Only Vampires Cry Blood (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #3)(2)

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I was wasting my time matching wits with this pathetic leech. His energy was eager, hungry. He really thought he was going to feast on my blood. Well, he wouldn't be the first to try. Due to my experience with vampires, I naturally expected a metaphysical attack. It completely caught me off guard when he suddenly flew at me like a football player making a tackle.

Fangs bared, he came at me so fast that I had little time to react. I threw my arms up to protect my face and throat, simultaneously lashing out with power. It hit him before he hit me. My failure to direct the blow effectively caused it to do little more than slow him down, and he simply came at me again. The power that swirled around me was like a tornado of pure energy that had the strength to move mountains. Yet, because I did not have the ability to fully control something so wild and lively, it instead failed me.

The breath was crushed out of me when I hit the ground flat on my back. He was on top of me, fighting to gain a hold and bare my throat. Throwing him off was too easy. No sooner had I formed the thought than he was airborne. The unpredictability of my power was unnerving. I tried to gather it tightly to me so that I could better manipulate it.

The more my inner rage grew, the more I needed to tear him apart with my bare hands, to devour him. I couldn't help the smile that curved my lips. I was always game for a fight to the death. I have yet to lose.

Advancing on him, the power crackled around me. It drove me as the desire to feed on his undead energy rose up to consume me. He watched me warily, taking an uncertain step back. That one small move told me everything about him. He had nothing. Like most vampires, he was a mediocre monster playing the role of super bad, a minor inconvenience at best. I guess he didn't think I was just a werewolf after all.

I licked my lips as if anticipating a gourmet meal. His heady energy would be a most pleasurable power high if nothing else. He wasn't going to talk about what was going on inside The Wicked Kiss, and I had better things to do than waste my time torturing potentially useless information out of a worm like him. I could live without answers. I knew enough to justify taking him out. Anyway, it was a bit of a personal “f*ck you” to Harley by taking out one of his regulars.

The shift in the atmosphere seemed to affect the vampire right away. His stance changed from defensive to unguarded, as if he weren't sure what to do. The need to tear his throat out had shifted to a hunger for his supernatural essence; my own energy had reached out to seduce and draw him in. It hadn't been an entirely conscious decision on my part. It came naturally.

I watched as he tried to fight it. I knew what it felt like to be sucked into someone else's power, spiraling out of control into an abyss that was as enticing as it was deadly.

The time I had experienced it, it had scared me into a panic. I never would have dreamed that same ability would so soon be mine. It felt much too natural and that scared the shit out of me, too. The blood bond that I'd formed with Arys had changed everything for me.

I went from being naturally gifted with basic abilities to having more power than anything living should have. Or, so I've been told. The fact that I'm a werewolf makes me somewhat of an enigma to vampires like Arys and Harley. The vamps with the serious power, they can't get enough of me. It started with Arys. He was the only one who called to that part of me. After forming a power bond with him and joining our power, it all snowballed out of control.

With that increase in my abilities, I began to capture the attention of power hungry vampires like Harley and my own friend and colleague, Kale Sinclair. Forming the blood bond with Arys was the only way to guarantee that no other vampire would ever be able to force me into one. Considering Harley had tried it, I had little choice in the matter. It was either be bonded in every way to my vampire lover or take my chances.

What made the blood bond most scary was the fact that mortals bonded to a vampire by blood were fated to rise as an undead themselves after passing through their mortal death. They would remain bound to that vampire indefinitely. As supernatural as werewolves are, we are still unmistakably mortal.

Being a living creature with powers that belong to the dead has been a recipe for disaster. Whether that was because I still lived and breathed, I didn't know, but I faced a constant battle for control of myself and my abilities. When it did all come together though, it was pure magic and it felt damn good.

I knew the moment that he was all mine. Gazing into his eyes, I lifted a hand and beckoned to him with one finger. The sensual quality to it felt foreign but comfortable.

He didn't want to respond—I could sense it—but, with one foot in front of the other, he came to me anyway. I stopped him with a gesture before he invaded my personal space.

Running my hand over his aura caused him to squirm as if I'd touched him. His energy felt warm and smooth. Taking a deep breath, I drew it in so that it rolled over me, tasting what this vampire was really made of. His sweetness pleasantly surprised me. His power wasn't exceptional like Arys', but it was strong. It created a tingle in the pit of my stomach, one that quickly grew to encompass my entire body.

“You've been turning vampires at The Wicked Kiss.” It wasn't a question. I stepped closer so that barely a foot of space remained between us. The slightest motion of my fingers, and I pulled hard on his power, tearing it from him painfully fast.

With a cry, he went down on his knees. Staring up at me, he nodded calmly. Taking his energy into me so fast resulted in a disorienting head rush that almost sat me on my ass. I fought to clear my head and focus on the vampire at my feet. The control I had over him just that quickly blew my mind. Now, if only I could maintain it.