Stunner (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress 0.75)

I accepted the glass of dark bronze liquor that he pressed into my hand. It burned a fiery path down my throat but the resulting glow that spread throughout me was numbing and welcome.

I wanted nothing more than to storm up the stairs and tear Belle’s throat out. The bitch would be sorry. It was just a matter of time. She was married to a rich, elderly man who knew nothing of her true nature or the fact that she was nothing more than a trashy slut. Karma had to come for her at some point.

The reality of the situation was crushing. Just a day after he’d been with me and now he was with her. I felt so used. I was nothing to Raoul.

“Lex?” Shaz studied me closely and I was both grateful to have such a sweet friend and embarrassed that my pain was so evident. He was a sweet kid. One day, he’d make some lucky lady incredibly happy.

“Let’s go sit outside. Get some air and just relax.” I held my empty glass out for a refill, giving him a look when he didn’t fill it high enough. A genuine smile spread across my face when he took the glass from my hand and passed me the whiskey bottle instead.

I followed him out the patio door off the kitchen and to the swing in the backyard. Shaz’s warm, wolf energy felt comforting and I clung to that feeling, knowing it was temporary.

Taking a large swallow of the potent whiskey, I laid my head on his shoulder and let him swing us. We didn’t need words to fill the quiet. It wasn’t uncomfortable and everything we could possibly say seemed to pass between us anyway.

After a long silence, I said, “I can’t be here anymore.”

“Yeah. You need to go. He’s going to ruin you. And I don’t want to see that.” Shaz reached to stroke the back of my hand with a gentle touch.

I raised my head to look at him and he leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to my temple. I was falling apart inside. It felt like my entire world was falling down around me. I had put so much hope into Raoul. Like a fool, I’d fallen hard for him and been naive enough to believe those feelings might be returned.

When I was alone later, I might cry. But right here and now with Shaz, I didn’t feel the need. I only felt the driving urge to make a change, to walk out of this place and never look back.

STUNNER

An Alexa O’Brien Prequel Short Story

Trina M. Lee

Published 2012

Copyright © 2012, Trina M. Lee

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

Manufactured in the United States of America

Published by

Dark Mountain Books

This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

Chapter One

Walking into a nest of vampires wasn’t the smartest decision I’d made this week. Cocky, ignorant, even a little bit stupid. If I survived it, my colleagues, Kale and Jez, would never let me hear the end of it.

I knew better than to hunt alone. The problem was that I hadn’t taken the time to determine how many vampires I was dealing with. I had only come for one. A sloppy mistake for sure. One that may now get me killed.

Six vampires. Too many for me to take on. Having my hands bound behind my back rendered me pretty much helpless. I couldn’t direct my power properly this way. I lacked the focus needed.

“You know, I think I’m ready to leave now. This was a big mistake on my part. So if you’ll just cut me loose, I’ll let you get back to your evening.” I smiled brightly, refusing to openly acknowledge my growing fear.

The three vampires keeping watch laughed and joked about how their evening was looking up, thanks to me. Their buddies were outside, making sure I had come alone. Because I had let the hunger for the hunt outweigh my common sense, I was alone. I had told nobody where I was going. Not even my closest friend, fellow werewolf, Shaz. Young, reckless and dead. Talk about learning the hard way.

“It ain’t every day we get a sweet piece like you walking in here.” The short, stout vampire seated on a stool directly across from me leered. He wore a grin that exposed yellowing fangs. I shuddered at the thought of them touching me.

“Especially a werewolf,” added another guy as he sniffed at me as if I were fresh meat.

I leaned as far away as I could, which wasn’t far. Irritated by my obvious rejection, he snapped his teeth together, inches from my face. I jumped, cursing myself again for such a foolish blunder.

These vamps hunted innocents. Soccer moms and accountants. Regular every day people that never deserved to die that way. I’d come here to right a wrong and succeeded in making myself a victim.