September Moon (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #8)

The small sports pub was relatively busy. Most of the patrons were middle aged and up. The scent of beer, chicken wings, and Old Spice hung on the air. The TVs mounted in the corners held everyone’s attention. Whether it was hockey, football, or whatever they watched, it meant nothing to me.

“Willow, hi,” the bartender greeted him. “Haven’t seen you in a while. Can I get you the usual?”

“The usual would be great. Double it.” Willow slapped some cash on the bar and led me to a free table near a pool table at the back.

I groaned, watching him gather pool balls in preparation. “Willow, I can’t drink tequila with you. That shit is toxic.”

“No more toxic than that whiskey you’re always hugging.” He tossed me a pool cue and gestured for me to go first.

“I beg to differ.”

The bartender brought over a tray of tequila shots with a saltshaker and a bowl of limes. I grimaced as Willow handed me a drink. Holding his own, he clinked our glasses together. Forgoing the salt, he tossed it back, unfazed.

I stared into the small drink, disgusted. If I never drank that shit again, it would be too soon. No sooner had that thought crossed my mind than I realized this very well could be the last time I’d ever get the chance to drink with Willow.

With that ugly thought haunting me, I drank back the shot with a noise of disgust, banged the glass on the table, and reached for a lime. Holding the slice of fruit in my teeth, I lined up my shot and slammed the cue ball. The balls broke apart, scattering across the table. I sunk two solids. Not bad.

We shot a few games of pool as we made our way through the tray of drinks. It didn’t take long for me to lose track of how many I’d had. The familiar numbness set in, reminding me why so many chose to get lost this way. Before long I would exchange it solely for blood. That should’ve bothered me, but the tipsy haze prevented a genuine reaction.

“That’s three games for me. None for you,” Willow bragged, tossing the chalk at me and laughing when it bounced off my head.

“Ow, you ass.” I rubbed the spot it had hit, laughing far more than was necessary. My drunken giggle was fueled by the need to laugh. I didn’t do it as much as I needed to these days. It’s a wonder what a good, hard belly laugh can do for the soul.

The fun ended when the door opened, and two vampires walked in. They didn’t hesitate or linger, heading straight for us instead.

I exchanged a look with Willow who tightened his grip on the pool cue. I did the same, knowing it was likely my only weapon. We were in a human bar. Tossing around psi balls would only lead to more trouble.

“At last, I get to meet the ill reputed Alexa O’Brien.” The tall, blond one leading the duo strode right up to me, throwing a punch that knocked me back into the pool table.

I tasted blood. “Is that the best you’ve got?”

Licking a smear from my bottom lip, I smashed the wooden pool cue into the side of his head. The Dragon Claw hung on my hip, but I didn’t want to kill them with witnesses.

“Let me guess, you’ve taken it upon yourself to do something about Arys’s mortal queen,” I said, swinging again. He caught it this time, and we both held tight, trying to overpower the other. “You assholes need to get it through your heads that I am not the enemy.”

“Anyone with the power to rule two different breeds of monster is the enemy. Especially when I’m one of them.” He tried to jerk the cue from my hand, but my grip was solid.

Willow had the other vampire pressed against the wall, holding him with an arm crushing his throat. Fools. If they hadn’t known what he was, they were about to find out.

“I’m not interested in ruling anyone. My interests lie in protecting this city and the secrets we all keep, which you are right now threatening to expose.”

“You kill our kind,” the vampire hissed, baring fangs.

“I kill those who deserve it. That isn’t going to stop. If you had any sense you’d realize I can be a valuable ally.” I could feel eyes upon us. We were being watched by humans. No good.

“Yes, but at what cost?”

It was hard to keep from baring my own fangs at him in return. I focused on maintaining my human appearance. “Stop with the fang display, or I’ll have my friend hold you down while I yank them out of your head.”

Without waiting for a response, I kicked him square in the crotch and jerked the cue from his hand. He grunted and doubled over.

His recovery was fast. He forgot about the pool cue and with an angry grunt, tossed me over the pool table where I crashed to the floor, taking a few pool balls with me.

The bartender shouted at us to take it outside. A few shouts and jeers rang out from those watching. This idiot vampire was going to expose us all.

“Should I take him outside?” Willow asked, nodding to the one he held pinned.

We didn’t have much of a choice. I gave him a slight nod before lashing out at the blond one with the power I’d told myself I wouldn’t use in a human place. Lucky for me, they couldn’t see the swirl of blue and gold though they could feel it, much the way one can feel static electricity.