Blonde & Blue (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #4)(56)

The wolf in me wanted to nuzzle him, to adorn him with wet wolf kisses. “Honestly, right now, I feel like throwing myself in front of a train, but I’d never do it. You know that. I’ve come too far to go out like that.”

His expression was scrutinizing. I wasn’t lying. Werewolves can detect a lie, an advantage that even vampires didn’t seem to have. Finally he nodded, and some of the tension he’d been holding slipped away.

A particular question was floating around in my head, demanding that I spit it out. It was there, on the tip of my tongue, but I bit it back repeatedly. With a frustrated growl I blurted it out. “Why here, Shaz? With the vampires and blood whores that are nothing but junkies. Why not with Arys and me?”

I watched his eyes go wolf, and anger had his beast glaring out at me. “Wow. That’s selfish, Lex. You know how I feel about Arys. He’s not the easiest guy to deal with. I love you. You have to know that. But, just like you can’t get everything you need from me, there are things I can’t get from you either.”

That hurt. It was brutal in its truth, and like they say, the truth f**king hurts. I heard a roar in my ears, like the sound of an entire ocean crashing over me. With my cheeks burning and pulse racing, I got up and walked away. One foot in front of the other, I walked down the street with no destination.

Shaz’ words rang in my ears. He was right. I was being selfish because I didn’t want to hear that. He deserved to find his own way, too. I knew that. I just couldn’t accept it yet.

I could hear him calling my name. He would come after me because that’s who he was.

I wanted to fall to all fours and run blindly through the streets seeking escape. But, nothing would make this all go away. I could run, but my past would be with me. Always.

I reached the end of the block when Shaz caught me. He was aggressive, grabbing me with clawed fingers that cut into my flesh. I yelped from surprise more than pain.

“You don’t get to walk away from me! I’m sorry if you don’t like what you hear, but we have to be honest with each other. You can’t stand to hear it? Well, how do you think I feel?” Shaz bared fangs at me as his wolf pushed to break free. “How do you think it makes me feel to see those vampires crawling all over you? To have to share you with them? It makes me sick.”

I recoiled in horror, wanting to escape both Shaz and his awful words. “So running off to get a few vampires of your own is the solution? Isn’t that a bit hypocritical?”

His voice dropped suddenly, soft but deadly. “Maybe you’re not the only one with a dark side.”

Before I could fire back a retort, a sharp pain shot through my skull, blinding me. Maxwell stepped out of the shadows flanked by two lackeys. His assault on me was fierce, and I dropped like dead weight hitting the ground. With a commotion, the vampires quickly took Shaz down. I fought to see through the agony tearing through my brain. I was helpless.

Maxwell was a blur when he crouched beside me. The black veil of unconsciousness began to steal over me, and I struggled against it.

The last thing I saw was his mocking smile as he gazed down at me. “I’ve got to say, so far it has been a real pleasure doing business with you, Bitch.”

Chapter Fifteen

I drifted in and out of consciousness. It felt like my head was in a vice. Maxwell clearly felt he had to keep me incapacitated which was a dead giveaway that he felt I was a threat. It was too soon to tell if that was a good thing or not. It might just get me killed that much faster.

Despite the pain that racked my brain, I was aware that we were being transported by vehicle. I could sense Shaz near me. My wolf paced inside me, anxious to burst forth and tear out some throats. I had a bad feeling that wasn’t going to happen.

The scent of car exhaust mingled with cigarettes. Some vampires clung to old, useless habits. The smoke made me feel ill.

It was hard to tell how far we traveled before coming to a stop. I concentrated on gathering my power and forming a circle, but Maxwell had stripped my power. Opening the mental door between me and Arys was painful but possible. Forming thoughts enhanced the mind-shattering agony.

I sensed Arys’ panic right away. He knew that if I was opening this link between us, it was bad.

‘They have me and Shaz. I don’t know where we are.’

‘I can find you. Don’t shut me out, beautiful wolf. I’m coming for you.’

I breathed a sigh of relief, finding restored strength in our connection. ‘Don’t walk into a trap. They’ll be ready for you.’

We were in a Hummer. Shaz was slumped against the opposite door watching me with a confused frown. His face was bruised and battered.

The door was suddenly jerked open, and he almost fell out of the vehicle. We were dragged out roughly by the lackeys who shoved us along to an old two-level house. I couldn’t tell what part of town we were in, but the lack of nearby dwellings was not reassuring.

The scent of blood and death hung heavy on the air. Whoever had called this house home was likely dead. Maxwell stepped up beside me, and I shrank back against the lackey crushing my arms behind my back. I didn’t want another taste of his power, not unless I was the one controlling it. As long as he had the upper hand, I was only wolf.

“You didn’t think we were going to stop with the witch, did you?” His calm tone and neutral expression conveyed a nonchalance that was carefully constructed. In his warped mind he was making casual conversation.