by Shana Vernon
His brow furrowed. “Why are you blushing, Lenna?”
I tried to clear the lump that had risen in my throat. “Uh, no reason.”
“Yes, there is… Oh my fucking god! You weren’t back because you were getting some.” He leaned back and bellowed out a laugh.
I covered his mouth with my hands. “Shh, someone is going to hear you!”
His shoulders shook with the effort to subdue his laughter, and a single tear slid down his cheek.
Once he calmed down, I took my hand away from his face and crossed my arms.
“You need to keep this to yourself, Ryder.”
“Why? Who did you fuck?”
I shushed him again when I saw Sofia and Ekon approaching. Ryder and Sofia had been getting along a lot better ever since they had created the distraction for me.
“So,” she said as they fell into step beside us, “what lessons do we have today?”
“Hand to hand and weapons,” I replied as we headed to the lower levels.
Ekon clapped Ryder on the back and threw an arm around my shoulders. “Do you believe in love at first sight? Or should I pass by again?”
That time I was ready for him.
“Do you know what my shirt is made of? Girlfriend material,” I replied and watched as Sofia missed a step and choked.
Oh no, I hope she doesn’t get upset by this.
She steadied herself and let out a laugh along with Ekon.
“I feel like I missed something,” Ryder said, confusion crossing his features.
Sofia patted his arm. “You’re a little late to the squad, so I’ll catch you up. Ekon makes weird flirty comments to Lenna, which she usually just laughs at until this moment, and Ekon and I fuck each other on the roof when we need to scratch that itch.”
I stopped walking and my hand flew to my mouth as I turned to catch Ekon’s expression.
She is just so unpredictable.
His eyes were wide and he just stood there, staring at her with his mouth hanging open.
She stared right back at him in a challenge.
He stalked right up to her and grabbed her face, pulling it up to meet him in a heated kiss, and I watched as she clawed at his body, climbing up his thick frame.
Get it, girl.
“What the fuuuuck,” breathed Ryder.
I hauled him down the hallway and toward the training room. “Come on, we’ll make an excuse for them. Clearly they have some shit to work out.”
We entered the room and saw Master Wilde, Master Abbott, Master Locke, and a few unnamed Guild members waiting for us.
As we passed the other initiates, Axel inclined his head in my direction and Brielle gave me a warm smile.
We dropped into empty seats beside them as Sofia and Ekon entered the room, their hair a little mussed.
Master Wilde stepped forward. “Now that you have all passed the necessary training of a first season initiate, it is time for you to prove you belong in the Guild. You will be divided into groups to complete your first assassinations. Each group will be paired with a Master and senior Guild member.” He gestured toward the unnamed individuals. “They will be there to advise and guide, but ultimately, your mission is your own.”
What? An assassination already?
I made a thought to send a note for Max once they gave us the name. I had no doubt he could ascertain the mark’s innocence or guilt. I chewed my lip as a sudden sense of dread came over my body.
I watched as Master Wilde accepted a piece of paper from one of the men in black.
“The first group is Master Abbott, Axel Lai, Ekon Toure, and John Miller. The second group is Master Locke, Hailey Anders, Brielle Sutton, and Toni Anderson. The third group is myself, Lenna Bishop, Sofia Alvarez, Ryder Edge, and Isabella Hernandez.
“You might be wondering why you are being sent out for assassinations in groups. This is because you are not simply being sent out to assassinate. You will also be conducting interrogations. We will be there to instruct you, and you will all receive a turn before one of you is chosen to complete the kill. This will be once we have received the necessary information from the mark.”
So now they wanted us to torture and then kill potential innocents?
A cold sensation swept over me and my pulse quickened, causing little tendrils of light to rise out of my fingertips. I shoved my hands under my butt to hide the luminescence, while I worked to calm the beating of my heart.
Once I was certain my glow was under control, I brought my hands back out and turned my attention back to the room.
The guild members were all dividing into groups and Ryder yanked at my hand, ushering me over to our group.
I followed him over to Master Wilde, Sofia, and a woman who I assumed was Isabella Hernandez.
Master Wilde cleared his throat. “Our mark is someone who has committed countless murders which cannot go unpunished. His death has been sanctioned and we will interrogate him to discover which other criminals he was associated with. Once we have that information, one of you three,” he pointed to me, Sofia, and Ryder, “will get the chance to take him out. You can choose to bring a weapon, a poison, or use your hands. I would not suggest the latter, especially not when killing someone of a larger stature than yourselves.”
He pointed to the wall of weapons and a row of poisons which must have been brought down by Master Doku. “Take what you wish and meet me at the entrance in ten minutes.” Without another word, he turned and left the room, the Guild member trailing behind him.
I wanted to speak to Ryder, but Sofia was with us. When she skipped forward to check out the knives, I pulled on Ryder’s shirt sleeve and lowered my voice, “What do we do?”
“Fuck if I know. What are the chances this guy actually did what they said?” he replied, rubbing the back of his neck.
“I don’t think we can trust any marks from Master Abbott, but I’m not sure about Master Wilde. I’ve never seen him involved when I spy on them, but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything.”
