Forget About Midnight (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #9)(49)

The weight of Shaz’s stare finally drew my gaze to his. His eyes were all wolf. Solid green orbs that had me choking on a whine as my wolf sought to get to him. It physically hurt me to resist. Though my wolf ached for him, my bloodlust waited for the chance to sink fangs into his smooth flesh.

“Lex,” he said, his voice husky with wolf. “You have no idea how bad I’ve wanted to see you.”

“I do. I’ve missed you. Desperately.” The truth poured out in just a few words. I did miss him. I also feared that he wouldn’t be able to handle me as a vampire hybrid. He hadn’t done so great with my vampiric side before the turn.

With slow but steady steps, he edged closer, as if approaching a snake. Wary. Watchful. Jenner inched closer until he was within grabbing range.

Shaz didn’t hesitate. His footsteps never faltered. Fearless but cautious, he reached for my hands. I reveled in the werewolf heat he exuded, delighting in the musky wolf scent of him. When I didn’t immediately try to harm him, he pulled me in for a hug.

It had been far too long since I’d touched him like this. My arms went around his neck, a hand sliding into his platinum hair. I pressed my face to his shoulder and held tight.

The heady elixir of shifter blood pumping through his veins called to me. I’d tasted him before; I knew what lay within him. But in that moment, the wolf was in charge, and the bloodlust was its prisoner.

“I’m sorry,” I blurted, not knowing what exactly I was sorry for but feeling the need to say it.

“Don’t be sorry for anything. I know this is hard for you, and I know I don’t understand what you’re going through. Please, let me be here for you now.” Shaz kissed the side of my face, smoothing a hand through my hair before finding my lips. His kiss was tender and soft, a reminder of everything we shared.

My wolf clawed at my insides. She was pissed at being imprisoned for so long in this vampire body. Shaz’s presence was driving her into a needful frenzy.

“You haven’t shifted, have you?” Arys asked. He remained where he was, reluctant to come to me, possibly fearing another smack, or worse.

I shook my head, feeling both miserable and elated. It was a dizzying combination. “I’m afraid to.”

“Your wolf is still there,” Shaz said, pulling back to study me. “I can feel it.”

“As can I.” This from Arys who wore a pained expression. “You need to let it out.”

Again I felt the need to apologize. Denying my wolf put Arys at risk. Living with the echo of my beast wasn’t easy for him. I imagined it was hell to have the spirit of my wolf trying to tear its way out of him. I wasn’t sure how bad it could get. I’d never denied the shift long enough to find out.

“I just saw Briggs,” I said, changing the subject. “Juliet’s been arrested. I have to turn myself in to free her.”

Both Shaz and Arys exploded with protests. I waited for them to simmer down before I explained the discussion I’d had with Briggs. After playing the recording on my phone to them, Shaz grudgingly accepted it. As a wolf he knew that my loyalty to my sister had to come first. Arys, however, wasn’t as understanding.

“She chose the Feds over you multiple times. She tried to arrest you and backed up Briggs when he came to kill you. She does something good for you once, and it gets her in deep shit, and you’re the one who has to bail her out? Fuck that.” There was more fire to his temper than usual. I was reminded that he too was suffering the effects of our separation.

“She’s my sister, Arys. My blood. We were kids together. We giggled together at night when we were supposed to be asleep and snuck a peek at presents on Christmas morning before our parents woke up.” My voice cracked as a flood of childhood memories burst forth. “And then we were bitten by the same wolf and separated. The fact that we were reunited at all is amazing. She put her job and her life on the line to protect me. I can’t leave her there to suffer.”

Arys’s jaw clenched. He’d never liked Juliet. Though I understood why, his disapproval wasn’t going to change my mind.

“You can’t trust Briggs,” he said finally. “He wants you, Alexa. He wants you inside that building so he can get inside your head and turn you into a weapon.”

He sounded so certain. Briggs was capable of what Arys claimed. I didn’t doubt it. “Did he tell you that?”

“He didn’t deny it. When it comes to you, he doesn’t want to hinder what you are. He just wants to use you for his own gain.”

Jenner nodded his agreement. The two of them had faced off with Briggs. Maybe I hadn’t been there, but I knew they weren’t lying.

“I don’t trust Briggs. But I still have to do this. For Juliet.”

“Goddamn you’re stubborn, woman.” Arys’s snide tone didn’t match the concern in his eyes. He didn’t have to tell me that he was hurting. I could feel it. Arys wasn’t used to having things spin out of his control.

“So we’ll figure this out,” Shaz spoke up. “We’ll plan for a betrayal by Briggs and hope we don’t have to use it.”

Jenner made a big show of stretching and did his best to look bored. “Should I cancel my flight? Stay a while longer?”

“No,” I spoke quickly, before Arys could. “I appreciate the offer, but it’s best for you to get back to Vegas.”