Kale reached out to me, catching my arm and righting me quickly. I snatched my arm from him and ignored his questioning eyes. I turned back to Jace. I looked him directly in his eyes to get his full attention.
“You both say you want to protect me, and that’s fine. Even though I have no clue of what’s going on in the full scheme of things, I am willing to let you both protect me, but understand this. If you two cannot figure out how to get along long enough for us to make a plan—other than taking me to the Council—I will do this without either of you!” I shouted, as my anger reached a crescendo. “Also, I want to know everything, not just what you two think I should know.” I gave Kale a pointed look.
He looked back at me with emotionless eyes. I hated when he blocked his feelings from me. I gave mine so freely to him. That fueled my anger further, but Jace’s calm voice slowly brought me down.
“What is it you propose we do?” Jace asked. “I can only assume from your tirade that he has told you a few things about your past. The fact that you are only upset about that also tells me he hasn’t told you why the Dark Prince has yet to find you.”
We both looked at Kale waiting for him to speak.
“Your silence, Nosferat, confirms that you have not told her the fire at the Ocean Trace facility was your doing.”
I looked at Kale, confused. I had told him about my time in a facility, but I hadn’t told him where it was.
“I told you I was here to protect you, Ella. I just never told you when that protection started,” Kale explained and reached for me.
I was tempted to take his hand because it wasn’t often that he offered his touch, but I ignored it. “Wait, are you saying you knew me before that first night we met?”
“Yes, I knew you in your last past life.”
Jace scoffed. “That is not what she meant, vampire.”
I couldn't understand why Kale was dancing around my question.
“Let’s go outside,” Kale said, turning toward the door before I could answer.
“She will freeze out there. I am sure she is already cold, especially seeing how the cold sadness of lies and betrayals has found her here tonight.”
Though Jace’s clever remark didn't seem to affect Kale, it stung me. The words lies and betrayals slapped me in the face, waking me from the stupid dream state I had allowed myself to slip into.
“Ella, I have watched you for as long as the Council has believed you are the next Arc—before your parents’ death until now,” Kale said sadly, as the trust that we had developed between us started to fade.
I had been nothing but honest with him. I’d snuck around to see him, which put a strain on Alex’s faith in me. But I couldn't truly blame Kale. Trusting a stranger with my secrets when I had promised myself I would never do that again was my fault. With that in mind, I walked over to Jace and untied his knots.
“Do not make me regret this. I have enough of those; I don’t need any more,” I said, looking at them both. We needed to make a plan of action, but we couldn't do that until I was told everything.
Chapter 25
* * *
Kale held his hand out to me, and his eyes all but demanded I go outside with him. I looked back at Jace, unsure of what to do. Jace quirked his brow, telling me the choice was mine. I turned back to Kale and his outstretched hand, feeling stressed under his avid stare.
“What else haven’t you told me, Kale?” I asked.
Jace mumbled something in a foreign language.
I turned to him, confusion etched on my brow. “What?” I moved to the corner so I wouldn’t break my neck looking between the two of them.
Kale shifted and dropped his hand to his side once he realized I wasn’t taking it.
“I was only saying there is so much I could teach you about who you are and where the Council could take you.” Jace was standing.
I couldn't help but notice the muscles that strained against his tanned skin as he resisted the urge to make a move toward the door.
“If you touch her, I will make sure you regret it,” Kale growled.
Jace laughed and moved closer to me. It dawned on me that untying Jace was probably going to be another one of my regrets. I moved closer to Kale, hoping the night would end without bloodshed.
“I do not take orders from you, Nosferat,” Jace said, full of hate and malice.
Kale tensed and readied for action by taking a stance that placed him at eye level with Jace. With his widened stance offering him more stability, Kale placed his hand on my shoulder and lightly pulled me toward him, then shifted his grasp so I was placed flush against the wall, no longer between the two of them. This was heading down a path I wouldn’t be able to remedy, but I stood quietly, my brain sending bits and pieces of information to me as I tried to figure out something to do or say to fix this.
