Only Vampires Cry Blood (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #3)(11)

I'm not a complete moron. I mean, Veryl is a vampire, an old ass one at that, but I'd invested a level of trust in him that I'd learned he didn't deserve. I couldn't help but feel like a naïve fool; he'd taken advantage of my personal life, my entire existence. Veryl had arranged for Raoul to bring me into his pack, all the while planning to recruit me later and make use of the things that set me apart from other werewolves. Because I was metaphysically gifted before Raoul turned me, Veryl decided that he wanted to see for himself how it enhanced me as a Were. It scared me, especially now that I was bonded on so many levels to Arys. If Veryl thought he was ever going to have access to my power, he had another thing coming.

I'd done my best to see him as little as possible over the last six months, and surprisingly, he had seemed uncomfortable around me, too. I wasn't sure how much he really knew about me lately. If Harley was aware of how much power I now had, how could Veryl not know?

As I drew closer to his office, my heart began to beat faster. Maybe I should have called in sick. I felt like I was on my way to stand in front of the firing squad.

Pushing the door open, I took a deep breath and stepped inside. Even after avoiding his office for months, it looked just the way it always had. Gorgeous furniture filled the space around his desk, which was covered in papers and computer accessories. Veryl seemed to blend in with the surroundings. His dark gray suit looked just as expensive as anything else in the room.

He looked up at my entry, gesturing to the soft leather chair across from his desk. I didn't want to sit, but I did anyway, anything to play my part and get this little meeting over.

“How have you been, Alexa?” He beamed a friendly smile at me, but instead of feeling at ease, it put me on guard.

Fine lines around his eyes gave him a gentle, almost fatherly appearance. It was all an illusion. Even as he sat there smiling at me as if he really cared how I was, I could feel his evaluation of me. There was the slightest irritating tickle against my aura when his energy brushed mine. Did he think that I wasn't able to feel his rude and invasive analysis?

He frowned, and I wondered what it was that he was sensing. Banishing it as fast as it had come, he turned his previous smile on full blast.

“Great,” I said, more chipper than was authentic. “How about yourself?”

“Delightful. I hope you didn't pay any mind to Lilah. She hasn't been herself lately.”

I shrugged in response to that, choosing to say nothing about her at all. His eyes never left me, and I got the feeling that he was trying to unnerve me. It took an astounding amount of effort to resist rolling my eyes. I just wanted him to cut to the chase already.

“Alright,” he clapped his hands together and dug through some folders on his desk.

“I'll tell you why I asked you to come in. It seems that there's a new werewolf in town, a stranger. He's asking around about Raoul.” He pressed his fingertips together and leaned forward.

“What? What's he asking?” I sat up straighter in my seat, astonished.

Veryl's eyes narrowed. “He's looking for him. Not many people outside those closest to him know what happened. I assume it's some old unsettled score or something of the such. That's what I want you to find out.”

My jaw dropped. “Say what?”

He smiled briefly as if my surprise was both expected and amusing. “I want you and your mate to find him and deal with it, before anything public occurs. I assume it would only be a matter of time until he brings trouble to your neck of the woods.”

I couldn't imagine who would be lurking around, trying to get dirt on Raoul. It could be anyone. I didn't know everything that he'd been up to before his death. He shared very little with me. His tendency to hide the important things was a lingering pain in the ass.

“It's Raoul's problem, dead or not. I don't want anything to do with it. If the guy is trouble, and you want him taken out, why not send Kale or Lilah?”

“You're an Alpha wolf with a lot of power, Alexa. You were Raoul's partner in leading those wolves of yours. Now, you and your mate are his successors as Alphas in your pack. Of course it has to be you.” Veryl spread his arms wide in a dramatic gesture.

“Both of you. This has nothing to do with my hired kills. This is your own personal pack business.”

I didn’t like the sound of this at all. “I don't want Shaz involved with this. It doesn't apply to him.”

“Don't be ridiculous. Of course it does. But, that's your argument with him, not with me.”

My mind was working overtime trying to think of someone, anyone who would have reason to be looking for Raoul right now. Whatever it was, it couldn't possibly be good, and hearing it from Veryl first wasn't so awesome for my ego. How could someone be hunting around for my former Alpha while I was totally unaware? That wasn't acceptable.

Shaz would never think twice about investigating the situation. Since he kicked Julian's ass in a fight for Alpha, he was fueled by the need to enforce his status and step up to the plate to fulfill his role.

Veryl tossed a cream-colored folder within my reach. “This is the address and the information I have for the werewolf that's been asking for Raoul. It's not much. Show it to your mate if you wish, but please, don't ignore this, Alexa. It could be dangerous.”

“I don't see why Kale can't just kill him.”