the Roberts bitch over to them? They'll be gone and problem solved.”
The casual way he spoke of Raoul's daughter as if she wasn't a living being that had suffered much in her life picked at me in the wrong places. I shouldn't have expected different from him, but I did.
“And that,” I replied bitterly. “Is exactly why you were never fit to be Alpha. So, if you have nothing helpful to contribute, just be quiet and let the grownups talk.”
Kylarai winced, and her eyes moved uncertainly between Julian and me. He stared daggers into me, but shockingly, never said any of the awful things that I knew were on the tip of his tongue.
“Julian, Zoey meant a lot to Raoul. He was our Alpha. We need to show a shred of respect.” Ky moved to his side as if to be affectionate, but I knew it was to place herself between us.
“Yeah, yeah. Alright. Forget I said anything.”
Hmm, that was interesting. Julian backed down awfully fast. I guess getting his ass beat by Shaz had been enough to make him think twice before messing with me. Or, maybe he had more respect for Kylarai than I realized. I'd believe that when I saw it.
“Look, I just want to know that I can count on you guys to keep an eye out for anyone new in town. And, keep a look out for Zoey,
too, when you run in the forest. We haven't seen her lately, but I know she's still around. I'm sure of it.” I turned an idea over in my head. There had to be some way to communicate with Zoey. “Ky, do you think it would be completely ridiculous to leave a note out there for her somewhere? Just in case?”
She considered it, her brow furrowed in thought. “There's a huge chance she'll never see it, but I don't see any other way to let her know we're looking for her. Can't hurt to try.”
“Do you want me to run it out there?” Julian offered. He had a carefully constructed poker face, as if he were resisting the sneer that came naturally to him.
I shook my head. “No. But, thank you. I appreciate the offer. I'll do it. Maybe if she catches my scent she'll know it's legit. A strange male scent could scare her off.”
“Alright,” Julian nodded and shifted in his seat. “So what if we do come across this Dylan guy? What then? Beat his ass?”
“That would be ideal, but it could also be a bad move. I don't know much about this guy. I do know that he's an Alpha, and he's likely super pissed after finding out I took out one of his wolves.” I fell silent, my mind turning over several possible scenarios. None of them was appealing.
Ky disappeared into the kitchen. I could hear her rummaging around in a drawer. She returned with a pen and paper. “Hopefully it doesn't snow too hard or anything before she comes across it. If she even does. Sorry, I don't have anything waterproof on hand.”
I scrawled a fast note with nothing more than Zoey's name, a brief note stating I needed to speak with her immediately and then my own name. It was a total shot in the dark.
“If either of you see Dylan or his buddy, don't take them on,” I said. “I don't trust them. They'll be ruthless and hell bent on getting what they came here for. Call Shaz or me immediately, and get out of the situation if possible. I don't want anyone getting hurt.”
“Except me, right?” It was Julian's attempt at a joke.
Forced to think about it, the idea really didn't sit well with me. “Actually, as appealing as it may sound to hurt you myself, I really don't like the idea of anyone else getting their hands on any of my wolves. Even you.”
I stared at the note in my hand. The thought of trotting along through the forest beyond Ky's backyard with the paper clutched in my muzzle like Lassie didn't impress me. Ten minutes later, I was disrobing on her patio to do just that.
Kylarai slid the glass patio door shut to give us some privacy. Julian remained right where we'd left him, in front of the television. She tucked a lock of brown hair behind one ear and fixed me with a look I knew well.
“Are you going to tell me what's up, Lex? You have this strange tension that I don't think has anything to do with these wolves. Am I wrong?”
Our little pack mother always seemed to know when we needed that parental push. It was sweet. It was also impossible to lie or withhold the truth when she was looking at me like that.
“No, you're not wrong.” I sighed and handed her the note to hold until I was in wolf form. “It's Arys. I went to see Harley last night, and he was waiting for me when I came out. It wasn't a pleasant experience. We went our separate ways, and he hasn't been home since.”
Kylarai looked confused as she processed my words. “But what about sunrise? He just never came back in time?”
“I'm not sure where he ended up. I do know that he never came home, and that he's blocked me from reaching him telepathically. So, I guess that's that.”
“What do you mean? You're just going to let him shut you out without an explanation?”
“No. I don't know what to do. If I can't speak with him, my hands are kind of tied.”
I glanced back into the house to make sure Julian was still in the living room before slipping out of the last of my clothes. I handed those to Ky, who never stopped frowning.
“You're bound to him, of course you can find him. Either way, he should know that shutting you out for now has no effect on your link to one another in the long run. He can't avoid you forever.”
I nodded, forcing back the wave of emotion that threatened me. I didn't want to feel or think about anything right now other than reaching out to Zoey.
“I know, Ky. We'll sort it out. Eventually.”
