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

Deciding against that idea, I determined it would be best if Kale never emerged from his den of debauchery in the back. I wasn’t sure he’d survive another confrontation with the FPA.

“Like I was saying back in Vegas,” Jenner piped up. “You need to have the FPA working for you. If they won’t do it willingly, you have to force them into it. Get some dirt on the right guy at the top, and they’ll be all yours.”

“That actually makes sense,” I admitted. “Right now the only dirt I have is that Agent Briggs is doing my sister. I doubt that’s good enough to make him see things my way.”

“Then find something bigger.”

Jenner was right. Blackmail might just be the only way to get through to a guy like Briggs. It was worth a try anyway. If I could just find the right tidbit of dirt.

Arys pulled me aside so we could speak privately. I noticed that both Willow and Jenner watched us closely.

“You told Willow about last night, didn’t you?” I said, my gaze darting toward the door in anticipation.

“I had to. He needs to be aware of how close I came to losing it. That can’t happen again. Not until the right time. I don’t want to blow this, but I can’t help but want it.” Arys leaned his forehead against mine and sighed. “It’s gotten so much harder than I thought it would be. I feel like I should hate myself, but I don’t. I just want you.”

A chill stole over me. Nothing quite like having my lover confess that he can’t wait to kill me. “I know. It terrifies me, but I get it. At least, I think I do.” I breathed in his cologne, finding the scent now triggered the memory of every time he had ever treated me as prey.

He reached to pull the clip from my hair. It tumbled down, a mess of long ash blonde which he plunged his hands into. “I knew this would be hard, but I never dreamed it would be this bad. I don’t want to lose what we have.”

“We won’t. We will always be one. You know that.” I leaned into his touch, finding comfort in the same hands that would kill me.

“It will be different though. All dark. I can handle it. I’m already there. But you belong to the light, my beautiful Hound. I don’t want darkness for you.” The emotion in his touch was an echo inside me. It brought too many things to the surface that we had no time to deal with right then.

I thought about the yin yang balance between us. There was a spark of my light in him. I had seen it there, small but significant. It kept him from being all monster. I would mourn the loss of that.

“I don’t want it for you either,” I said, stuffing an onslaught of worry and fear back down inside me. “You’re not all dark either. Not yet.”

“We can’t be alone together. Not until this is over.”

“I know.”

I held tight to him, enjoying the way it felt to be in his arms. A lurking certainty haunted me, telling me that I’d better savor it while I still could because things were about to change.

The sound of raised voices drew my attention back to the bar. A couple of vampires were sniffing around Kylarai. From the looks of it, they weren’t taking her brush off very well, even with Jez in their face threating to tear their eyes out.

Arys followed my gaze. “Kylarai shouldn’t be in here. Not in her state.”

“You knew right away, huh?” I nodded. “I guess that explains why every vampire in here is looking at her like she’s a hot new item on the menu. We better go put a stop to that.”

“You need to get her out of here. She’s no use to you by being a liability.” Arys took my hand and pulled me along beside him. He was repressing a lot of pent up shit, and his energy burned with it.

Jenner caught my eye as we approached. His unspoken question was met with a nod from me. He moved fast, a blur as he clotheslined the nearest vamp, laying him out flat on the floor. His fist smashed the face of the other, and a brawl broke out.

I pulled Kylarai aside, trying to shield her with my body. “Do you believe me now that you shouldn’t have come here? I love you, and I know how deeply you care for me. But now you have someone else to put first.”

I forced her to see how serious I was. This was not up for discussion. If I had to drag her stubborn ass out of there myself, I would.

Arys jumped into the melee and promptly killed one of the offending vampires. A shower of dust coated the floor. A moment later a barstool came careening over to us, smacking the back of my legs. I swore like a sailor but was thankful it hadn’t hit Ky.

“You don’t have to ask me again,” she said. “I didn’t realize I’d be making this much trouble for you. I just wanted to help. I’ll head home, but you better call me the second this is over.”