Stunner (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress 0.75)

“You should stay here and continue your good time. I just need to blow off some steam.” As an afterthought I added, “Don’t get into it with Raoul. Just let it go. Ok?”


His jaw clenched and his face was a mask of disapproval. Finally he relented. “Fine. I won’t say anything. This time.” He pulled me into a hug and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Call me later. And stay safe.”

I savored his scent, finding comfort in it despite the stink of Belle clinging to him like a musty second skin. Beneath that was the scent of pine and wolf. Being with Shaz felt like home, no matter where we were. There were many reasons we were so close. His uncanny ability to know what I’m thinking without me having to give voice to it was just one.

Driven by the kind of hate that could only have been born of what was once love, I headed into the night. I had no destination in mind. My goal right then was simple. Escape.

Chapter Three

I wrinkled my nose in distaste at the bitter swill in my glass. Compared to the quality stuff at Raoul’s, the local bar selection was seriously lacking. I choked down the cheap stuff and gestured to the bartender that I wanted another.

Lucy’s Lounge was a small town bar that tried desperately to project a big city image. It didn’t work. Rock music boomed through the building. The bar divided the place into two sections. A dance floor on one side and pool tables on the other. A small staircase led to an upper floor that I rarely saw in use.

I sat at the bar fueling up on whiskey. I wanted so badly to go back in time an hour and kick the crap out of Raoul. It was better that I left when I did. I knew that. Still, I couldn’t shake the need for a good fight. I could have headed into the city to hunt down a vampire up to no good but after the incident with Octavia the week before, I wasn’t keen on doing that without some backup.

A nice drunken haze was settling in. I was going to have a hell of a hangover but it would be worth it. The liquor stung the cut on my lip with each sip I took. It did little to dampen my anger. Raoul was impossible to deal with. Yet we were the Alpha male and female of our pack. When our stint as lovers ended, that had not.

I grumbled obscenities to myself, ignoring the rest of the patrons. They were having fun, partying and drinking with loud music and laughter as their background noise. Some of them started having a little too much fun.

It didn’t take long for the laughter to become shouts as two guys began to brawl. I planned to ignore it since it had nothing to do with me. At least it didn’t until one guy shoved the other right into me.

The impact jostled me, causing my drink to spill into my lap. Fucking fantastic. I spun around on my bar stool to fix the idiots with my best glower. I wasn’t expecting the beer bottle that came flying my way next.

Instinct took over. I threw my hands up to block the bottle. An erratic burst of power accompanied the motion. The bottle exploded against the bar next to me. The guy who had thrown it took the slap of my power and went down hard several feet away. He was drunk and there was a lot of commotion. Nobody present could visually see the energy I’d thrown. He would never know what hit him.

The guy that had fallen next to me struggled to get up. He grasped my stool to haul himself up, effectively dumping me off in the process. My temper surged past the breaking point and I snapped.

Grabbing him by the throat, I dragged him in close so I could fix him with a deadly stare. “I really hope you’re working up a good apology right now.”

His dazed expression didn’t convey understanding. He stank of booze and his eyes were bloodshot and red rimmed. I felt my wolf rise up inside me and I fought to keep it from showing in my eyes. The guy sputtered something incomprehensible. I shoved him away, hard enough to get his arms flailing as he went down on his ass.

The dude that threw the bottle was suddenly there, in my face, shouting a stream of curses. Apparently he was ticked that I had gotten involved in his pseudo macho fight moment. I had no patience or desire to listen to him. I let loose with a mean right hook, catching him in the jaw. I nailed the sweet spot and he dropped, out cold.

I felt like I was just getting started. A glance around revealed that the fight was over. If the bouncers moving in fast were any indication, my time at Lucy’s was up for the night.

“We’re going to have to ask you to leave, Alexa.” One of the bouncers shrugged apologetically and gestured to the door.

“Even though that ass**le threw a beer bottle at me?” I was instantly on the defensive. Could I not just have a normal evening without some shithead ruining it for me?

“This is the third time you’ve clocked a guy in here in the last few months.” The bouncer shook his head and hid a grin. “I’m not saying who started what. I just have to ask you to leave. I’m kicking those guys out too.”