Blonde & Blue (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #4)(71)

Panic caused his eyes to widen, and he reached for the dagger, clawing at my hand. It was too late. It happened slower than it had with the young one. His body began to collapse in on itself as he crumbled to dust. His mouth moved, but no sound came out. Jerking the dagger free, I stepped back and watched him fall to pieces at my feet.

Warmth spread from the dagger’s handle up my arm as it thrummed with demon magic. It was dizzying and a little frightening. I gazed at what was left of Maxwell and wished I’d made him suffer. Dead wasn’t good enough after what he’d done to us and to Lena.

Shaz padded over to me. He was fine but winded. Brogan stood hugging herself near the doorway.

“Stay here,” I told her before following the sound of commotion in the living room at the back of the house. She gave a slight nod, her gaze transfixed on what remained of the vampire.

A gunshot rang out, deafening in the confines of the house. Two fierce snarls followed. I ran down the hall and skidded to a stop when I almost tripped over Zak’s fallen form. His sides heaved as he struggled for air. Blood seeped from an ugly wound in his chest.

Kylarai and Julian were engaged in a face-off with Claire, who shook violently as she grasped the shotgun. It came as no surprise that a farm family would keep a gun around. If Claire had had any real power, she wouldn’t have needed it.

She whirled to face me, the barrel of the gun drifting from me to the two wolves baring deadly fangs at her. A pile of dust in the corner indicated what was left of the remaining lackey. I’d have never guessed that a woman with a gun would have been the biggest threat we’d face here.

“Back the f**k off!” Claire’s voice was high and desperate. She waved the gun wildly, and I braced, expecting an erratic shot to go off. She didn’t know how to use that thing.

I held up a hand and concentrated on tranquil energy, hoping to calm her. “Take it easy, Claire. We don’t all have to die here.”

“Tell that to your wolves. I’m not letting those bastards tear me apart. I won’t die like that!” She swung the gun back to Ky and Julian, aiming at Julian’s face. Whatever they’d done to kill her vampire minion, it must have been ugly for her to react this way.

I felt Shaz tense beside me as if bracing to leap. I angled my body to block him. We faced supernatural threats every night of our lives. It was not going to be a friggin’ gun that killed him.

“Come on, Claire. You’ve lived how many lifetimes, and now you want to go down fighting with a gun as your defense?”

In my head came Arys’ worry. ‘Let her go, Alexa. She’s not worth taking a bullet.’

I ignored him. He was right, but I couldn’t let her just leave, not after what she did to Shaz and Lena. If I hit her hard and fast with a solid strike, it might be enough to disable her before she could get off another shot.

‘Are you willing to lose Kylarai or Shaz over this? Don’t take stupid risks.’ Arys was growing angry. I was relieved that he wasn’t physically present to fight me for control of the situation. ‘You don’t have control of the situation! You have a wolf dying on the floor.’

‘Stop distracting me!’

Claire emanated fear, a tantalizing scent that instilled the need for the kill in every one of us. I had to make a move quickly. I couldn’t be certain that I could take her down faster than she could pull the trigger again. Arys was right. It wasn’t worth any of our lives if I tried and failed.

Before I could make a decision, Julian snapped. He lunged, his strong hind legs launching him swiftly straight at her. The gun sounded, and he dropped in a heavy thud that shook the floor beneath my feet. It all happened faster than I could blink. My hands vibrated with the power I held ready. Taking advantage of Claire’s momentary distraction, I hit her with enough metaphysical force to drop an elephant.

It was more than I’d anticipated. It flowed through me like a wave that could be neither seen nor touched, forcing me to my knees. I could feel Arys behind the massive wallop, guiding it when I ceased to have control. For a split second my skull felt like it might blow. The pressure eased, and blood dripped from my nose.

Claire hurtled through the air to crash through the draped window in an explosion of glass. I scrambled to my feet and rushed to the gaping hole. The wail that came from her was horrifying, so inhuman I quaked. Yet, watching her burn was harder than hearing her die.

Her skin sizzled audibly, blackening at the sun’s lethal touch, but death didn’t come immediately. The sickening stench of burning flesh was overwhelming. My stomach turned, and I fought the urge to vomit.

I turned away, unable to watch anymore. A quick look at Julian’s destroyed face was worse. He was dead. I couldn’t save him. Tearing my gaze from the brown wolf’s corpse, I rushed to Zak, finding him struggling to hold on.

‘Help me,’ I begged Arys. The high level of power we’d raised would be enough to heal Zak, I knew it. I just didn’t have the mental clarity and calm needed to do it. Killing was easy. Healing was hard. One might think it should be the other way around.

Kylarai’s high-pitched whine was mournful, and my heart broke for her. Scumbag or not, she’d loved Julian. Shaz went to her, nuzzling her face with wolf kisses. I focused on tuning out everything but Zak and what he needed from me.

‘Concentrate.’ Arys’ guidance was stern but gentle. ‘Make him all that you see, all that you feel. Envision the brokenness inside him. Push the energy into him as you would in an attack but direct it. Give it a purpose. You can do this.’