September Moon (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #8)(80)

With a push of power, I sought to twine our two energies together, to create the force that would make him mine as I had with Kale and Jenner. Shya would be sorry for messing with me when I had more control over his prodigy than he did.

Gabriel’s tongue flicked over the wound. It wasn’t the most moral way to deal with this situation, but since nobody else was playing the game with morals intact, they left me no choice.

The slap of burning hot demon magic broke the spell. I cried out and grabbed my head as Shya’s power sought to find its way into me.

“Did you just try to do what I think you tried to do?” Shya was suddenly there, standing between us, holding Gabriel off even as he struggled to get to me.

The pressure in my head eased off, and I pulled myself to my full height to face him. “If you think I just attempted to bind him so he’ll crave me and do anything I want, then yeah. I did. Thanks to you, it didn’t work.”

I never saw the backhand coming. Shya’s slap was no mortal slap. My head snapped sideways, and I went down hard. I tasted blood, having cut my tongue on my fangs. There was no way in hell I was giving him the satisfaction of acting wounded. I glared up at him with vehemence blazing in my eyes.

“You’re going to be sorry you tried that,” Shya seethed. “I hadn’t planned to torture you, but I just need you alive. I don’t need you sane.”

“Joke’s on you,” I laughed, risking another smack. “I haven’t been entirely sane for a while now.”

“Keep fighting, Alexa. I do love a challenge. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t fantasized about breaking your rebellious spirit.” Shya became aware of the demons’ curious attention as they gathered. He couldn’t lose face now. “I got my vampire from Arys. Now you’ll give me a wolf.”

I opened my mouth to tell him to shove it. Arys’s cool wind swept through me, and I knew he was there. This was going to go from bad to worse. When he came around the side of the house, he was promptly swarmed by demons. Shya barked an order to restrain him, to make him watch.

Watch what? I wanted to ask but already knew the answer.

I met Arys’s dark-blue gaze and shook my head, willing him to stay calm. He shouldn’t have come.

‘How could I not?’ He asked inside my mind. ‘I can’t leave you here with him.’

Shya seemed reluctant to touch me. He told Falon to pin my arms behind my back and hold me steady. With my back to his chest, Falon held me so tight I thought my arms might pop out of the sockets.

“Gabriel, select one of these lovelies, whichever you prefer, and bleed them. Slowly. Make sure Alexa gets a good view.”

Having sated the worst of his hunger, Gabriel managed to do as he was told. Dragging a blonde from the pool, he pulled her close, pressing her wet, naked body to his. He whispered something in her ear, and she fell under his spell. Crap. He was good for such a newbie. She stared up at him with a silly smile, oblivious to the bloody bodies littering the ground around her.

Gabriel had changed. The quiet, brooding teenager was gone. In his place stood a vampire with the confidence and command that only came with power rooted in darkness.

“Why are you doing this, Shya?” I dared to ask. “Like really, what’s your goal here?”

Gabriel ran a hand down the woman’s body, and she quivered at his touch. Her arousal was enticing. I was eager for her to bleed despite the many he’d drained already. The bloodlust rode me, and I was slipping.

“You claimed not so long ago to lead the vampires and werewolves against me rather than for me,” Shya said. “Remember? I know you’ve taken steps to do that, aligning yourself with the Doghead wolves. So I’ve taken it upon myself to start my own army of wolves and vampires. Arys gave me Gabriel, and you will give me a wolf. Then I can create as many of each as I’d like. All of them descended from the two most powerful. Genius, isn’t it?”

“Oh yeah, that’s real f*cking Einstein of you. I bet you’re proud of yourself.” My teeth banged together as Falon gave me a shake.

The horrible part was that it was smart. It could also never happen. Shya had to be stopped. If he continued on with this plan, it would spell disaster for the city whether he found the scroll or not. Torturing me with the bloodlust would work too. I would snap and go straight for that woman. And she would turn if I didn’t kill her.

The blood hunger always began in the pit of my stomach. This twisted, dark need, it ached and gnawed, wearing me down.

In a shocking move, Gabriel slid a hand between the woman’s legs. She melted at his touch, slumping against him and begging for more. As much as I told myself I didn’t want to watch, I couldn’t look away.

Falon’s grip tightened, drawing my attention back to him. If I could just get him to let me go, perhaps I could prevent the attack I knew was coming. I couldn’t hold off much longer.

Gathering the sensual energy flooding me, I focused on directing it at Falon. Immediately I felt him stiffen. Hating myself for doing it, I brazenly pressed my rear end against him. I was a woman, and I knew it didn’t take much to incite a response from a man. Falon was no different. His body betrayed him, and he grew hard against me.

“You’re making a very grave mistake, Hound,” he murmured in my ear, low so that Shya wouldn’t hear.

“Am I?” I asked coyly. “Let me go, and it stops.”