Oh, how we had been so very wrong.
“All right, all right.” Leo pushed them back. “I know you’re excited, but give her some space.”
Silence fell over the crowd as they parted, and a giant-of-a-man sauntered up to me. For the most part, he looked like a G. I. Joe, complete with rippling pectorals and a buzzed haircut; he even had a set of dog tags dangling from his neck, a souvenir from the time he’d spent on the frontlines of the U.S. Army in his early twenties (he was twenty-eight).
“So the rebel returns,” McGuinness cawed. His shadow fell over me, but I kept my spine straight as I met his beady eyes. “Welcome back, McAllister.”
“Thank you,” I said, unflinching. “It’s good to be back.”
Truthfully, I was glad to see everyone, despite my nausea at being surrounded by vampire hunters.
Then McGuinness did something I never would have expected: he opened his arms, inviting me in for a hug.
I stared at him. Is he serious? He barely shakes hands with people.
Beside me, Leo looked as shocked as I was. The whole room seemed to be holding their breath, waiting for my reaction.
“Well?” McGuinness barked. “It’s not like I have damn fleas.”
Speechless, I slowly stepped into his embrace. He immediately grabbed a fistful of my hair, painfully jerking my head to the side. “I knew it.” He dug his nails into the scars on my neck, where Aden had first bit me. “She’s been bitten, fed upon.”
Leo paled, shooting me a questioning look before turning back to McGuiness. He steeled his gaze. “It doesn’t mean anything.”
“Ha!” McGuinness spat on the floor. “Like hell it doesn’t. You heard about the experiments, what could happen to a human if they’ve been drained dry. All it takes is one drop…” He brought his face close to mine, and I nearly gagged from the smell of beer and tobacco on his breath. “Did you have any of their blood?”
“No,” I hissed, forcing myself to look him in the eye. “I’d rather die.”
The look in McGuinness’ eyes made me cringe. “Vampirism wasn’t classified as a virus for nothing. If you’ve been fed upon, you could still be infected.” His gaze snapped to Leo. “Rinaldi,” he barked.
Leo stiffened at the use of his last name.
“Bring me your dagger.” McGuinness’ voice was sharp as a blade.
Leo’s fist clenched by his side. I barely made out the edge of a hilt. Squinting, I saw the outline of a sheath tucked into his belt. “For what?” Leo hissed.
“So I can test her, see if she’s still human.”
My heart began to race, the memories of being chained and shot by Scarlet Steel fueling my terror. You have nothing to worry about, I consoled myself. Leo doesn’t have his dagger.
But maybe they’ve found more Scarlet Steel, another voice countered. It’s been a month.
My eyes roved to the sheath at Leo’s side. Had he managed to accrue another dagger? Or was this one a fake, meant to trick his father into thinking he still had it?
For my sake, I sure hope so.
Leo’s face was murderous. “Over my dead body.”
Everyone froze, not saying anything. No one was stupid enough to contradict McGuinness, not with the look he was giving Leo. “That was an order.”
“And I have the right to say no way in hell,” Leo shouted. “If Sloane was different, I of all people would know. She’s just as human as you and I am.”
Guilt gnawed at me. What would Leo do when he found out the truth? Would he be so quick to defend my honor then?
“If you won’t give it to me,” McGuinness hissed, “then I’ll have to take it.” He made to swipe the dagger, but Leo threw a punch to his face that sent him reeling backward. His grip loosened enough that I squirmed away from him, my scalp raw from having my hair pulled. McGuinness staggered and regained his footing, wiping blood away from his busted lip. His eyes burned with rage. “You’re going to regret that, boy.”
Leo held up both hands, as if saying “bring it on,” when I stepped in front of him. I placed my hands on his chest, pushing him back. “Please, don’t make things worse,” I pleaded.
Leo glared at McGuinness, sucking in a tight breath, before turning sharply on his heel. “Let’s get out here,” he muttered.
