Forget About Midnight (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #9)

He seemed to ponder this. Then he laughed. “Ah, Alexa, it’s always so nice chatting with you.”


I frowned and tried not to roll my eyes. “Can’t say I share that sentiment.”

“Setbacks only deter the weak. I am not weak. You think you’ve won, but your death was wasted. In time, you will see that.” He waved a dismissive hand at me and turned to Briggs.

Without hesitation I bolted from the house, leaving Briggs alone with the demon. I expected to feel another echo of potential remorse. I felt nothing.

Shya was taking this all too well. It was a farce. He had experienced a setback, and he was plotting a way to rise above it. Heartbreak had made him absolutely mad. Lilah’s constant rejection of his affections had set him on a path that he wouldn’t be swayed from. He was right. My death had caused a delay for him, but it was temporary. To ensure that I had not given my mortal life in vain, I had to prevent him from overcoming the setback in his plans, no matter what it took. Even if that meant making Falon an ally.

“Aren’t you tired? Have you even slept since…?” Shaz trailed off, not wanting to say it. Since I died. Since I became a vampire.

“A little. Sleeping isn’t high on my to-do list right now. The dreams are bad. I wake up screaming a lot.” Not wanting to go down that path, I changed the subject. “Besides, I’m not tired much.”

It was hard to run down my energy enough to need rest when I was so frequently feeding on someone. After the day I spent with Briggs, I was wired, like I’d sipped strong coffee all afternoon. But Briggs was much tastier than coffee. I sighed at the thought. I missed coffee.

I also missed Kale. Now that I was in Shaz’s car as we headed back into the city, I had a moment of calm to just stare out the window and gather my thoughts. Knowing Kale was going to see that video bummed me out. But knowing that Shaz was going to get it worried me. He didn’t deserve to have to look at that.

Shaz glanced over at me. I could feel his gaze in the dark of the car. “Lex, I think you need to spend some time with Arys. I know your head is a mess right now, but his is too. He needs to know you can forgive him.” When I didn’t reply right away, he asked, “Can you forgive him?”

“I want to. I do. I will. Eventually.” This was not a conversation I wanted to have. If the two of them were constantly nagging me about the other, I’d have to start avoiding them both. “Where is he anyway? I’m surprised he didn’t come with you.”

“He said that you and me need some time together.”

Of course he did. That sounded like Arys. After tonight, maybe neither of them would still be interested in repairing our damaged relationships.

No, I knew that wasn’t true. It would take more than what happened with Falon to drive Arys away. I knew that because I knew him. His memories lived inside me. He knew the allure of what it was to be a vampire, to hunger for blood, life, and power. I didn’t expect him to be thrilled, but I was sure I could count on him to support me still.

Arys deserved nothing less than the same grace and unending love that he extended to me. So I had to forgive him. I wanted to close the gap between us, somehow.

We headed for The Spirit Room, the rock bar that Jez hit up when she was looking to score drugs. We talked as we drove, mostly idle chatter meant to banish the awkward silence that tried to settle.

“So it looks like it’s official,” Shaz said. “I’m joining the Doghead pack.”

I turned to find him smiling. This was fantastic news. When I’d hooked him up with Dayne, Shaz had been pissed. It was a relief that he had considered it after all.

“That’s so great, Shaz.” Reaching across the small car, I patted his leg. I was excited for him. “Is there some official initiation or something? When do you get that badass tattoo?”

He laughed and put his hand on top of mine, holding it against his thigh. “I’m not sure yet. Soon though, I imagine.”

“That’s a relief. I really want you to have a pack. You’re too sweet to do the lone wolf thing. You’ve got a lot to offer. Doghead doesn’t know how lucky it is to have you.” His hand was warm on mine, reminding me that my warmth was now stolen. Joining Doghead was going to divide us even further. For the first time, we would no longer call the same pack home. Even though it was what I wanted for him, it hurt.

“I wish you could join too,” he said, suddenly solemn. “You’re still a wolf. Dayne would be doing himself a favor.”

Shaz’s greatest attribute was also one of his biggest flaws. He wanted so badly to see the good in everyone, well almost everyone, and it led him to overlook certain facts. Like the fact that I would cause more problems for Dayne than I’d solve. I was simply too much vampire to belong to a pack now.