Avenge (Malice Book 2)

by Amity Hope

  Pounding on the front door nearly made me drop the carton. I placed it on the counter and rushed to the entry way.

  “Sam?!”

  More pounding erupted.

  I pulled the door open. I knew it was Daphne who had called my name. I hadn’t expected our entire crew to be with her.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked as they all trudged inside.

  “There’s a car parked at The Bella Luna. I didn’t recognize it,” Daphne said.

  “Was it beige? A sedan?” I asked. Daphne nodded. “It’s Lebeau.”

  “What about Lebeau?” Tristan asked. He edged his way into the crowded foyer. Now that he was under decent lighting it was apparent that he was beyond exhausted. Despite his exhaustion, he looked amazing. He’d ditched the tacky attire. Now he wore a pair of comfy looking sweats and a long sleeved tee. His hair was wet and neatly combed after his shower.

  “She’s at The Bella Luna,” Alex said.

  “Did she see you?” I asked.

  “No,” Caleb said. “I had a bad feeling about her. Like I said, I don’t trust her as far as I can spit. I went ahead a little ways to scope it out. I saw the car and went back.”

  “We have to get out of here,” Riley said. She was standing on her own two feet now but she looked as wiped out as Tristan. “The Bella Luna’s less than a mile down the road. If she drives by…”

  “I’m already on it.” Daphne waved her phone in the air. “Xavier’s on his way.”

  Tristan scrubbed his hands over his face. He’d looked okay in the van. But a lot had happened since then.

  Alex looked at him worriedly. It was clear that since he restored Tristan, he felt responsible for him. “You’re supposed to be resting. There haven’t been very many cases like yours but I know you’re not supposed to be hiking though the woods and staying up until all hours of the night. I don’t want your body to shut down.”

  My heart lurched. “Is that a possibility?”

  “Yeah,” Alex said, “it is. That’s why as soon as Xavier gets here, I’m going to have him bring you to the house boat. Tristan, go pack a bag.”

  “I’ll go get the sandwiches,” I muttered.

  ~*~*~

  I’d been awake for a few hours, lulled into a sense of calm and peace by the placid rocking of the boat. The late morning sunlight forced its way into the room in streaks. I was in no hurry to go anywhere, or to move at all, really. I felt blissfully happy right where I was. If I had my arm looped any tighter around Tristan, I’d be in danger of strangling him. It didn’t seem to be bothering him at the moment so I continued to hold on tightly.

  I never wanted to let him go.

  Or even to let him out of my sight again.

  I was perfectly happy nestled under the covers.

  The soft sound of Tristan’s breathing, the gentle rise and fall of his chest, the way his arms tightened around me when he shifted in his sleep…I finally felt like I’d awakened from my worst nightmare and landed in the middle of a blissful dream.

  Xavier had dropped us off first last night.

  Tristan had fallen asleep seconds after hitting the bed.

  Alex and Finola had insisted upon sleeping above deck. They’d pulled out extra sleeping bags so they could sleep under the stars. I wasn’t sure how much sleep Alex got. I had a hunch he’d insisted on staying with us so that he could keep watch.

  Caleb and Riley both went home. Daphne decided to go back to her house with Xavier. She figured if he could sneak out, she could sneak back in.

  Now, I could hear Alex and Finola bustling around above us. We were moored in the marina. I hoped Lebeau didn’t think to look for us here.

  Tristan stretched and groaned. I moved back to give him a little bit of space. His eyes fluttered open. He blinked, looked around the room in confusion, then his eyes landed on me. His lips curled into a slow smile.

  My heart stuttered.

  “How are you feeling this morning?”

  “Like I could sleep another hundred years. But I feel better than yesterday so I’m not complaining.” He readjusted himself so that he was lying on his side. He propped his head up on his fist. A wrinkle appeared between his brows and I knew he was about to get serious.

  “Fill me in on everything I missed.”

  I got comfortable and then I dove into the explanation. “It was Daphne’s idea to go to Riley. She was on the list, too. She’s been amazing, willing to help every step of the way. We haven’t known her long, but she’s proven herself to be an amazing friend.”

