Death Wish (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #5)(48)

“Feel free to leave,” I snarled. The pressure was mounting, and I was buckling beneath it.

“And miss this? Not a chance. I want to see you cave.”

Shya held up a hand and gave Falon a look. To me he said, “Alexa. Your choice?”

One last try. I had to. “There has to be another way. You’ve made your point, Shya.” I wasn’t going to beg, but the temptation was there.

He moved fast, a blur of black. He grabbed Kale in a bone-shattering grip, holding his head at a dangerous angle. That was the only answer I was going to get.

“No!” My shriek echoed through the night. For a split second, all I could hear was the pounding of my heart in my ears. The fallen body of the dreamwalker was a very real example of how ruthless Shya was. I still didn’t know the poor kid’s name.

Shya released Kale and held his hands out in expectation. This was it, now or never. Kale stared up at me with a silent plea. I couldn’t bring myself to give him what he asked for. If I didn’t act now, I never would, and Shya would make my choice for me.

“Fine. I’ll do it.” My fate was sealed the moment the words passed my lips. “Now let me help Kale. He needs blood.”

“By all means.” If Shya’s smile got any bigger, it was going to become the scariest thing I’d seen all night.

I watched him cautiously, unwilling to take my eyes from the demon. I reached for Kale, and he tried uselessly to push me away. It took great effort in his weakened state.

“No, Alexa. Leave me. I’ll be fine.” He slumped over on the grass, unable to stay upright.

I knelt close and pulled him into my arms. Anger flashed in his eyes, but he didn’t have the strength to do anything about it. Shoving my hair aside, I bared my neck and offered it to him. His hunger sparked to life. Still, he resisted.

“Do it, Kale. You’ll never make it out of here on your own if you don’t. I’m not leaving you for the sun.”

I had watched a vampire burn in the sun, and it had instilled a deep fear within me. When I rose as a vampire, as I was bound to, I’d vowed to never screw with sunrise.

His hunger was palpable. His reasons for refusing were likely personal, none of which mattered right now. I reached out to drape him in my heady power, luring him in like I had so many times before.

Kale’s eyes widened, and I saw accusation in their depths. I might as well have been forcing a syringe filled with heroin on a junkie. Kale had a weakness for my blood and the power within it. What had weakened him before would strengthen him now, and I wasn’t going to feel guilty about using my influence over him.

My eyes locked on Arys. He had moved closer, drawn by the power I’d encircled Kale with. The expression he wore was hard to read. The fire behind me was reflected in his blue eyes. I held his gaze, waiting for him to do something, anything to stop this. He only watched in silence as I offered my neck to Kale.

With a ravenous hunger, Kale pulled me roughly against him, exerting the strength only bloodlust commanded. He was lost in my thrall, a victim to my influence.

With that vicious hunger, he bit into my neck, tearing a cry from me. He pulled back and bit again, fast and deep. Panic thrilled through me in response to his animalistic assault.

I couldn’t tear my gaze from Arys who watched with a hard set to his jaw. He didn’t make eye contact with me. Instead, he watched Kale spill my blood. Arys’s expression was guarded, and he had withdrawn his touch from my mind.

Kale drew on my blood and energy, which I freely gave. Pain throbbed from the wounds like fire racing down my neck into my back. As much as it hurt, there was a gratifying element to his bite. My power had wanted Kale for some time. In that moment, he was mine.

The chill of his mouth on my injured skin swept me up in a storm of desire. I didn’t want to react to him like this, and certainly not in front of anyone else. His lust for me sprang to life, and I feasted upon his desire, responding to his hunger for my blood and body. At least Arys’s presence kept me grounded; I was grateful for that.

Kale pressed against me as he fed. There was no mistaking the evidence of his growing arousal. The power swirled around us, taunting us with the promise of more. A delightful tingle started in my groin. I ached to have him nestled between my thighs again.

I was shaking and breathless. We fed upon each other in a sordid little tango. He drained my blood, and I feasted on his response to my power. However, blood loss had my head spinning; I had to stop him.

With both hands on his chest, I braced, ready to physically throw him off. “Kale, stop.” My words were a lie. Even as I said it, I was entertaining thoughts of throwing him down on the grass beneath us and taking him the way I longed to.

Applause broke the spell holding us entwined. Kale jerked away from me as if my touch had burned. I collapsed on my hands and knees, digging my fingers into the earth in an attempt to ground my energy and get control of myself.

Falon clapped, slow and dramatic. My vision swam as I tried to focus on him. I was thrumming with the heavy charge of what I’d just done. Surreal.

Blood dripped from the bites in my neck as well as from my nose. Great. I’d never hear the end of this from Arys. I was afraid to look at him. Did he hate me for this? He had to understand that I couldn’t simply let Kale die.

White noise roared in my ears. I stared at the ground and concentrated on the earth. Sharing power and blood with Kale was nothing like my union with Arys. They were worlds apart. Arys was part of me, but Kale was mine.