Vote Then Read: Volume I

by Carly Phillips

  Tom expelled a long breath, his shoulders falling. “Fine. Yes. You’re right. I’ll just… I’ll be in my car. But will you tell me either way?”

  She nodded, her chest aching a little at the sadness in his expression. “I will.”

  “Okay.” He swallowed and took a step back, turning toward his car, then stopped. “Stas?”

  “Yeah?”

  “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. And I’m glad you’re okay.” Sincere words that pierced her resolve.

  That was the look and tone of the friend she’d known for years.

  Contrite.

  Desperate.

  And heartbroken.

  “I’ll be in my car,” he added softly.

  Issac shut the door before she could reply, his jaw clenched. “What is it you’re trying to show me, Mateo?” he demanded, the irritation in his tone surprising her.

  The blond male took a step backward, his palms up in the air. “Okay, hear me out before you reject the idea.”

  Hear him out?

  “Start talking. Quickly, mate.” Because from what Issac had inferred from the images rolling through his mind, Mateo wanted to send Astasiya on some sort of reconnaissance mission through the CRF headquarters.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, glancing between them. “What did I miss?”

  “Tell her,” Issac encouraged, folding his arms.

  Mateo cleared his throat, his already pale face losing color. “This presents us with an opportunity. Tom wants to take her back to CRF’s headquarters, right? Where the servers are? If Stas can get close enough to them, I could hack into the system the old-fashioned way.”

  “What would that require?” Aidan asked, his stance casual beside Mateo.

  “All she needs is a device—which I can procure relatively quickly—and to find either the server room or a proper host connection.”

  “Host connection?” Stas repeated, her brow furrowed. “What does that mean?”

  “Like a master computer with access to all the files,” Mateo explained. “I imagine Jonathan has one.”

  “With his controlling nature? It’s an absolute certainty that he does.” Aidan scratched his jaw. “So you’re suggesting Stas go with Tom and help you access the files that are blocked via unknown means. How certain are you that this method will work?”

  Mateo didn’t hesitate. “About eighty percent, give or take.”

  “You want to risk Astasiya’s life over a plan with less than a one hundred percent presumed success rate?” Issac snorted. “No.”

  “Hold on,” she said, focusing on Mateo. “Tell me exactly what you would need so I understand what you’re asking of me.”

  “Okay.” Mateo pulled his wallet from his jeans pocket and found a nickel, handing it to her. “You’ll need to hide something of this size in your purse or in your pocket and place it near Jonathan’s computer. It should provide me with the access I need, assuming he has host files on his system. If not, then you’d need to find the server room, which I imagine is in the basement somewhere, in a temperature-controlled room—”

  “And shrouded in security, no doubt,” Issac added in a growl. “There’s no bloody way she’ll find the server room without being caught, Mateo.”

  “Your faith in me is inspiring,” she muttered.

  “It’s not meant to be personal, love. Just stating the obvious. Jonathan is renowned for his security. Case in point, Mateo can’t access certain files and he’s a bloody Ichorian with supernatural technical skills.”

  She considered him and nodded. “Issac’s right. I’ve been down there once, and it’s a maze of white halls littered with security cameras. Finding the server room would be next to impossible.”

  “But if Jonathan invites you to his office for a chat…?” Mateo prompted.

  “I could place this near his laptop,” she agreed, holding up the coin. “Assuming I can get it through security. They scan all personal items through the machine, and there are metal detectors, too.”

  “I can work with that, but I would need the evening to prepare. I might even be able to make it into a card of sorts. Hmm.” His gaze turned inward, his voice taking on a dreamy quality. “Oh, I could add a camera to your wardrobe, take video of the underground.” He smiled, taking back the nickel and putting his wallet away. “Yes, architectural design. Stas could provide us with brand-new details about the layout.”

  Issac just stared at him. “Have you lost your bloody mind?” He was asking an untrained operative—Astasiya—to go on a suicide mission. “If Jonathan even senses her intentions…” He couldn’t finish the thought, the ideas too horrific for his mind. “Absolutely not.”

