Whisper to a Scream (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #6.5)(8)

I wanted to brush the hair out of her eyes and tell her that the right man would never mislead her. It was a growing battle to keep such promises silenced; it wasn’t my place.

Besides, I didn’t dare interrupt her. Fueled by intoxicated ease, her words were flowing freely, and I feared that they might stop.

A familiar sensation gripped me. My charge was in danger, a threat that I was obligated to dispatch. I had to be there, now.

“I’m so sorry,” I interrupted. “I’ve got to go. I’m needed elsewhere. Immediately.”

Christina sat up straighter in her chair, sobering somewhat. “Did I bore you? Geez, you could have just told me to shut up. You don’t have to invent a reason to leave.”

Rising, I reached across the table and took her hand, a brief moment of contact that was over too soon. “You could never bore me. You’re far too fascinating for that. I’m sorry to leave like this. I’ll come right back, though I don’t expect you to wait.”

I pressed some money into her hand, more than enough for the drinks. I was already late so there was no time for goodbyes.

Exiting the building, I thought of Alexa and willed myself to be where she was. Time and space ceased to exist. Then it returned, and with it, my arrival to a large theme hotel.

I lingered unseen, without physical form. A demon had caught Alexa and her male companion unawares. He was sprawled on the floor, unconscious. Alexa fell to her knees under the weight of the demon’s metaphysical attack.

Before I could intervene, the door burst open, revealing one of the most powerful demons ever to walk the earth. Lilah’s history was vast, and her current state was complicated. She made short work of Alexa’s attacker. With just a word and a look, he was obliterated, destroyed by one of the few demons with the ability to do such a thing.

After rousing the downed man, Lilah made a hasty exit. I watched her quick retreat down the hall. She stopped suddenly, turning on her heel to look right at me.

“You dropped the ball on that one, Willow,” she said, smiling in dark amusement. “That isn’t like you.”

I stepped forward, taking on physical form. “I was here. I was in there before you were.”

“And, you’re defensive too,” she taunted. “Don’t worry. I took care of it for you. This time.”

She kept walking, taking the stairs rather than the elevator. I matched her pace, furious with myself for being late to act and furious with Lilah for being a pompous fiend.

“Stay away from her, Lilah,” I warned, bristling with power. I couldn’t help but react to her darkness with readiness. “I know Shya sent you. I won’t let either of you get to her.”

“I have a job to do. Just like you.” She was a woman of few words. Moving fast, she descended the stairs at a pace that would have astonished a human bystander.

“You serve only yourself. No good comes from anything you do.”

She stopped, turning to face me. Her eyes were like fire. “I’m pretty sure I just did your job back there. What were you doing that kept you from taking that guy out first?”

I said nothing. She drew her own conclusions from my silence. “Uh huh. An angel with a secret. How fun. You just might prove to be interesting.”

I stopped in my tracks, watching her saunter down to the last floor and out the exit. She didn’t look back, leaving me instead with her parting words and my own shame. She was right; we both had a job to do.

After ensuring Alexa was indeed safe, for the moment, I took my leave and returned to Woody’s Pub. Christina was gone.

The bartender caught my eye and shrugged. “That girl doesn’t wait around for any man. Once the cash and the booze stop flowing, she’s done.”

I left the pub to stand outside and stare down the street. She was nowhere in sight. Letting her go was in both of our best interests. In all honesty, though, I didn’t want to. At the very least, I owed her an apology.

“Is there something you’d like to share?” Serene’s melodic voice rang out behind me.

I turned slowly to face him. “Not particularly.”

We stared at one another. When I wouldn’t volunteer anything, Serene nodded and swept past me, his grey coat billowing behind him. “Be careful, Willow. Temptation seeks to lure you away from your path.” His warning shook me, though he was too respectful to say any more about it. “Would you care to join me? We still have a scroll to find.”

Chapter Three

“Allow me the chance to apologize. I can’t tell you how awful I feel. I can explain.” I cringed, hearing myself all but beg Christina to see me. I was surprised she had even bothered to take my call.

She sighed, and her tone held the bitter sting of contempt. “Clearly, I was expecting too much from you, Willow. It’s ok. I should have known better than to think I could have a normal night out with a man. Let’s just forget we ever met.”

Her rejection was a painful jab deep within me, unlike anything I’d known before.

“I won’t forget. I can’t. Not now.”

“Don’t get all weird on me. I hate having to deal with weird.”

Frustration brought several unsavory words to mind. I somehow managed to withhold them. If she hung up, that would be it, over before it began. Before what began? I was in way over my head here.