Blonde & Blue (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #4)(20)

I sat down across from the demon, uncomfortable with the way he looked me over with those creepy red eyes. The snake-like pupils betrayed the lie that his human form projected. I met his gaze directly and concentrated on staying calm but alert. As far as eyes go, this guy had the eeriest I’d seen, including Kale’s and my own. I fought hard to keep from falling into their crimson depths.

“I apologize, Alexa. This meeting is long overdue.” Shya beamed a pearly white smile at me. “I think it’s time we get acquainted.”

“Alright.” I smiled, hoping it didn’t look as wary as it felt.

“I’m going to cut to the chase. I’d like to give you the chance to rise up in the ranks of our organization.” He spoke with authority, easily holding my attention with his charming manner. “What we do isn’t about good and evil, human or otherwise. It’s about power and maintaining an order that was established over thousands of years. I’m sure you understand why a mass public exposure of the supernatural world would be horrific. However, you must know that many beings out there dedicated to just that: full exposure.” He paused, giving me the opportunity to form a response.

My tongue felt like a useless slab of meat. He’d just thrown a lot at me. It took me a moment to put a response together. “I’m very aware of how ugly things could get. The last thing I want is to end up on the wrong end of a worldwide witch hunt. I can’t imagine why any supernaturals would willingly expose themselves.”

“Some believe that by exposing us all, we’ll in turn have more control over the human race. I don’t agree with this philosophy. We maintain influence over humans when they believe most of us to be a myth. That’s where our power lies, especially for creatures like you.”

I mulled over what he’d said. Existing in the guise of myth and folklore was necessary. Going public was a suicide mission. “I completely agree.”

“It’s all so much bigger than what you see with Veryl and his pitiful office.” Shya continued, a smile of approval on his handsome face. “We do what has to be done to ensure our freedom and protection. As for those who stand against us, their numbers are large enough to pose a problem, which is where you come in. The more people I can trust to trim their numbers, the better.”

“Ok. So someone like Abigail Irving, could just one woman like her really be a threat?” I was already afraid of him. I figured I didn’t have anything to lose by asking what was really on my mind.

“She was a feisty one, wasn’t she?” He chuckled, and I immediately went cold. “That one knew things. Killing her was the safest way to make sure that what she knew never got out.”

“What kind of things?” My eyes were dry. I hadn’t blinked in a while because I couldn’t pull myself away from his entrancing stare that long.

Shya studied me closely, a simple perusal. He made no attempt to test or touch my power the way so many others had upon a first meeting; he didn’t have to. He already knew far more about me than I did about him. Of that, I was certain.

“She knew how to access powers rooted in the pits of hell. I hope her zealous talk didn’t convince you otherwise. That woman went mad decades ago. She was a disaster waiting to happen. The demons she was consorting with are now just as dead as she is.”

Lilah. One of my coworkers’ names popped unbidden into my mind. I’d seen her kill a demon with very little effort.

“I’m always going to be in the dark, aren’t I? Never really knowing who I’m hunting or why.”

“Oh, you will know. You already do. You know as much as you need to know.” The smile suddenly vanished from Shya’s face causing his sharp features to seem more pronounced. “You have immense power over vampires and werewolves. You are both and yet somehow neither, all at the same time. The creatures of the underworld are constantly in conflict. The battle for control of both the human and the supernatural world never ceases. You have an opportunity to play an important role here.”

I swallowed hard. He really did know an awful lot about me, maybe more than I did.

When I failed to respond, Shya continued. “I like you already. You’ve proven yourself to be professional and discreet. And, from what Veryl tells me, you have no qualms about speaking your mind.” The serpentine smile returned.

“I don’t appreciate being lied to or having information withheld from me when it directly involves my personal life and business.” I didn’t mean to come across as bitchy, but demon or not, he needed to know where I stood.

Shya’s expression didn’t change. He seemed completely unmoved by anything I’d said so far.

“Understood. You’ve outgrown working with Veryl. You’re capable of so much more. All I want from you is the same loyalty I expect from anyone who works with me. I’m prepared to offer you much more than money.” He gave the rest of the club a cursory glance, and I could almost see what he was thinking. He didn’t seem to think any better of it than I did.

A waitress dumped her drink tray on a customer with a crash. The tirade she followed up with indicated he had it coming. I shrugged and did my best to tune it out.

“Look, Shya. I can just imagine what Veryl has told you about me, let alone whatever else you might know. You want a fair kill, I’m your girl. All I ask is that you don’t ask me to hunt any innocents.” I was dealing with a demon. I had to amend that. “What I consider innocent.”