They slapped each other on the backs. “Fledglings,” they said in unison.
My heart stalled and ice filled my veins.
Bane’s grip on my arm tightened.
The two White Wings strode right toward us, veering suddenly to climb up the steps to the fledgling house. There was a knock and then light spilled onto the cobbles as the door was opened. The murmur of voices drifted out into the night, followed by more boisterous laughter from the White Wings, and then the door cut off the shaft of light.
I pressed my back to the cold stone. “They’re taking advantage of the fledglings.”
His jaw flexed. “Bastards.”
“Get me to my sister. I need to get her out. Now.”
Bane tucked in his chin. “As much as I’d like nothing more than to beat those White Wings to a pulp, we’re out of our depth here. We can’t go in. Not while they’re inside. And who knows how long they’ll remain. The longer we linger, the more chance there is of us being spotted. We need to leave. Now.”
I’d come this far. I was not leaving her here. “Bane … Please. Just help me get inside. I can find her and get her out, and then we can fly the heck out of here.”
“Serenity, if you’re caught …”
“I won’t be. I promise.”
Okay, so it was a promise I may not be able to keep, but leaving Jesse here at the White Wings’ mercy was not an option. If they caught me, then so be it. They’d never know how I got in.
“You can’t make that promise, Harker. I’m sorry. We’re leaving.” He wound his arm around my waist.
“No.” I pushed at his solid chest. “I’ll scream. I swear if you force me to leave without Jesse, I’ll scream.”
“I did you a favor, and you repay me with a tantrum?” His eyes blazed in the gloom, and shame unfurled in my chest.
I closed my eyes. “I’m sorry. God. What am I doing? I just … I can’t come all this way and not try.”
Jesse was alone in the fledgling house, at the mercy of the lecherous White Wings. My bottom lip trembled, and I caught it between my teeth.
“Fucking hell, woman,” Bane growled in exasperation, and then looked up, scanning the wall. “There’s an open window and a ledge. Climb up onto my back.”
He was going to do it. He was going to get me into the building. I clambered up and clung to his neck. Bane began to climb. His powerful fingers gripped the gaps in the stone, and we rose up until we were level with the window. It was an empty bedchamber. A single candle burned, but no one was inside.
“Get in. Do not be seen. Find her and meet me in the alley,” Bane said.
Before I could respond, the door opened and a woman slipped into the room. She was dressed in a white nightgown that fell to her feet and was buttoned up to her neck. Her golden hair was loose and fell down her back in gentle waves. A White Wing strode into the room behind her. My pulse jumped and my fingers tightened around Bane, but he was already in motion. He slipped away from the window and hugged the wall beside it while balancing precariously on the ledge. It all happened so fast, but not before I’d seen the woman’s face. Not before I knew it was Jesse.
“It’s her. It’s her and a White Wing has her.”
“Shh,” Bane cautioned.
Voices drifted out toward me. Jesse’s tinkling laughter was followed by the unmistakable sound of making out. My stomach turned. He was forcing himself on my sister, my pure, helpless sister. Why had I sent her back to Sunset? Why hadn’t I kept her with me? More voices drifted out of the window, the words too soft to make out, and then the sound of a door opening and closing cut the air. I needed to see what the heck was going on. As if sensing my thoughts, Bane shifted toward the window to allow me to peer in.
Jesse was by the bed, her back to me as she turned down the covers.
She was alone.
“Jesse, over here.”
Her back straightened sharply, and she spun around, her eyes going wide when she caught sight of me. She pressed a hand to her mouth and rushed over.
“What are you doing here? You can’t be here. You need to leave now.”
“Trust me, I’m not staying. We’re getting out of here. Now. Put on your shoes.”
She glanced at her bare feet then slowly raised her head to look at me with that look—the jutted chin and determined glint. “I’m not going with you.”
“What?” What was she talking about? “The White Wing will be back any minute. You need to come, before he … before he …”
“Has sex with me? Makes my body feel alive for the first time in forever? Yeah, I’m eager to do that.” Her words dripped with sarcasm.
“You want him?”
“Yes. I want him. I love him, and he loves me, and I’m happy here. I’ve been chosen to be part of his harem. I’m moving tomorrow.”
A harem … “You can’t be serious.”
Her eyes narrowed. “For once in my life, I finally have somewhere that I belong. I’m happy here. I fit in, and it’s safe. Please don’t ruin this for me. If they find you here, then they’ll expel me. I couldn’t bear it. Please. You have to go.”
She was crying now. Wringing her hands and glancing at the door, worried her White Wing would come back and catch us.
“Harker?” Bane asked.
This wasn’t right. She couldn’t possibly be saying what I thought she was. “You’re happy being a puppet?”
