Smashed (3 page)

“Now there’s a loving sibling sentiment if I’ve ever heard one,” I retorted. “I’ll get you your vampire. But know this: if you hunt Alexa, I hunt you. Got it?”

With a glower Juliet pulled a card from her pocket and slapped it into my hand. “Bring the vampire back here in two hours. If you need to reach me, here’s my number.”

She stalked away before I could reply. With a shrug, I stuck the card in my back pocket and headed for my car, motioning for Jenner to join me. I hoped like hell that Juliet was full of big talk and bullshit because, if I had to kill my lover’s sister, I might never reclaim what I once had with Alexa.

“That woman is damn sexy,” Jenner observed when we were back in the car. “I wonder what it would take to get her into bed. There’s no way she could resist my charm.”

“Don’t even think it,” I warned. “Alexa’s sister is off limits.”

“Why? Think about the benefits. I take her to bed, give her the time of her life, and turn her into my love slave. Then you would have some FPA blackmail material.” He suggested, smiling like it was his best idea yet.

“It’s not worth the trouble. It’s also probably not the blackmail material I need.”

I drove away from the scene with a screech of tires. Jenner lounged in the passenger seat. He watched me as I drove. It was annoying as hell.

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” he asked. “Obviously I overheard your conversation. But where do you plan to snag a random vampire from?”

“I could just give her you, I suppose,” I chuckled.

“Just let me fuck her. I’m telling you, it’ll solve your FPA problems.”

Laughter filled the car. I couldn’t keep a straight face. “Oh yeah, that will solve my problems all right. It will also have Alexa ripping both our heads off our shoulders. Is that what you want?”

With well-honed focus I could feel the energy of every vampire within the city. It wouldn’t be hard to find one I could hand over to Juliet. Though finding one that was a self-proclaimed rebel might prove more difficult.

Ignoring Jenner’s insistent argument, I said, “Lucky for us, most of the vampires here don’t know you. So here’s the plan.”

* * * *

Sending Jenner into The Wicked Kiss was risky. He hadn’t been in town long. There was no way of knowing how many vamps knew he was linked to Alexa and me. The plan was to have him go inside and act as a rebel vampire to draw others out. It wasn’t the best plan, but seeing as I only had a couple of hours, it would have to do. If all else failed, I’d grab any vamp at random and hand him over.

I wanted to be relieved to find that Alexa wasn’t there. Instead, I was concerned. Sinclair should be teaching her the willing victim game, not slaughtering at random on the street.

Jenner went in first. I waited fifteen minutes before following.

It came as no surprise to me to find him drooling all over two drunken women. They were giggling, spilling their drinks, and fawning over him like he was a new item on the menu, which he was.

I didn’t approach but did catch his eye. Raising a brow in question, I received only a grin in response. That rat bastard was going to screw us out of time. Getting his dick wet and his fangs bloody was all he could think about. Vegas must be missing him. Because he sure as hell seemed to be missing Vegas.

I half expected to find Willow slugging tequila at the bar. There was no sign of him nor had there been since the night of Alexa’s death. Since the fallen angel had taken Alexa’s darkness, he’d been MIA. It was disconcerting. Willow was now a demon. There was no way of predicting when he would reappear or what he would be like when he did.

Scowling in disgust at the loathsome nightclub, I held every vampire present in total judgment, Jenner included. When a petite brunette sidled up to me with a suggestive smile, I was admittedly tempted to bleed her, though not in the manner she expected. There would be no playing by the house rules for me.

“I’m afraid I’m unavailable tonight,” I said, much to her obvious disappointment. “See my friend over there? Why don’t you tell him that if he gets his ass in gear, I’ll let him come back here and enjoy you later? Trust me. You want what he’s got.”

She considered Jenner, eyeing him up with curiosity. Then she adjusted her cleavage and tried once more to convince me. “Are you sure you don’t want a taste of this? I’m a gymnast. You can bend me like a pretzel.”

“Then my friend is definitely the guy for you. Go talk to him.” I added a subtle pulse of power to influence her, and she was off, heading over to Jenner with a sassy swing to her step.

