WHEN DARKNESS REIGNS
ALEXA OBRIEN HUNTRESS BOOK 16
TRINA M. LEE
WHEN DARKNESS REIGNS
Copyright 2019 by 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.
Published in Canada
Editor
B. Leigh Hogan
Proofreader
Denise Fortowsky
Cover Artist
Marvin Lee Cover Design
Published by
Trina M. Lee
This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the authors imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
The pressure in my head kicked up a notch when Gabriel walked through the door. Running on pure terror and adrenaline, I waited nervously for everyone I cared about to arrive. This sick sensation wouldnt leave me until they were all here.
Willow and Jenner watched me pace in front of the red sofa set in the cozy seating area of The Wicked Kiss. I pretended not to notice when Jenner raised a brow and Willow merely shrugged and shook his head in response. Lilah had made her move, and I wouldnt be able to calm down until I knew the rest of my people were safe. Which is why I was gathering everyone.
Except that they werent safe. Not as long as Lilah was out there. She already had Ebyn. He might not have been a lover or close friend, but he was still mine to protect, and I had failed him.
Black hair spilling over the shoulders of his long leather trench coat, Gabriel slipped through the crowd toward me. Like every vampire in our bloodline, he drew attention without trying, including mine. A power as old as time dwelled within him. Wise beyond his twenty years, Gabriel had proven himself to be a valuable asset to our group. I couldnt even look at him without feeling guilty as hell. For so long Id believed the false words of a bitter old recluse who couldnt forgive the loss of his favorite progeny. I owed Gabriel big time, and he was too damn nice to say so.
How bad is it? he asked, and I was both horrified and relieved that he didnt already know something that I didnt.
Does that mean you havent seen anything to do with Lilah? My gaze darted to the couch where my shoulder bag sat with the tip of Ebyns ear inside. The psychotic demon queen had promised more of him would follow.
Nothing. Gabriels slow headshake was followed by an uneasy frown. Hed had his own taste of Lilah, having been her hostage himself. What happened?
Because he hadnt been around when Lilahs package had been delivered, I quickly caught him up to speed. Not one for overt shows of emotion, Gabriels expression barely changed. His eyes, however, gave away the sudden racing of his thoughts.
I can try a locator spell, he offered. Is everyone else accounted for?
Wrapping my arms around myself, I shivered with a sudden chill. But it was on the inside. Unreachable. As long as everyone makes it here in one piece, then yeah.
From his place on the easy chair adjacent to the couch, Jenner watched me fidget. Alexa, why dont you sit down and try to relax while we wait? Youre starting to give off this deliciously fearful vibe.
I did a double take, first at Jenner who regarded me with predatory intrigue. Then at Willow who perched on the arm of the couch, stiff as a statue. Uncomfortable as fuck. Gabriel, however, merely regarded me with quiet contemplation that revealed nothing.
Sorry, guys. Didnt mean to vibe all over you. I laughed, but it was forced and without mirth.
With a flirtatious grin Jenner patted his lap in invitation. If you want help relieving the tension, just say the word. Im at your service.
I reached out and ruffled his bleached-blond hair before giving his head a playful shove. Ill keep that in mind.
Wed just gotten back from Las Vegas, but Jenner had settled in surprisingly fast. Once hed accepted that this was home now, the sadness that had plagued him as we boarded the plane to leave Sin City had faded. I didnt doubt that it still lingered on the inside and maybe in some way always would. I suspected that perhaps Jenner had started to make his peace with this change of venue before we ever went to Vegas.
Grabbing my bag, I pulled the envelope out and passed it to Gabriel. Ill need it back so Shazs wolves can give it a sniff, but this is the piece of Ebyn that Lilah sent me. Do you need anything else?
Gabriels attention fell to my jugular. The heat in his stare shook me as I sensed the hunger within him. No, Im good. For now.
He slipped away to the back, headed to my office to work the spell in privacy. Of course I hoped he would have some success, but I also sincerely doubted it. Not because I doubted Gabriels abilities by any means but because Lilah was a demon queen and she always tended to be a step ahead. How the hell could any of us keep up with that?
For the first time in a long while now, I found myself longing painfully for Kale. I tried not to let myself think about him much. Hed found the peace he always wanted, and I couldnt have asked for anything better for him. But I was still here without him, and that forced me to realize how much reassurance I had found in him. Now that it was gone, an unfillable void had been left behind.
A cool breeze swept my insides, and I turned toward the front entry with eager expectation. Arys and Shaz walked in, and one of my biggest fears was immediately laid to rest. Lilah had expressed her regret at being unable to find and kill Shaz when she killed Zak and Zoey. I expected her to go for him now.
Thank God youre here. I threw myself into my white wolfs arms. The familiar scent of his wolf and the steady beat of his heart brought me a comfort that could only come from pack. We cant let her anywhere near you.
Shazs arms went around me, and he held me close, burying his nose in my hair. He stiffened for just a second, and I knew he smelled Falon on me. Lex, its ok. Im here. Dont worry about me. Focus on whats most important right now. Find out what she wants and make sure she doesnt get it. Calm and ready to act, not a trace of fear came off him.
I wished I could be so confident.
Arys waited for my affectionate concern to come his way but what he got instead was my finger in his face. I have a bone to pick with you. Once we make sure everyone is safe, youre going to tell me about the crap you pulled on Falon tonight. I held his gaze to convey that I wasnt kidding. When he merely grinned, a slow, seductive curve of his lips that revealed fangs, I melted completely. Pulling him in for a steamy liplock, I murmured against his lips, I mean it, Arys. Were going to have words.
Were going to have a lot more than that, he promised, sliding both hands over my ass to pull me firmly against him.
I let myself enjoy it for a moment before pushing away. It was far too easy to fall into him and everything he promised. I needed a clear head for whatever lay ahead.
Gradually everyone else filed in, and another chunk of my anxiety eased with each one of them. Jez and Smudge arrived shortly before Juliet and Briggs. While I waited on Falon to return from putting whatever wards and protection he could on our homes, I brought everyone up to speed on the latest.