“I think we need to go with the flow for now, and if anything feels sketchy, we’ll decide from there.”
What a terrible plan.
Not that I had any better ideas.
Sofia returned, swinging her sai in her hands, her skill a great deal better than when I first saw her handle the blades. “Well, come on bitches. Let’s get a move on!”
I strapped a gun to the holster on my right side and a dagger to my left.
Ryder chose a gun and his machete and then we all went back up to the main floor to find Master Wilde and Isabella Hernandez.
We approached them outside the building, but when I headed in the direction of the car park, Master Wilde stopped me.
“We aren't leaving the premises, Ms. Bishop. If you would all follow me.” He took off around the compound, leading us to the back of the building and into the trees.
After walking for a few minutes, we arrived at a small, decrepit house, which looked like it hadn’t seen a broom in years. Ignoring our confused gazes, Mater Wilde led us into the house and down the steps to the basement.
A heavy feeling dropped to the pit of my stomach, my mouth drying when the lights turned on and I saw a man chained to a metal chair, a bag over his head. The man’s clothes were torn and there was blood pouring out of open wounds.
“Ms. Hernandez, if you could remove the bag from the criminal's head so the initiates can watch as you start the interrogations?”
She smiled and stepped forward, ripping it off his head and my knees buckled.
Papa.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Oh, Papa. What have they done to you?
My heart hammered in my chest, swirls of light flowing freely from my hands as Papa lifted his head and met my gaze. His brown hair was unkempt and dirty.
His mismatched eyes widened in shock as he took me in, but he quickly schooled his expression and lowered his face to the floor. Protecting me like he always did.
Not anymore.<
br />
I snatched the gun out of my holster, popped off the safety, and pointed it at the back of Isabella’s head, pulling the trigger.
A loud bang pierced the air and she dropped to the floor, lifeless.
Sofia screamed and jumped, turning around with her sai in the air, looking for the intruder. Her expression changed to confusion as she saw the gun in my hand.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, initiate?” Master Wilde bellowed.
“Lenna, what’s going on? Why did you kill her?” Sofia squealed as Ryder looked back and forth between me and Papa, the realization crossing his features.
“Oh shit,” said Ryder.
Master Wilde pulled out a sword and directed it at my chest. “You have three seconds to explain yourself before I drive this blade into your heart.”
Sofia cried out, tears dripping down her face. “Please don’t!”
I stood there, my feet planted to the floor, my mouth too dry to speak. I could only look at Papa, who had abandoned any attempts to keep his eyes to the floor.
Those blue and brown orbs that I knew so well were looking right into mine, a look of pure anguish on his face. “Why did you come?”
My chin trembled as a tear leaked from the corner of my eye, falling to the stone floor. I swallowed and my voice shook as I croaked out, “I had to, Papa.”
“Papa? Lenna, is he your father? What the actual fuck is going on?” Sofia yelled, snapping her wrist band while Master Wilde still pointed the blade at me.
Papa, ignoring the gashes on his face, grinned and said, “We’re in a bit of a predicament, little hawk.”
I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped my lips. “That we are, Papa. What do you say we get out of this, Turgenov style? Do you have enough energy for that?”
He bobbed his head. “You’re on. I conserved enough energy for just a few minutes, but that should be enough.”
“See you on the other side. Don’t kill those two.” I pointed at Ryder and Sofia before I smiled and pushed the cooling sensation throughout my body, watching Master Wilde and Sofia’s shocked expressions as I vanished from view.
I knew Papa would want to fight Master Wilde himself, so I sprinted forward and after gathering all of my energy reserves, imagined my katana and watched as it materialized in my hand. I slashed through the chains holding Papa and after leaving my dagger on the floor, I backed away as he stood to his full height and disappeared.
Master Wilde spun around, his weapon still raised, though it wasn’t pointed at me anymore. He was glancing around, trying to spot his attacker. “Alexei, is this seriously how you want to fight me? I always knew you were a coward.”
Papa popped back into view, a few feet in front of Master Wilde. “Coward? You stood on the side and watched as that imbecile knocked me over the head and chained me up, spouting nonsense about me murdering innocents. Me, of all people! Tell me, Shane, who is the real coward here?”
“Killian had his reasons for what he did. You shouldn't have been putting your nose where it didn’t belong. This is bigger than you and some stupid innocent vampires!” Master Wilde shouted.
“They were innocent pregnant vampires! He was killing pregnant women, what did you expect me to do?”
“Enough of this, Turgenov. You broke more rules than I thought, having a kid of your own,” Master Wilde said, lifting his blade again. “It’s time for you to die and your bitch daughter is next.”
Before we had time to blink, Master Wilde gasped, clutching at a gaping wound in his throat. He fell to his knees with a thump, choking and gasping as he attempted to speak. He spluttered one last time before he hit the floor and stopped moving.
Papa bent down and spoke into Master Wilde’s ear. “Nobody talks about my daughter like that and lives.”
I dropped my invisibility. “I don't think he can hear you anymore, Papa.”
