Allegiance

by K. A. Tucker

  I opened my mouth to argue but Lilly spoke. “Caden’s right, Evangeline. We need stealth, not kamikaze barbarism. If the witches get so much as a hint that we’ve made it inside, they could do a number of things, including kill you and Veronique.”

  “So … what’s the best way for Julian, Wraith, and me to go in?” Dead silence filled the room.

  “Well, I was thinking,” Julian started, pulling all eyes to him. “You said they’re letting the Sentinel in through the doors, right?” Lilly nodded, her eyebrow perked curiously. “Well,” he licked his lips nervously. “I have a Sentinel tattoo, so why don’t I go in …”

  I choked on my tongue as Julian blurted out the one admission that would get him killed in an instant, before he could explain. Oh my God, Julian … why now?

  “Caden … help him!” I cried out. There was no need for the plea, though. Caden and Amelie formed an instant barrier around Julian, teeth bared, their stance fixed in a fighting position.

  From the corner of my eye, I saw Max stalk toward Julian, his hackles raised, his three brothers following suit. “Max! No! Don’t you dare!” I shouted. My words meant nothing. He didn’t flinch, didn’t slow, his lips curled back in a snarl, teeth glistening. I doubt he even heard me, focused on the smell of newly discovered Sentinel flesh. Flesh that would kill him if he bit into it, given the Tribe magic coursing through Julian’s veins.

  No, no, no! This was spiraling straight to hell. “Max!” I shrieked. “Please! You’ll die if you bite him!” His front paw wavered. But he didn’t stop, stalking in more slowly now, like a lion stalking a gazelle. Five more bodies suddenly appeared around Julian—Ivan and four of his wolves. Forming a solid guard. I let out the tiniest sigh of relief. That might keep Max at bay. But what about the six vampires in the room, all shocked, and all, by the venomous blaze in their eyes, one step behind Max in attacking?

  “Is this true, Evangeline?” Kait hissed, observing Julian hungrily. I quivered, picturing her standing over Julian in a dark windowless room with an array of chains and other sadistic tools lined up on a table. I’m sure she had her own special pleasure in killing Sentinel. I wasn’t going to let her satisfy that here. All in all, it was a lethal room for Julian to be in. I needed to make them understand.

  “Wraith,” I called out calmly, ignoring Kait’s question. Wraith stepped forward, awaiting my command. “Please go stand with the group over there. Protect Julian. Don’t kill anyone,” I added quickly, my next words slow and clear, “but put them to the ground if they approach.”

  Like an obedient soldier, Wraith followed orders without delay. As he approached Julian, all those around him, including Julian, cowered a little. “Okay, now that that cat is out of the bag, so to speak, let me enlighten you.” I stepped closer so I was firmly in between the two groups. I spent the following ten minutes, with Julian’s help, explaining how he ended up a Sentinel, how he didn’t believe in their cause, and how this had turned into a good thing for us. By the end of it, most of the tension seemed to have deflated. Max was still visibly agitated but he and his brothers were at least resting on their haunches versus ready to spring.

  “So you’d be willing to go in there on your own?” Lilly asked, her mistrust evident. “To what end?”

  Julian shrugged in that casual way of his, sliding his hands into his jeans pockets. “To get more information, to see if Veronique is okay. To get her out if I can. I don’t know. All I know is I want to help and I’d rather go in there on my own than have Evie come in as well. She’s bound to do something goofy and get hurt.” His wry smile was meant to erase my guilt over this. It wasn’t working.

  “But …,” I began.

  “Good idea.” Caden cut me off. My mouth gaped open and I looked up to see newfound respect radiating from Caden’s eyes, directed at Julian. Finally … it only took Julian risking his life for me. Again.

  “I agree,” Lilly seconded with a curt nod. “You get in there and find out what you can. Come back and tell us everything. Then we can form a proper plan of attack.”

  “Well, I don’t agree!” Amelie wailed, glaring at her brother like he’d just killed her puppy. “What if he doesn’t come out? What if they recognize him? What if they use their magic on him and discover he’s unique? They might kill him instantly, for that alone!” All the possibilities spewed out of her in rapid fire. “Why are we doing this? Can’t we just wait for Bishop to show up so we can grab him?” She finished by giving Julian the best set of doe eyes I’d ever seen. “This is too dangerous, Julian!”