  “And she’s Striga?” His tone was incredulous as he got straight to the point.

  “Yes. A quarter. Caleb is a full-blood.”

  “How is that possible?”

  “Apparently it’s not as crazy as it sounds. When we were trying to find you Alex did some snooping around in Lebeau’s office. He found a file that listed sixty-seven Striga in town.” His mouth fell open in shock and he quickly snapped it shut. “I know. We couldn’t believe it at first either. But then Riley admitted to us what she was. She knew she couldn’t help us, help you, if we didn’t know. She’d been tamping down her magic until then. But when it came down to it, she admitted it because she knew it was the only way to help.”

  “And Caleb?”

  “He and Riley are friends. She told us we could trust him. I don’t know him well. But I do trust Riley. He really came through for us.”

  He scraped his free hand through his hair. His expression was contemplative as he let the information sink in.

  “The Council keeps pretty strict tabs on the Striga, at least that’s what Caleb said. Striga have to register with each town’s Council. They have to file a petition if they want to move. They’ve kept the Strigan numbers quiet because they don’t want to upset the general population.” I stopped talking. I could no longer read the expression on his face. “I’m sure you have a hundred more questions. I know that Riley, or even Caleb, would be happy to answer them. If they can.”

  He shook his head. A mirthless laugh slipped out. “My whole life I’ve thought I was this freak. I was always terrified that people would hate me if they found out. I thought they’d think I was this…monster. I tried so hard to turn myself into someone else. I spent my entire life trying to hide what I was.”

  “I like the person you are,” I said quietly. “I’m sorry that you had these secrets that weighed so heavily on you. But now you don’t have to hide anymore, not like you did before.”

  I couldn’t help but wonder if everything was going to change now. I had a feeling it was. I just had no idea which way things were about to go.

  “Am I going to be in trouble? Because I’m not registered?” he asked. “I mean, I didn’t know I was supposed to. I had no idea.”

  I bit my lip. I had worse things to bring to his attention. I wasn’t sure if I should. Maybe I’d revealed enough for now. I thought maybe I should talk to Alex first. He might be able to give me a better idea of Tristan’s mental state, how much he thought he could handle, all things considered.

  Tristan groaned. It was a deep, frustrated sound.

  “What aren’t you telling me?” he asked.

  I’d stupidly forgotten that Tristan knew me better than anyone. Of course he would realize that I was hiding something.

  “Sammy,” he pressed, “it’ll be better if you tell me. Because if you don’t, I’m going to go crazy trying to figure it out.”

  I knew he was telling the truth. Tristan had a habit of being obsessive.

  “Okay,” I said gently. “Brace yourself.”

  “Sam?” he grated out.

  “Lebeau knows you’re a Jaeger.”

  He didn’t say anything for a moment. Silence filled the room. He dropped his gaze as if he couldn’t bear to look at me. Dozens of emotions flashed across his face. “You know.”

  “Yes. We talked about it when…” I faded off. I wasn’t sure how to explain when I’d talked to him. “Finola gave me a potion. Maybe we didn’t really
talk?”

  “I thought I was dreaming. I almost hoped I was. But yes, we had that conversation. I just wasn’t sure it was real.”

  “It was real,” I said quietly.

  When he looked at me again his expression was impassive. His tone was flat. “Who else knows?”

  “Alex. He’s the one who saw the report. He told me he wouldn’t tell anyone. I believe him.”

  Tristan nodded but didn’t say anything more. I reached for his hand. I gripped his fingers tightly in mine. He didn’t squeeze them back.

  “Tell me what you’re thinking,” I pleaded.

  He shook his head. “I don’t…I don’t even know. Being Striga is enough of a challenge. And maybe Riley and Caleb make it sound like it’s okay. But being a Jaeger? The Council knows? What are they going to do about it?”

  I couldn’t tell him about the conclusion that Alex and I had come to. I couldn’t tell him that if Lebeau had her way, his body and spirit would not have been reunited. I didn’t have an answer to his question. I didn’t know what she would do about it now.

