Death Wish (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #5)(64)

Her eyelashes fluttered, and she looked away, suddenly unable to meet my eyes. “I’m not Zelda Fitzgerald.”

“No, you’re Juliet O’Brien,” I mimicked our father’s tone. “So start acting like it.”

She did look at me then. With the stubborn fury that was neither werewolf nor woman but simply O’Brien, she waved a hand dismissively. “Get him out of here, boys.”

Agent Asshole jammed his gun into Kale’s back and gave him a shove. “You heard the woman, bloodsucker. Try anything, and I’ll bury a wooden bullet in your heart before you can blink.”

“You’re not taking him without taking me,” I protested, my voice rising in panic.

Kale let the agents push him along toward the door. He spared a parting glance at Shaz with the command, “Grab her.”

Shaz didn’t need to be told twice. He intercepted me before I could follow. I struggled against him, but he over-powered me. I could have fought him off with a slap of a psi ball, but I could never do that to him.

I watched helplessly as the FPA agents ushered Kale out of the building. Juliet lingered though she slowly edged toward the exit.

“I have never felt as betrayed by anyone as I do by you, right now.” I spat the words at her. “We’re family, Juliet. We were.”

With a shake of her head, Juliet had the nerve to look hurt. “Lexi, you can’t be trusted. You work with demons and share power with vampires. I just want to do what’s right.”

“You mean what the FPA tells you is right. They have you brainwashed.”

“I’m not sure that I’m the one who isn’t seeing things as they really are.”

That burned. I wanted to run after her, to tackle her like I had when I’d caught her reading my diary. Shaz’s arms tight around my waist prevented that.

“I’ll be coming for him, Juliet. I can find you and the FPA. I will. You tell them I’m coming.” My shouts grew absolutely venomous as I thrashed in Shaz’s grip. “That vampire is mine. I claim him, and I will answer for him. If the FPA touches one hair on his head, sending you in here tonight will be the greatest mistake they ever made.”

She gave a curt nod before disappearing through the exit without a look back. Only after she was long gone did Shaz let me go.

I spun around to face him, ready to cuss him out for restraining me. The crestfallen expression he wore stole my words. The patrons and staff that remained dispersed, leaving us alone in front of the bar.

“You lied to me, Lex,” Shaz accused. “You said it was over with him, but it’s not. I saw the way he kissed you. The way he looks at you. Hell, I just watched him take the fall for you.”

“It is over. I haven’t been screwing him. Not since the one and only time.” I could not believe he was doing this. It was ballsy and rude, not to mention uncharacteristic.

Shaz’s jade gaze dropped to my wrist. “You made a deal with a demon to save Kale. He just handed himself over to a bunch of lunatic humans to save you. It’s so not over with you two. You and I both know that love can exist just fine without sex. In fact, in some ways, it’s stronger.”

I swallowed hard. He was right. Shaz and I had loved each other for years before we were ready to take it to the next level. Still, Kale was different.

“I would do the same thing for you or Jez or Ky.” I ran my tongue over my lips, tasting blood and Kale. I needed to hunt. The bloodlust lurked beneath the cloak of my fury, waiting for the right moment to strike.

“I know,” he replied quietly, “but would it be for the same reasons?”

Vulnerable. My white wolf was in pain. We were both in pain, but his pain made him enticing. Too enticing.

“You f**k another woman and call her by my name, but you’re questioning why I make the choices I’ve made?” My voice broke, and I was suddenly overwhelmed. The dam barring the wave of emotion threatened to break. I wasn’t ready for that. “I have to go. I need to kill something.”

My pulse pounded in my ears. My stomach twisted, and the vampire’s hunger filled me. I needed to feel a victim’s struggles while I spilled their blood, and that victim could never be Shaz.

I hightailed it out of there like the devil himself chased me. Shaz called my name, but he didn’t stop me. He knew the risks as well as I did, and Arys wasn’t there to keep us from crossing the line this time.

The parking lot was empty and eerily silent. Part of me hoped Lilah would take a shot at me tonight. I needed to blow off some steam. I had no destination in mind. Giving myself over to the growing darkness inside me, I let the bloodlust be my guide.

Chapter Seventeen

It was getting easier to give in. When I just quit fighting, the entire process went a lot smoother. Though I hated myself afterwards every damn time, in the moment, it was bliss.

Like so many times before, I slipped into that zone that was pure predator. The tangy aroma of blood tickled my nose. It filled my mouth, warm and pulsing with life. I drank in both blood and energy, seeking all my victim had to give. Perhaps choosing one of Kale’s bimbos was in poor taste, but she had come out the back door into the parking lot at the wrong time.

I sat on the ground, leaning against the building. I stared at the dead woman, and she stared back at me, her eyes open and lifeless. The gaping wound in her throat mocked me. I was a killer, and Juliet was justified in wanting to stop someone like me.