  “Do you think there’s information on Owen in those files?” Astasiya asked, ignoring Issac. “Maybe even Amelia?”

  “I think there’s a reason Jonathan is using a magical encryption to hide certain documents, and I would bet they’re related in some fashion, yes.” Mateo glanced at Aidan. “Do you agree?”

  The eldest among them stared off into space for a long moment, strategy and intelligence radiating from his ancient gaze. He slowly nodded. “Yes, it is the most logical of explanations. Whatever he is hiding via supernatural means is something he wants no one to see.” He blinked, refocusing on Issac. “Mateo’s idea is worth considering. This is a unique opportunity to gather intelligence from the inside, which is what you desired all along.”

  “He’s right,” Astasiya murmured. “You wanted to use me for revenge, and this proves I really am your perfect pawn.”

  His gut clenched at the words, his heart skipping a beat. “Aya…”

  “No, it’s okay,” she continued, gazing at him with eyes that showed her very soul. “I know you’ve changed your mind, but Mateo’s right. If Doctor Fitzgerald was working with Owen, I deserve to know. I need to know, Issac. And those files might just have the answers.”

  “And if they don’t?” he countered. “Then what?”

  “Then we’re right back where we started,” she replied, grabbing his hand. “But at least we’ll know what’s in those files.”

  He shook his head. “I’m not willing to risk you over a what-if, Aya. There has to be another way.”

  “It’s not your decision, Issac,” she said softly, stepping into him and catching his other palm with hers. “Tell me, do you trust Mateo?”

  An unfair question, particularly when voiced in front of his progeny. Issac sighed, his shoulders falling. “Mateo has never failed me.” True words, ones that brought pride to Mateo’s features. “So yes, I trust him.”

  “Then I trust him, too,” Astasiya replied, squeezing his hands. “I need to do this, Issac. Not just for me, but for Owen.”

  “You’ll risk your life in search of answers?” He tilted his head to the side. “Think about what you’re saying, Aya. Think about what Jonathan could do to you. The Nizari poison was just a preliminary measure. He’s been experimenting on immortals for over a decade.”

  “It’s true,” Aidan said, the voice of reason. “We don’t know exactly how he’s doing it, but the technology he’s given the Sentinels is too advanced for human invention. Not to mention the runes.”

  “And those details, are they hidden?” she asked, her attention going to Mateo. “Can you access them?”

  He shook his head. “Only superficial details with vague names regarding assets.”

  “Meaning these research projects are likely part of the classified files you can’t reach,” Astasiya inferred.

  “Yes,” Mateo agreed. “That’s my theory.”

  “Theory,” Issac repeated, disgusted with the word. “Not proven. Not scientific. Not fact. You’d be risking your life on a theory, Aya.”

  She swallowed, her gaze returning to his. “I’d be risking my life on a lot more than a theory, Issac. You want me to believe all these accusations about Doctor Fitzgerald, but I can’t without more proof. I need to see him again, to really know that it’s true.” She cupped his cheek. “You’r
e asking me to criminalize my mentor, the man who helped me with my career path, the one who has treated me with the utmost respect since I met him nearly seven years ago. Yes, the information you’ve provided is damning, but I need to know with certainty that he’s evil. It’s the only way I can help you achieve your revenge.”

  “But I don’t want to use you in that way, Aya. I don’t want to lose you.” Didn’t she understand? This was no longer a game of chess. Real emotions were on the board, with Aya front and center, and he couldn’t risk the pawn who had become his queen. “Astasiya, you’re worth more to me than vengeance.”

  Fuck, he could hardly believe the words falling from his lips, but they were true. Revenge—a quest of the past. He couldn’t lose Astasiya, not over this, not over something he recruited her into. Issac would never forgive himself.

  “I know,” she whispered, lifting to brush her mouth over his. “Which is why I have to do this. It’s no longer about you, but about me. If everything in my life has been a lie these last few years, I have to know. Trust me to do this. Please.”

