Death Wish (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #5)(61)

“Nice to see you again, Ms. Fitzgerald,” I greeted her with a brittle smile. “I trust this is not a personal visit.”

So, the FPA had sent my own sister to bring me in for Abigail Irving’s death. Nice move. Very well played. I knew it had been too much to hope we could resume a familial relationship. We had been dead to one another since that night over a decade ago.

“I’m sorry, Alexa.” Juliet held her hands out in an apologetic gesture. In tight jeans and a cropped leather jacket, she looked both trendy and dangerous. “I thought it best if I came for this. I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”

Shaz stood off to the side, looking helpless and angry. I knew this was going to get ugly. Besides, I wanted no part of any organization that would send one sibling after another. I was suddenly grateful Shya and Veryl had gotten to me first.

“I’m sorry you thought this was a good idea.” I crossed my arms and waited calmly. I was not going without a hell of a fight.

“We know you killed Abigail. You and Kale Sinclair.” Juliet held a hand up to her companions who were looking eager to get the ball rolling. “We’re here to officially detain you.”

“Sorry, little sister. I’m not going to make this easy for you.” I reached out with my power, feeling for Kale’s energy in the building and finding it. He shouldn’t be here.

One of Juliet’s partners stepped forward, threatening to get too close. He slapped the taser against his open palm and glowered down at me from his six foot five height.

“We don’t have to take you alive,” he barked. “One wrong move, and I will take you out.”

I laughed then and gestured for him to come closer. I’d slash his throat open before he could blink.

“That’s enough out of you, Agent!” Juliet snapped. She was clearly the one in charge here, and she wanted her people to remember that. “Back up and shut your mouth, or go wait outside.”

Agent Asshole stepped back beside the guy who was smart enough to stay quiet. Juliet shot him a dark look before turning back to me.

“Alexa, this doesn’t have to get violent or ugly. I don’t want that.” Her dark eyes were pleading. I’d seen her turn that same wide-eyed expression on our parents to get what she wanted, and it had usually worked.

“Have you stopped to think for just a second that maybe Abigail Irving wasn’t such a team player after all?” I asked. “She was a double agent, Juliet.”

A flicker of doubt crossed Juliet’s face. She was following orders without asking questions. Definitely the Juliet I remembered. I had always been the rebellious one. She’d been Mom and Dad’s perfect little princess.

“I have to bring you in, Lexi. If what you say is true, we’ll find out. We’ll get to the bottom of it. Nobody has to get hurt.”

“Stop saying that. If you really came here thinking I’d come quietly, then you don’t remember me at all. I haven’t changed that much.” I gathered my power tight, ready to use it if I had to. Please don’t make me, I prayed silently.

“Where is Kale Sinclair?” Ignoring my firm refusal to co-operate, Juliet continued as if she were in charge. But, she was forgetting that she was in my club. “We know he’s here. I’ve got men on the back exit. There’s no escape.”

“He’s busy right now. I’ll get him.” Spinning on a heel, I strode toward the back hall, gritting my teeth.

Agent Asshole made as if to come after me. Juliet stopped him with a hand, indicating that the other agent should accompany me. Without a second look at him, I crossed through the back foyer and down the hall, headed for Kale’s room. When we were a safe distance down the hall, I slammed a foot into the side of the agent’s knee as hard as I could. He let out a scream that I quickly silenced with punch to his throat.

He crumpled immediately, sliding to the floor unconscious. I swiped the gun from the holster at his hip and checked the chambers. Wooden bullets. They had definitely come prepared to take on a vampire. Or, a werewolf that would rise as a vampire upon death. Crap.

I sprinted the rest of the way to Kale’s room and banged on the door. I would have burst in if I hadn’t been afraid of what I’d find inside.

I kept up the incessant banging until the door swung open suddenly; I almost fell inside, into Kale’s arms. The scent of blood and sex was overwhelming. Kale’s robe did little to hide his nudity. The three naked brunettes huddled in his bloodstained bed didn’t help. If the FPA hadn’t just stormed my club, I’d be more actively disgusted at what I saw in Kale’s room.

“Alexa, hello. Come to join the party?” Kale snickered and reached for me. His pupils were huge. He was high as a kite.

“Oh for f**k’s sakes.” I slapped his hand away and punched a hole in the nearest wall. It didn’t help, but I needed to blow off some steam. “The FPA is here for us. Because of Abigail Irving. You need to get dressed right now and pull yourself together.”

To Kale’s credit, he sobered noticeably. “The FPA? Here? Son of a bitch.”

“They’ve got wooden bullets and people at each door. I’m not sure how long we should play along. We’re going to have to take them on; I’m not letting them take me out of here.”

Kale picked up his pants off the floor and let his robe drop. I turned away with an embarrassed blush but not before catching an eyeful. This was no time for unwelcome flashbacks, but they came unbidden.