Freak Show (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #7)(54)

I shook my head, knowing full well that was impossible. Linden already had one of my weaknesses in his possession.

Rising, I gestured to Falon. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“I’m sure that I don’t want to do this, but seeing as it’s not quite my choice, let’s just make it fast.” He rolled up a sleeve and offered his wrist to me.

Swallowing hard, I took his forearm and stroked a finger over the veins beneath the surface of his skin. Blood that had never been human called to me with the promise of power born of a different realm. Being able to manipulate such forces was both a gift and a curse.

The weight of Arys’s gaze caused me to hesitate. “Are you sure you want to watch this?” I asked, hoping he wouldn’t.

“I do.” He shrugged unapologetically. Intrigue drew him closer.

I was careful to avoid eye contact with Falon. If it was anything like last time, things were about to get strange. I slid my fingers between his and pushed a breath of power into him. He responded as I’d hoped he would, pushing back with a suffocating breeze of potent energy. Closing my eyes, I reached down deep inside myself to the place where the succubus energy dwelled. It bubbled up in response like a pot boiling over on the stove, spilling over to draw Falon into my thrall.

I bit into his wrist, groaning as the power-charged blood hit my tongue. Falon healed rapidly, forcing me to bite again and again. The bloodlust surged forth and, with it, a hunger for the inhuman strength in every crimson drop.

It didn’t take long for the hypnotic pull to catch us both in its grip. Falon’s free hand tangled in my hair. My fangs pierced his flesh again, and he gave a ragged sigh. The euphoric charge filled me, empowering me with parts of him that I should never have been able to harness. The limited contact wasn’t enough, and I sought to take Falon down beneath me. I had to take him into me in all ways. I needed to explore his illicit desire.

He used the hand in my hair to jerk my head close. His lips were on mine, begging me for more. As powerful as he was, Falon was incapable of resisting my metaphysical call. I forgot about his wrist. His kiss was deep, passionate and demanding. I bit his lip, sucking it into my mouth before going for his throat.

Arys stepped in at the right time. He jerked me out of Falon’s arms, preventing me from taking a deadly amount. I stumbled, momentarily dizzy. Then my focus re-centered, and I licked the blood from my lips with a mischievous smile.

“I’m starting to think I should have been present last time this happened.” Arys’s expression was one of mixed emotion. I knew that glint in his eyes. He had liked what he just saw, but he didn’t want to, much like my reaction to Jenner in the theatre.

“Fucking hell,” Falon swore. “Why did you kiss me?”

I felt lightheaded and giggly. Falon’s power coursed through me, seeking an outlet. Containing it until I needed it most might prove difficult.

“You kissed me, pal. Nice try though. I wouldn’t want to admit to that either if I were you.”

“If I wasn’t here you’d be f**king on the table by now. This can never happen without a neutral third party.” Arys pulled me farther away from Falon as if he thought I might just drop my pants and bend over for the ass**le angel.

Falon’s pale eyes sparked with self-loathing. His reaction to me really made him unhappy. I found it satisfying.

“I’ll be around if I’m needed,” Falon muttered, barely able to bring himself to look at me. “Breathe a word of this to anyone, and I’ll gut you like the animal you are.”

He was gone before I could laugh in his scowling face. Too bad.

Someone was watching me intently. A glance about revealed it to be Jenner. He lingered near the door wearing a glower that made his ruggedly handsome features borderline ugly. Of course, he would be affected by what just happened. Our bloodline was the damndest thing.

“How do you feel?” Arys turned my attention back to him. His eyes were wide, pupils dilated with excitement. “Your eyes are silver, and your aura feels…off.”

All speaking at once, a crowd of voices accompanied the racing of my heart. I was ready for it this time. The thoughts of so many being freely exuded all around me was still overwhelming though.

“I feel like I could fly if I really wanted to. There’s this bizarre sensation, like I’m floating along above the surface rather than actually touching the floor. And I can already hear people’s thoughts.” Calming breaths. It might have been borrowed power, but it was now mine to do with as I pleased. I would not be bent to its will; I would do the bending this time.

“Stay calm and focused. Of all of us, you have the best chance of putting the fear in these guys. You were born to do this kind of thing.” The hug Arys pulled me into was warm and over much too quickly. He put me at arm’s length, as if he didn’t trust himself to be closer.

A shout from the doorman had us all braced and alert. I slid the Dragon Claw from its sheath before Linden strode through the front entry with four henchmen in tow. I’d expected more.

Pausing in the doorway, he surveyed the quick reparations that had been made since his stunt here last night before looking at each of us in turn. Jenner stood ready with power lighting up his clenched fists. With an air of casual disinterest, Jez held the stolen crossbow in one hand, bolt in the other. It was rare that I saw her truly afraid of anyone. Sloane hung back, behind the rest of us, but I felt her tap her power. The room buzzed with the force of Harley’s bloodline. How any one vampire could spawn so many impressive creatures was beyond me. Where did it all come from?