She delivered my message as instructed. Jenner lingered, engaging in further conversation before gradually disentangling himself from all three women. They grabbed at him, begging him to stay. Ever the charmer, he took the time to flirt with each one of them. Kissing hands, murmuring playful promises, Jenner was as smooth as he’d ever been. Seducing victims on stage in Las Vegas had kept him at the top of his game. The salacious ass.

Shooting him one last dark look, I vacated the building. Staying too long would be suspicious. It was no secret that I preferred to hunt elsewhere.

By the time Jenner met me outside, he reeked of perfume and red lipstick marked the edge of his mouth. “I hope you’re happy,” he said proudly.

“Because you managed to remove yourself from that little orgy you were working on in there? Yeah, I’m thrilled.”

“No. Because with a little seduction and conversation I was able to get the ladies to tell me who in there is one of your so-called rebels. Not only that,” Jenner paused, rubbing his fingernails on his shirt to add to the drama. “They’re leading one of them out here any minute now.”

He was quite impressed with himself. I didn’t share that sentiment. “Jenner, if you fuck this up—”

“Trust me, Arys. It’s all good. Just relax and wait.”

What choice did I have? Jenner’s smug expression was just one of many things that had driven me from Vegas. He’d always been the headstrong one, the one with a flair for the dramatic. But he was also one of the smartest beings I knew.

Just as he’d said, the brunette came out of the building with a vampire in tow. He wasn’t paying attention to his surroundings. Focused on the cute little thing luring him along, he didn’t notice us. Not until we stood on either side of him.

“What’s going on?” He was immediately suspicious, looking at the woman in sudden awareness. “Arys, come on. I don’t know what you think I did, but I promise you, whatever it is, it wasn’t me.”

“Got a name?” I asked, unable to keep a satisfied smile at bay.

The guy wasn’t new, but he was by no means a match for either Jenner or me. And he knew it.

“Charlie.” His gaze flitted between us, but he decided I was the greater threat. “What is it that you think I did? It has to be a mistake.”

“Let’s not play the game, Charlie. I’m running on a time limit here, and the last thing I need right now is two O’Brien women pissed at me. Rumor has it you’re part of the rebellion that’s been making trouble for my wolf.” I studied him for a reaction, pleased when I found the confirmation I needed within his eyes. He could lie, but it was useless. I could read the truth in him.

“There is no rebellion,” he said, his words coming in a rush. “Not anymore. I swear it.”

“How can I possibly accept the word of a liar?” With my arms crossed and a carefully neutral expression on my face, I put the pressure on him. Without raising a hand, the power followed the path my thoughts laid out.

It forced a small yelp from him, and he threw his hands up in surrender. Jenner cast me a sharp glance, and I shrugged. My power had evidently been heightened by Alexa’s recent change. Curious. Dangerous as well, for Alexa. Having this kind of power thrumming through her couldn’t possibly help in her battle against the bloodlust.

“Fine. I was part of the rebellion. But it doesn’t exist anymore. That’s the truth.” Charlie shook his head of shaggy dark hair and fixed me with wide eyes, imploring me to believe him.

“Good. Thank you for your honesty. However, it doesn’t change what’s about to happen here.”

“What are you talking about?” Charlie was frantic. He glanced about, seeking a way out.

Jenner gave the brunette an affectionate pat on the behind and said, “Better head back inside, sweetheart. You don’t want to see this.”

She did as he asked with a flirtatious giggle. It was all I could do not to roll my eyes. If he happened to live a thousand years, Jenner would never tire of having his ego stroked.

“Look, Arys, it was all just a big misunderstanding. I didn’t realize they wanted to kill Alexa. Really. I wasn’t part of the attack on her.” Charlie rambled, knowing he was running out of time though not knowing what awaited him. Death would be a grand alternative to what the FPA basement held.

Annoyed with his continued denial, I hit him with an aggressive pulse. He grunted and tried not to crumble beneath the assault.

“Tell me how many are left in the rebel group. Tell me your role.” All I needed was an admission of guilt. Then he was the FPA’s problem.

Charlie spoke with pained reluctance. “There are only a few left. The rebels have abandoned their cause. They plan to fly under the radar, avoiding your attention if possible. I was there the night Alexa was attacked.” His gaze went to Jenner. “With them. The fight broke out, and I ran when things got bad.”