  “Mage called me,” Lilly explained. “Bishop eluded her in England, grabbing a plane headed for Labrador. She’s on another one and should be landing in Montreal soon. Intercepting him from there is going to be tough …”

  “Fantastic,” Caden’s fingers pressed against the bridge of his nose. The sarcasm only thinly veiled his worry. If we couldn’t stop Bishop, if we couldn’t get Veronique out of there …

  “We need to get Veronique out. They’re torturing her, Amelie.” I emphasized the word torture, hoping she could remember what it was like to be human.

  “I know … you’re right,” Amelie said, her hand reaching up to outline Julian’s jaw. “But don’t forget … Julian may not be turning like you, but he can’t be fixed.”

  “I know,” I whispered, observing him with refreshed worry.

  “Please, rethink this. There has to be another way.” Amelie’s hand slid down to rub across Julian’s chest.

  Julian shook his head abruptly, scowling, reminding me of those first days back in the mountains, before I knew him. He had a permascowl in those days. “No, Amelie, I’m doing this. I need to do this.” And that was that.

  Fifteen minutes later, Julian stepped out of a room dressed in dark blue jeans and a long winter coat. Amelie, her face painted with anxiety, slipped his knife into the inside coat pocket, planting a kiss on his cheek as she did so.

  “I’ll be fine, Amelie,” he said, inhaling deeply. “In and out, right?” He nodded toward me as he walked past. “See you guys soon.”

  Caden surprised everyone by reaching out to clasp hands. “If you don’t come out in a reasonable amount of time, we’re coming in after you,” he assured him in a gruff voice. How he expected to do that, exactly, I wasn’t sure, but now wasn’t the time to question it.

  Julian nodded curtly.

  “And don’t get yourself killed, okay?” Caden added. “If you do, I’ll have to deal with my sister for another seven hundred years …”

  Julian chuckled. “Payback for yesterday?”

  Caden grimaced. “Sorry about—”

  Julian cut off Caden’s apology with a wave of his hand. “You had every right …”

  “Yeah, but … still. Not cool,” Caden pressed. They paused to regard each other. Maybe they’d be friends after all. Julian just had to survive first.

  “Keep that one out of trouble, will you?” Julian jerked his head my way. “She’s a walking disaster.”

  “Yeah, because I’m the one stepping into a grizzly’s den with a long stick and a steak around my neck,” I muttered, rolling my eyes as Caden cloaked me under a protective arm.

  “Don’t talk about poking grizzlies. You’ll get Amelie excited,” Julian joked, with a wink toward his scowling girlfriend. Her tight pout loosened, the corners of her mouth curving up despite how hard she fought it. Finally the giggle escaped, lighting up her entire face.

  “It’s time. I’ll walk you to the main lobby,” Galen announced coolly and I thought I caught hint of admiration in his gaze as he regarded Julian. He led Julian toward the door, Julian following stiffly. I swallowed a painful knot in my throat. He was so good at putting on a brave face, I realized. Underneath that, terror had a firm hold. And this might be the last time I saw him alive.

  “Julian!” I broke free of Caden’s grasp and ran to my dear friend—my twin in all of this disaster—and threw my arms around his neck, battling the hovering tears. “Don’t get yourself kill
ed.”

  He flashed a white-toothed grin. “Don’t you worry. When I drop my pants to show those witches my tattoo, the last thing they’ll be thinking of is me tricking them.”

  Amelie growled in mock disapproval. With one last chuckle, Julian followed Galen out the door.

  Despite my best efforts, a tear escaped, trickling down the side of my nose ... Then another … and another. I rubbed them away furiously.

  “He’ll be okay,” Caden whispered into my ear, his mouth skimming my lobe. “He’ll be back before you know it. This is the right way to do this. It’s safer this way. Less risky.”

  Less risky for me … I leaned back against Caden’s body, letting his broad chest form a protective barrier for my body, wishing I could erase all the pain, fear, and anxiety for just a little while and lose myself with Caden again.

