Freak Show (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #7)(20)

“And you’re a little wolf playing vampire. It’s cute, really. But ultimately pointless. You’re not one of us.” A deadly glare replaced Jenner’s grin, and he advanced on me with slow, careful steps.

Arys was at my side, fingers alight with a golden-blue fire. “You’re right, Jenner. Alexa is not one of us. She’s more than we are. Why else would she have been able to kill Harley? You’ll be next if you continue this nonsense.”

“I’d like to make it clear that Harley is the one who taught me how to kill him,” I said. “You may want to chew on that for a bit.”

“Are you implying that my sire wanted you to kill him?” Jenner’s voice rose to a thunderous volume. “You think he wanted a hybrid mutation like you to take over his business? Not a chance in hell. You won’t make it out of town without paying for what you did to him.”

“I’m not implying a damn thing. Harley knew what he was risking by getting close to me. Do you?” I spoke through clenched teeth, finding it hard to hold the wolf back. I wanted to claw Jenner’s eyes out.

Sloane placed herself in front of Jenner. She touched his face, bringing his gaze to hers. “Jenner, be reasonable. Arys has never shown an interest in running Vegas. But he’s here for whatever reason. Maybe he can help us. Maybe if he knew—”

“Shut your damn fool mouth,” Jenner hissed. Grabbing her arm, he gave her a teeth-rattling shake. “I don’t need Arys to ride in here on his f**king high horse and save the day. My business is my business.”

Arys and I exchanged a look. Sloane was resistant, struggling against Jenner as she looked to Arys for help.

“It’s not only your business, Jenner.” Sloane jerked free of him and turned to us, a desperate plea in her eyes. “We’re in trouble, Arys. Since Harley’s death, things have gotten so bad. It’s the blood ring. We want out, and they won’t let us go—”

The crack of Jenner’s hand against her face was startling. She hit the floor fast and hard. A curse fell from her lips. In a blur of speed she was up, seething with fangs bared. But she didn’t say another word. Instead, she fled the room.

Everything happened fast then. Arys and Jenner were in each other’s face again, their shouts echoing through the room. The power level rose to the point of giving me a smashing headache. Jenner met Arys’s demand for an explanation with his own demands for blood and retribution. Shaz moved back a safe distance but was ready to jump in. The vampire pissing contest spiraled out of control.

Roscoe spoke up, his voice gruff but commanding, even amid the noise. “You’re brothers. There is no reason for this animosity.”

“Our brotherhood ended long ago.” Jenner’s nostrils flared, and he huffed. “I have no love left for the one who went out of his way to take everything from me.”

Yep, pissing contest. I somehow fought back the urge to roll my eyes. I couldn’t even begin to pretend to understand men, let alone men who were also monsters. Times like this, I thought maybe Jez had the better deal. No male bullshit.

“Hey, it wasn’t me who slept with your fiancée the night you were engaged,” Arys replied with a bitter laugh. “That was Maxwell.”

“No, you’re the one who married her instead, before you killed her, you son of a bitch.” Jenner dropped that bomb as if he’d been waiting a very long time to utter the words. It spoke volumes in regards to the hatred he carried like a flaming torch for Arys.

My jaw dropped. A memory slammed into me like a bullet train, a swarm of images that left me shaken and breathless. I had seen the photographic proof of Jenner’s claim. A year ago, one of Arys’s spurned lovers had sought to have him killed. She showed me the photo of Arys and his young blonde bride. I’d never had the guts to question him further on that. Now I didn’t have to.

I stumbled back a few steps, my hand going to my head as I struggled to see the room before me. Being forced to relive Arys’s memories as if I were there was a torment like no other. I always saw through his eyes, feeling what he felt. He had fallen for Jenner’s bride to be because she reminded him of the woman he had so recently begun to dream about, a woman destiny claimed he would never unite with.

“Alexa? Are you ok?” Shaz shook me, lightly slapping my face.

Laughter rang in my ears. With girlish giggles, she gazed up at Arys, batting her eyes. Within six months of their marriage, he had already decided it was over. Rather than ease his pain, she had made it worse.

Blood sprayed and laughter became screams. Arys’s slaughter was vicious, a frantic attempt to rid himself of a woman he was destined to long for but never know. To rid himself of me.

The memory faded, though the scent of blood and fear lingered inside me. Remnants of the vampire’s violence brought forth my wolf with a snarl. My four fangs filled my mouth, two on the top and bottom. Fists clenched, my claws sliced the palms of my hands.

“I’m fine,” I whispered, waving away Shaz’s concern. I was keenly aware of everyone’s eyes on me. It took great effort not to let my gaze fall accusingly upon Arys.

Jenner was eyeing me up, nodding in silent appraisal. “I want both wolves. One for Harley, the other for the woman I loved and lost to you.”

“Not a chance in hell,” Arys fired back.

“Then you’ve made your choice.” Jenner lunged, but Roscoe was just suddenly there, shoving him back. His large stature made his presence heavy, looming.