Once Bitten (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #1)(68)

“So, no hybrid fun for the vampire?”

I shot him a scowl, and Arys laughed. A pleasurable thrill tingled in places that simply should not respond so strongly to something so miniscule. Damn him.

“Keep your hands off of her. And, anything else that may come to mind, too. Seriously.” I narrowed my brow in my best no nonsense face. “Grab her if you see her, but don’t do anything but detain her. Capiche?”

“Relax, Alexa. I won’t bleed the half breed, promise.”

When people tell me to relax, it only serves to tick me off more, but I stifled a yawn and blinked through watery vision. I hadn’t been getting enough sleep. The digital clock on the dash read 2:17am, and I knew today would be another long one.

“It’s not you bleeding her that concerns me.”

I smiled upon noticing that the rain had stopped. I already knew how fresh and inviting the forest would smell after a warm summer shower. I wanted so badly to be there with Shaz.

Arys squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. “The heavy presence of your wolf is like a weight inside my head. You need to shift.” The way he said it was so casual, as if our fates were not inextricably entwined, as if his perception of my wolf were perfectly normal.

“I know. That’s my next move. I can’t focus on anything else until I clear my head with a run.”

“Why don’t you let me out at the 7/11?” He said suddenly. “You can go to your wolf pup, and I’ll do a little scouting around before I head home.”

I felt a little strange that he could sense my intentions so clearly.

Before I could form a response, he continued with a grimace. “My fingers are itching. Get your ass out of that skin and turn furry before I lose my mind. I swear I’ll keep a better rein on the bloodlust from now on.”

Sharing our power was hard, but sharing our weaknesses was a new kind of hell.

“If you kill that puppy you just got for Mrs. Olson, I will personally kick your ass.” I teased. The 7/11 was right on the corner up ahead, near the main thoroughfare.

“Oh God, Alexa, don’t even joke about that. Did you see how damn cute he was?”

I chuckled and shook my head at the big, bad vampire who melted over puppies. “What I did see was that poor old Mrs. Olson didn’t have a clue that you tore the head off of her little Benny.” I made a tsking sound, and Arys gave my thigh a playful pinch that had some sting to it.

“Up here is fine.” He pointed to a crosswalk a good block or so before the twenty-four hour convenience store. The crosswalk was flanked by nothing but the darkness and only led to the Brown Street walking path, a ten minute walk from where I’d killed David. I was suddenly stricken with anxiety.

I pulled over. My heart began to pound as I stared out the window into the dark. My chest tightened, and my breath seemed to come short. Somebody had to have found the grisly remains of David by now.

Arys leaned over and drew me close. With a soft kiss at my temple, he whispered, “I took care of it. Nobody’s going to find a thing.”

I had to pull back to look at him. The lights of an approaching vehicle flashed in the rear view mirror, and I flipped my hazard lights on so they would go around.

“You did what?”

“I took care of it,” he repeated as I stared at him stupidly. “There is nothing left to be found. It’s your dirty little secret.”

I swallowed hard as my pulse raced. Did I want to ask what he’d done with the remains? The images of what I’d done to that man flashed again in my mind, images that could never be erased. It hadn’t been pretty.

“I can’t believe you did that.” A long, shuddery breath left me, and I felt both relief and shame. “I can’t believe his girlfriend didn’t send somebody to find him.” My laugh bordered on neurotic.

“You know I’ve got your back.” Arys looked at me gravely, all serious. “It was partly my fault that you lost control. We can only maintain control of this by keeping our hungers sated.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“You’ve been fine since I took blood. Me? I’m starting to itch on the inside. The burning comes next. You need to let the beast out.” He gave my hand a squeeze before adding, with a fang flashing smile, “By the way, you owe me two hundred bucks for half of Mrs. Olson’s puppy.”

I gaped, open-mouthed, at him, and he took advantage of the moment. He pressed his lips hungrily to mine. The distinct taste of pine and wolf almost made my heart stop.

When he pulled back, I said breathlessly, “You taste like wolf.”

With a bitter smile and a pained expression, he nodded. “Hurry. I’ll see you soon.”

He disappeared like vapor into the night, a timely and dramatic exit, and I was flabbergasted by his strange and intoxicating devotion. I wasn’t quite sure what Arys was up to, but I trusted him. And, I sincerely hoped that he would never make a fool of me for doing so.

I turned off the hazard lights and eased down the street. I whipped a U-turn at the 7/11 and went back the way that I’d come. I drove straight to the lounge.

Lucy’s brimmed with people despite the line of patrons that ambled out, talking and laughing amongst themselves. Though the bar was now closed for drinks, many people continued to down their last, content to stay until closing. They finished that last game of pool or sought a potential bed partner before closing time.