by D. N. Hoxa
Samayan’s face was all over my mind. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on him. I had to hand it to him, though. Real balls of steel were needed to do the things he had done behind everyone’s back and get away with it for so long. But I was going to make sure that he wasn’t going to get away with it for much longer.
We’d already arranged where everybody was going to sit, thanks to Sam sending us the detailed blueprint. Jack, Mike, Naomi, Jonah, Carlos, Aaron and Andrew were going to stay in the back waiting for the right time. Edison with six of his suits were sitting scattered among the crowd, with Edison in the first row. No sign of Kyahen, yet.
“Ready?” Aaron asked, coming from behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist. I shivered and a smile spread across my face without even realizing it. I leaned back against his strong chest, and memories from the night before made me flush and wish we were alone again.
“Oh, Star, you need to stop,” Aaron whispered in my ear and kissed the back of my head.
“Stop what?” I said, until I realized that he could feel my feelings. He knew exactly what was going on inside my mind and between my thighs. Shit.
“If you don’t stop now, I’m gonna have to take you right here,” Aaron whispered again, igniting fire in every cell of my body. How the hell was I supposed to stop feeling hot when he kept talking in that husky voice and saying things that had me going crazy?
“That’s not fair,” I whispered and reluctantly tried to push away from him. He didn’t let me.
“I can’t wait to get you to the Base,” he said as he grabbed my hips from behind and squeezed.
“And do what?” It just sounded really interesting to hear…
But Aaron didn’t want to share. “I’ll just let you fantasize about that part until I have you locked up in my room.” He kissed me again, then let go and stepped back.
My heart was pounding, and my mouth went dry. I could hardly breathe. The bastard knew exactly how to drive me mad, because I was already doing as he instructed…
I couldn’t even turn to look at him when Jack entered the small room and gave us both a suspicious look. I couldn’t blame him because tension in the air was so thick, I could touch it if I tried.
“All set. They’re arriving,” Jack said.
“Great,” I mumbled, and Aaron leaned in to give me a kiss on my forehead.
“Be careful. I’ll be right there,” he whispered, and when Jack rolled his eyes, Aaron took him out by the arm.
I sighed but didn’t even get a moment to cool my thoughts down before Arturo entered the room.
“Everything is ready,” he said.
I leaned down to look through the crack in the wall Mike had made. It provided a perfect view from behind the back of the heads of the SKO.
And so we waited.
Not long after, the room began to really fill.
They all seemed paranoid, looking around like they were expecting something to start exploding any second. I could spot Jack’s big head at the end of the room, and Aaron right next to him. The others were one row ahead.
I spotted Sam’s face among the crowd, too. He was sitting close to the entrance door. He looked around, no doubt for me, and looked a bit nervous when he didn’t find me.
Then the heads of the SKO arrived. They entered one by one: Gin Thornton, Drean the fairy, Helen, and Amber—Sam’s daughter. I looked at his face as the group walked ahead to sit in front of everyone, but he showed no emotion whatsoever. I would’ve never noticed if I hadn’t known that Amber Hawk was his daughter.
Everyone had taken their places. They were all quiet now, waiting for the head of the group to start the meeting. But the door opened again, and in walked Ned, the warlock. My stomach turned. I didn’t believe that he’d show, though Sam said he would.
“Shit,” I cursed under my breath. He could very well complicate things. But lucky for me, he had a bottle of water in his hand.
Ned looked just as handsome as I remembered him, reddish-blond hair that reached his shoulders, neatly combed behind his head, caramel eyes, thick eyebrows, and full, red lips. Everyone turned to look at him as he walked with his head high to the desk in front. Everyone moved but Amber, and Ned took the seat right next to her. He hadn’t brought any folder or papers like the others had. He looked like he came as a visitor, not a participant, by the way he looked at everyone. Definitely a complication.
I texted Aaron right away to ask what Ned felt like. I wasn’t going to let the warlock ruin my plan.
Calm. Interested. Very curious, Aaron’s text said. Of course he was.
A couple of deep breaths later, I forced myself to relax as the meeting finally started, and Amber Hawk began to speak.
Ten minutes…
Fifteen…
They weren’t getting anywhere. My impatience was making me itchy.
“Just calm down,” Arturo whispered when he recognized the tension in my shoulders, but I couldn’t. I even reached for the air around me, but I was too nervous and excited to be patient.
“As always, we’ll mention the things that we feel went wrong during the last year and the complaints that the SKO received,” Amber said.
My heart started beating loudly.
Finally, they were getting to the point. I listened intently. And listened. And listened…nothing.
Not one damn thing that was worth mentioning. Everyone had been right. The meeting was a fucking joke. They talked about whose business was going where, complaints about one another, he broke that window, he said this and she said that. Bullshit. My nerves were killing me. Arturo squeezed my shoulder trying to calm me. It definitely wasn’t working.
Everyone looked bored. I had no doubt they all came to the meeting with the hope that finally, something would be done. So far, I could see why no one believed something could be done in the first place.
“I’m going in,” I whispered to Arturo.
