The Wicked Kiss (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #2)(82)

Arys reached out in blur of motion, grabbing me and pulling me down on the bed with him. He rolled me so that I was beneath him, his bare chest pressed to the front of my robe. I gave a little squeal as he did so.

“Is it really Shaz you’re worried about? Or is it you?” He nibbled my bottom lip ever so lightly. “Because something tells me that your wolf is probably more game than you realize.”

Shaz coughed lightly, drawing our attention to him. He stood beside the bed, a strange smile playing along his lips. “Actually,” he began, his expression growing serious. “I do have something I want to say, to both of you.”

Uh oh, I thought. Here it comes. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting from Shaz, but it was not at all what came next. Setting his coffee down on the night table, he sat gingerly on the edge of the bed. Arys let me up so that I could face Shaz, my heart in my throat as I expected some kind of bad news. Clearing his throat, Shaz took a deep breath and ran a hand nervously through his hair.

“Lex, I think that you should let Arys blood bond you.”

Chapter Nineteen

Shaz paused, allowing the meaning of his words to sink in. My jaw dropped, and I gawked at him incredulously. “Have you lost your mind? Is this a joke? No, forget I asked. You have to have lost your mind.”

He gave me a small smile, as if he’d expected my reaction. “No joke, babe. I’m dead serious. You’re clearly not safe anymore, and it will protect you from Harley and anyone else like him.”

I turned on Arys, glaring hard. “Was this your idea? Manipulate Shaz into your way of thinking so you can make me more of a vampire than I already am?”

“Of course not!” Arys’ blue eyes widened, and he drew back, shock written all over his face. “I didn’t know what the hell he was going to say.”

“Lex,” Shaz gave an exasperated sigh and reached to take my hand in his. “This is all me. Look, I know that there is a side of you that is all wolf and all mine. I cherish it more than I could ever express. But, we all know there is a part of you that has never been human or wolf. A part that is closer to vampire than anything else. It just makes sense.”

“It would join her to me forever,” Arys interjected, forcing Shaz to meet his piercing gaze. “Beyond death, she would rise again. Do you understand that, wolf?”

Shaz looked down at the floor, and I noticed that his lower lip trembled ever so slightly. My heart broke and I gravitated closer to him. He fixed Arys with intense green wolf eyes. “I do. That’s why I’m saying this.” To me, he added, “It’s your choice.

Imagine what could have happened tonight if Harley had been the one. I just … I fear for you.”

Arys shifted uncomfortably, and I knew that he agreed, despite what he had said before about not wanting to be the one to take my mortality away. I looked back and forth between the two of them. It became clear to me why neither of them wanted to tell me what they'd talked about the night I was attacked in the park. They had talked about this very moment. Without me.

It stung in strange places. Not that I planned to admit it to them. I avoided eye contact with either man by picking compulsively at the fluffy bedspread. Of course, I couldn't really hold it against them for discussing my well-being. But, I was anyway, just a little.

I didn’t want to be bound to Harley, but the real question was about my mortality.

There was definitely an advantage to being able to die twice, but to live as a vampire, for God knows how long, could I face that? Did I want to?

When Arys looked at me, I saw fear lurking in the depths of his ocean eyes. “I don’t want to influence your decision in any way. It has to be entirely up to you. I’m afraid that Harley will never give up his infatuation with having you for himself. Not if he feels he's entitled to you.”

I couldn’t help but remember the sensation of Harley's hands upon me and then his fangs. I had been unable to defend myself. I’d been helpless, and as I recalled how it had felt, I knew I could never allow Harley or anyone else to put me in that position again.

He had enlightened me to one thing though, I had to get more comfortable with my power and learn how to use it to the fullest extent. Harley had so much on me in that regard.

“Would you really want that, Arys? To be blood bound to me until one of us finally bites it?”

It was a crude way of saying things, but I was an anxious ball of nerves. I hadn’t realized I could be faced with a choice like this, at least, not so soon. After tonight with Harley, I couldn’t escape making a decision.

Arys’ voice was softer than I’d ever heard it. “You know I do.”

Shaz sat stiffly beside us. He didn’t seem at all put off by the vampire’s admittance.

Worry and love emanated from him, and again, I wondered how I had gotten so lucky to have someone like him in my life.

I could see Harley in my mind, his fangs sunk into my white wolf. Shaz was Alpha now, and I knew he was everything that meant and more. I had to accept that Shaz was as much a part of the supernatural and its dangers as I was. Doing this would be good for all of us. It wasn’t just about me.

“I said what I had to say. I didn’t mean to upset you.” Shaz pulled me close, pressing the warmest kiss to my lips. The love that filled me was unlike anything I’d ever known, and the power of it brought tears to my eyes. A few spilled over before I could blink them away, and I quickly wiped at them.