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Satisfied to have gotten the answer I sought, I laid a hand on Charlie’s head and grabbed hold of his power. Then I tore it from him like tearing a bandage from a wound, sudden and painful.

Weak and unable to defend himself, he clutched at a nearby SUV, nearly tearing the side mirror off in his desperation.

“Well, that was easy,” Jenner observed. “Too easy. We should have kicked his ass before giving him to Juliet.”

“He’s not worth it.”

At exactly two hours after leaving the park where I’d spoken with Juliet, we were back with her vampire in tow. I leaned on the trunk, ignoring the shouts and bangs from inside. When a black sedan pulled around the corner, my shoulders slumped in relief. Though I hadn’t allowed myself to entertain the thought, I’d had my suspicions about Juliet’s ruse.

Juliet was alone. She should really know better.

“Did you get one?” She was all business, ignoring Jenner who openly leered at her.

“Right here.” I opened the trunk to reveal the weakened, irate vampire.

“Perfect. I knew you’d come through.”

We wrestled the flailing vampire from my trunk to hers. She produced a set of silver cuffs, which once locked onto his wrists, prevented Charlie from attempting anything power related. They were clever and dangerous, something the human government should not possess.

“Arys,” Juliet called as she was about to get back into her car. “You’ve got to do something about Alexa. She’s relying on you, whether you know it or not. She’s got to be stopped before she creates an eternity of regret for herself.”

“Stop tracking her, Juliet. You’re going to bring her more harm than help.” It was all I had to say to her. She had no right to tell me how to deal with my twin flame. As well as she thought she knew Alexa, I knew the parts of her that had no voice.

Juliet pulled away with a foot heavy on the gas. The sedan lurched away and disappeared as fast as it had come.

“I bet she’s just as feisty in the sack,” Jenner mused, laughing when I punched him in the shoulder. “Now, let’s get back to that orgy waiting for me at The Wicked Kiss.”

I met his mischievous gaze and shook my head. “Not tonight. You’ll have to settle for a motel room and a few call girls.”

Jenner considered this with a halfhearted shrug. “Ok. I can work with that.”

Blood filled my mouth. The sound of cries and begging filled my ears. There was a hand on my cock, but I shoved it away.

The motel room was less than savory. It looked like something out of a horror film, which made it perfect. The TV in the corner was so old it still had a rabbit ear antenna. The walls were yellowed as if they hadn’t been painted or washed since the place had been built. There were more stains covering the carpet than clean spots.

Feeding in a place like this was not ideal. Though it did allow for one hell of a mess with little need for clean up. And right then, that made it perfect.

Jenner was sprawled across one half of the king-size bed with one of three call girls atop him. She rode him like it was an Olympic event, oblivious to the blood running in small rivulets from her neck, down her chest and stomach.

Lady number two was trying to wrap her hand around my dick despite my rejections. Being a monogamous incubus was a challenge at times like this. Being near me was enough to make her want me with an irrational need. Though I didn’t need to fuck her to feed off her desire, it would have made things easier.

With a wolfish growl, I captured both of her hands in one of mine and pinned them above her head. She squirmed on the bed beneath me. I stared down at her, finding it hard to stay in the moment.

As good as it felt to have her begging for more while I opened her vein, something was missing. I sucked at the small bite marring her throat and groaned. Alexa’s wolf was strong in me. It floated about inside me like a shadow, a being without form seeking to break free. Learning to live with Alexa’s wolf was one of the hardest things I’d ever had to do. It didn’t belong to me. I had no connection to it, and times like this proved difficult. I’d wondered if it would get easier after she turned. It hadn’t. The wolf continued to dwell within me, surfacing at the most inopportune times. It was a constant presence, like a ghost that never went away.

“Fuck.” I couldn’t keep pretending this was what I wanted. It wasn’t. I wanted Alexa, mortal or not.

Shoving away from the bleached blonde escort, I stepped over the passed out form of the third girl and left the room. Jenner could have my share.

Sitting on the front stoop of the motel, I stared out into the near empty parking lot. The fall night air was crisp. It didn’t affect me. I felt neither warm nor cold.