  “It’s not about trust,” he replied, his arms folding around her back. “It’s…” It’s about fear. He didn’t want to lose her. But she’s not even mine. Not really. Exclusivity was one thing, a future entirely another.

  Still, in regard to Mateo’s plan to infiltrate the CRF…

  Fuck.

  Logically, Issac understood the idea. It was the best chance they had at gaining insight into their enemy’s inner fortress. But risking Astasiya had him shaking his head, doubt creeping in. “I can’t lose you,” he said again.

  “I can do this,” she urged. “But I need you to believe in me.”

  “Oh, Aya. It’s not about faith. It’s the matter of not being able to protect you in the CRF.” The last time she went in there without him, she came out poisoned. That had bothered him. Now he feared it would destroy him.

  What the hell is wrong with me? Issac didn’t do this with anyone. He always lived by his own code, allowing others to do the same. But the idea of Astasiya entering that building alone, without him, unsettled him immensely. Only a few weeks of her acquaintance and he already felt as if she’d bonded to his soul.

  How is that even possible?

  A tender emotion brushed her features. “Have you forgotten that I know how to protect myself? All it takes are a few demands.”

  “That’s assuming your gift works in the underground,” he replied, his mouth thick with foreign sensations. “Ichorians and Hydraians are essentially made human inside those walls. What will they do to you?”

  “She’s already mortal,” Aidan said. “The runes shouldn’t apply, as they’re designed for immortal bloodlines.”

  “Shouldn’t or won’t?” Issac asked, his grip on Astasiya’s hands tightening.

  “I’ll be okay, Issac,” she whispered. “Let me trust my instincts. Please? Can you trust me?”

  His heart leapt into his throat.

  There was only a handful of people he ever trusted, and two of them were dead. But a fragile part of him, one he hadn’t known existed until he met Astasiya, already trusted her, too. It was the same part of him that cared for her.

  “What about Osiris?” he asked, going for a different tactic. The ancient Ichorian harbored a variety of homes, but he frequented the city often.

  “He scares the shit out of me,” she admitted. “But, Issac, I can’t let fear drive my decisions. This is the right move.” Spoken like the strong woman he knew her to be. One of the many traits he admired about her. “I’m not naive. I know going with Luc is my safest option, but I’m not ready yet. Not until I know the truth. Not until I find out what really happened to Owen.”

  Resolve shone bright in her features.

  Astasiya would go with or without his support.

  Either he respected her decision or he fought it.

  Issac sighed. He’d never allow her to put herself in a life-threatening situation while thinking he didn’t have her back.

  “Oh, Aya.” He gripped the back of her neck and pulled her in for a kiss, etching every foreign emotion and unspoken thought into her mouth with his tongue. She gripped his arms, holding him closer, returning the favor and devastating him with her own feelings.

  It was as if they’d bonded on a level not of this earth, his soul aligning magically with hers, dancing somewhere in space.

  He couldn’t define it.

  Didn’t understand it.

  Refused to ponder it.

  Just embraced it.

  My Aya… He deepened the kiss, not caring at all that they had an audience, ignoring everyone and everything around them. They were creating a pact, one that required him to give where his instincts desired to take.

  She would always be in charge of her own decisions.

  He’d never take that away from her.

  Even when he craved control and longed to keep her safe.

  But she had to follow her heart, to learn for herself, and he understood that more than he wanted to admit. Telling her wasn’t enough. She needed to see.

  “Come back to me, my Aya,” he breathed against her lips. “Promise me you’ll come back to me.”

  Her lashes fluttered open. “You’re trusting me?”

  “Yes,” he whispered, nuzzling her. “Do what you need to do.” It killed him to say it, but grounding her would be wrong. His Astasiya was born to fly.

  26

  Technical Mayhem

  Issac stood outside the door, giving Astasiya space as she spoke to Thomas in the driveway. From the Sentinel’s expression, he wasn’t crazy about her proposal. Too fucking bad for him because Issac wasn’t budging on this stipulation.

