Blonde & Blue (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #4)(14)

“You see it that way because you refuse to realize that I have withheld some things from you for a reason. For your own good. You’re bull-headed, Alexa. That’s one of the things I like about you. It keeps you hard enough to do your job, but it will get you into trouble if you aren’t careful.”

I gaped at him, momentarily flustered. “My own good? How was keeping Raoul’s secret for my own good? Seems to me that it was so that you’d have some control over me. Kiss those days goodbye.”

Veryl waved a dismissive hand at me. “Whatever. You should go. Call me when it’s done.”

That was it. He turned his attention to his computer and went about his business as if I wasn’t even there. Normally, that would have been enough to push me past the boiling point. My temper was short enough with Veryl that I considered laying into him, again. He was purposely trying to avoid further discussion about hiding Raoul’s true role in slaughtering my parents and infecting me. I couldn’t blame Veryl; that fight was over, and I’d had a lot of time to say my piece. However, that wasn’t what kept my mouth shut right then. No, it was the slightest trickle of apprehension rolling off him.

Spinning on my heel, I left his office with a self-satisfied smile and Kale hot on my heels. Veryl wasn’t comfortable with me anymore, and I knew why. My power had grown in the last year, along with my connections. I wouldn’t make the mistake of thinking higher of myself than was accurate. I knew I wasn’t the big bad that some were. Still, something about me scared Veryl, and that was reassuring. Of course, something about him scared me, too. I didn’t trust him, and I didn’t know who his, our, employers really were. Something told me I didn’t want to know.

I stormed out of the building with one goal in mind: to get out of the place before I blew it off its foundation. Kale didn’t let me get more than a few steps ahead of him. I slammed the door open and strode outside, aching to throw a few punches.

“Alexa, wait. I know you’re pissed, and you probably have a lot to-,”

I turned on him with a speed and precision that was alarming. Kale might have been taller than me, but my four-inch heeled boots gave me enough leverage to get into his face.

“How many of them were innocent?” I hadn’t meant for it to be the first thing out of my mouth. “How many people did I kill with you at my side that didn’t really deserve it?”

“Alexa, I-,”

“It’s clearly not about good and evil or what someone is. Somebody else is deciding who lives and dies. How could you sit by and let me get drawn into this, knowing how hard it is for me to deal with just being me? And, then you sit there in silence while I’m told that I’m a f**king pawn to some paranormal government! How can you be ok with being a part of all this?”

I clenched my fists so hard my nails cut into my palms. I felt the warmth of the blood trickling between my fingers. Kale’s gaze flicked to the blood dripping on the gravel parking lot then back to me. He paused, waiting to be sure I was going to let him speak.

“First of all, I signed on to this for my own reasons. I assumed that you had yours. I have no problem killing anyone who uses their power to abuse others or threaten me. That includes humans.” Kale didn’t back off. Instead he glared down into my face. “You have no idea how many times I’ve gone head to head with Veryl because of you. Did I know that he saw you as a fascinating addition to his team? Yes. But, I also happen to know you can take care of yourself.”

“Tell me then Kale, how can I do that when I don’t even know who I’m working for? The boss I have is a scumbag that has pulled strings in my life since I was a teenager. I thought I was killing the bad guys, you know? The ones that exist only to prey on the helpless, to kill without thought. Now, I’m not so sure.”

I had to put some distance between us. Emotion and adrenaline had me vibrating. Taking a few steps back, I pushed my hair out of my face and focused on taking deep breaths.

“You do kill the bad guys, Alexa. You just also happen to work for them.”

Those words sunk deep into me, and I swallowed hard. I stared at the empty street, wishing a car would go by to break up the quiet. “The dead women at The Wicked Kiss? Veryl’s orders?”

I realized I was hoping he would say something to take the blame from himself, even if it was a lie. Kale wouldn’t disrespect me with an outright lie though; that was just wishful thinking.

“No. That was all me.”

I knew it but I had to ask. He was a vampire. I would be wasting my time to try to pick apart why Kale did what he did. His past was so horrific that he’d stopped killing and started feeding from willing victims at The Kiss.

I’d known since meeting Kale that this day would come. If it were anyone else, I could have accepted it. But, killing made him unpredictable and dangerous. Sure, he was standing here now, the same normal Kale I’d always known. Yet, the feisty, high-strung killer he’d revealed the other night was always there inside. Only now, I was painfully aware of it.

“How long?”

“A while now.”

“… Give me the address. I’ll meet you there.” After the incident at The Wicked Kiss, I wasn’t getting into the closed confines of a car with him.

He studied me with that eerie, dual-colored gaze. I knew he wanted to say something about killing those prostitutes, but I was glad when he didn’t bother.