  “So how long do we wait before we go in after Julian, brother?” Amelie demanded in a cold, curt tone, hands on her hips. “And how the hell do we get in?”

  “Well, I was thinking,” Caden’s hand folded with mine, tugging me along as he moved to the blueprints. “We can go through here,” his long finger pointed toward a mess of illegible lines zigzagging through each other. “Through the underground garage. I highly doubt anyone will be hanging out down there.”

  I realized we were looking at blueprints of every square inch of city surrounding and under Viggo’s place. “Where did you get these?” I was surprised that Viggo wouldn’t have hunted down and burned every city record available.

  “You can find anything you need if you’re persuasive enough,” Kait answered, a wicked sneer curving her lips. I shuddered, avoiding any more questions while Lilly and her group surrounded the table and discussed the numerous manhole covers, tunnels, and grates that they needed to navigate through. Even Wraith lingered over to assess Caden’s proposed plan, his reflective eyes watching intently.

  After the fifth or sixth tunnel, I was more than confused so I decided to huddle by the window. I was more interested in seeing Julian’s entrance, anyway. I tuned out the low chatter behind me, my forehead pressed up against the cold glass.

  “I’m so scared,” a voice hummed. I turned to find Amelie standing next to me, a finger winding through one of her springy curls, unbridled fear in her eyes. I gave her my best reassuring smile. This had to be pure torture for her.

  The silent minutes hung over us like an oppressive heat as we waited silently. “There!” Amelie shouted, slamming her palm against the glass. I quickly spotted Julian lumbering down the sidewalk. We watched him stride up to the large iron garage gates. It was bizarre—looking at those things completely mended, knowing it was all an illusion, that there was a gaping hole.

  Julian’s hand lifted. He froze. Only for a few seconds but it was enough to make me inhale sharply. With a vague glance back in the direction of our window, he continued on toward the metal door beside the car gate, reaching up to push the buzzer. Within moments, the door opened. An arm appeared. Julian vanished.

  “God, Evie. What were we thinking?” Amelie hissed, her hand locking on to mine. “If I lose Julian …”

  I squeezed her hand. “You won’t. We won’t let it happen.” I had no right to promise that and yet I did so without pause, without a shred of guilt. It was what she needed to hear. It was what I needed to say. “Everyone will help get Julian out alive. Even Max … right, Max?” I looked over at the sulking werebeast, lying in a corner, his chin resting on his paws, surrounded by his three brothers.

  Max is not speaking to the traitor master right now. Please leave a message and perhaps he will one day forgive her for her profound treachery. Beep!

  “Oh, Max,” I sighed, shaking my head at his spurts of eccentricity. But I let it go, moving my attention back to Amelie.

  “Evangeline … do you think—” she began, turning to face me. Her words faltered. She shook her head and blinked several times, then frowned deeply, gazing at something intently.

  Sirens went off in my head. “What’s wrong?”

  Her plump lips struggled to get her words out. “Evie … your eyes. They’re …”

  My blood turned to ice. I abandoned her hand and bolted for the bathroom, fumbling for the light switch, my fingers trembling. I finally managed to flick it on, illuminating my reflection in the mirror.

  And my yellow eyes.

  ***

  Four hours had passed since Julian had gone inside. Still, no sign of him. No sign of anyone, for that matter.

  “How long before we go in?” Amelie demanded. I didn’t answer. I didn’t shrug. I simply stared out the window in a daze, waiting. Waiting for Julian to emerge. Waiting for the final stage of my curse. It was almost here. I had the hideous yellow eyes of the Tribe. There was only one thing left. One thing that would show up at any given time. And then I was as good as dead.

  “Hours. A day, tops,” Lilly responded, perched on the back of a wing chair like a cat ready to pounce. She turned to regard me. “You should eat and get some rest. You look like hell.”

  I responded with a snort. That’s because I have sickly, jaundiced eyes, Lilly. And I’m giving serious consideration to what it will feel like when I step off the roof of your building after I kill Caden. You’d look like hell too …

  “Well, go sleep at least,” Caden answered softly, reaching for my arm. I recoiled like a snake, earning a pained look. I didn’t care. It was better than a dead look. “I’m not tired.” That was a lie. I was exhausted. Mentally, emotionally, physically … exhausted.

