Once Bitten (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #1)(32)

I bit deep, fatal. Enraptured by my power, my victim sought only to draw me closer as the life pumped out of her body. A struggle was preferable, but this quiet complacency was nice, too.

The grip of the vampire’s memory was broken as my muzzle hit the dirt. Shaz had successfully caught me unawares with that pounce. His playful attack sent me sprawling, and when I got to my feet, I was angry.

Irrational rage filled me, and a deep growl erupted from my throat. Shaz’s ears twitched, and he looked at me with confusion. Blood and death, they filled me, and I could already taste his blood. I could see only the invigorating rush of hot, violent death.

When I rushed him, I had very little sense of self and a need for blood that I had never known. He realized, as I reached him, that something wasn’t right. He met me with his lips peeled back in a snarl, but fear shined in the depths of his jade eyes.

The impact of our colliding bodies broke the stillness surrounding us. The wind rushed out of my lungs as we went down and rolled. On my feet, I rushed him again, but a part of me asked what the hell I was doing.

The scent of blood hit the air, and my stomach cramped. Hunger swarmed me until I was drowning in it. I saw only through the vampire’s eyes. Need drove me, and I fought hard for Shaz’s throat.

His powerful jaws snapped inches before my face and drove me back. I circled wide and prepared to spring on him again. When I leapt, however, I quickly found myself going nowhere as pain shot up my spine. I thumped heavily to the ground and whirled around.

Raoul gripped my tail with strong hands. He was in human form, but he bared his fangs at me. With one great heave, he flung me away from Shaz. All four of my feet left the ground as I flew a good twenty feet through the air. So much for healing up those sore muscles.

Before I could get to my feet, Raoul was on top of me. He straddled my upper body and pressed my face against the ground. He had me trapped. I couldn’t get up.

My every instinct screamed for me to remove him metaphysically, but in my wolf form, my skills were greatly restricted. Instead of struggling against Raoul, I stilled under his weight. I submitted.

My face stung, and my tail ached. I cursed both Arys and myself up and down. I needed to talk to Lena about this.

“Alexa?” Raoul’s voice came low in my ear. “Have you lost your damn mind?”

I was hoping he didn’t expect a verbal reply. There was no way that I was going to shift with his naked ass on top of me.

“What’s gotten into you? You’re beyond this kind of loss of control.” When I made no move to fight, he slowly began to release his hold on me.

“Is she ok?” Shaz’s voice. He’d shifted fast. Even after what I’d just done, his first concern was still for me.

My heart broke, and I knew, suddenly and exactly, how bad I’d really f**ked up. Power like Arys’s and mine was a curse before it was a gift.

“She seems fine. Other than the rabid bitch mentality.”

“I’m not sure what happened. I was just playing around, and she snapped.” I could see Shaz shrug as he came into my line of sight. “Don’t poke the bear, I guess.”

It pissed me off how they spoke as if I wasn’t there.

“I think it’s more like, don’t tease the werebitch,” Raoul said, and I felt my anger begin to bubble again.

He wasn’t sounding like someone who needed my help. He looked down at me and said, “I’m going to let you up now. No sudden moves.” As if to enforce his meaning, the jerk dragged a clawed finger across my throat before releasing me.

I have never felt as humiliated as I did right then. Without looking at either of them, I turned tail and fled into the night. I ran blindly for hours, until I could run no more. Nearing sunrise, I was thoroughly exhausted and finally headed for home.

Kylarai met me as I stepped through the patio door. She wore a look of concern and stood with her arms crossed over her chest. I could take a wild guess that she’d heard about my temporary loss of sanity.

Before she could open her mouth to speak, I burst into tears. I felt ashamed, and it made my gut ache to think about hurting Shaz.

“Alexa…” she was hesitant. It seemed as if she wasn’t sure what to say. Her lips formed a small “o” of surprise, and when I wiped my eyes, my hands came away red.

Blood tears, only vampires cry blood tears.

“I don’t know what’s happened to me, Kylarai.”

“You need to talk to Arys. Maybe he’s not well either. Maybe he needs help, he could be dangerous like this.”

I gave her a look that clearly indicated she wasn’t helping. Arys was already dangerous. “I need to call Lena. She has to know something.”

Ky nodded but said nothing. She seemed to be having a hard time meeting my eyes. I went to the bathroom to wash my face, but my reflection stopped me dead in the doorway.

My eyes were a sparkling vibrant blue. That sapphire blue belonged on someone else. Red streaks stained my cheeks, hideous and mocking. Unnerved, I forced my feet to work so I could stare closer into my face in the mirror.

“Holy shit,” I breathed, horror struck. I didn’t look like me. My deep brown eyes were now the color of Arys’s eerie vampire orbs. A shiver crawled up my spine.

“How are you feeling?” Kylarai spoke from the open doorway behind me.

“Not like myself. If that wasn’t already apparent. How’s Shaz?”