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

“Trust me, it’s better that you go now. If you think the vampires are bad you should see the FPA. If they knew you were…” I faltered, unable to even consider what I was about to say. “They can never know about the baby, Kylarai. This has to stay as secretive as possible.”


Worry filled her grey eyes, and she nodded quickly. Her lower lip began to quiver, and she bit it. I hugged her close before escorting her all the way to her Escalade. I only went back inside after seeing her safely leave the parking lot.

Returning to the scene of the action, I found not one but two piles of dust and ash. Jenner and Arys stood there proudly, and I wouldn’t have been surprised if they’d high fived. Catching Arys’s eye, I gave him a pointed look and shook my head. This was not the way to show the vampire population that we weren’t dictators.

“Don’t even say it,” Arys said, proving how well he knew my thoughts. “Those two threatened a pregnant woman. No innocents. Ever. Remember? It had to be done.”

I glanced around at the remaining vamps present. They were either blissfully unaware and caught up in their own hunt, or they were very obviously watching us.

“You’re right. That kind of shit can’t be allowed. I just wish it hadn’t happened at such a delicate time.”

“Should’ve just let me rip their eyes out,” Jez insisted with a frown. “Some punishments can be worse than death. They leave a longer lasting impression as well.”

“Next time, Jezzy. Their eyeballs are all yours.” My promise was met with a ruby red smile.

“Thanks,” I said to Jenner, hoping he noticed the lack of sarcasm. I was genuinely grateful for his willingness to defend a wolf he didn’t even know merely because she meant something to me. Maybe he wasn’t such a jackass after all.

There was no time to recover from that little disturbance before Justin called my name. Even amid the pounding music and loud chatter of patrons, I heard it. Because I’d been expecting it.

I turned to find him beckoning me over. “Showtime,” I said to Arys.

The trepidation and anxiety that had plagued me since Briggs’s call faded. Now that he was here, I was ready.

“So that eyeball thing?” Jez asked, staying close as we headed for the door. “Is that still cool? I mean, the FPA, they’ve got to have it coming.”

“I’d like to settle this without bloodshed. Briggs needs to see things from my point of view. But if he draws first blood, then it’s on.”

Jenner and Willow accompanied us out to the parking lot. It felt damn good to have these people at my back. At least it did until I stepped out of the building and saw the small army Briggs had brought.

Two black vans full of agents sat in the parking lot, blocking my car in as if Briggs thought I was cowardly enough to flee. He hadn’t seemed to grasp my personality yet.

Agent Thomas Briggs stood beside one of the vans looking like he’d just stepped out of a Hollywood CIA movie. It was his usual look. Dark skinned with short-cropped hair, in a black suit, he had his hands on his hips, one of which rested on the butt of his gun.

I didn’t give him a chance to speak first. “You must have some seriously big balls to hunt down your lover’s sister, Briggs.”

His steely dark gaze remained unchanged, but the slight change in his energy gave him away. I had just revealed something his crew didn’t know. Good. It was a tiny victory, but it counted.

The vans had emptied. Briggs was surrounded by agents, both men and women, but none of them were Juliet. I did recognize one of them however. Agent Hunter, the biggest asshole on their team, stood smirking at me as if I hadn’t seen him almost cry the last time we’d met. He was a livewire, one to be watched, unpredictable and quick to break the rules.

“We’re not here to discuss my personal life, O’Brien. Trust me, this is not something I’m going to enjoy.” Briggs took in my companions with careful consideration. Willow was the biggest threat of us all, but I was willing to bet he didn’t know that.

I held up a hand that crackled with power unseen by most human eyes but readily felt. “Oh, I am definitely going to enjoy this.”

“There doesn’t have to be any innocent bloodshed here,” he spoke calmly, trying to appeal to my sensible side. Too bad for him. I didn’t have one. “We are on the same side. Let’s be rational about this.”

I laughed, a devious sound that was more Arys than it was me. “Rational, huh? You clearly don’t know the meaning of the word. I’m not going to lie down and die for you, Briggs. That’s just not my style.”

Briggs was quiet, regarding me with the silent contemplation of an intelligent man who thought he knew what he was doing. He probably did most of the time. But not this time.

“I thought you cared about this city. Over a million people call this area home. Would you really risk them just to prolong the inevitable?” He spread his hands in question before crossing his arms in an attempt to appear casual.