“She will come with me, and you will allow this,” Jace said imperiously.
I snapped to attention with a jolt. Who did he think he was? “Jace, don’t make the mistake of thinking you have any control over where I will or won’t be going.”
Kale hadn’t let up from his warrior stance and Jace, though he seemed at ease, showed signs of restraint. Why wasn’t he attacking Kale?
I eyed him with wariness. “So just stand down!” I demanded, looking back at Kale, silently pleading with him to do the same.
Neither of the two showed signs of easing, and I was growing more impatient by the second.
Jace’s ice blue eyes drilled holes through Kale and then he looked at me. “He has lied to you, kept you isolated and from the Council’s reach, yet you still defend him? You can’t be that blind,” he added, rubbing salt in the wound.
I rolled my eyes and stepped forward, pushing softly past Kale. His skin was cold, and he didn't seem to register my touch. His spite cast a dense fog around us, and I aimed to end it.
“Listen, we can fix this. First off, I want to know everything: the good, bad, and ugly about my past and Laurent, and then we come up with a plan to protect me.” I looked at Kale, and for the first time since Jace and he threatened to face off against each other, he acknowledged me with a nod. “What is it you are asking us to do, Ella?”
I thought I was very clear on what I wanted.
As I started to explain, Kale cut me off. “Are you asking us to hand you to Laurent by hand feeding you memories? The stress of all you learn may force more memories to the surface and lead him directly to you and the people you reside with now.”
“She only needs to be worried if the people around her can’t protect her,” Jace said.
“Meaning?” I asked.
Jace smiled. “With the Council, you could live without the chronic burden of fear that
Laurent summons in the vampire.”
I sighed and suddenly felt very tired. There was too much going on in my life right now: Jace and Kale were pulling me in two different directions, Alex needed me, and I was emotionally tapped out. Not to mention the fact I was an Arc being hunted by a man willing to sacrifice his daughter to nomadic immortals. My head started to ache and my vision wavered. I felt Kale’s hand brace my shoulder. Soon after, his voice floated through the air, warm and concerned. He helped me to a sitting position on the ground.
“This is why I have been taking things slow with her,” Kale explained to Jace.
Jace grunted in response, but I worried he’d acquiesced to the idea of keeping me in the dark. I opened my eyes to see Kale’s face marred by concern, and I tried to push him away. I didn't want to be babied, and most of all, I didn't want to be lied to.
“I’m fine,” I said, and Kale reluctantly let me go and moved away. “I think I just need some air.”
Jace went to the door, earning a suspicious glare from Kale before he moved to me and helped me up. I wanted to move on my own, but I knew better than to send Kale away. My legs trembled, and though my vision was clearer, it wasn’t one hundred percent just yet. We moved outside, and the frigid air as
saulted me on all fronts, clearing my head and burning my skin. Jace walked the perimeter of the graveyard while Kale and I stood silently awaiting his return.
I wanted to confront Kale about his lies, and I wanted him to apologize, but I didn't think he would. People don’t often apologize when they think the ends justify the means. Kale thought his actions would protect me, but I wondered if he’d even once thought about what lying to me would do to the trust we’d built. I looked everywhere but at him. I glanced at the crystal clear ice that had formed miniature spears on the edge of the mausoleum and the branches as they swayed with the unsympathetic freezing wind that chafed my face and threatened to crack my lips. I pulled my hand to my lips remembering Kale’s soft touch, and the betrayal burned deeper. How could he keep so many secrets from me? What else was he keeping from me? I bit the bullet and turned to comfort him. I could see the remorse plastered on his face, but he would get no absolution from me—at least not tonight. I opened my mouth to speak, but realized in my haste to yell at him, I hadn’t thought of exactly what to say. Kale released a sigh and waited for the bombardment of words to be unleashed. I remained silent. I rammed my fingers through my hair, completely destroying the ponytail I’d perfected earlier. I pulled the elastic band off and allowed my hair to fall in layers down my back and around my face. Kale’s body stiffened, and his eyes morphed into burnished black pools of liquid. The muscles in his jaw clenched and released as he sniffed the air. He literally sniffed the air. I looked around, but I knew we were alone except for Jace, and he was doing a perimeter check. Did Kale smell me, or was there something else out there? Kale drifted closer to me. His face was washed in the light the moon reflected off the snow. Harsh lines tainted his face as I watched him battle the urge to close the space between us. Using my better judgment for once in my life, I calmly started to move backward, earning me a sly smirk from Kale.
