Darker (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #6)(38)

“Listen to Alexa, Gabriel. She knows what she’s talking about.”

“Don’t bother.” He waved us off, reeking of liquor. “I can take care of myself. I’m here to have a good time with my friends. No big deal.”

He made as if to shove past us, and I blocked his path. He threw his hands up and jerked backwards. The power spilled from him. It felt like he had a leak that couldn’t be contained. Getting wasted had compromised his control. Been there, done that. Gabriel was bound to learn as I had, the hard way.

“Gabriel, you need to listen to us,” I said, trying to calm him with a subtle push of my power. “There are people in there looking for you. You do not want to be found. If you stay here, you’re putting yourself in danger.”

Peering through his mop of long black hair, Gabriel eyed me suspiciously. “Whatever you’re doing, please stop.”

Again he shoved by. This time I grabbed him by the shoulders and forced him to stop. He shook me off with a sudden desperate panic.

“Don’t touch me,” he shouted. “I don’t want to see that vision of you again.”

Brogan stepped in between us. “Take it easy, Gabriel. We’re here to protect you. What did you see?”

“Nothing. Forget it.” He shook his head, the hair falling to hide his face again. “You’ve always been real nice to me, Brogan. Thank you. But, I don’t want or need your help.”

We let him go. What choice did we have? Short of kidnapping, our options were limited.

“Well, shit.” I watched him disappear inside the club.

“I’m sorry, Alexa,” Brogan sighed. “I shouldn’t have dragged you into this.”

“No worries. I’m happy to help. If I can. Maybe we can’t make him leave, but he can’t make us leave either.”

There was no sign of Falon when we returned inside. That didn’t mean he wasn’t present. Crimson Sin had finished their set. An emcee shouted to the crowd, firing them up for the next band. Gabriel sat at a table with a group of friends. I did my best to fade into the shadows at the back of the club where I could watch everything.

“Why do I get the feeling we’re waiting for something big to happen?” Brogan shifted uneasily from foot to foot.

“Because we are.”

I could feel it. Something was going to go down, and I planned to be present when it did. We didn’t have to wait long.

The next band launched into a loud number filled with the crash of drums and the scream of guitars. I made a mental note to book them at The Wicked Kiss. I didn’t get beyond that thought before Juliet stood up and walked across the room.

Flanked by her male companion, Juliet sidled up to Gabriel. She had no problem getting his attention with a flirty smile. Whatever she said next didn’t win her any points. His expression changed from intrigue to irritation. He shook his head and waved her away. She produced a badge identifying her as a government agent. The man with her flashed a glimpse of his gun.

Gabriel stood his ground. I felt it when he reached for his power, readying to defend himself. I tensed, ready to react but afraid to do so too soon.

Juliet’s partner pulled out a set of cuffs, and that’s when I moved. Crossing the room with Brogan at my side, I watched Gabriel’s lips move and seconds later the male agent was flat on his back. That wasn’t the end of it though. Blood bubbled up from his nose and lips. He clawed at his throat as if an unseen hand crushed his windpipe.

Juliet pulled her gun on Gabriel. Before she could take a shot or make a threat, Falon appeared beside her. He backhanded her with a superhuman force that sent her crashing into a nearby table.

I was acting on instinct when I threw a blast of power at Falon. I never would have expected to hurt an angel, yet his body jerked as if I had. People in the vicinity reacted fast, moving away from the scene. The rest of the club was unaware and unfazed.

“I warned you,” I told Gabriel with an angry growl. “You’re not safe here. Now stop whatever it is you’re doing to that guy before you kill him.”

I gestured to the agent flailing and bleeding on the floor. I was close enough to smell the scarlet fluid streaming from him. Close enough for the aroma to fill me with an urgent hunger. The bloodlust came hard and fast, crashing over me with no warning, rising from a whisper to a scream in seconds.

My conscious mind was silent when I lunged at the bleeding man. My hands were wet with blood, my focus so intent upon it that I saw nothing but my victim. Brogan shouted my name, but I paid no attention.

Juliet recovered from her fall. She came at me with the wolf’s strength, trying to knock me away from her partner. I flung her backwards with a flick of my wrist. Shouts began to ring out around us. Everything was a blur. I was suddenly jerked away from my prey. My teeth rattled as Falon slammed me against the wall.

He held me in place with an arm across my throat. “You use your power on me again, and I’ll tear your f**king head off your shoulders,” he seethed. “Our job is to keep shit like this quiet. You just gave the FPA exactly what they wanted from you. A reason to take you out. Fucking stupid wolf.”

“I’ll try to make time to worry about them after I deal with your demon whore,” I spat. “What do you care anyway?”

“Oh, I don’t care. As far as I’m concerned, you’re a threat that should have been eliminated at birth. Lucky you, I don’t make those decisions.”