Awaken Me Darkly (Alien Huntress 1)

“You’re an agent. Of course I care,” Jaxon said, as if that explained everything. His expression was so compassionate, I almost believed him. “Besides, we have something in common.”

“What’s that?”

He leaned forward, like he was sharing a great secret. “We both hate Mia Snow,” he whispered.

That seemed to defuse Hudson’s anger.

Jaxon, you are so good, I thought.

“I thought everyone here worshipped that bitch.”

“Not me. She took my promotion. I should have become squad leader, but she slept with Pagosa, and he gave it to her.”

“No shit?” Hudson’s ears perked, and his lips cocked. He propped himself on his elbows. “I always figured she was blowing Pagosa to get ahead.”

Jaxon flicked a glance to the mirror. To me. His eyes were sparkling with mischief, but his tone was dead serious. “She’s a girl. That’s the only way she can get ahead.”

If anyone else had uttered those words, I would have burst into that cell and pounded some ass. But Jaxon’s comment had worked. Hudson now considered him a freaking genius.

“Damn right,” Hudson said, slamming his fist onto the cot. “I could eat that bitch for breakfast, then make her beg for more.”

Maintaining his friendly, casual tone, Jaxon said, “Mia thinks you killed Steele.”

“That’s bullshit.” Hudson jerked to a sitting position, grimaced, then sank back onto the bed. “That’s bullshit,” he repeated. “I didn’t have anything to do with that.”

“That’s exactly what I told her. He’s innocent, I said. Know what she did after that?”

“What?”

“She laughed in my face.”

“Dumb bitch,” he grumbled. “I swear, I’d like five minutes alone with her. I’d teach her a few things about men. Real men. Not those pu**y-assed losers she works with.”

Jaxon nodded his agreement, and didn’t point out that he himself worked with me. “You have to help me here, George. I need some information so I can prove your innocence and tell Queen Bitch go to hell.”

“What do you need to know?” he asked, his tone dripping resignation.

“Why don’t you tell me about Lilla,” Jaxon said. “Sherry says you were jealous of her relationship with Steele.”

“Sherry doesn’t know shit.”

“Dumb as a box of rocks, is she?”

Hudson chuckled. “I like that. Dumb as a box of rocks. Describes her perfectly.”

“Sherry says Lilla paid her to sleep with you. That Lilla wanted her to have your baby.”

“Didn’t take me long to figure out that’s what was going on. Use my condom, Sherry said, as if I couldn’t see a hole the size of a goddamn crater in the middle of it.”

“What’d you do?”

“I confronted her. She told me about Lilla paying her, so I confronted Lilla too. Lilla said she couldn’t have children of her own, but she wanted a baby. I think she was going to give the brat to Steele, maybe entice him away from his wife.”

“I bet that made you mad.”

“Mad? Hell, I went ballistic.”

“What’d you do to punish the women?”

“I slapped Sherry around a little—women need that every now and again to keep them in line. Then I arrested Lilla for prostitution. Scared the shit out of her, too,” he said on a laugh.

“What happened after that?”

“Lilla begged me to let her out. I thought she’d see me as her hero, you know, but the bitch took off with Steele the moment I freed her.”

“Is that why you moved Sherry into your house? So you could get back at Lilla?”

He shrugged. “I’m a man. I have needs. She’s easy, and she had no place to go.”

“Don’t you worry about her trying to trick you into getting her pregnant?”

He laughed, a sound full of evil enjoyment. “I had a vasectomy right after Isabel was born. Neither woman ever suspected.”

Jaxon muttered, “Smart man,” and I could tell he wanted to choke the life out of Hudson. The lines around his mouth were taut. His eyes were slightly narrowed. “How badly did you want Steele out of the picture?”

“Bad. Real bad. But not enough to kill him,” Hudson added quickly. “I just told his wife he was screwing around on her. That put a stop to things real quick. Steele wanted nothing to do with Lilla after that.”

“I can just imagine how Lilla took the rejection.”

“Beat the shit out of him. He deserved it, so I wasn’t too upset with her about it.”

“Women.” Jaxon shook his head. He paused for effect. “Out of curiosity, do you know anything about a group of exiled Arcadians? I’m trying to prove they’re responsible.”

I loved how Jaxon so expertly wove his questions with his sympathy and his desire to “help,” luring his unsuspecting victim deeper into his web of false comfort.

“Yeah, I know them,” Hudson answered. “They’re led by a female. Atlanna.”

“Do you know where I can find her?”

“No. I’ve only seen her once, and she didn’t stay around to chat. She’s real secretive. Looks like Lilla, but taller. And she’s got a God complex like you wouldn’t believe. Like Mia, she thinks she controls the fate of the world, and she’s a real bitch, if you know what I mean.”

“Oh, I know exactly what you mean.” Maintaining his good-natured expression, Jaxon massaged the back of his neck. “Did Lilla ever mention a man named Kyrin?”

“Yeah, he’s her brother.”

“Good guy?”

“Freaky.” Hudson’s voice was growing softer, as if he were suddenly having trouble keeping himself awake. “When he looks at you, it feels like he’s looking into your soul. He’s strong, too. The man could probably crush us all with one swipe of his hand.” His mouth opened wide in a yawn.

“I can tell you’re tired, George. I just have a few more questions, and then I’ll let you get some rest. Was Isabel really your daughter, or was she alien?”

“What the hell kind of dumb-ass question is that? Of course she was my daughter.”

“There was no chance—”

“I told you, she was mine,” Hudson said sleepily.

“Thanks, man. That’s all I needed to know.” Jaxon left the cell and peeked around the observation door.