“Are you sure?” he said nervously. “Have you rehearsed a speech?”
“No. If I think about the exact words to say, I won’t be able to say anything useful. I’m just going to…go with it.”
For one last time, I checked for Bob and my katana, which were behind my back and the most important weapons in my arsenal. When everything looked to be in its place, I slowly stepped outside the hiding room.
“Good luck,” Arturo whispered.
I was going to really need all the luck I could get.
No one noticed me because of the shadows. I made sure I was well hidden because I needed to be patient, again, and wait for the right moment.
“And he needs to be held responsible…” Amber said about whatever.
And that was it. Impatience blew a hole in my head.
“Do you always do this?” My voice echoed.
The room fell dead silent as they searched for me with their eyes but couldn’t see me. I took in a deep breath. It was time to hit the spotlight. I took one step forward, and light covered me completely.
Amber and Gin had already stood up, their big guns aiming for my head, ready.
But Aaron, Mike and Jack were already on their feet, too, with very big guns pointed at them. I didn’t pull mine out. The situation was still manageable. Ned didn’t even look concerned. So I continued.
“I mean, all of this is bullshit, people. You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed. I thought the SKO was created to actually do something about real problems.”
Nobody looked to even be breathing.
“And don’t bother with the guns. I mean you no harm. If I wanted any of you dead, you would’ve been gone by now. So relax.”
My eyes met Ned’s. Out of all the people in the room, he was the closest to Samayan, which put him in charge by default. Amused, he waved his hands to Gin and to Amber to put their guns down. They did, reluctantly.
“Good,” I said, smiling. “Because I’ve got something that is really worth discussing, and as all of you may have already guessed, it is about your precious master, Sam
ayan.”
I made my way to the center of the stage so everybody could have a clear view of me. No one said a single thing. I turned to the head of the group again and smiled because I was relaxed. Calm. I was so ready for it, I didn’t know why I’d ever worried.
“So, what do you think about putting all of our cards on the table for once? Anyone?” I looked at Amber. “You?”
The look she gave me would’ve killed me ten times over if looks could kill. I grinned wider and turned to the audience. My team had surrounded them from every corner, and Mike stood solid right in front of the entrance door. Edison hadn’t moved from his place, and neither had his guards.
“For those of you who don’t know me, I am Star, better known as the Raven.”
A few more eyes widened.
“And, yes, I am a Red Rebel, and, yes, I am going to fight until I see your master in ashes at my feet, but tonight, I want to share with you some things that I believe you will find interesting. Some things about Samayan and his group of four, and about the way he is playing all of you, right under your noses.”
“This is unacceptable,” Amber spit.
I raised my brows at her.
“Oh, is it now? Tell me, why was the SKO founded again? Wasn’t it to keep an eye on the leader, to see if he was overstepping his boundaries, like he is obviously doing, but every one of you is too much of a coward to talk about it?”
“That is none of your business!” Amber shouted.
I couldn’t help but notice how the tear-shaped tattoo on her cheek was burning like it was made of fire. Definitely spelled.
“Of course it is my business! Samayan is using the potion on supernaturals, too, and I can prove it,” I said.
As if I’d slapped her, Amber took a step back. A look at Ned and he didn’t look so amused anymore.
“Coming here and accusing our master, your proof will have to be very convincing, as I am sure you’re aware, Raven,” he said, his voice low and cold.
I smiled.
“It is, and I am. And I will show you all of it.” I waved Naomi over to bring me the files that we had prepared, everything from Adele’s flash drive.
“Kill ‘em kindly,” Naomi whispered when she was close enough, a big mischievous grin on her face. I definitely planned to.
I drop the files on the table right in front of Ned.
“If you check these files, you will see the things that have been done by your master. There’s clear data in there of how he is using the potion on supernaturals, the results, and the aftermath of it.”
A couple of mouths fell open, but that was it. The majority still didn’t believe me. Ned checked the documents I had prepared for them for a few moments, and then people started whispering.
“Oh and for those of you who don’t know, what we are referring to as the potion, is a potion that can manipulate minds. And not just human minds, like your master has told some of you, but supernaturals’ minds, too. Just make sure to remember that,” I added right before Ned spoke.
“These papers you’ve shown us, this is not enough to put the guilt on Master Samayan—” he started, just as I suspected, so I cut him off.
“Of course it isn’t. The papers only tell us how supernaturals are being used as guinea pigs in a fucking laboratory. But I have a real, live witness here among us, who will tell you with his own words exactly what he knows.”
I waved at Carlos next. He went outside to bring Evan in.
Finally, I started to get nervous. Horatio said that he didn’t know if Veritas was going to work on Evan because of the side effects of the potion. The best we could do was hope.
“Why should we believe this witness? Who is he? He can be a Red Rebel,” a man from the audience spoke.
“He is not a Red Rebel. I have taken him hostage during one of my most recent confrontations with the Council. He’ll tell you himself.”
The man had no more complaints, so I turned to Ned again. The cold smile he now had on didn’t reach his eyes that were suddenly filled with suspicion. It was pretty obvious that he’d had no idea about Samayan’s lab, the one where Adele had worked.
