“So you’re only content to beat me and torture my mate? If I fight back, you lose interest? That’s f**king pathetic.”
“I didn’t come here to torture anybody. What can I say? One thing led to another.” His expression grew cold, and he regarded me with hate shining in his eyes.
The dagger blade was dangerously close to piercing the skin of his throat. Part of me wanted to take his head off. Maybe it wasn’t worth it to attempt to get information from him. Maybe this was a confrontation better reserved for Arys.
“Last chance to tell me something I want to hear.” My hand shook in my effort to keep from slicing into him.
“Would that help? If I tell you that Arys knew you were out there somewhere, his metaphysical other half. That he was informed of your coming over a hundred years ago? And what it would mean for him? Would a little elaboration make you willing to give me what I want?”
Stunned didn’t even begin to describe what I was feeling. It was hard, but I maintained a steady poker face. “No. If you were worthy of taking Harley’s place in Vegas, you wouldn’t need me.”
“Your loss.” Unable to affect me, Maxwell targeted Shaz.
The yelp that my white wolf emitted hurt to hear. I concentrated to keep from turning my back on Maxwell to go to him. Brogan’s soft tread could be heard on the hardwood floor as she ran to him. I wasn’t going to get my answers. Not today.
I plunged the Dragon Claw into Maxwell’s guts with pleasure. My only regret was that it had been too soon. For a moment he simply stared at me like I was an idiot for missing the heart. I held tight to the handle and watched as realization sank in.
Panic caused his eyes to widen, and he reached for the dagger, clawing at my hand. It was too late. It happened slower than it had with the young one. His body began to collapse in on itself as he crumbled to dust. His mouth moved, but no sound came out. Jerking the dagger free, I stepped back and watched him fall to pieces at my feet.
Warmth spread from the dagger’s handle up my arm as it thrummed with demon magic. It was dizzying and a little frightening. I gazed at what was left of Maxwell and wished I’d made him suffer. Dead wasn’t good enough after what he’d done to us and to Lena.
Shaz padded over to me. He was fine but winded. Brogan stood hugging herself near the doorway.
“Stay here,” I told her before following the sound of commotion in the living room at the back of the house. She gave a slight nod, her gaze transfixed on what remained of the vampire.
A gunshot rang out, deafening in the confines of the house. Two fierce snarls followed. I ran down the hall and skidded to a stop when I almost tripped over Zak’s fallen form. His sides heaved as he struggled for air. Blood seeped from an ugly wound in his chest.
Kylarai and Julian were engaged in a face-off with Claire, who shook violently as she grasped the shotgun. It came as no surprise that a farm family would keep a gun around. If Claire had had any real power, she wouldn’t have needed it.
She whirled to face me, the barrel of the gun drifting from me to the two wolves baring deadly fangs at her. A pile of dust in the corner indicated what was left of the remaining lackey. I’d have never guessed that a woman with a gun would have been the biggest threat we’d face here.
“Back the f**k off!” Claire’s voice was high and desperate. She waved the gun wildly, and I braced, expecting an erratic shot to go off. She didn’t know how to use that thing.
I held up a hand and concentrated on tranquil energy, hoping to calm her. “Take it easy, Claire. We don’t all have to die here.”
“Tell that to your wolves. I’m not letting those bastards tear me apart. I won’t die like that!” She swung the gun back to Ky and Julian, aiming at Julian’s face. Whatever they’d done to kill her vampire minion, it must have been ugly for her to react this way.
I felt Shaz tense beside me as if bracing to leap. I angled my body to block him. We faced supernatural threats every night of our lives. It was not going to be a friggin’ gun that killed him.
“Come on, Claire. You’ve lived how many lifetimes, and now you want to go down fighting with a gun as your defense?”
In my head came Arys’ worry. ‘Let her go, Alexa. She’s not worth taking a bullet.’
I ignored him. He was right, but I couldn’t let her just leave, not after what she did to Shaz and Lena. If I hit her hard and fast with a solid strike, it might be enough to disable her before she could get off another shot.
‘Are you willing to lose Kylarai or Shaz over this? Don’t take stupid risks.’ Arys was growing angry. I was relieved that he wasn’t physically present to fight me for control of the situation. ‘You don’t have control of the situation! You have a wolf dying on the floor.’