by Lizzy Ford
Julius dropped. Zoey fixed her clothing and strolled away.
Declan leaned back and covered his mouth. He’d faced Zoey in an alley, assured she couldn’t kill a full-grown Incubus, let alone her soul-mate.
“It doesn’t make sense,” he said at last, heart quickening. “I checked her mind today. I saw none of this, no sign of a secret of this magnitude. She didn’t know why we were there, above what the Professor told her.”
“It’s her, isn’t it?” Ethan asked.
“It is,” Declan confirmed. “She had a chance to kill me last night and didn’t. I don’t understand.”
“You’re certain?”
“She doesn’t look drugged in the video,” Wes said. “She’s alert and aware.”
“I stripped her mind, Dad,” Declan snapped. “I’ve been concerned about this woman since I marked her three years ago. I’ve watched her, consulted with the Professor, read her files. She is a killer, and she’s strong. But she has absolutely no capacity to lie, and not one tenth the power she’d need to hide a secret from me.”
“I’m afraid I have to agree,” Wes said. “The girl has an itchy trigger finger, but she’s an open book.”
“Three years?” Ethan raised an eyebrow.
Declan looked away.
“We’ll talk about that later,” his father said firmly. “Right now, I need to know what’s going on. Our sources tell me it was a hit, and you’re telling me the assassin has no memory of it.”
“She doesn’t,” Declan said. “I also learned from the Professor that Olivia purposely secluded five Incubus soul-mates onto one team and assigned them Benefactors. This inquiry was her way of sending a message, one I think you understand?”
Ethan was quiet, his eyes straying to the iPad. Declan was breaking out in a cold sweat at the thought of Zoey killing an Incubus, not because he was afraid, but because he knew the penalty for such an act, just as he knew his father was charged with executing it.
He promised to protect her an hour before.
“Fuck!” Declan rose and paced, restless from the rite as well as the revelation on the iPad.
“Calm down, son.” His father said. “You have discretion as the leader of the Enforcers. You do not have to act, and if you say she doesn’t remember, I believe you.”
“Who knows about this?”
“The three of us and the anonymous tipper.”
“Why do I have the feeling it’s Olivia who tipped us off?”
“Because your instincts are damn good,” his father said in approval. “She set this up nicely, don’t you think? Sent an Incubus’ soul-mate to kill one of the top three Incubuses the Sucubatti hate, then put the killer right in front of you without you knowing.”
“The only thing she didn’t know was that Zoey is mine,” Declan said moodily. “She didn’t know I’d be able to read her and see there was no memory of this.”
“This could be our only leverage in the situation,” Ethan said. “She doesn’t know what we know. Zoey has no memory of killing an Incubus. Somehow, Olivia was able to activate her, like some sort of robot, then turn her off. We need to know how and if the rest of the girls on Zoey’s team are like this. Three of my sons have taken soul-mates in the past few months. I was pleased at first, but the timing is worrying. Likewise, we need to keep this footage from surfacing.”
“She said there’d be repercussions if you didn’t join forces with her,” Declan said, half-hearing his father. “Is this her leverage?”
“Looks that way,” his father said. “Olivia would have recognized that Zoey was marked, even if she didn’t know who it was. The Enforcers are the only Incubatti who cannot choose their mates. It wouldn’t take much for her to piece it together.”
“I’m a fucking idiot,” Declan muttered.
“This puts you – and me – in a very precarious position,” Ethan said. “We have two of the five girls in the building, leaving three under Olivia’s influence. The Cambions are planning something soon. I’m being blocked on the when and where by Paul and his allies on the Council. Wes,” he turned to the third born son, “call Olivia. Set up a meeting in an hour.”
“Got it.” Wes rose and whipped out his phone as he left the room.
Declan met his father’s gaze. “She’s manipulating you.”
“Let’s hope she’s the only one,” Ethan replied. “Declan, are you one hundred percent certain your soul-mate isn’t a willing participant in whatever Olivia is doing?”