A minute later, Carlos walked in together with Evan who had his hands tied behind his back and kept his head low. Carlos’s grin made mine grow wider. He was full of confidence, and it showed in the way he walked. He handed me Evan like the shifter was a toy, and I took him to stand right in front of everyone.
“This is Evan. He’s going to tell you his story himself.”
Evan was already shaking. He apparently didn’t like the audience, and I wished I could just let him go, save him the misery after all he’d been through, but I couldn’t. Not yet.
“Tell them who you are and everything you can think of from when you started to have trouble remembering and thinking clearly for yourself,” I whispered in his ear.
Cold sweat lined my forehead. Evan was the most important piece of the puzzle. If the truth potion didn’t work on him, we were screwed.
Like a robot, a second later, Evan’s head went up, and he looked at me with wide eyes. He didn’t understand what was happening, but it seemed like the potion was working. A sigh of relief escaped my lips, and I stepped back to let him speak.
“My name is Evan Orton. I am a member of Master Samayan’s wolf pack. I was recruited to be trained with other werewolves, and I began to lose my memories soon after we arrived at our training area. I didn’t realize it, at first…”
Evan’s voice trailed off as his head twitched to the side more than once.
“While I was there, my sole purpose in life was to serve my Master, to live for my Master and to die for him. To kill as many Red Rebels as I could—”
That’s where I cut him off.
“Why?” I asked. “Why did you want to kill as many Red Rebels as you could?”
Evan looked even worse than before. “Because…I…I don’t know why.”
The whispering started. I had the urge to hush them, but Evan spoke again and they fell silent to listen.
“I’ve been told that I was given the mind controlling potion and…and…I feel betrayed. I didn’t approve being fed potion, and I…I…d-d-didn’t like the way I operated when I was on it. M-m-my mind wasn’t…mine.”
The man looked like he was going to cry. I felt horrible for him. I was putting him through the same thing Samayan had, and that just made me feel filthy.
I stepped in front of Ned and his entourage again.
“Even wasn’t always like this. His head never twitched and he never struggled to find words to speak, and that’s not even the extent of the potion’s side effects—side effects your Master knew about. He knew that the risk of driving a supernatural insane when feeding him the potion was very high, and he didn’t care. And that’s not even the worst of it. The potion,” I said and walked slowly in a small circle, “turns a supernatural body into human. It strips it off and leaves it basically naked. Powerless. And Samayan and his crew knew. They knew and they kept on going.”
I nodded at Carlos to come take Evan out when the chatter exploded. This was it for him. He was now finally free.
“This is nonsense! Master would never do that…” the people started to say.
“Master has promised us that he will have humans at our feet, just like it was supposed to be all along…” a woman cut in.
“Bullshit! Human? Yeah, right…”
“I don’t want to listen to this…”
It was all spinning in my head fast, each one of their words. I’d expected them not to believe Evan, but I didn’t think they would be so vocal about it. And then…
“Silly creatures.”
Everyone stopped. I turned around to see Kyahen take a step into the light, right behind our backs. Blessed relief. I’d been so sure he wouldn’t come. Seeing him there, especially now, made me think positively again.
He gave me a curt nod and then walked in front of the audience. I could swear everybody was holding their breaths, just like I
was until a second ago. That fairy sure knew how to make an entrance.
“Listen to yourselves. Would you have done it?”
A sick smile played on Kyahen’s lips as he looked at every face in the room. His gleaming eyes shone darkly in the yellow light. The people looked terrified and searched around for a way to escape. Not possible, since the only two exits were secured.
“Yes, you would. Given the power and the means, you all would have done the same. So why not your master? Put yourself in his shoes, all of you, and you’ll need no further proof.”
Kyahen spit dryly before he stepped back into the shadows. I was glad to see he was staying, too. If needed, he and his fairies could prove to be very valuable.
“No! We will not be fooled like this!” the audience started again.
“This is outrageous! We will not be forced to listen…” someone else, but that was as far as it went.
“Yes, you will.”
We all stopped again. Ned had stood up, and he was talking to the woman who spoke last. I was shocked, really. He was the last one I expected to want the audience to shut up. “We all will listen. That is why the SKO was created, and if we have solid proof such as Raven promised us, that’s the least we can do. We listen. Then, we can decide.”
Everyone knew where Ned stood in Samayan’s eyes so nobody made a sound anymore. I would’ve thanked him if I didn’t want to kill him, but I nodded at him anyway.
The next part was going to be tricky, though.
“Let’s go back to last year. You were at the exact same place as you are now. Together with six other supernaturals. Six others who are now dead. I’m sure you can think of a reason.”
Most of them were already looking down at their laps. They knew exactly who I was talking about.
“Yes, I’m talking about the same ones that you were told were killed by the Red Rebels. As I’m sure you already guessed, they weren’t.”
This time I expected the burst of anger that came from the audience. A look at Amber and Ned, and I could see that I had them. They were giving me the benefit of the doubt, and that was all I could ask for.
