Smashed (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #8.5)(21)

She ordered a coffee before sliding into the seat across from me. “Was this really necessary?”

“Everything I do is necessary.” I was annoyed to find Gabriel’s words lingering in my thoughts. That little pecker. “What does Briggs plan to do with Alexa if he can catch her without having his throat torn out?”

Juliet shrugged and shook her head. She planned to lie to me. Already I could see through it, and she hadn’t so much as uttered a denial.

“I don’t know. He’s been gunning for her for quite some time now. I’ve done all I can to convince him that she’s not the threat he believes she is. He thinks that because I’m family, my view of the situation is biased.”

“Is it? Alexa is under the impression that you’d sell her out in a heartbeat if you thought you were doing the right thing.”

A grimace marred Juliet’s pretty face. She sipped from her coffee and glanced about the place before answering. “I wish I could say she was wrong. Unfortunately, I do think the FPA acts in the best interest of humanity. I don’t always agree with their methods, but I don’t make those calls.”

“So you’re basically saying that you would stand by and allow Briggs to do whatever he wants to Alexa because it’s best for humanity?” I questioned with a shake of my head. “Both you and Briggs are f*cking idiots. Alexa was born to protect humankind. She isn’t the enemy.”

Juliet squared her shoulders and gave her dark hair an angry toss. “She just kidnapped a federal agent. She’s killed publicly. If we turn a blind eye to her then we wouldn’t be doing our job.”

“You don’t have a f*cking job. You’re working for a human run government sector that mistakenly thinks they have a say in the paranormal world. They don’t. And you, being a werewolf, shouldn’t even be affiliated with them.”

“I didn’t come here to be told off.” Juliet stood up to leave. “Thanks for wasting my time.”

I rose as well, reaching out to grab hold of her arm. “Don’t go,” I said, with a gentle pulse of power meant to enthrall.

She shook her head as if confused. Then her eyes widened as she realized what my intent was. Juliet tried to pull away, and I forced her to meet my gaze. I watched as she struggled against my hypnotic pull and ultimately failed.

Her eyes glazed, and she stared at me as if I were the most wondrous thing she’d ever seen. That had been easy enough. Now to see if I could pump her for info.

“What does Briggs plan to do with Alexa?” I asked, continuing to wrap Juliet in my thrall.

She swayed slightly on her feet, likely lightheaded from the rush. “He’s given strict orders that she’s to be caught and kept alive. That’s all I know.”

Imagining Alexa as a government lab rat was enough to make my blood boil, but it was important to remain calm so as not to upset the connection between Juliet and me. I stared into Juliet, drawing her in deeper. She fell hard. It was likely that she’d never been enthralled by a vampire like me before, making this slightly enjoyable. Her pupils dilated in excitement, and the telltale scent of desire arose from her. I stopped her when she reached for me.

“Tell me something about Briggs that I don’t already know,” I commanded. “Tell me his secrets. A man like that has to have many.”

“Secrets,” she repeated. “My relationship with him is a secret. It’s frowned upon to fraternize in the workplace. He doesn’t want anyone to know.” She grimaced then, a scowl twisted her expression into something ugly. “He killed an agent right in front of me once. He claimed the man was a traitor, but that was a lie. Briggs was the traitor. He wanted to silence Jeff, because he knew something.”

She gazed beyond me, seeing something or someone that wasn’t really there. I shook her lightly, bringing her gaze back to mine.

“What did Jeff know about Briggs?” I asked, encouraging her to keep talking.

“He knew about the experiments Briggs ordered. The private ones the higher ups know nothing about.” Juliet appeared worried, like she knew she shouldn’t be sharing this but couldn’t stop it from coming out.

This was getting interesting. Finally, something I could work with. “What kind of experiments?”

She clamped her mouth shut. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and she shook her head. “I can’t.”

I needed to turn things up a notch, not something I could do in a public place with witnesses. Gently, I guided Juliet toward the exit. She clutched her coffee and allowed me to lead her.

After escaping the harsh fluorescent lighting, we stopped in the parking lot where nobody was around to save the little wolf from the big, bad vampire. Turning her to face me, I touched her cheek with a caress meant to stir the part of her only touched by human men. Her inexperience with vampires made it far more exciting than it should have been.

Seducing the sister of the woman I loved was bad news. I knew this. Still, I didn’t have a lot of options, especially if I wanted to get some dirt on Briggs.

I leaned in close, as if I might kiss her, knowing I wouldn’t. Wrapping her in my power, I whispered against her lips, “Tell me about Briggs’s experiments. What is he up to?”

Juliet shuddered and tried to bridge the tiny gap left between us. I pulled back, just enough to make her want it more. I traced a finger over her jawbone and down the side of her neck, eliciting a soft sigh from her.