Claire leaned forward on the table, her face a mask of malevolence. “You have something, and I want it.”
“Why? Because of Harley? Is this really just business? Because I know there are many people who would love to fill his role. I know you Claire, you’ll take any opportunity to buy your way to the top.”
She met Arys’ challenging glare with one equally furious. “It’s a good thing you’re pretty, Arys, because love has turned you into an idiot.”
The tension in the room became unbearable. It was stifling, making each breath a struggle. I couldn’t shake the feeling that somebody was going to snap soon, quite possibly me.
Arys nodded knowingly. “This is about Harley’s power in Vegas. You think handing his killers over to the rest of the blood ring will work in your favor. The two of you aren’t fit to fill his shoes. You’re delusional to think that will work.”
Claire laughed openly at Arys, and I felt uneasy. This wasn’t going well at all. Something inside me insisted that this was all wrong. Why would these two leave Lena unwatched if she was the only pull they had over us? Even if they had someone else watching her, it just didn’t make sense. She was their leverage. Why not bring her? Something wasn’t adding up.
“Arys, you have no power here. Our intent is none of your concern.” Maxwell spoke for the first time, drawing everyone’s attention to him. His voice was low and even, holding the same sense of mystery as the rest of him. He was packing serious power. It scared me.
Maxwell seemed to stare right through Arys. His pupils dilated ever so slightly, and he flashed fang when he spoke. “You seem to be under the assumption that you have room to negotiate. We’re not here to bargain, merely to state the terms. Hand over the wolves.” To me he said, “Give yourself up willingly, and we don’t kill the people you care about.”
I couldn’t speak. I could barely breathe. This wasn’t what I’d expected to hear.
Claire looked spitefully at Arys, but she gestured to me. “Be grateful we’re only demanding something you already have in your possession. We could have come demanding virgins and children. You remember how much I like virgins.”
A twisted grin crossed her face. With one brow raised, she smirked at Arys. A sudden flash of images moved behind my eyes like a strobe light as Arys’ memories swam up from my subconscious. I was battered with visuals of his past, the torturous virgin deaths Claire spoke of. The two of them together … and so much blood. I fought back a shriek, one hand going to my head. It disappeared as fast as it had come on, leaving me shaky and confused. For a moment I thought I might be sick.
Jez’ hand was warm against my back as she steadied me. Claire chuckled wickedly, but Maxwell just watched me in eerie silence.
If Arys was aware of what I’d just seen, he gave no indication. “Go back to Vegas and earn your place, you worthless pieces of shit.”
“I was hoping you’d say something like that.” Maxwell stood, and power rose up quickly to engulf us.
I was on my knees before I realized what was happening. A shrill, high-pitched sound pierced my skull, and I screamed as pain tore through me. Arys was on the floor next to me.
Shaz grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet, but I slumped against him. He was unharmed by Maxwell’s psychic attack. It had been meant for Arys and me. Jez was by the exit, looking out onto the street. Claire and Maxwell were gone. The searing pain in my head began to subside, but still I gasped for breath like I’d been kicked in the stomach.
Shaz did his best to brush off the waitstaff as they converged on us. Shoving me toward Jez, he hauled Arys to his feet and pushed us all out the door. I tried so hard to get the words out, but they wouldn’t come. Lena. God, no.
“Are you alright, Alexa?” Jez forced me to look at her as she dragged me along to the car.
I shook my head. It felt like I’d been scorched from the inside out. I coughed, and my lungs ached when I spat blood. Collapsing in the back seat of my car, I was joined by Arys while Shaz and Jez climbed in the front. I handed the keys over the seat to Shaz, though it took far more effort than it should have.
“Lena’s,” I gasped. “We have to go to Lena’s.” She and Kale were in trouble. I knew it. It was too late; we’d f**ked up.
“What the hell happened?” Shaz was in Alpha wolf mode. He spoke calmly, but the way he maneuvered the Charger into traffic revealed the urgency driving him. “What did he do to you two?”
Arys sat up in his seat, his hands on his head. Blood trickled from his nose, evidence that he’d taken a serious power hit. “Power push. He shoved more into us than we could channel. Forced overload.”
“Did you know he could do that? I mean, why would you walk into that?” Jez glanced back at us, her face a mask of worry.
Arys and I exchanged a glance. Of course he’d known Maxwell could do it. I could do it, too. I’d done it to Harley.