  Caden sighed. “Maybe if you slept, you’d see Veronique and learn something about Julian.”

  Wait a minute … That thought hadn’t crossed my mind. I had dozed off several times on the plane coming here but I never connected with her. Maybe if I could fall asleep, I could make sure Julian was safe. Maybe this sleep thing was a good idea. Without an answer, I turned and dragged myself toward the stairs.

  Wraith was up and shadowing immediately. For once, it didn’t bother me. He was the only one I couldn’t kill once I succumbed to this magic. Heck, we’d be best buddies soon enough. Caden appeared ahead of me without prompting to lead me upstairs, down a long hall, and into a simplistic bedroom with white walls, white curtains, and a simple teak bed. It reminded me of a page from an Ikea catalogue. For what reason Lilly needed a bed, I had no idea. To keep up appearances, perhaps. Whatever. It didn’t matter.

  Wraith took to inspecting the closet and walls for secret entrances. After my bathroom disappearing act, he was hypervigilant in ensuring I had no escape routes. It made for a few awkward moments in the plane’s cramped bathroom, but I didn’t bother fighting him anymore. The escape had been worth it a million times over.

  Finally satisfied that there was no way for me to sneak off and no way for anyone to sneak in, Wraith stationed himself in a chair near the window.

  I crawled under the welcoming white duvet and let my head drop to the pillow, ready to be left alone. Like an animal about to die. That wasn’t going to happen, though. The bed sank as Caden reclined beside me. I immediately scooted away until I was hugging the edge of the bed, near falling off.

  I heard his heavy sigh. “Please don’t be like this.”

  “Like what? About to kill you, Caden?” I spat back.

  “You’re not …”

  “Look at my eyes!” I yelled, enunciating each word. Sitting up, I glared at him, my eyes intentionally overextended. “It’s only a matter of time! Everything that’s supposed to happen is happening. Now, I’m … this!” My hands flew out in front of my face. “There’s no way around this, Caden! I’m going to be one of them!”

  “You’re still able to touch me, Eve,” he whispered.

  “Not for long! Did you know—twice now I’ve done something strange to Amelie to hurt her. Soon, it’ll be permanent!”

  Caden pulled himself up to meet my face, his lips and nose only inches away. “Sofie will figure it out,” he growled. “Don’t give up on her.”

&nbs
p; I flopped back down on the bed, throwing my arm over my forehead. “I can’t help it.”

  “You have to help it. This isn’t you. You don’t give up, Evangeline. Ever! You’re the most resilient person I’ve ever known! To a fault sometimes.”

  I sighed. “Maybe I was. I’m not anymore. I can’t do this anymore …”

  He paused, moving in to hover over me. His voice turned gentle. “Please don’t give up. For me.” My body tensed as his hand moved to rest on my thigh. I shouldn’t let this happen … I need to push him away … I need to. My willpower went toe to toe with my desire and failed miserably. Caden’s hand slowly slipped up along my thigh, over my hip, to my waist. Up and up it slid until his index finger was running along my bottom lip.

  “You’re toying with fire, Caden,” I warned breathlessly. I’m pathetic. I’m weak.

  “And I will happily do so if it means being able to do this,” he whispered, leaning forward to touch his lips to mine, stopping my heart altogether. I reveled in the feel for a few moments but eventually couldn’t ignore the eyes tickling the back of my neck.

  “I’m not desperate enough for exhibitionism … yet,” I said, jerking my head in Wraith’s direction.

  Caden’s light chuckle turned into a groan as his face rested into the curve of my neck. “I can’t wait until he goes away …”

  That earned a sniff from me. Wraith was never going away. Not until I died. I bit my tongue, choosing to lay next to Caden in silence instead of reminding him of that.

  Someone knocked lightly on the door. “Yeah?” Caden called out.

  A timid Lilly poked her head in, a tall glass in her hand. “Warm milk always helped me sleep when I was human,” she murmured with a sheepish smile, reminding me that she was, above all else, still an abused child trapped in a lethal vampire body. I took the glass with a smile of gratitude.

  “Mage has Bishop,” she announced, catching my mouth midair before I took my first gulp.