Death Wish (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #5)(99)

His fingers tightened on the wheel, and his foot got heavier on the gas pedal. “Looks like I’m not the only one keeping things to myself. You didn’t think that little tidbit of conversation was worth sharing?”

“Despite how much you seem to enjoy a good fight, I didn’t think it was worth arguing about.” I slid a sidelong glance his way, drinking in the sight of him.

With that perfectly messed black hair, those entrapping eyes and the hard set to his jaw, I couldn’t help but swoon a little each time I looked at him. The sensitive side I’d discovered beneath the rough, passionate exterior drew me like a moth to a flame. It was the yin yang effect. The light buried within the darkness.

Our duality filled me with relief and encouragement. Neither of us was wholly light or dark but our own mix of both. Arys believed he was a creature of death and darkness, but light dwelled inside him waiting to burst forth. I wondered which of us would be most surprised when it did.

We jerked to a stop at a red light. Arys met my gaze, and his angry retort died on his lips. Whatever he saw in my eyes, it changed his tune.

“We fight. We f**k. We forgive. It’s what we do,” he teased, sliding a hand over my silk covered thigh. “Seriously though, it’s killing me to see what this is doing to you.”

I covered his hand with mine. That simple touch conveyed the depth of our connection. “The last year has changed you so much. I’m not sure you see it. It’s quite beautiful.”

He held my gaze, and we fell into one another. We shared something special, something that blood and death could never take from us.

The startling honk from the car behind us broke the brief spell. Arys hit the gas, and we sped through the intersection. My phone rang, blasting out the Austin Powers theme song. Arys chuckled, and I shot him a dirty look.

I fished the phone out of my bag. “You’ve really got to stop changing my ring tone. That could get embarrassing in public.”

“That’s the plan.” He expertly deflected my attempted slap without ever taking his eyes off the road.

The call display revealed a number I didn’t know. I answered with suspicion in my voice. I recognized the voice on the other end immediately, and my mood soured.

“Ms. O’Brien, this is Agent Briggs. I’m calling about Kale Sinclair.”

“I hope that means this is about meeting to make our trade.”

“It’s not. This is about a missing vampire. Sinclair escaped.”

My jaw dropped. My initial reaction was to be impressed. Something in the agent’s voice made me wary though. “What happened?”

“He escaped us, leaving at least twenty of my agents dead. I wasn’t on duty at the time so I didn’t witness the incident myself, other than what I’ve seen on the security footage. Our efforts to locate him have been unsuccessful.” Briggs sounded bitter.

A lump formed in my throat, and I swallowed hard. “What about Juliet? Is she ok?”

“She’s fine.” Briggs cleared his throat, and his voice dropped a few octaves. “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how dangerous he is.”

“After several days and nights of torture at the hands of humans playing God, I’d imagine it would be enough to drive anyone a little nuts,” I spat, growing enraged. “He’s not your concern anymore. If you send your people after him, if you do a damn thing to him, I’ll be more than a blip on your f**king watch-list radar. Is that clear?”

There was a slight pause before Briggs replied, his tone forced. “Crystal. However, I can’t allow a potential security threat to call the shots for me. I suggest that you find him before we do.”

He hung up before I could reply.

* * * *

I searched every place I thought Kale might be. His classic Camaro still sat outside The Wicked Kiss, right where he’d left it the night the FPA took him in. Nobody inside the club had seen him recently, which was a relief. If he were on a bender, walking into The Wicked Kiss would turn him into a bloodthirsty version of a kid in a candy store.

A brief stop at his house revealed no recent trace of him. His energy lingered around the place, but it was faded. He hadn’t been there.

As dawn drew closer, I had no choice but to go home and wait for dusk to continue my search. Arys didn’t say a single snarky thing. He humored me, going through the motions of assisting in my search, and I adored him for it.

We returned to Arys’s to find Shaz waiting there for us. He sat on the hood of his car staring at his phone. His blonde head jerked up at our arrival. I hadn’t expected him. Warmth filled me, and I was eager to throw myself in his arms.

Until I noticed the bags piled in the back of his car.

I got out of the Charger and stood there awkwardly. Along with several duffel bags, he had packed the guitar he loved but rarely played. Edging closer to Shaz’s Chevy, I spied a framed photo lying on the passenger seat. It was the same one, of us as wolves, that Kylarai had given me. Oh God, no. I can’t do this.

Shaz put his phone away and came around the car to pull me into his embrace. I was numb. Arys gave him a pat on the shoulder and swept by us, into the house. Had Arys known Shaz was planning to leave today?

My white wolf kissed my forehead, and it felt like goodbye though he had yet to say it. “Will you come for a drive with me?” He asked, his voice betraying the pain he was trying to hide.