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

“Promise me something,” I said, waiting for her to nod before continuing. “If you find yourself in a really bad place, call Shaz. He’s the most compassionate, gentle soul I know. He’ll help.”


“All right. I promise.” Like the crazy driver she was, she took her eyes off the road to pierce me with a pointed stare that lasted much too long to be road safe. “Now you promise to do whatever it takes to get out of that place. With Kale leaving, if something happened to you… I just can’t. I can’t lose you.”

No pressure, right? I sat back in my seat and tried to keep a clear head. Jez never showed weakness like this. It worried me. Nobody could be expected to be tough all the time. We all needed to fall apart sometimes. I just really hoped that it didn’t happen for her while I was behind bars.

Chapter Eighteen

Another fitful day at home tossing and turning in bed only to be awoken by horrible dreams had me eager to leave when the sun dipped below the horizon. Again my wolf guided me to the patio door where I stared out at the landscape, longing to be part of it. Again I turned away, unable to get past the fear holding me back. Also, I didn’t have much time. Briggs would be expecting me.

Kale and Jenner would be at the airport. For just a split second, I thought of every stupid TV show and movie where one person rushed to the airport to stop another from leaving, and I almost considered it. But that just wasn’t our style, Kale and I.

Besides, I’d never make it in time.

My phone revealed several missed calls from Arys and Shaz. Much to my surprise Arys had kept his distance since I’d left him at The Wicked Kiss the previous night. Part of me had expected a last ditch attempt from him at keeping me from turning myself in.

When I left the house, dressed for a fight in comfortable yoga pants and a thin hoodie over a tank top, I paused to listen to the sounds of the night. The stars were already popping out overhead. The moon was a half-lit orb that beckoned me.

With a sigh, I whispered, “Soon. I promise.”

As I sped down the highway to the city, I was torn between taking the time to hunt or heading straight to the FPA building with my hunger raging. It would serve Briggs right to have to feed my hunger, though I couldn’t trust him not to sacrifice an innocent to do so.

Feeling reckless, as was my nature these days, I threw caution to the wind and stopped only at The Wicked Kiss to stash my phone, dagger, and wallet in Harley’s room, then headed straight to the government headquarters. I drove around the block so I could give the place an appraisal before going in. It looked as dead and quiet as it always did.

One thing stood out as abnormal though, the blue Chevy Cobalt parked down the street. Shaz was here. I hadn’t seen that coming. Point for him.

I pulled up behind his car, feeling both annoyed and nervous. Could I trust myself alone with him?

“What are you doing here, Shaz?” I asked when we both stood between our cars. I tried to keep what I thought was a safe distance but doubted there was any such thing.

His hair was a little longer than he usually let it get, almost shaggy. He looked tired, like he hadn’t been sleeping much. “Don’t worry. I’m not here to try to talk some sense into you. But I do want to talk.”

“Now isn’t really the best time for me.” I shot a glance at the looming, darkened building down the street. For all I knew, Briggs was watching us right now.

“I won’t keep you long,” he said, running a hand through his hair. There was such uncertainty in his eyes. He looked lost. “I just can’t take the thought of you going in there and never coming out. If I don’t get this off my chest, I’ll go crazy.”

I scoffed. “Welcome to the club.”

Part of me wanted Briggs to come out and drag me away, anything to avoid this one-on-one encounter with Shaz. I wasn’t ready for this. I probably never would be.

Shaz crossed his arms and leaned against the back of his car. I mirrored him, leaning against the front of my car. I expected him to say many things.

What I didn’t expect was what came out of his mouth next. “You can’t go in there without being at your strongest, and you can’t do that without feeding from someone powerful. Like me. I’m here so you can do that.” He regarded me with a direct, fearless stare.

Damn I wished he hadn’t drawn my focus to what I was trying so hard not to focus on. The blood that pumped through his veins was indeed powerful, more so than any human blood ever could be. It was also addictive. I’d hunted more than one vampire in the past who had become fixated on shifter blood.

“Is that all? Feels like there’s more, something you’re not saying.” It took great effort to stare into his eyes rather than at his neck. Shit. I was such a typical vampire.

“There is more,” he confirmed with a nod. “I want you to accept that our relationship has changed but that we are still us, Lex. You and me. That doesn’t change just because you did.”