  A gentle knock on the door at the top of the stairs rescued me from having to scramble for an answer.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt,” Finola said as she appeared on the stairs. “But Daphne and Caleb are here. We have news on Jude.”

  Chapter 17

  “Jude is fine,” Alex said. “My dad took care of him. Lebeau called him late last night. She must’ve gotten a hold of him sometime after finding him at Charlie’s but before showing up at Sam’s.” He looked around at the group that had assembled on deck.

  Daphne had brought a box of two dozen doughnuts and coffees for all of us from The Rush. I was pretty sure that Tristan had downed a dozen doughnuts all on his own. He was still eyeing the box. He took another sip of coffee instead.

  None of us had been big coffee drinkers before this ordeal, but after the stressful day and the late night we’d had, we all appreciated the caffeine jolt.

  “So, Jude?” Tristan asked as he pulled another doughnut out of the box.

  All our eyes were on Alex. He cleared his throat. “Dad said he’s going to be fine.”

  “Riley went over to see him this morning,” Finola filled in.

  “Why is Riley checking in on Jude?” Daphne asked.

  “Because they’re friends,” I told her.

  “Oh,” she said. Then, “Ohhh. Like friends? Or like friends?” She dragged out the word, turning it into an explanation all its own.

  “The second one,” I said. “At least he wants to be…and she might too.”

  “Huh,” Daphne said. She looked momentarily disappointed before turning her full wattage smile on Caleb. “So I think it’s time you filled Tristan in.”

  “The Council owns us,” he said flatly. “All the Striga. Now that they know about you, be prepared to have them watch your every move. My parents already received a phone call about my unapproved travel plans yesterday. I have a strike against me in my file. And I’m on magical lockdown.”

  “You have a file?” Tristan asked.

  “We all have a file. Or at least all of us who are registered,” he amended.

  “What’s magical lockdown?” Finola worriedly wondered.

  “It means I’m strictly forbidden from using any magic for the next ninety days. The same goes for Riley,” he explained. “From here on out, any subsequent infractions will result in more severe punishment.”

  “Did they say anything about me?” Tristan hesitantly asked.

  “Nah. I’m sure they’re waiting to deal with you in person.” He grinned and punched Tristan on the shoulder.

  Tristan did not look amused. “Tell me more about The Council.”

  Caleb shrugged. “In a nutshell? They own us. They live to control us. They say it’s for our own good, for our safety. They don’t want us to be discriminated against.” He laughed bitterly. “I’m sure you see the irony. No one discriminates quite like The Council. Their excuse is that they don’t trust the general population with the information. Supposedly they wouldn’t be able to handle it. Our population would cause panic…maybe even riots.” He shook his head and made a face that clearly said he thought that excuse was absurd.

  “What if they’re right?” Tristan asked.

  “About what? Panic? Riots?” Caleb shrugged. “If they’re right, it’s their own damn fault. Not all Striga are the monsters The Councils have made us out to be for the last few centuries. But they’ve known all along that if they turn the general population against us, they’d have an easier time controlling us. Sure, there are some Striga who are real bastards. But Lebeau’s Lamia and look how she turned out.”

  Tristan nodded thoughtfully.

  “Don’t you see?” Caleb asked. “Our whole system is based on fears and lies. The Lamia are afraid of the Striga. The Striga are afraid of The Council. The Council, essentially, controls us all. They’re the ones who decide what information gets out. That information ultimately leads to what people think, what they think they know.”

  “I never realized,” Finola said quietly. “I always thought The Councils around the world had our best interests at heart. It sounds so corrupt, the way you explain it.”

  “It is!” Caleb passionately exclaimed. “It is corrupt. And it needs to change! The House of Albescu owns The Councils, I mean, not literally, but in all the ways that matter. Albescu oversees all off The Council assignments. Who sits on what seats. Who oversees what areas. They painted The House of Negrescu out to be these vile creatures but I don’t think they were any worse than Albescu.”

