Death Wish (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #5)(81)

Her dark curls bounced when she shook her head. “I’m sorry, Lexi. I can’t do that. He murdered an agent. We can’t let him get away with that. How would that make us look?”

“He murdered a double agent,” Falon spoke as if he were already unbearably exasperated with the situation. “He did you a favor. Now if you’ll just scamper along like a good little wolf and fetch him, we’ll be on our way.”

Juliet flinched and more than a few men present exchanged a questioning look. Had Falon just revealed something about her they didn’t know? The FPA must be run by idiots.

“I’m not authorized to release him to you or anybody else.” Her tone was flat, her expression hard. “I suggest you all leave. Don’t come back.”

I laughed in disbelief. “Not a chance. I’m not leaving without him.”

“Please, don’t make this difficult. It’s out of my hands.”

“Then let me speak to someone with a little more clout than you.”

I faced off with my sister, seeing a stranger instead. We had been birthed by the same woman, raised in the same house as children, yet none of that mattered now. The world had taken us away from each other, molding and shaping us. Now we were alike in DNA only. I didn’t know her anymore. Our utter estrangement was so hard to swallow.

“Please,” Juliet repeated, a trace of desperation in that one word.

“I’ll take it from here, Agent O’Brien.”

The man’s voice cut through the strained silence. The cluster of armed agents parted to allow him through. He stepped up beside Juliet with the air of one who was used to being in charge.

Tall with dark brown skin and piercing brown eyes, he was clad in a grey suit. His hair was cropped short, and he didn’t bother to hide the gun on his hip. He jacket was open to reveal the holster. If it was supposed to intimidate me, it wasn’t working.

Ignoring Juliet, he thrust a hand at me. “I’m Agent Thomas Briggs. Nice to finally meet the infamous Alexa O’Brien.”

I accepted his hand, hoping that playing nice would get me farther than starting out with a scathing remark. “Nice to meet you, Agent Briggs. I trust we can come to some kind of amicable understanding.”

Placing a hand on each hip, Briggs surveyed the situation. “There is no need for conflict. Especially between family.” His gaze strayed from me to my sister. “Please tell me, Ms. O’Brien, what can the FPA do for you?”

I found his choice of words odd. “I just want Kale Sinclair.”

“Out of the question. Anything else I can help you with?”

Dismissed, just like that. Hell no. “No. I’m here for Kale Sinclair, and I am not leaving without him.”

“I’ll have my men escort you out then.”

Falon snapped his fingers and every FPA agent present was frozen in place where they stood. “I don’t think so. The vampire is one of ours. We are entitled to him regardless of his so-called crimes. The next move I make will be to blind every human in this building. Care to reconsider?”

Briggs strained for his gun. He was fixed in place, held by Falon’s sheer will. Despite how much I loathed the fallen angel, I was developing greater respect for his abilities.

“Let’s not be hasty.” Briggs regarded the angel with venom in his eyes. “There is no need for violence.”

“There is also no need for your human government meddling in affairs that are none of your concern.” The air around Falon grew warm with his pulsating power. It was low, subdued, but heavy enough to alter the atmosphere.

Briggs had the decency to look wary as Falon walked a slow circle around him. He wasn’t ready to give up control just yet though. “We have ways of dealing with demons.”

“Then it’s a good thing I’m not a demon.”

Juliet and I shared a look. She shifted uneasily from foot to foot. Falon’s power had only been projected at the humans.

“Alright, Falon,” I said. “That’s enough.”

“Not until he tells me something I want to hear.” Falon shot me a dirty look. “Besides, I’m the one calling the shots. Not you.”

That was a fabulous united front to show the FPA. I rolled my eyes and weighed my options. Fight, bargain or leave. I didn’t see any other choice. Falon was readying for a fight, but I wasn’t yet willing to take that path.

“Agent Briggs, I’m not leaving without my friend.” I shoved Falon aside so I could meet the agent’s gaze directly. “So either this can get nasty, or we can come to some kind of agreement. Choose carefully.”

Briggs glared daggers at me but seemed relieved that I wasn’t allowing Falon to blind them all. Yet. “You can’t just walk in here demanding things of the FPA. I don’t give a damn who or what you are. There is nothing you have that we want badly enough to grant Sinclair his freedom. He’s a menace.”

“Wrong answer.” I shrugged and motioned for Falon to do whatever he wished.

He never so much as moved, but every man surrounding Briggs began to cry out as they were struck blind. Briggs remained unchanged. He was steadfast in his decision, I had to give him that.

“Do what you will. It won’t get you any closer to the vampire. He’s behind lock and key that even you won’t be able to get through.”