Only Vampires Cry Blood (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #3)(72)

“I don’t know. Let me handle it. If he tries to kill me or something, jump in. But, don’t do anything to put yourself at risk. I’m hoping it doesn’t come to that. I warned him this would happen. He didn’t listen.”

I felt restless and nervous. I couldn’t sit still, so when I’d finished my drink, I excused myself and went up to the bar for another. I barely even tasted the golden liquid as I drained a second glass of whiskey. My heart thrummed in my ears, and my senses were on full alert, waiting to feel that cold presence steal into the building.

I felt it internally first. A chill crept through me, and I glanced around, combating the fear that threatened. I wasn’t afraid of Arys. I wasn’t, dammit!

Though he couldn’t cloak himself from me completely, he did a damn good job of it.

I turned to step away from the bar, and he was just suddenly there, looming before me.

His blue eyes instantly put me on guard. The irises bled across the whites, obliterating them. Wolf eyes. My personal power shone in him like a beacon in the darkness. It was both breathtaking and horrifying.

I opened my mouth as if to speak, to plead with him for understanding. However, my breath was choked off when he grabbed me around the throat with one strong hand, slamming me back against the bar.

Arys brought his face close to mine, our cheeks pressed together as he snarled one word. “Why?”

The bartender behind us carried on his business as if he saw this kind of thing every night, which he likely did. I could feel the eyes of both Jez and Kale on us, but thankfully, neither moved to intervene. I said a silent prayer that Shaz wouldn’t appear from his place in the back hallway just yet.

I shook my head furiously from side to side, cursing myself when blood tears welled up in my eyes. Arys bared his fangs and repeated the word, though I didn’t think he really expected an answer. His hand on my throat shook with rage, but I sensed something else beneath the surface of his being. Pain.

He pulled back enough to fix with me a furious gaze. He loosened his hold enough so that I could breathe but made no move to release me.

“Come on Arys, you know why. Don’t tell me you never saw it coming.”

“I guess I should have. This isn’t the first time you’ve betrayed me recently.”

Cocking his head to one side, he looked me over from head to toe and breathed deeply of my scent. “I suppose some of this is my fault. If I wasn’t such a sucker for you, the unnatural wolf power and that magic pu**y, maybe it wouldn’t have come to this.”

The wolf inside me rose to the surface, and I bared fangs that were far deadlier than his. I blinked away the crimson tears and gripping his wrist, jerked his hand from my throat with enough force to bring a smile to his sensual lips. He wanted me to fight back.

I knew this. Yet, it was my instinct. I couldn’t deny the need to defend myself. I was nobody’s bitch.

“Remember who you’re talking to,” I snapped. “I’m not a vampire junkie that exists solely for your pleasure, Arys. I was ready and willing to kill the man that made me what I am. I was denied. That didn’t mean I couldn’t kill the one that made you what you are.

Deal with it.”

Arys held his hands up in mock surrender, smirking in a self-righteous manner that made me itch to slap him. Despite his evil, villain-style grin, he was seriously pissed off.

I could feel it oozing from him like molten acid. I wouldn’t get out of this without a few nasty burns. So be it.

“Forgive me. I forgot that I was dealing with the spoiled little werewolf that seems to think killing her own kind doesn’t make her a hypocrite. How thoughtless of me.”

I was fuming, and he knew it. In fact, he loved it. I curled my clawed hands as if to make a fist but I couldn’t. I succeeded only in cutting into the palms of my hands.

“And, just what is my kind?” I struggled to keep my voice calm. Draining the last of my glass, I motioned to the bartender for a refill. “I’m more than a werewolf and yet not quite a vampire. Got any answers? Oh, that’s right. No. You don’t. You like it better when I’m in the dark and easily manipulated.”

I tossed a few bills on the bar and accepted the refilled glass, not once taking my eyes from Arys. I knew better than to turn away from a vampire carrying a grudge.

In a blur of speed, his arm shot out, grabbing my empty hand. There was no gentleness to him when he brought it to his mouth and slowly licked the bloody cuts in my palm. My wolf was ready to tear him to pieces, but the woman inside me still quivered at his seductive touch. And, I hated him for it.

“Where is he?” Arys’ tone was ice cold.

“You mean what’s left of Harley? In his room. Unless he’s been vacuumed up by now. Then he’s right where he belongs. In the trash out back.”

With a growl, Arys tightly gripped my wrist and dragged me through the velvet curtain. Shaz was pacing at the far end of the hall outside Harley’s door. His head came up fast when he sensed us coming. I shook my head and gave him a look, hoping he’d understand and stay calm.

Arys stormed past him, shoving through the closed door. He came to a dead stop near Harley’s ashes still holding tightly to me. I watched as he took in the room, the burn in the carpet and what remained of his sire. I felt the first pang of guilt try to take hold of me, and I pulled away from him.

For some reason, I felt the need to explain, to make things better. The pain Arys fought back cut through me like a knife. I felt overwhelmed by his emotion, as if my heart were breaking, too. I’d never considered that killing Harley would emotionally wound me through our bond. Hurting Arys hadn’t been part of this. It was about eliminating someone that had to be stopped.