I followed him out while McGuinness shouted at our backs. “Don’t come back ‘til you’ve learned to reign in your emotions. Think with your head and not your penis, Rinaldi! It’ll get you killed someday!”
My blood ran cold. It was a very real possibility that Leo could die because of me.
What have I done?
Once we were outside, Leo punched the side of the building, fuming. I stayed back, awkwardly watching him with my arms crossed. Leo always did have a bit of a temper, and I had learned the best way to deal with that was to just let him get the anger out of his system. “Riding out the storm,” I called it.
At last, Leo turned to me, running a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry you had to see that. McGuinness has been edgy ever since you disappeared. I guess he was afraid if you did show back up, you’d attract the Scarlet Guard.”
The Black Cross Guild operated “under the radar,” since hunting vampires was illegal. The government was struggling to maintain control as it was; they had enough problems to deal with without the rest of the human population going all medieval by raiding the Red Sectors in hopes of slaying every vamp they came across.
Leo looked at me, his eyes softening somewhat with sympathy, and I knew what he was going to ask before he spoke.
“You ready to tell your mom?”
I chewed on my lip. The snowball’s started rolling down the hill. Might as well go with it, at this rate.
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” I grumbled, getting into the Jeep.
We didn’t talk during the drive, not that I would’ve had much to say. My glamour barrier, as I called it, was so strong now I didn’t even have to think about holding it up. It came naturally, and I could let it slip at a whim, controlling how much of one’s emotions I tasted. Leo’s were hot, and I felt guilty for probing, so I backed off. I could tell he was still angry, partially at me for not telling him the truth. But he was trying very hard to withhold that anger and talk to me later when he knew he wouldn’t bite my head off. It was one of the aspects I loved and respected about him. He would call me out on my stupidity, but he would also give me time to open up to him on my own terms.
It was just as well we didn’t have this argument now, about why I had lied to him in the first place. I had other problems stewing in my mind.
Home, sweet home, here I come.
Chapter 25
The pea gravel driveway wound up a hill, snaking like a river toward the main gate guarding Sovereign McAllister’s mansion. I’m not even sure “mansion” would have done it justice; “palace” was more like it. It was a two storey, Southern plantation styled home. (My mother had it built shortly following her victory in the Sovereign election. Upon the house’s completion, I had dubbed it “the shrine to the South,” figuring my mom still had some lingering feelings toward her roots.) Lights shone on it, making it appear that much larger. Colossal columns rose toward the balcony, from which hung the American flag and the blue Pennsylvania flag. Long shadows stretched along the white panels and brick-laid front porch, complete with white wicker rocking chairs. The grounds looked surprisingly charming, considering the severity of the woman living inside.
Bitterness ate at me as I stared at the house. It had never been my home, not truly, though we’d lived there for little over a year. Home was where my father and brother had been, and now they were both gone, abandoning me to the cruel whims of my mother and the cut-throat game of politics she loved to play. Like my brother and I, our mother had a desire to battle. Sometimes I thought her race to outsmart her opponents was her way of getting her fix, since she wasn’t on the actual battlefield anymore. My mother relished victory no matter how she attained it, through spilled blood or winning a competition.
<
br /> Things were hectic within the nation’s government right after the Eclipse. When elections rolled around for the new position of Sovereign, it didn’t take my mother long to win the job. After the federal government decided to do away with governors in favor of creating a leadership role that relied more heavily on military power, my mother was a natural shoo-in, having come from a military background herself.
Leo and I were silent as we drove. A wrought iron gate surrounded the entire massive property, with its immaculate, sprinkler-system-fed lawns and sharply trimmed hedges. Leo pulled to a stop at the clearance gate, where a man dressed from head to toe in a red military uniform waited inside a glass structure.