“Um, is everything okay?” I stuttered, trying to tamp down my worry. Kale had never looked at me like that, not even when we kissed, and it scared me.
His face was beautiful, but as the moon cast a glow on his skin, I saw Kale was interested in more than just a kiss. Another icy breeze wafted past us, ruffling my hair and sending a shiver down my spine as I realized Kale could smell my hair. The wind blew my fragrance to him, branding his senses with my scent. Quickly, I reached for the elastic band on my wrist and went to control my freed locks. Kale groaned low in his throat, stopping midway through the action.
“Ah, but you smell so…” He took another deep breath and stared at me with his obsidian eyes.
I quickly pulled my hair up into a messy ponytail and pulled my hat over my head. I hoped it was enough, but it seemed all it took was one scent to release the predator in Kale. It was odd; Kale had never before cared about my scent. What was so different tonight?
“See, all better. Right?” I asked, with still a trace of fear.
He hadn’t stopped his lazy gait toward me, but I stopped as my back hit a tree.
“Kale, are you okay? I have never seen you like this.”
Kale smiled wider, revealing what he had spent so long hiding from me. His teeth were mesmerizingly white, and his fangs were revealed. They peeked at me, scaring me with the promise of pain. Kale’s smile shined brighter and made me want to walk toward him, but I didn't. I knew better.
Kale cocked his head to the side and asked, “You have never seen me like what?” His voice was like music to my ears, causing my heart to speed up. I could feel each and every beat as my heart pumped blood throughout my body.
“Like you want to eat her for dinner,” Jace said, out of nowhere, answering Kale’s question for me.
Immediately Kale’s vision cleared, and he shook his head. He looked at me, confused. Jace appeared in my line of sight just behind Kale with a silver stick in his hand. At first glance the stick looked harmless, but as my vision focused, I realized what Jace was holding.
“Jeez, no!” I ran between Kale and Jace. “What are you doing, and what is that?” I asked, unable to take my eyes off of that damned shiny stick.
“He means to kill me with it.” When Kale finally spoke, his voice was no longer like a Siren’s call, but its normal, warm timbre.
I sighed in relief and spared a glance back at him, examining his eyes. They were still dark, but nothing like before. Jace moved forward, and his footsteps on the fresh snow were eerily quiet. I watched his feet as they moved toward me, finally meeting their destination. He stopped and looked at me.
“I mean to protect you,” Jace said, giving me a hard, appraising look. “When was the last time you fed, diseased one?” Not once did he release me from his ice blue stare.
I flinched at the words that came from Jace’s mouth. Even though Kale had scared me, I wasn’t about to let Jace use that against him.
“Kale, his name is Kale,” I said.
Jace inclined his head, acknowledging my correction, but didn't modify his words. He waited for Kale to answer him.
I turned to Kale, torn between wanting to know the answer and waiting to respect his privacy. Kale stood still as a bronze statue, keeping his body taut and his eyes trained on the silver stake.
“It’s none of your concern,” Kale answered.
I pushed aside my disappointment. I thought I at least deserved the answer because I was the one who got the “hungry eyes” stare down. “Put the stake away,” I quietly commanded Jace. “Everything is okay now.”
