Once Bitten (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #1)(60)

I gave the balcony gawkers a Hemi burnout as I cursed myself for messing around outside Lena’s. Thank God, she hadn’t caught us.

My first stop was the nearest Tim Horton’s for an extra large coffee. All nerves, I couldn’t stop running my hand through my hair. Though the coffee did nothing to calm me, it was soothing nonetheless.

After that, we hit a particularly seedy district of the downtown core, a prime locale for drugs and prostitutes. He promised to be quick. He’d dispatch one of the local vermin, and hopefully, ease my hunger. I didn’t think it would work, but I had my fingers crossed.

“So you want me to wait here?” I asked for the second time since we had parked behind the dingy bar.

“Yes, just wait here. I won’t be long. And, lock the doors.”

I thought he was full of shit but nodded anyway. “Will do, chief.”

Arys blended into the shadows so well that even I could barely spot him. The stereo played softly, which eased the heavy feeling that I was about to watch a murder.

I waited. The scent of coffee filled the inside of the car. My wet clothes left me chilled despite the heat at full blast. The headlights were off, but I wasn’t killing the engine in this part of town for anything. Soon enough, a shape emerged from between the bar and the vacant building next door.

As the shape approached the obscured vampire, it revealed two people. A woman that looked far too young to sell her body, and a man old enough to be her father. Arys grabbed the man by the shoulders and jerked him hard enough to lose his footing. The woman screamed and turned to run. I held my breath, afraid that Arys would stop her, but he let her go. Screams in this part of town rarely garnered response.

The noise from the radio seemed to fade away. I felt like I was watching the scene before me on an old movie reel. The rain and the vampire brought to mind a classic horror film.

I didn’t flinch. I didn’t even blink when Arys pulled the man into his embrace and sank his fangs deep into the human’s throat. Time seemed to stop, and I remembered Arys killing the nameless woman behind Lucy’s. I had liked it then, and God help me, I liked it now.

My predator grew hungry, and I should have been alarmed at my pleasure, but it just felt so right, so natural. My wolf thought nothing of my arousal at the kill. I, however, felt ashamed to be turned on as I watched the vampire take the man’s life. My self-control barely kept me from jumping Arys the moment that the passenger door opened.

“You reek of lust,” Arys commented. The fresh energy rolled off him and tantalized my senses. “What have you been doing in here without me?”

“Shut up.” My cheeks burned hot. I felt stupid and awkward as two very different natures warred inside me with their differing views.

Arys chuckled, and I used driving as a welcome distraction. I cracked open my window to allow the breeze and raindrops to hit my face as I gave myself a mental shake.

Lena was right. This was about control. Right now, I worried about that snarling wolf who didn’t enjoy being told no.

“Do you need another coffee? Or just a cold shower?” Arys smirked and even in the dim car interior, I could see that he wore not even a drop of blood. That must come with experience.

“I don’t think even the coldest shower would help me now.” I navigated a construction detour before glancing at him again. “Thanks to you.”

“Oh please,” he replied with a dramatic lilt to his voice. “You flatter me too much. Really. It isn’t good for my ego.”

“Isn’t that the God’s honest truth?” I made a sound of absolute disgust, and he laughed merrily.

I got on to the freeway exit that would lead us back to Stony. Before I could cuss out the guy who cut me off, my cell phone rang, startling me. I grabbed the noisy thing expecting Shaz or Ky. Instead, the number on the display made me cringe.

“It’s Raoul,” I muttered. “I wonder what he wants. If my vampire magic is so corrupt then maybe he can just leave a voicemail.”

Arys cocked his head to one side. “Maybe you should answer it.”

I raised an eyebrow to question his sanity, but he just shrugged. My curiosity piqued. Against my better judgment, I answered.

“Hello?” I sounded properly sharp and impatient, but Raoul completely ignored me. His frantic ramble came loud enough for Arys to hear. At first, the only words I could decipher were “Belle”, “shower” and “dead”. Whatever he’d said, it didn’t sound good.

“Ok, you’ve got to repeat that. I can barely catch what you’re saying.”

“Oh f**k, Alexa, I’m so screwed. I should have told you.” His terror put my heart in overdrive. Adrenaline hit me full force. Raoul was a professional, a businessman, and a self righteous jackass. I had never heard him speak like that.

“What in the hell is going on?” I put the phone on speaker as I sped down the highway.

“I’m at home with Belle. We’d been in bed together. I just went to the bathroom … to shower.” His voice broke and he paused. The silence in that moment was deafening. “When I came out …f*ck, Alexa, she’s dead. In my bed, as I speak.”

My driving went to shit, and I was thankful for the deserted highway. I was stricken. I felt my face pale. I was at a loss for words.

“Um, ok,” I said, stalling to think. “How long ago was this? Is anyone in the house?”