Seeing the Scarlet Guard again gave me chills. There was something unnatural and foreign about them, from their big bucket helmets that completely covered their faces – almost space-outfit looking – to the eerie way they seemed to stand perfectly still. Wide white ribbons threaded in gold with the Allegiance to the Sovereign (my mother had made them all swear fealty at this big knighting ceremony, the only occasion I’ve ever actually seen the Guard not wear their helmets) ran along the front of their long robes, the skirt of which was cut up into four “flags,” allowing them to easily move. Beneath the robe (which hid all the knives and guns the Guard also carried), they wore red pants bunched up in tall black boots.
“Identification,” the Scarlet Guard said in his cold, robotic voice. The tall black scythe – my mother’s odd weapon of choice – stood sentinel next to him, the blade of which arced clear over the top of his helmet. I suppose Sovereign McAllister thought they looked more intimidating than a gun and a baton.
Leo glanced at me, as if asking for permission to proceed. I reluctantly nodded, throwing up the strongest mental barrier I could, as if doing so would help me endure the verbal lashing I was sure to find inside the mansion.
Let’s get this over with.
Leo cleared his throat. “You might want to skip over all the formalities and protocol bullshit.”
The guard was unperturbed. “And why might that be?”
Leo paused for dramatic effect. “Because I have Sloane McAllister with me.”
What happened next happened so fast I barely had time to breathe. One minute, I was sitting in the Jeep; the next, Leo and I were both seized by the Scarlet Guard. They took us into the mansion, hauling Leo off in a different direction for questioning while they notified my mother of my arrival.
The sound of pumps rapidly clicking against marble floors drifted above me, and a moment later my mother appeared at the top of the grand staircase, in all her regal glory. She was an attractive woman. At thirty-six, she still looked not a day older than twenty. She stood tall, with black stiletto pumps and a black business suit, as if she had just come from a meeting. Her blond hair was curled at the ends, and her makeup was camera-perfect. As she stared at me, her mouth formed an “O.”
“Sloane,” she breathed.
The wave of anger and resentment I always felt at seeing her didn’t come. Instead, my eyes burned with unexpected tears.
Mom.
She rushed down the staircase, but the guards kept me firmly rooted to the spot. My mother raced across the floor, her expression desperate as she came closer.
Maybe she’ll actually give me a hug. I can’t remember the last time she did.
I waited, hopeful, starting to open my arms to her, when without warning she raised a hand and slapped me so hard across my cheek I saw stars. The sound reverberated through the foyer and I froze, unable to believe what had just happened.
“What were you thinking, running off like that?” Her cheeks burned with anger. “Do you have any idea what the press is saying about me?”
I couldn’t believe the words pouring out of her mouth. “I should have expected something like this, what with your fighting history. You’re practically a juvenile delinquent. I thought maybe, just maybe, you cared enough about me and my career – after everything I’ve done for you – to at least try to act like a decent daughter.” Her voice dropped a few degrees in temperature. “Obviously, I was expecting too much of you.”
I was speechless, the poison of her angry shouts seeping into my soul. Anger overpowered my hurt feelings, and I straightened, glaring at her. “And I thought maybe you’d act like a decent mother for once and be glad to have me home safe.” I matched the frigidity of her tone. “But obviously, I was expecting too much of you.”
Outrage flared on her face. “You’re just like your no-account father. You’re reckless, foolish. No wonder Orion died because of you. I told him to quit spending time with you, that it was just a matter of time before you were lost to us all.”
That dig went straight to my heart, but it only furthered my resolve to stand up to her. “I’m surprised you even noticed he was missing. Hell, I’m floored you even saw I was gone.”
“And what’s that supposed to mean?” she asked venomously.
“That you traded your family for your career,” I spat back. “Maybe you were too busy to notice.”
She raised her hand. I could tell she wanted to slap me again, but she held back. “You ungrateful brat. You have no idea the sacrifices I’ve made for you and your brother, for your father, even.”
“Oh? From where I stand, we were the only ones who had to make sacrifices. Remember all those years Orion and I had to listen to you and Dad fight, you know, right before you abandoned us?”