The snow and ice was cold against the bottom of my bare feet as I descended the patio steps to the snow covered lawn below. Ky followed, pausing on the bottom step.
Embracing the change, it washed over me, a warm wave of pure, wolf energy. By the time my hands touched the ground, they were paws. The change happened fast, smoother every time. It had once been painful, but it no longer burned as my body re-knit itself. It felt like a blissful release.
Kylarai held the note so that I could take it in my mouth and off I went through the open back gate. I felt beyond silly trotting along across the farmer's field to the forest beyond. At least nobody could see me but Ky.
It didn't take long to reach the edge of the forest. I wound my way in amongst the trees, scenting the air for any sign of Zoey. Nothing. Most of the forest's inhabitants were hidden in their burrows or tree top homes, secure and slumbering for the night. My nocturnal counterparts consisted mainly of rodents and owls. The scurry of tiny feet could be heard as the field mice detected my approach.
I continued until I reached the place where I had run into Zoey myself a few months back. Dropping the note lightly on top of the snow, I shifted back into human form.
Making the change so soon after becoming wolf was incredibly difficult for brand new Weres. For me, it consisted of little more than some muscle cramps and bone aches that would soon diminish.
Picking up the note, I glanced around for a good spot to secure it. I chose a tree with some limbs low to the ground. With a twig, I poked a small hole in the note in order to slide it fully onto the lowest skinny branch I could find. It was easier said than done. I needed it to be at eye height for a wolf. Of course, that was if she even found it. Even if she did, I had no way of knowing what kind of state she was in mentally. Hopefully, she would still understand it.
When I was sure that it was as safe and secure as I could possibly make it, I shifted back into wolf and made my way back to Ky's house. I instantly wished Shaz were with me. Being out beneath the stars with my white wolf at my side was something I really needed right then. As it was, being out there all alone made me feel very small and insignificant.
I felt a strong sense of relief upon re-entering Kylarai's backyard. It had been quite some time since I'd truly felt lonely, but in that moment, I felt it stronger than ever.
It ate at me that I had no idea what Arys was up to or where he was. The side of me that was hurt and saddened wanted nothing more than to seek him out. The night was fading away, and I knew it wouldn't be worth it to start searching for him now. Where would I even begin?
It bothered me much more than I cared to admit. I felt like nothing was in my control. It never had been.
As far as I knew, Shaz was heading to his own place after work unless I asked him to come over. It was tempting, but I felt like some time alone may be best. I needed to organize my thoughts and decide what to do about everything I was facing.
All I really wanted to do was go home and crawl into bed though I wasn't sure that sleep would ever come. I hadn't had the slightest hint of regret regarding my decision to blood bond myself to Arys. Now, I wasn't so sure.
Chapter Eleven
It was noon when I first ventured up the stairs from my basement bedroom. After returning home from Kylarai's, I'd tossed and turned fitfully until I finally gave up on sleep and read a book all night. It did little to quiet the insanity running laps inside my mind.
The first blast of sunshine through the living room window burned my eyes. They instantly began to water, and I blinked furiously. It stung like a bitch. The touch of the sun caused my skin to tingle almost painfully.
I stumbled into the bathroom, nearly blind from the tears running from my eyes. I closed the door and tur
ned on the light. It was like instant relief from the agony of the sun. I wasn't a vampire, not yet anyway. This was totally unfair.
I wiped my eyes with my hands, not at all surprised to see that my tears were tinged red. They'd been bloodier than this though. Washing my face with cool water, I waited until the pain in my head subsided. The burning of my eyes had caused an instant headache.
My hands shook as I splashed the cold water on my face, and I felt faint. I focused on taking deep breaths. It had been a while since I'd felt this bad. In fact, even when Arys and I had first bonded our power, the results didn't make me feel this bad. My stomach cramped and rolled. For a moment, I thought I was going to be sick. It had to have something to do with him shutting me out. I was sure it was his absence causing the strong vampire reaction in me. I hated it.
Leaving the bathroom was just as painful. Squeezing my eyes shut against the bright light, I rushed back down the stairs into the sanctity of my bedroom. I didn't come up again until the sun had descended in the sky.
After a brief phone call with Shaz, I got ready to leave the house. I had one destination in mind. Good or bad, I didn't care. I was going to The Wicked Kiss. I wanted to see if Harley knew of Arys' whereabouts. If not, maybe he could help me pinpoint it.
This disappearing act of his was getting old fast. I was more than over it.
Dressed in a long black skirt that flowed softly around my legs and a deep red corset of the softest velvet, I looked much better than I felt. I wore smoky gray eyeliner and blush to mask the paleness of my skin. It didn't work, but it was an attempt. Using bobby pins, I secured my hair up with several loose tendrils falling down my back. I figured if I didn't find Arys tonight, then at least I knew he was missing out.
I didn't tell anyone where I was going, not even Shaz. I didn't want him to worry.