Only Vampires Cry Blood (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #3)(61)

Harley crossed his arms over his chest and met my eyes with a gaze so chilling mine must have looked pitiful in comparison. Damn vampires.

“A demonstration? Like what? You must have something specific in mind.”

I sighed and leaned back in my chair. Since making up my mind earlier about Harley’s imminent demise, I felt much calmer around him. I’d never been this relaxed inside The Wicked Kiss. I was self-conscious though, hoping I didn’t give anything away with my words or actions.

“What about the big things? Like healing? Or manipulating the form of a person or object?”

He continued to stare at me. With his arms crossed over his expensive black suit, he looked like a secret service agent from TV. All he needed was a gun and dark sunglasses.

I shrugged but offered nothing more. If he couldn’t show me those things, I was done here.

In a blur of motion, he was suddenly beside me, gripping my arm in his cold hands.

It startled me, which had clearly been his intent. He gestured to my exposed forearm.

“Cut yourself. A nice deep one. You have claws.”

“Seriously?” I gawked up at him, struggling not to leap out of my seat and jerk away.

“Of course. How else do you expect me to show you healing?”

I guess I hadn’t thought that far ahead. Surely, we could employ someone else in the Kiss for that. Though, I suppose that wasn’t really fair. I wanted to know so it was fitting I’d be the guinea pig. At least I got to inflict my own injury. That seemed safe enough.

“You better not be bull shitting me.” I held out my free hand, focusing ever so slightly. My fingernails lengthened into razor sharp claws and for a split second, I had the urge to bury them in Harley’s throat.

Instead, I carefully dragged one long claw along the flesh of the arm Harley held. It stung, but it was bearable. Blood welled up from the gash, and I glanced at the vampire, curious to see his reaction. There was none. Harley had had centuries to perfect his poker face. He was much better at it than I was.

An injury like the one I’d just given myself would have normally healed up overnight. I watched as Harley released my arm and held his hands over the wound, careful not to touch. His eyes were intent on the bleeding cut. My skin began to grow warm and then tingled as he tapped his power.

“Envision it as healed,” he whispered without meeting my eyes. “See it in your mind, whole again.”

My jaw dropped when the stinging wound sealed up as I watched. The pain disappeared and nothing remained but a smear of blood. The place where the cut had been tickled a little, giving me the urge to scratch. I reached to touch it, finding smooth, unblemished skin.

“Just like that, huh?” I was breathless, awed by what Harley had just done. He made it look so simple.

“Just like that. You know how to focus energy. You just have to drive it into your source and direct its path.” I didn’t miss the dark glare he shot me when he added, “And, that’s something I know you can do.”

My cheeks warmed at the memory. So, Harley was holding a grudge. It had been months since I’d tried to kill him. Arys had stopped me. Regardless, I was planning to finish what I’d started then.

I wasn’t about to defend myself for something I didn’t regret. “Oh come on now, don’t pretend part of you didn’t like it.”

He huffed and paced away from me but said nothing. I smiled to myself.

I wanted to push the issue of getting Zoey back into a human body but wasn’t sure how to approach it. Just spit it out? Something about it felt taboo, as if I were inviting disaster by even considering it.

I was trying to find the right words when an icy chill shot up my spine. My senses were on fire as Arys’ unmistakable presence made itself known. He was here. Just my damn luck. I hated the trepidation that filled me as he drew closer. My eyes went to the door, and I waited with baited breath.

He had to be fuming, sensing my presence as well. Well … f*ck him. I had just as much right to be here as he did. I was ready when the door swung open, a stubborn expression already in place on my face.

Harley’s gaze strayed to the door, his eager smile just another reason for me to kill him. The bastard had likely been expecting Arys. Neglecting to mention it wasn’t going to win him any points with me.

I was ready to be stubborn if Arys came in with attitude. I was prepared to tell him off if he backed me into a corner in front of Harley. What I wasn’t prepared for was the way my heart fluttered and dropped at the sight of him. Oh, Lord.

Arys’ jet-black hair was always messy in a sexy bedroom way, as if he’d just rolled out of bed after lovemaking. Now it was also damp from a recent shower. I couldn’t help the image of him that flashed through my mind, naked and wet.

Like usual, he looked good enough to eat in his casual attire, blue jeans and a black t-shirt that hugged his hard body just right. His fierce blue eyes landed on me immediately, and I sat up a little straighter in my chair.

He pinned me with a heavy stare, one that left a flaming heat within me, as he slowly looked me over. I was no idiot. Though I hadn’t expected Arys to show, I’d known it was possible so I’d worn the black halter-top with the plunging neckline, the one I knew he loved on me. I hid a grin when his gaze strayed to my cle**age.

“Hello, Arys.” I nodded, unable to resist giving him a suggestive smile and a wink. If he thought he had the advantage here, he was going to discover how wrong he was.