“I am,” Declan said firmly. “She holds no particular warmth for the Incubatti, but I saw nothing indicating she was involved with Olivia or aware of killing an Incubus.”
“I wish she were. It puts you in danger.”
“No, Dad. I can handle Zoey.”
“I won’t be convinced, until you’ve finished the rite. At that point, you won’t be at risk, even if Olivia activates her. There are things that might mask it, but there is nothing that can trump that bond.”
“I have no choice,” Declan admitted. “I’ll go crazy.”
“Finish it this weekend. I’m going to give Olivia what she wants,” his father said. “Just until we figure out what she’s done.”
Declan felt worse. First he taxed the Professor, now he was causing his father’s careful plans to change.
“I should talk to Olivia,” he said. “Maybe I can fix this.”
“No, son. You’ve got a lot to learn about dealing with a woman like that,” Ethan said. “Nothing she says can be trusted. She’s been looking for leverage to manipulate me for years.”
“I all but handed it to her.”
“Trust me.” Ethan winked. “I know how this game is played. Your focus is your soul-mate and the plan to purge the Incubatti of Cambions. If we partner with Olivia for a few short weeks, so be it. Nothing else changes.”
Declan wasn’t convinced, and concern for Zoey crept into his thoughts.
Chapter Fourteen: Zoey Alone
Zoey gazed at the bright sign on the side of the club. She and Vikki spent the day avoiding the reality that their world was about to change. Now that they stood in front of a club, there was nothing left to distract them.
“Vikki, I started the rite thing with an Incubus,” Zoey said.
“I meant to tell you, I’m moving in with Liam.”
They stared at each other then began to laugh.
“C’mon,” Zoey said, looping her arm through her friend’s. “Are you allowed to drink tonight?”
“Only because it’s our last night together.”
“Then we are getting smashed.” I’ll deal with the hangover in the morning.
It wasn’t yet dark, and they grabbed the last table near the bar. Zoey ordered enough drinks to get them started, and they gazed at each other. Sadness was in Vikki’s eyes, the same Zoey felt.
“Sorry about the inquisition,” Zoey started. “I didn’t break. There were um, extenuating circumstances.”
“I knew you wouldn’t talk. I was trying to figure it out,” Vikki admitted. “Was the Professor there? Did they make him read your mind or something?”
“No. So, about starting the soul-mate rite shit with an Incubus. My um, awesome soul-mate is the head of the Enforcers.”
“No way!”
Their drinks arrived. Vikki promptly ordered more. Zoey tossed back two shots of tequila before speaking again.
“Yeah. So, we fucked last night, which took away the bond from the Professor and landed me in the shitter this morning,” she summarized. “I lied my ass off, he knew it, and read me.”
Vikki laughed hard. “You have the worst luck, Zoey!”
Zoey raised her next shot in agreement and drank it.
“Did you have a meltdown?” Vikki asked.
“Yeah. I cried, Vikki. I can’t trust him. His job is to fuck you over, and I gave him the ammunition to do it. I almost begged him not to, but he was like, he has to follow rules. He even came over to the Professor’s after to get the journal. I’ve never
felt so helpless.”
“Ah, Zoey,” Vikki said with a smile. “I understand. You had to do it. Liam knows you’re one of the only people on my friend list.”
“Still?” Zoey asked hopefully.
“Always.”
“I feel like shit. I don’t want a soul-mate. I definitely don’t want him for one.”
“Well…” Vikki said pensively. “Don’t hate me for this. Zoey, it’s worth it. I mean, I know you can’t trust yours, which isn’t really a good thing starting off, but it’s an incredible relationship, assuming he’s not hunting down your only friends…okay, you’re fucked either way.”
Zoey giggled.
“I’m leaving the Sucubatti,” Vikki sighed. Her face grew troubled. “Zoey, can I tell you something you can’t tell anyone?”
“You know I won’t tell on purpose, and I’m doing my damnedest to get out of this bond thing.”
“Liam says something bad is going to happen soon.”
“Like what?”