Her gaze hardened. “Yes. I’m happy. You have no idea how much easier it is not to have to make decisions, to have all the many choices taken away. I feel free.”
Free? She had no fucking idea, and the words to shatter her illusion burned on my tongue. I bit them back. Telling her the truth would doom humanity. It would void the contract between the winged.
“You want to stay …”
“I want to.” The door knob turned. “Go away.” She drew the drapes, blocking us out.
There was nothing more to do here. Nothing.
***
The journey home was a silent one. Jesse had made her position clear. What more was there to say? We landed on the roost, but Bane didn’t release me immediately.
“Are you all right?” he asked tentatively.
The tone was so not Bane. It was too kind and gentle, tugging at the knot that was holding my emotions in check and pulling it loose.
My eyes welled. “No. No. I’m not all right. Did you see the way she looked at me? As if I’d come to shoot her in the head, not save her.”
“She didn’t want to be saved, Harker. For some people, free will is a burden. An anchor they will happily relinquish.”
“Then why? Why do we fight to preserve it?”
“Because it is a gift from the Creator. One that every human has the right to, whether they want it or not.”
Jesse had chosen to give up this gift. “She’s gone. Truly gone.”
My chest heaved with sobs and his arms tightened around me, a barrier against the pain, a safe zone in which to vent.
“Let it out, Harker. Just let it out. And then pick yourself up and meet the next challenge. Because tomorrow is another day. There will always be another day.”
***
Ryker’s soft voice tugged me from the blissful oblivion of sleep, and, for a moment, I forgot what had happened. I forgot about Drayton’s death and Jesse’s rejection, but then it hit me, and the pain came flooding back. My breath caught on a gasp. No. No more grief. No more tears.
“Serenity?” Ryker stood by my bed.
I rolled onto my back, into the heat and imprint left behind by Bane. My neck heated. I’d asked him to stay, to hold me until I fell asleep. Fuck, how the heck had I found the nerve to do that? And he’d done it. He’d stayed. Somewhere along the way, a line had been blurred.
Ryker was studying me carefully. “Bane left to go speak to Dorian about a half hour ago.”
His words were like a bucket of ice, and I was up like a shot. “What? Why? He promised to help me. He said I could compete in the games.�
��
Ryker gave me a small smile. “Yes. And Bane honors his word. He’s gone to renegotiate the terms. House games are a team sport, and it’s only fair you get a team of your own.”
Did he mean what I thought he did?
“We’re going with you, Harker. Bane and I. It’s only fair. The other houses will have teams of six each. Technically, we’ll still be at a disadvantage, so Dorian shouldn’t be too put out by the suggestion.”
A bitter taste rose up in my mouth. “Bane thinks I won’t survive solo.”
“Do you think you will?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. This wasn’t about my ego. This was about the humans I’d vowed to protect. “I honestly don’t know.”
“Bane and I will be just as clueless as you when it comes to these games, but together maybe we can come out alive.”
Alive, not victorious. He really didn’t think we had a hope of winning.
“What did Rivers find?”
“Nothing. Just as I predicted. In the absence of a body we’re going to hold a small private ceremony to say goodbye to Drayton. Orin is organizing it for after the games.”
Drayton was truly gone. Jesse was gone. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. No more dwelling. It was time to make things happen. “What’s the plan for today?”
“Cassie never came back. I’m going to the coast to speak to the sea riders,” Ryker said. “I thought you might like to come.”
“How long have I been out?”
“You slept through. It’s nine a.m.”
“Okay, give me ten and I’ll meet you in the foyer.”
He left me to wash and dress. My eyes were puffy from all the crying, but the water was ice cold and took away the redness and inflammation. I pulled my auburn hair back into a French braid, slicked on some gloss, and applied some kohl. I needed to look badass and feel badass. My little excursion with Bane was never to be mentioned to the others. He’d made me promise. It made me wonder why. Why had he taken such a risk for me? He’d said he took care of his own. Maybe this was his way of showing me that. Dropping the line of unproductive thoughts, I headed out of my room to meet with Ryker.
Ryker hovered by the front entrance, his axe strapped to his back. He looked up as I climbed down the stairs, stood up straighter, and then nodded curtly.
It was time to get some answers.
***
It was barely ten thirty, but The Deep was already busy. The music was low and the floor was taken up by tables where patrons were drinking coffee and eating breakfast. The nightclub had been transformed into an eatery, and servers rushed to and fro with platters laden with delicious crispy bacon, eggs, toast, and some stuff I’d never seen before.
Jonah raised a hand in greeting as we entered, and Ryker made a beeline toward the bar. “Have you seen Cassie?”
