Freak Show (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #7)(9)

With his free hand, he stroked my hair. His arousal was palpable, a heady desire that rolled off him like waves on the ocean. Arys was always ready and willing. However, he would never make a good victim. There was one thing missing. He didn’t fear me.

Blood was just one part of the feed for a succubus like me. It was because of Arys’s incubus nature, courtesy of his bloodline. We needed more than just blood. We needed to feast upon the lusty energy of our victim, and in turn, their fear aroused us. It all went hand in hand. Arys’s blood tasted like power and eased my hunger, but it wasn’t enough.

I gazed up at him, running my tongue over my lips. Shoving a hand into my hair, he kissed me with a primal passion. Arys slipped his tongue into my mouth, firm and commanding. My head spun, and I fell into him, my earlier irritation obliterated.

“Take your bath. Relax. We’re here to enjoy ourselves.” Arys pulled me into a hug, running his hands down my naked body.

“The tub is big enough for two,” I taunted. I pulled away and climbed into the bathtub. Sinking below the bubbles into the soothing heat, I sighed with pleasure and crooked a finger to beckon to Arys.

He raised a dark brow, his expression playful. “Tempting. Very tempting. Might I suggest you extend that offer Shaz’s way tonight instead?”

That I had certainly not expected to hear. I pursed my lips, trying hard not to frown. “That’s definitely not an Arys comment. What’s your deal? And anyway, I don’t think Shaz and I are there yet. Too awkward.”

“Which is exactly why I should send him in,” Arys said, his gaze on the bubbles hiding my nudity. “I don’t have a deal. I just want to see your relationship restored.”

“Why? What’s it to you?”

Arys maintained eye contact, but I saw the lie in his eyes. “I just want you to be happy. The pup too.”

I squinted at him with my best scrutinizing stare. “You have an ulterior motive. I know you do. Why do you really want Shaz and me to reconnect? You were never so keen on sharing before, unless you got something out of it.”

“He’s the only one I trust to protect you.” There it was. Arys’s confession was no surprise. “That wolf would die for you if he had to. Loyalty like that only comes from love.”

“So you’re willing to exploit his feelings for me,” I said with a nod. “Sounds about right.”

Arys shrugged and headed for the door. “Be mad if you like. You’re the most important thing to me. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you.”

“I noticed.” My tone dripped with acid. I was still bitter about Arys’s recent stint dealing with a demon for my so-called protection.

“I’ve got to talk to the others about our visit to The Wicked Kiss. Enjoy your bath.” He ignored my snarky remark but paused to add, “You may want to do some shopping. I want you dressed to kill.”

He left swiftly, closing the bathroom door behind him before I could protest his latest bout of insanity. I squashed the urge to grab a towel and go after him. Screw it. If Arys was going to raise hell, then I might as well enjoy a hot bath first.

* * * *

“You don’t have to come with us. Really. Don’t feel obligated.” I stood in front of the bathroom mirror the following evening, digging through my makeup bag. Jez was beside me, doing the same. There was more than enough counter space for the both of us.

“Are you kidding? I’m not missing out on a chance to see how Sin City does a club like The Wicked Kiss.” Jez swept mascara onto her long lashes. Her hair was bound up high on her head in a towel. “Aren’t you the least bit curious?”

I lined my eyes with black liner, creating a dramatic cat-eye effect. I paused to paw through my bag, looking for my favorite pale silver shadow. “No, I’m pretty much just scared. I think Arys is letting his history with these vampires cloud his judgment. I’m not sure what I dread more, meeting Jenner or seeing what goes on in his club. Harley was using that place in a blood ring operation. Some twisted shit.”

Jez carefully applied her trademark red lipstick, pursing her lips to inspect her handy work. “Isn’t Harley’s stuff technically yours now? I mean, you killed him.”

“Some might say that.” I was hesitant to claim anything of Harley’s as mine. I’d gotten my share. “I don’t want it though. My hands are full as it is.”

“Better make sure the new owner knows that.”

“I intend to, when I’m not doing damage control for Arys. He’s stubborn, but this time he’s taken it to a whole new level.” I finished my makeup, refusing when Jez tried to force me to wear red lipstick as well. She thought it went with everything at any time of day. It wouldn’t surprise me if she wore it with PJs as well.

To appease her, I agreed to a light pink lip-gloss that smelled like candy. She huffed at me like the snooty cat she sometimes was but relented. After layering my lashes in volumizing mascara, I stared at my hair and shrugged.

“Leave it down,” Jez suggested, eyeing me through the mirror. “It’s so long and beautiful. It looks really bad ass down.”

“Thanks.” I pulled a brush through the tangled ash blonde mess until it lay smooth against my back. “Sometimes I think about hacking it all off and dying it black.” Since trimming off the black tips I used to have, I hadn’t added any color to it.