Jace placed the stake on his belt under his coat without protest.
My worry slightly dissipated. I assumed if Jace thought Kale was a threat, he wouldn’t have put away his weapon so readily.
“So, Princezná, what’s the plan?”
Kale seemed distant and angry, and I wondered if he was hungry or something.
“Would you like to finally know some truths, or will Kale’s lies hold you over until tomorrow?” Jace asked.
Kale scoffed.
I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear the truth tonight. I was tired and my brain felt like mush. It probably couldn't handle much more, and I wasn’t about to stand out in the cold with Kale and Jace and listen to them bicker. “Not tonight, Jace. I think I just want to go home and sleep.” I headed toward the trail that would lead me there. “Can you two do me a favor and hang back? I need some alone time.”
“No,” Jace and Kale said in tandem.
I looked at them wide-eyed, but I was too tired to fight. I shook my head and turned back to the trail at a pace that underlined my desire to be alone. I didn't hear Kale or Jace’s steps behind me, but I wasn’t naïve enough to think one or both of them wouldn’t follow me.
As if reading my mind, Jace called after me. “You won’t see me, but I will follow you home to ensure you get there without incident.”
I didn't have to look back to tell he was referring not only to Laurent’s men, but also Kale. I didn't stop to defend Kale as I normally would have, and he was silent. I no longer cared what either of them did. I was getting tired of being told what was going to happen. I just wanted to sink into the warm bed at the Carltons’ and forget about everything, if only for a few hours.
Back at the house, Alex’s parking spot was still empty. I hoped that he would at least come home before I passed out for the night. Upstairs, I pulled off my jacket and sat in the computer chair, placing my phone in front of me on the desk. I didn't think Alex would call if he hadn’t already, and there were no missed calls in the call log. I retreated to the bathroom and took a nice, hot shower. I used globs of rosemary mint conditioner in my hair, hoping it would help mask whatever scent that had sent Kale into the little frenzy he’d slipped into. I was still really pissed at him for lying to me. My heart gave a squeeze in my chest, and I remembered telling Alex that I felt as if I could tell Kale anything. I knew Kale believed he had a good reason for lying to me, but it still hurt. Once I was out of the shower, I checked my phone and the time. No missed call from Alex, and it was late. I called his
phone, and after three rings, it went to voicemail. I braided my hair and headed to the bed. The day’s events had caught up to me long before I’d even gotten home, and as I laid down and closed my eyes, I stopped fighting and let the fatigue set in. As I fell asleep, I wondered if there was anyone in my life I could completely trust. The list was short and disappointing because everyone on it was dead.
Chapter 26
* * *
“We are better suited to face Laurent alone, Hélène. You must have faith in me and only me. I will not fail you.” —Kale
* * *
“As you know, I am a member of the Council that was created,” Jace began.
I had learned more in the past two days with Jace about my past than in all my time with Kale. Kale had said it was for my protection. I believed that he thought ignorance would truly protect me, but I was still angry with him for keeping me in the dark.
“Forget his past because to you that means nothing. Yes, he is the man who offered his daughter to the Eternal Ones in exchange for eternal life, but that no longer matters. All that matters now is that you must remain hidden from him until he is stopped. The Council is fast at work looking for a way to do this, and because we are close, it’s important you are not found by his minions.”
Jace and I sat together by the fire he had created. It had been two days since Kale had held him in the mausoleum, two days after I discovered the secrets Kale had kept from me. He’d never told me he followed me to school the day I had my breakdown, then to Ocean Trace, or that he set fire to the records room to stop anyone from knowing I was ever there, risking the lives of the patients. He never told me he had been quietly following me for a year and a half. It excited and scared me all at once, and I wondered what else had happened to me while he sat in the background and watched.
“When the Dark Prince found you last, he used you to find and destroy the Council. Because the Council consists of more humans than Eternals, it was nearly wiped out.”
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