“Like to the Sucubatti. He said the Cambions have been collecting sex energy to overthrow them,” Vikki said.
“Part of me says I hope they do, so we have blanket permission to kill them,” Zoey said angrily. “But I know that means a lot of innocent people will get hurt.”
“I guess there are a lot of Incubatti spies in the Sucubatti who are feeding their Council info. Not me,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I told Liam that’s off limits.”
“Did he listen?”
“Yeah,” Vikki said, a smile crossing her face. “What I know is nothing compared to what these spies are telling them.”
Zoey was quiet. She wasn’t convinced she couldn’t go out on her own and kill Cambions, if the Sucubatti were attacked. But she couldn’t stand the idea of anything happening to the Professor.
“I figured I’d wait to tell you until after your interview today,” Vikki said. “So glad I did. I don’t know what to do about it, though.”
Declan would’ve known that Vikki tipped her off. Zoey hadn’t been able to tear her thoughts off the enigmatic Incubus who fucked her into exhaustion the night before then stole secrets from her mind today.
“It’s hard, isn’t it?” she asked, restless. “Like, if you fight the bonding thing.”
“Yeah. Don’t let him touch you. It’ll make things much worse. I did good when I completely avoided him. Relatively, if you don’t count the football team.” Vikki rolled her eyes.
So much for freebies.
“Eric’s here,” Vikki said suddenly. “Um, he’s not alone.”
“What?” Zoey leaned over to see what Vikki saw.
Eric was holding hands with a shapely blond. He was smiling at her. He didn’t look like he was going to a club to talk to his ex.
“Fifty bucks says the new girl texted you, not Eric,” Vikki said. “Unless he’s a total jackass and is doing this to make you feel bad.”
“I don’t think he’d do that,” Zoey said, frowning. She watched the two of them join another couple. “That’s the couple we double-dated with.”
Hearing the misery in her voice, Vikki passed her the remaining drink. Zoey sighed.
“Yeah, had to be the girl,” Vikki said, studying them with the eyes of a killer assessing her victim. “You said there was some girl at his work?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Zoey said with a shrug.
“I know it matters.”
“It was stupid to want to come. I knew I couldn’t go back to him anyway. I guess I hoped…I don’t know.”
Vikki squeezed her arm. “If your Incubus doesn’t torture all your friends, you’ll find him a better match for you.”
A laugh bubbled up within Zoey while tears formed in her eyes. Vikki hugged her hard.
“I just wanted things to go back to the way they were,” Zoey murmured. “Declan scares the shit out of me.”
“Omigod, does he know you went to meet your ex?” Vikki pulled away, eyes large.
“Yep. Told him I had a hot date.”
“You’re insane! I think Liam would flip out.”
The waitress brought another small, round tray filled with their second round of drinks.
“That reminds me. I need to find a new hangover cure,” Zoey said. “I can’t use the Professor anymore, and Declan’s price is too high.”
“I’m tempted to tell you not to fight it. Just go tonight and tomorrow to his apartment. The sex is incredible. The only drawback is losing the absolute freedom we have,” Vikki said.
“No, I’m losing…” Zoey looked towards Eric’s party.
“I know you cared about him, but didn’t you run out on him when he proposed?” Vikki asked, perplexed.
“I was almost normal for a year. Stable. He was predictable and sweet and he didn’t scare the shit out of me or curb my freedom,” Zoey said at last. “I had the best of both worlds: a human home and you to kill things will.”
“Tell Declan you want to redecorate and not with my entrails strung up on one wall.”
“Can I come visit you?” Zoey asked.
“I think so. I’m not sure.”
Zoey laughed. “We’re so screwed, aren’t we? I have no idea what to do.”
“You’re going to drink. We’re going to stop pitying ourselves and enjoy our night,” Vikki said, pushing shots at her.
“Zoey?”
She almost choked on the whiskey burning her throat. Swallowing hard, Zoey turned. Eric looked genuinely surprised.
“Girlfriend,” Vikki muttered.
“Didn’t think you went to Salsa clubs,” Eric said. His gaze swept over her.
