Death Wish (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #5)(93)

Shya oozed arrogant confidence when he stepped back onto the patio. He swept over to the small sofa adjacent to Falon and perched on the arm. Lilah stopped at the threshold, her orange eyes scrutinizing each one of us in turn.

“Alright, Shya, what are you up to?” With hands on her hips, Lilah glared daggers into the smirking demon. So, she didn’t trust him either. That was reassuring.

“I told you, my dear. I would deliver the wolf straight into your hands. Did I not make good on that promise?”

I felt Arys tense beside me. Somehow, I remained calm despite the bombshell that had just dropped. It was too soon to assume what was the truth and what was a lie. I had no choice but to give Shya the benefit of the doubt.

Lilah met my eyes briefly, and I saw uncertainty in her gaze. She refused to acknowledge either Falon or Arys. “What’s the catch? Last time we spoke you were adamant that I wasn’t even to look at her the wrong way. What could you possibly need so badly that you’d be willing to give up such a prized piece of your collection?”

I bristled at that but remained unaffected – I could take a few insults – I had bigger concerns.

“You know what I want.” Shya’s entire demeanor changed. He was suddenly the slick businessman.

The two demons shared a look, and something passed between them. A peal of laughter rippled from Lilah. “It’s never going to happen, Shya. Nothing in this world or the next could convince me to hand you that kind of power.”

“Not even if I have valuable information that could help you break the curse? Information that you will lose if you kill Alexa and turn your back on me.”

The yip of coyotes far off in the distance taunted my wolf. Demons weren’t part of my world; I didn’t belong here with them. Escape. That’s what the wolf cried out for. Release. I swallowed hard and tried taking a few calming breaths. I could do this; I was fine.

Lilah looked at me, and her eyes narrowed. I met her stare steadily, daring her to make a move. I’d be happy to tear her throat out. It might not kill her, but it would hurt like a bitch, and I would enjoy doing it.

“I’m here because you promised me a deal I couldn’t refuse,” Lilah’s voice grew thick with anger. She sauntered up to Shya, glowering down into his smug face. The air pulsed with the suffocating heat of demon power.

“And, I will give you one.” If Shya was anything but coolly amused, it didn’t show until he rose to face Lilah head on. Staring into her with a burning hatred in his red eyes, he grinned. “I have the key to breaking your curse.”

“Bullshit,” spat Lilah.

I held my breath. Watching the two of them attempt to stare one another down, I couldn’t help but feel that I wouldn’t like where this was going. I was right.

“It’s Alexa.”

My heart stopped. My mouth went dry, and I had to replay those two words in my head several times. Did I hear that correctly?

Lilah recovered quickly while I stood there dumbfounded. She looked skeptical but wasn’t too quick to dismiss it as bullshit. The weight of her gaze was heavy. My cheeks burned. I felt like I’d just been betrayed, but I didn’t know what the hell was going on.

I exchanged a look with Arys who stood ready to defend me. The promise of chaos hung on the air. I reached past the wolf who paced inside me to the power rooted in my core.

“Go on.” Lilah crossed her arms and tapped a foot impatiently.

Shya looked incredibly pleased with himself. “What is the one thing that you need most in order to escape the curse?”

“I’m not playing this game. Get to the point.”

“The blood of a divine creature,” Shya continued, dismissing her angry retort. “The most obvious would be an angel. It would also be nearly impossible. That leaves very few possibilities. However, other divine creatures exist, others who belong to the light. One of which is within our midst.”

A dramatic pause got Lilah thinking and left me sweating. Falon sat up straighter in his chair, listening attentively. Every person present turned to study me. I felt like a specimen on display, which put me on the defensive.

“I can’t believe you never figured it out.” Shya openly mocked the puzzled vampiress. “Alexa is a White Flame. Against the odds, she’s been united with her twin. She doesn’t live under the shapeshifter curse. She’s gifted.”

Lilah’s eyes widened, and she took a step toward me. “She’s one of the Hounds? How can that be? They were all destroyed.”

My hands danced with blue and yellow energy. My patience had run thin, and the wolf was ready to chew its way out of me. Vampires and demons had been discussing me as if I were no more than an object for years. I’d had enough. Now, I was readying for a fight.

“Not all of them.” Shya caught my eye and winked as if this were some joke we were both in on. “Living as a vampire has sheltered you, Lilah. The Hounds can never be thoroughly destroyed. You should know that.”

I couldn’t hold back anymore. “What the hell are you talking about? I won’t be discussed as an object when I’m standing right here.”

“Hounds of God.” Falon broke his silence, drawing everyone’s attention from me to him. “Shapeshifting was originally a punishment, a curse twisted by both angels and demons. The Hounds of God were those shapeshifters that were not cursed but gifted. They battle evil rather than become it. Legend would have you believe the Hounds no longer exist but they do. They are chosen. There are stories of Hounds dated as recently as the 1600s.”