  “You don’t?” Tristan cautiously asked.

  “Not overall, no,” Caleb firmly replied. “Unfortunately, their last official leader was corrupt. Roderick Jaeger was ruthless and gave all Striga a bad name.”

  Tristan glanced at me, keeping his face carefully neutral. By my best estimation, the last leader to be in power before they were overthrown was Tristan’s grandfather.

  “The House of Albescu took that, exploited it, ran with it. They used it to their advantage to incite the riots that led Jaeger to be overthrown. That man,” Caleb said bitterly, “I will never forgive. He destroyed us. He left the door wide open for us to be feared and ridiculed.”

  “What about his son,” Tristan asked. “What do you know about him?”

  Caleb frowned. “Not much. I know that he’s elusive. He was young, maybe a toddler, when his father was overthrown. I couldn’t tell you if he takes after Roderick or not. After the House fell, after Roderick was imprisoned, the rest of the family disappeared. I’ve heard rumors that there’s an underground uprising. Some Striga want to bring the House of Negrescu back into power.”

  “What do you think about that?” I asked.

  Tristan gave me a grateful, subtle smile. I knew he wanted answers but he didn’t want to draw attention by asking too many questions.

  “I’m all for it,” Caleb said. “Under the right control, the House is a necessity. Without it, look what’s happened to us.”

  “Why don’t we know any of this?” Alex asked.

  “Because The Council doesn’t want you to know. They’ve perpetuated these lies, filled your heads with fear. They have you right where they want you. They want you to feel safe under their reign. As long as you feel safe with the Striga supposedly under control, why would anyone question The Council? And ultimately, if The Council has control, so does the House of Albescu.”

  “So how do they keep Striga from talking?” Daphne asked.

  “They threaten to strip our magic. They always hold that over our heads,” Caleb explained. “They’ve created laws just for us,” he said bitterly. “We’re not allowed to talk about this. In fact, if anyone ever found out I told you all of this, my magic would undoubtedly be stripped. Luckily for you I don’t give a damn about The Council and their damn laws.”

  “I’m surprised they don’t strip all Striga’s magic anyway,” Tristan said.

  “If they did, I thin
k that would cause an immediate uprising. There’s a fine line between the threats they use that keep things under control, and the actions they carry out going too far.”

  “It sounds like you’ve thought about this a lot,” Tristan said.

  “We’re a family of purebloods. It’s a pretty hot topic around my house.” Caleb’s expression was wry.

  “And you have a younger brother?” Tristan pressed. “How did that happen?”

  “The good ol’ fashioned way, I’d imagine,” Caleb said with a smirk.

  Again, Tristan was not amused. “You know what I mean. I’ve always heard that it’s hard to carry on the Strigan bloodline. Is that a lie, too?”

  “No,” Caleb said as he got serious again. “It’s true. All I can say is that my family has an oddly fertile bloodline. I don’t really put much more thought into it than that.”

  Judging by the expression on his face Tristan would be thinking about nothing other than this conversation for days, maybe even weeks.

  “What about you?” Caleb asked. “What’s your story?”

  “My mom was Lamia. My dad wasn’t. She was afraid of him. She didn’t want him raising me. Things got so bad that she brought me to my grandma.” He must’ve had the explanation planned out. While it was based on truth, it wasn’t the entire truth.

  “So your dad was one of the bad guys, huh? The kind that gives us all a bad reputation?”

  Tristan shrugged in answer to Caleb’s question. “That’s what I’ve been told.”

  “I don’t like to be the one to break this up,” Finola said. “But I need to head home. I’ve never ditched school before. Or left town via portal. Or spent the night somewhere other than where I’d told my parents I would be. Time to head home and face the consequences.”

  I grimaced.

  “Thanks, Finola,” Tristan said quietly. “I know you did it all for me.”

  She smiled at him. “Whatever my parents dole out, it’ll have been worth it. I’m just so happy you’re back.”

  “We should probably all get going,” Alex agreed.

  “We drove by The Bella Luna this morning,” Daphne said. “There were no strange cars lurking around.”