Zoey knew she looked good; she always did, but tonight, she’d dressed with more care than usual.
“Hi, Eric,” she said, forcing a smile. “We try out new clubs every once in awhile.” She motioned to Vikki, who managed to smile.
“You look great,” he said awkwardly.
“It’s only been a couple days,” she joked. “Haven’t had time to go to shit yet.”
“That’s not what I meant,” he replied. “I mean, you look beautiful. As always.”
Touched by his sweet words, she felt even worse.
“Is that Tory with you?” she asked.
“Yes.” He shifted nervously.
“Don’t worry. I’m not pissed or anything,” Zoey said. “It’s cool if you found someone else. Two days after asking me if I wanted to marry you.”
“Two days after getting turned down.”
“Yeah.” Her face felt hot, and not just from alcohol. “Eric, I’m sorry.”
“Zoey –”
“I’m not saying it to get you back or anything. I’m genuinely sorry. I lied to you almost the entire time we were together. I loved my life with you. I didn’t want to lose it.” She cleared her throat, embarrassed that her chin was trembling. “But I figured out, it was really selfish of me.”
“I’m, uh…” he paused. “I’m actually impressed, Zoey. I can’t help wishing you’d realized this awhile ago.” There was regret in his voice.
She hesitated. Alcohol was making it harder to think. She wasn’t entirely certain where the words came from, except realizing Declan touched her soul while she’d never been willing to let Eric near her heart.
“Well you were right. If you’re with someone you can’t trust enough to tell them your secrets, then it’s probably not going to work out. Especially if you can’t read minds.”
“Which I can’t,” he teased. His smile was warm once more, like it had been a few days ago, before she screwed up everything.
“So, I want you to go live a happy life,” she finished, uncertain what else to say. “And not think too badly of me. If not possible, just go be happy.”
“I want the same for you. I really do,” he said, studying her. “Are you going to be okay, Zoey? I know you tend to meltdown.”
Her smile slipped. This was closure for sure, but she didn’t want to let go of everything Eric represented.
“That’s
what I’m here for,” Vikki said, wrapping her arm around Zoey.
Eric looked like he wanted to say something else, changed his mind and smiled.
“Take care,” he said, gaze lingering on Zoey.
“You, too,” she whispered. He turned away.
“Don’t you dare let him see you cry,” Vikki ordered. “Drink this.”
Zoey obeyed, gulping the tart mixed drink down.
“I can’t believe the new girl set you up. I mean, they aren’t even officially dating. They can’t be.”
“Like I’m not bound to some random Incubus I just met?” Zoey challenged, slamming the drink down.
“Well, that’s different.”
Zoey shrugged. “God, that hurt.”
“Does Declan have a phone number?” Vikki asked casually.
“No idea. Don’t care. He’s taking you away from me,” Zoey said, anger rising.
“We’ll still be friends.”
“We should form our own vigilante group. Just you and me and the other girls on Team Reject.”
“I’ve been thinking about it all week long,” Vikki said, thoughtful. “Liam says I can’t be associated with the Sucubatti. But if we formed our own group, it wouldn’t be. He thinks less of the Cambions than the Sucubatti do us horrible Halflings. He doesn’t care if I’m killing them. He doesn’t want me working with the enemy.”
“I wouldn’t have to tell the Sucubatti,” Zoey added. “Just do what they say then on the side, hang out with you and kill Cambions. I could even use them to supply us with weapons.”
“We could use their intel, too, to find hotspots,” Vikki said. “Like we do for our unauthorized missions.”
They were both quiet. The more Zoey thought, the more she liked the idea. Vikki glanced down at her phone. By her smile, she was texting with Liam. Zoey watched, her gaze going again to where Eric sat.
“No more stupid rules,” Vikki said. “I’d have Liam to take the edge off, so I could kill more than the Sucubatti let us. You’ll have …”
“The football team?”
“There are some hunks on the team,” Vikki said with a wink. “Seriously. What are you going to do about Declan? The bond can’t be broken.”
