Once Bitten (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #1)(74)

That was carefully worded, suspiciously so. I couldn’t help but wonder if there had been a double meaning to it. I’d felt him in my mind. Just how much had he seen?

“Thank you,” Shaz said softly. I was painfully aware that something unspoken was passing between them. Arys was conceding that Shaz had something on him. I didn’t like it one bit.

As I floundered for words, Kylarai cleared her throat, and all three of us looked at her. I hoped that neither of the guys noticed the grateful smile I shot her.

“So, what’s our plan? We find her, and then what?” Kylarai downed the last of her iced cappuccino and fixed me with her grey eyes.

I slapped at a mosquito that had strayed inside. “Honestly? I’m not entirely sure. I’d kind of hoped we could hand her over to Veryl. He might have a safe place to keep her.”

“Like imprison her?” Kylarai’s tone said that she found the idea ridiculous.

“I don’t know what else to do right now.” A strand of hair kept escaping from behind my ear, and I huffed in irritation.

“Kill her.” Arys spoke matter of fact, and though I agreed, death wasn’t my first choice at this point.

“No. Nobody is killing her unless there is absolutely no other way. I want to talk to her.”

“Where’s Raoul tonight?” Kylarai grew thoughtful, judging my reaction.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I ignored his call earlier.” He hadn’t left a message, so I felt justified in my choice to screen his call.

“So, he has no idea that we’re hunting his daughter tonight?” Shaz sat up straighter in his chair, his features pinched in disapproval. “Oh Lex, that’s not cool.”

I couldn’t resist looking to Arys. I wanted him to validate my choice. His gaze bore into me, and I felt my power reach for him.

Like the humans in the coffee shop around us, neither Kylarai nor Shaz would see the power, but they’d be able to feel it. The growing power struggled to break free of our control. Maybe Arys should have fed after all.

“If Raoul knew, he would never let us find her.” Kylarai pointed out. “He’s really just afraid for himself. Typical selfish bastard.” Her tune had certainly changed lately. She turned around and stared at the line. She didn’t get up for more coffee. “Let’s just grab her and take it from there. If worse comes to worst, we can just give her to Dracula, here.” She gestured at Arys who smiled. “He can make short work of her in no time, and she’ll die with a smile on her face.”

Shaz gave Kylarai a disapproving look, but she just shrugged. The two of them often disagreed at random. Shaz couldn’t understand how Kylarai could go from being the nicest person around to a ruthless, no nonsense killer. She on the other hand understood that he had yet to come to that point. That remaining innocence was part of Shaz’s charm.

He wasn’t completely naive. He simply couldn’t relate to what Kylarai and I had lived through. Every one of us walked a very different road, but at the end of the day, we were still pack.

“Nobody is going to bleed her, except for maybe me. I might be on her hit list, and it may come to that.” I gave everyone at the table a look that said I meant business, though I doubted anyone took me seriously.

Jez’s white Liberty passed by on the highway just beyond the parking lot. I watched distractedly while she pulled into the Travelodge parking lot next door. Kale’s dark haired silhouette was clearly visible in the passenger seat. My tension eased simply knowing that we could get moving and stop sitting in an awkward little circle.

“Let’s just meet them out there.” I waved to the Liberty through the large window, grabbed the coffee that I’d bought for Jez, and turned to lead the way out.

“Excuse me,” I murmured as I squeezed between two ladies in line for coffee.

Outside, my shoulders eased and I realized how tense I’d been. I had to force myself not to run out of the building in a desperate attempt to put space between Arys and I. The pull was so strong that I wondered if he was encouraging it purposely. I blamed it on his hunger. If that was part of some pissing contest between him and Shaz, I planned to be seriously ticked.

In the parking lot, Jez reached for her coffee before she shut the Jeep’s door. “Thank you. Damn girl, you can read my mind. I swear.” She winked and licked her scarlet lips before sipping from the steaming cup.

She looked smoking hot in tight black leggings and a black tank. The golden hair piled on top of her head shone like she’d stepped out of a shampoo commercial. A glance down at my blue jeans, black ankle boots and basic black halter-top made me feel drab in comparison. It must be her golden hair. My ash blonde was not nearly so brilliant in contrast. Next to Kylarai and Jez, I felt like the girl next door. I’m attractive, but they are striking.

“I really appreciate you giving up your night off. I hope it’s not a waste of everybody’s time, but I need to deal with Zoey before she decides to deal with me.”

I resisted the urge to take a step back when Jez leaned in close to breathe my scent. “Oh, you naughty girl,” she purred as she glanced at Kale, who was greeting my small crew with the best fake polite act that I’d ever seen him pull off. “You finally did it.” She grinned and winked slyly. I shot her a warning look that went ignored.

I waited patiently while everyone exchanged pleasantries, and the two vampires sized one another up. They’d met before but only briefly. The fact that Kale and I were strictly platonic seemed to be enough for Arys. His good behavior was surprising. So, he could be civilized and abandon the tough guy routine on occasion.