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

Without asking for permission, I whipped out my phone and snapped a photo of the body before Briggs could tell me not to. I wanted some kind of evidence of that symbol. I had the sinking feeling I’d need to see Shya about this. I’d been avoiding the demon for weeks despite his insistent demands that I speak with him.

Juliet cleared her throat, drawing every eye. “Alexa, is there anything you can tell us about the demon that did this? Maybe we can help you if you’re in some kind of trouble.”

A chuckle spilled forth, earning me a dirty look from Briggs. An offer of help from the FPA was beyond ridiculous. They’d tortured someone dear to me, and now, he was missing. Without a doubt, they would have done the same to me if Kale hadn’t taken the fall. I would never trust the FPA. If that meant never trusting my sister again, so be it.

“I’m always in trouble, Juliet. All I can tell you is to stay away from this. Messing with this demon would be suicide.” I turned my gaze on Briggs who regarded me like a bug he wanted to squish. “If you value the lives of your people, you’ll stick to entrapping and torturing vampires. You all seem so good at it.”

I turned to leave; I couldn’t do anything more here. What had happened to Zak sparked a fire in my core. It would burn until I sent Lilah back to where she belonged, to the cage the angels made for her.

“I’m sorry for what happened with Kale Sinclair.” Briggs’s forced apology stopped me in my tracks. I faced him with a new rage burning within.

“Too little too late, Agent.”

“We have a proposition for you. If you would hear me out.”

Arys’s wicked laughter sent a lovely tingle down my spine. It didn’t have quite the same effect on Juliet or Briggs, who both stared at him suspiciously.

“I don’t think so,” he said. “What you did to Sinclair, you would have done to Alexa. You’d be wise to stay away from her.” Arys’s mood changed, going from grim amusement to deadly calm. “I’m not asking.”

“No,” Juliet replied vehemently. “She’s my sister, dammit. I’d never let that happen to her.”

Arys moved fast, a blur of motion. He was dangerously close to Juliet, scowling down into her face. “You led the f**king team that came to get her.”

Briggs pulled his gun and trained it on Arys. That might work on some vampires but not on my vampire. Arys never took his eyes off Juliet. He merely snapped his fingers, and Briggs’s gun flew from his hand and skidded across the pavement.

I laid a hand on his arm. “Arys, please.”

I didn’t have to say anything else. Reluctantly, he backed off. Juliet’s eyes were wide, and the scent of fear rolled off her. She wasn’t foolish enough to try pulling a weapon.

Agent Briggs was fuming. He was also looking at Arys with a new sense of intrigue. Showing even a small display of power in front of the FPA was a bad idea.

“Would it be too much to expect you people to sit down and have a civilized discussion?” Briggs stooped to retrieve his gun. He stuffed it back in the holster but rested a hand atop it.

“You people?” I rounded on him with a snarl. The urge to bare my four vicious fangs at him was strong, but I held the wolf back. “We’re just monsters to you, aren’t we? You don’t see us as human in any way. We were once, you know. Human. Like you.”

Briggs looked down his nose at me, haughty and self-assured. “You are a monster, Ms. O’Brien. That’s just a cold, hard fact. But, I don’t believe that makes you void of any humanity whatsoever. I meant no offense.”

“I think we’re done here. I have nothing further to say to you.”

I didn’t want to give Briggs a chance to coerce me into staying; I couldn’t count on Arys to behave himself. He was eyeing up Briggs with a devilish glint in his eyes.

“We need your help, Ms. O’Brien. You want to talk about dangerous demons? Let’s talk about Shya.” The agent’s face softened. “That’s not even his real name. Demons don’t give their real names if they can help it. He’s up to something, and we need to stop him. You’re the closest one to him that can help us.”

Arys’s energy was hot and scattered. His growing frustration was palpable, teasing my senses. I wanted to get him out of there before he did something I’d regret, but I was curious as to how much the FPA knew about Shya that perhaps I didn’t.

“Clearly you’re misinformed about my relationship with Shya.” I kept my voice low so it wouldn’t carry outside the four of us. “I don’t have one. I never did. He never interacted with me personally until recently. He sure as hell hasn’t shared any of his big bad plans.”

“Yet he trusted you to help him bind a demon goddess that he is supposed to bow down to. Sounds personal enough.” Briggs smiled slightly, as if sure he had me there.

“Shya and I both had our reasons for that. They were entirely selfish. We weren’t doing each other any favors.” I wasn’t happy to hear that they knew about that. “I want to make it very clear to you that I have no alliance with that demon. Whatever he’s up to, I don’t know about it, and I sure as hell have no part in it.”

Briggs didn’t believe me. Skepticism colored the grimace he wore. “Would you be willing to help us gather more information?”