“I didn’t abandon you! I was putting food on the table, building us a better future. Look around you!” She gestured to the stucco-painted walls, the pearly slabs tiling the floor in rainbows. “We never in our wildest dreams could have accomplished this if I hadn’t done what I did.”
“We didn’t care about money!” I shook my head, exhausted. “You never could see that. All we wanted was you, to have a family again. Dad tried. He tried so damn hard every day of his life to create a sense of family, and you threw it all away for a career and money.”
She faltered, a sliver of my mother tearing free before Sovereign McAllister suppressed her again. “You always were more willing to defend your father.” She pursed her lips. “But I’ve done more for you than he ever could.”
“No.” I looked her in the eyes, my expression stone cold. “You can’t even hold a flame to him.”
I jerked free of the guards and moved past her, starting up the staircase. “I’m not finished with you yet!” my mother yelled.
“Funny, because I’m finished with you.” I didn’t turn around as I said it, but her next words stopped me cold.
“Sloane McAllister.” My mother’s voice boomed off the walls, powerful like an angry goddess. “Your actions are deplorable and punishable by federal law. As your Sovereign, I sentence you to house arrest –”
I almost groaned. Not again.
“ – and you will be subjected to a blood test before facing trial, which will decide your final punishment.”
I gripped the banister so hard my knuckles turned white. If they tested my blood, they’d find out I was a vampire. And I knew how my mother would feel about that…
Masking my face with cool indifference, I said, “Don’t you think you’re being a little dramatic? I hardly think a blood test is necessary.”
“As history and modern medicine have shown us, viruses can evolve. Though you may not have been bitten, you could still be contaminated.”
I gritted my teeth. “And as we’ve learned, vampirism can only be spread through drinking a vampire’s blood after being drained. And we both know that’s next to impossible.”
My mother turned still as Death. “You will submit to a blood examination, or I will hold you accountable for treason, as well.”
My jaw dropped. “Treason? Are you freaking kidding me? That’s punishable by death!”
Sovereign McAllister slowly smiled. “Only if found guilty.”
I gulped, hoping it didn’t show on my face how scared I was. Either way, my mother would find out I was a va
mpire. And when she did, I would be executed.
I tried to breathe, to think straight, as my gaze lowered to the stairs in stunned silence. I couldn’t believe my own mother was doing this to me. She was speaking again, only her voice sounded a mile away. “The Scarlet Guard will retrieve you at dawn. You are to remain in your room until then.”
I didn’t say anything, and she didn’t pursue me as I climbed the stairs and practically ran to my room at the end of the hall.
I slammed the door behind me and leaned against the door, sliding to the carpeted floor. Nothing had been touched; it was exactly as I had left it. The princess like canopied bed, the armoire of pearl jewelry, and the antique vanity in the corner, all recently dusted and perfectly situated.
My gaze sharpened to a glare. I hated it all, every aspect of being the Sovereign’s daughter.
They’ll come for you at dawn.
Dawn. That’s how long I had left to live. That is, unless by some miracle I managed to escape.
I can’t explain why I thought of it, but the memory of my first meeting with Mrs. Knight floated through my mind, how she’d kindly smiled at me and welcomed me into her home, even though I was a total stranger.
I sighed, swatting at my eyes as my mother’s words lashed out at me in my head.
Deep down inside, I felt an ache, and I had never felt so far away from home as I did now.
Home. Where is that now? Do I even have one anymore?
Chapter 26
I had crawled into bed with all my clothes on, curling onto my side as I tried to shut out my confusion. All I wanted was to forget my fried emotions, to drown them in the sweet nothing of sleep. I was so anxious for dawn that I didn’t fully doze off, though I drifted in and out of consciousness a few times. Dreams greeted me, random thoughts of all the people I had recently come into contact with: Aden, Rook, Angel, Mrs. Knight, and even Dezyre. My mother was also there, only she was the one who wore the fangs, going on a killing spree and slaughtering everyone I knew and cared about.
The Scarlet Dagger (The Red Sector Chronicles, #1) Page 20