  Tristan joined him, hands in the pockets of his trousers, his shrewd gaze on Astasiya. “If I caused offense earlier, I apologize.”

  Issac snorted. “Lies do not become you.” He faced the man he considered his best friend. “But while you’re here, mind telling me what has your knickers in a twist? You never care about who I fuck. Why the sudden change?”

  “Because she’s more than a fuck,” Tristan replied. “You took her to a Conclave, Issac.”

  “Not by bloody choice, I didn’t.” Osiris had compelled him to bring Astasiya. There was no alternative.

  “You risked your fucking life for her—all of our lives.”

  “Something you did not take issue with at the Arcadia,” Issac pointed out. “If I recall, you assisted me rather willingly.”

  “As is my duty, even when my best lad is away with the fairies.”

  Issac narrowed his gaze, not at all appreciating the accusation regarding his mental state. “And what would you have had me do instead, hmm?” There’d been no other option. He couldn’t just hand her over to the likes of Osiris. Tristan knew that.

  “It’s not so much the decision as it’s your reactions,” he said flatly. “The lass is in your head. Soon your heart. And she’s nowhere near good enough for you.”

  “Not good enough?” Issac repeated, his brows lifting. “Under whose authority was that decision made?”

  His progeny faced him, his expression emotionless. “What kind of future do you have with her? She’s a fledgling.”

  “I’m very aware of what she is, Tristan.” And also how it impacted their relationship. “Is that your basis for disliking her, then? That she’s a future Hydraian?” Those types of issues never bothered Tristan in the past. Issac didn’t understand why they should now.

  “I don’t give a flying fuck about that. What concerns me are your feelings for the lass. You’re letting her change you, making decisions based on emotions, not sense, and all for a temporary fuck. This will not end well, Sire.”

  Ah, there it was, the underlying reason for Tristan’s concern—that Astasiya would change Issac on an irrevocable level. Possibly, yes, she’d already begun the process. But it was for him to fret over, not Tristan. “It’s my business to sort, not yours.”

  “Then sort it,” Tristan repl
ied. “Because from my vantage point, you appear to be falling for the lass, and hard. And your relationship is an impossibility.”

  “What makes you think I’m unaware of that?” he countered, slightly irritated by the censure in Tristan’s tone. “Do you truly think I’m ignorant of our predicament?”

  “Being aware of the truth and accepting it are two very different sentiments, Sire.” Tristan took a step back, his gaze flicking to an approaching Astasiya. “Enjoy her while you can, but guard yourself.”

  He left before Issac could reply.

  Fortunately, Astasiya hadn’t overheard a word of it.

  He held open his arms for her, and she stepped into them on a sigh, her forehead falling to his chest as Thomas drove off.

  “I take it he agreed, then?” Issac inferred, his lips in her hair.

  “Yeah. He’s going to set up a meeting for noon tomorrow.”

  “That should provide Mateo with enough time,” he murmured, his grip tightening around her. He still couldn’t believe he’d agreed to this. The logic and motive behind it were sound. The execution was what concerned him.

  Fortunately, they had two of the best strategists in the world on the case. If anyone could develop a foolproof plan, it was Aidan and Lucian. With Mateo’s technical expertise, there shouldn’t be any issues.

  Unless Jonathan threw a play none of them expected, which was entirely likely.

  “I saw you talking to Tristan,” Astasiya murmured, pulling back to meet his gaze. “He’s not my biggest fan, hmm?”

  Right. She would be wondering about this. “He’s protective.”

  “And seems to think you’re destined for another woman?” she prompted, eyebrow arched.

  Issac sighed, his fingers teasing the ends of Astasiya’s hair. “Clara is just a friend. But yes, Aidan created her as a gift—for me.” He palmed the back of her neck before she could step away. “Don’t, Aya. There’s nothing between us, only a long friendship with no desire for an intimate future.”