He turned and limped a few steps forward and I sprinted for him, slamming into his chest, tears falling down my face. “I missed you so much.”
He stroked my hair. “I’m sorry little hawk, I got a little tied up.”
I leaned back and gave him a fake slap on the arm. “Not funny.”
I twisted around to look at my friends. Ryder was standing to the side, looking at us with a smile on his face, and Sofia had backed away to the wall and slid down it, her fingers snapping at her wrist band over and over.
I took a step toward her and she held out her hand to stop me. “Explain. Now.”
“One minute, let me heal him first.”
I backtracked and helped Papa back to the chair and he sat down, allowing me to push my warm, rose colored healing light into his body. He sighed as his skin wove itself back together, color returning to his face.
“That’s better. Thank you, little hawk.”
I sat on the floor next to Papa’s chair and leaned my head against his leg as I turned my attention back to Sofia.
“This is my father, Alexei Turgenov. He was a Guild assassin.”
Her eyes widened. “I heard about you. Aren't you their number one assassin? How did you end up like this?”
“I discovered some disturbing information Killian Abbott was hiding from most of the Guild members. They have been killing innocent vampires and humans for years, trying to cover up the world’s biggest secret.”
“What secret?” asked Sofia.
“Humans and vampires are able to procreate. Their children are called hybrids.”
Sofia let out a gasp.
“I don’t know much about this new race, but it must be shocking enough for the government to try and wipe them out,” Papa continued.
“And since the general population isn't aware of them, nobody is suspicious. They can't do that to vampires with all the human support these days,” Ryder added and leaned forward, holding out his hand. “I’m Ryder Edge. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve been helping Lenna try and find you.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? You told Ryder about this and not me?” Sofia asked.
“No, Ryder caught me when I was sending a message to a friend outside of the Guild. I wouldn’t have told him otherwise.”
“Okay, so let me get this straight. Your dad is the Guild’s number one, badass assassin and you decided to pretend to be an initiate to try and find him?” Sofia asked, but before I could respond she continued. “Wait a minute, why aren’t you a better fighter?”
Papa barked out a laugh. “Why do you think my daughter isn't a good fighter?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I pretended not to know how to fight in case they recognized my style and connected it to you,” I replied, explaining my lies making my stomach turn. I turned my focus back to Sofia. “I’m so sorry I lied to you, but I only came to the Guild to find my father – I never expected it to take so long.”
“So, you’re secretly a badass killing machine too?”
“I can attest to her insane fighting skills. I made her spar with me after I found out. She whooped my ass,” Ryder added.
Papa patted my back. “As you should have. Are you in a relationship with this man?”
Ryder laughed as my face turned beet red. Papa and I never spoke about boys.
“She wishes,” Ryder said.
I punched Ryder’s arm. “No, Papa. We aren’t together.”
He got out of his chair. “Now that I am healed and I have you back, what do you say we get the hell out of here?”
Finally.
I looked at Sofia. “I know that you must be angry with me, but if you still care about me at all, please give us a head start.”
She blinked at me. “Did you think I was going to stop you or something? Fuck that! You know how I feel about family. Avenging my brother is the only reason I got caught up in this shitshow in the first place.”
“In that case, do you want to come with us?” Papa asked.
Her eyes widened and she snapped her wrist band. “But you don’t even know me.”
“Anyone m
y daughter considers worthy enough to call a friend is good in my book,” he said, placing an arm around me.
Fresh tears filled her eyes and she coughed, trying to cover it up. She looked at me. “As much as I want to, I can’t leave Ekon, especially now I know what’s going on in that crazy house.”
Ryder stepped to her side. “I’ll go back with her and be the inside eyes for you guys. We’ll tell them Mr. Turgenov escaped and abducted Lenna. I’m sure they will believe it.”
I stepped forward and yanked Sofia into a hug. “I’m going to miss you so much.”
She pulled back and wiped her eyes. “You better find a way to stay in touch.”
“Send us updates with Joe,” Ryder said, folding me into his embrace. “I’m so glad this worked out and you’re together again.”
I smiled up at Papa before looking back at them. “Speak to you soon.”
Right as I turned to leave, a sharp voice broke through the silence, sending a chill down my spine. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
I whipped around to see Hailey’s dad enter the room, followed by a group of soldiers. My breathing sped up and I gripped the handle of my katana tighter.
“Anders,” Papa said, moving to stand in front of me.
“I was tired of waiting on Killian for results and thought to check on you myself. Little did I know that idiot was right and you did actually plant a spy with the initiates.” He gestured to the soldiers behind him and they spread out around the room, guns raised.
We were surrounded.
Ryder unsheathed his blade while simultaneously removing his gun from its holster. Sofia was already standing in a defensive position with her sai in the air.
“Stop!” I shouted, moving around Papa. “They aren’t involved in this, let them go.”
“Lenna, shut your fucking mouth, we aren’t going anywhere,” Sofia hollered at my back.
“As sweet as that was, it doesn't matter anyway. None of you are leaving this house alive,” Anders said as he lifted his gun in my direction.
The knuckles gripping my blade had turned white, my hand trembling slightly.
