Stunner (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress 0.75)(7)

“I didn’t. I mean I wasn’t going to hurt her. I swear.” Desperation tainted Octavia’s words. She fought to break free of his hold but she wasn’t going anywhere. “She came here looking for trouble and she found it. We didn’t pursue her. I promise.”

The zip ties cut into my flesh as I tried to reposition myself so I could attempt to break them. I didn’t want to be here when Arys finished with Octavia. I’d rather take my chances fleeing into the night with the vampire who got away.

“She’s bound and bleeding, Octavia. There’s no talking your way out of that.” Arys placed a hand on both sides of her head. The power went out from him and her mouth opened in a silent scream. Seconds later, her entire body exploded.

Pieces of her rained down around me, bits of flesh and gore that quickly dissolved into dust and ash. Panic gripped me and I fought hard to seize those last precious moments before he came for me.

I took a deep breath and clenched my teeth. Stretching my hands as far apart as I could to make the zip tie taut, I banged the tie against a wooden slat on the back of my chair. A sharp pain shot through my sore wrists but the tie snapped.

I was on my feet, gazing up into midnight blue eyes. He was just there all of a sudden, blocking my path before I could take a step. Too late. It was all over.

He stared into me as if he could see into my soul. My mouth was as dry as cotton. I swallowed hard. The weight of his enchanting gaze held me immobile. I opened my mouth to speak but no sound came out. Intrigued. Mesmerized. Terrified. I was all those things and more as he reached out to touch me.

I trembled in anticipation, fearing how he might be planning to finish me off. The wolf inside me demanded that I run or attack. I had to at least go down fighting. Instead, I stood frozen, caught up in the heady pull of his allure.

Arys was as beautiful as he was deadly. There was a hard set to his jaw that hinted at a ruthlessness I had no desire to bear witness to. Silver rings shone in his ears, nose and bottom lip, enhancing his edgy but eye catching good looks. His eyes were sapphire pools that beckoned me to fall headlong into their depths.

I gasped at his touch. His skin was cool, indicating he hadn’t fed recently. That wasn’t going to help me get out of this. When his gaze strayed to my bitten neck I began to visibly tremble.

“Do I frighten you, little wolf?” His husky murmur slid down my spine like an icy hand.

His power was strong and intoxicating. It reached out to me and my own power burst forth in response. His energy mingled with mine in a dizzying union that crushed the breath from me. I’d never felt anything like it.

Our two separate powers coiled together, becoming something else entirely. It was a sudden and strong connection. My knees grew weak. I had to get the hell out of there. Giving in to a vampire’s thrall was not part of the plan. Of course, my plan had been blown out of the water long ago.

I forced myself to meet his hypnotizing gaze and I lied. “Not in the least.”

A grin lit up his face, revealing straight white teeth and wickedly sharp fangs. He leaned in close and I braced myself for the bite that would drain my life away. My heartbeat thundered in my ears, drowning out the sound of my rapid breaths.

His lips were warm against my ear when he whispered, “Liar.”

I shuddered, coaxing a chuckle from him. I couldn’t prevent my body from responding to his dark charm. As afraid as I was, I wanted him. It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. Our power writhed and flowed around us, an entity all its own. I couldn’t break free of his hold on me. Part of me didn’t even want to. That realization only served to heighten my terror.

“Please,” I heard myself beg. “Let me go.”

He was going to kill me and I was making it easy for him. I had to take my power back. Arys lingered, breathing in the scent of the blood that trickled from my neck. He sighed, a ragged sound so unexpected and human that it momentarily stunned me.

“How is it even possible that you exist? So much power for one so mortal and fragile.”

He wasn’t the first vampire to say something like that to me. He was however, the first to stare at me with such wonder and intrigue. Was this guy crazy? Just kill me and get it over with.

“I was born this way,” I squeaked out. I’d been able to manipulate energy in various ways all my life. What started as basic telekinesis and psionic skills had evolved over the years.

I stood stiffly as he ran a hand through my long, ash blonde hair. Pausing to study the tendrils that drifted through his fingers, Arys grew contemplative. “Unreal.”

He pushed me away so suddenly I stumbled. Hunger shone in his eyes. Run or fight. I had a split second to choose. Arys chose for me.

“Go, now,” he said through bared teeth. “Before I change my mind.”

His gaze wavered, straying to my bloody wound. The magnetic but brief spell was broken. I wasn’t dumb enough to stick around to ask questions. With a last parting glance at Arys, I turned tail and fled.

I wasn’t sure why he let me go. I was a hunter. A killer of those supernaturals who risked public exposure with their actions. My target had been Octavia. It was my blunder that I’d crashed a party of six. I didn’t know a damn thing about Arys, had never seen him before tonight, and certainly hadn’t expected a run in with him.

His manipulative touch had reached deep within me, awakening both intrigue and fear. I disappeared into the night with the echo of his power giving chase.