Jonah jerked his head to the left just as a flurry of laughter filled the air.
Killion and his sea riders were firmly ensconced at a table up against the wall. He had his arm around a female whose back was to us, but that fiery red hair was unmistakable.
Ryker sighed. “Let’s get this over with.”
For a Protectorate member, he really wasn’t big on conflict. But he wove between the tables, passing nephs and humans who looked up curiously to see an axe-wielding neph so early in the morning.
The laughter died as we approached, and the kelpies facing us nudged each other. Cassie went to turn around, but Killion’s arm tightened around her neck.
“Cassie?” Ryker said. “Can we have a word, please?”
Killion slowly slid his arm from her shoulders and turned in his seat to face us. “Cassie is busy right now.”
Cassie kept her back to us.
“Are you seriously going to let him speak for you?” Ryker asked her.
Cassie’s shoulders rose and fell, and then she slung an arm over her seat and half turned to look at us. “I’ll be back for patrol, okay. That’s all you need to know.”
Her dismissive tone, her don’t-give-a-fuck expression, were like fuel to the fire inside me that was desperate to burn up shit.
“You know what, Cassie, if you want to stay and suck on Killion’s cock, that’s fine. We didn’t come here for you. We came to speak to him.” I jerked a thumb at Killion. “You owe me, fishy. I saved your life, and even though you left me to die, I’m here, alive, and ready to collect.”
Killion didn’t even blink. There was not even a flash of guilt on his impassive face. The guy must be some kind of sociopath. Instead, he picked up a toothpick and stabbed at his teeth. Long seconds passed, and I was about to erupt when he spoke.
“What do you want?”
“I want to know exactly what happened underground. Why did The Breed take you? What did they want?”
His left eye twitched. “I already told Cassie.”
“Yeah. Well, unfortunately, she didn’t relay the information.”
Cassie tucked in her chin.
Damn her, what was wrong with her? “Drayton is dead because of The Breed, and all you can think about is getting cozy with your ex? You need to get your priorities straight.”
Her head whipped up. “He’s dead because you killed him. Maybe if you’d stopped being such a whiney bitch and learned to accept your cambion nature, none of this would have happened. You have daggers that can cut through anything. You could have escaped before they drained him of power.”
Killion sat up a little straighter. “What was that about daggers?”
Ryker shot Cassie a lethal look. No one was meant to know what the daggers could seriously do. If word got out, then The Order would come looking. The daggers were enchanted objects, and The Order was all about the magic.
Her face flushed. “Nothing. Look. Just go. I’ll be back later. I want to be here.”
I ignored her and focused my attention on Killion. “What did The Breed want from you?”
He sat back and graced me with a slow blink. “They wanted our bliss. They extracted it from the others. Cut out the gland that secretes it. They killed them to get to it. We were meant to be next, but you came and let us out.”
“And you broke my arm as a thank you.”
He shrugged. “You survived. It seems like you’re a tenacious thing.”
God, he made me sick. “Why would they want your bliss?”
“How should I know? You’d need to ask them, and if you do manage to get hold of one of them, then I would appreciate an invite. We have a score to settle.”
“That’s it? You’re going to sit back and do nothing?”
He picked up a fry and popped it in his mouth. “It’s not my job to do anything. It’s yours.”
My hand itched to slap his smug face, but that would mean touching him. There was nothing more for us here. I turned away in disgust. “Let’s get out of here.”
There was no doubt in my mind that I’d get my revenge on Max. I’d make it my mission to find the leader of The Breed and hurt him. But now, it was time to train. Train and become the darkness.
Chapter 13
Ryker had gone to hunt for Bane. The boss would need an update, and we needed to know if Dorian had agreed to our fresh terms. But my thoughts were with Orin. He’d been devastated the night before when Cassie had left, and the fact that she hadn’t returned was probably tearing him up. He deserved to know the truth. He wasn’t in his room or the training room. The study was empty and so was the lounge. God, I was an idiot. I knew exactly where he’d be.
Orin was pulling a tray of scones out of the oven when I entered the kitchen. He placed them on a cooling rack and then took off his apron. “Would you like one? They’re delicious when hot.”
Damn, he was grief baking. “Sure. Thanks.”
He popped one on a plate and handed it over. “Butter?”
“I’m good.”
He leaned back, his hands braced on the counter, head hanging. “Did you see her?”
The scone no longer looked so good. “Yeah, I d
id.”
“Is she all right?”
“She seems fine.”
His shoulders rose and fell. “I guess that’s all I can hope for.” He sniffed. “What did she … did she say anything?”
He deserved to know the truth, so I told him what she’d said and how she’d acted. “She said she’d be back for patrol.”
His shoulders began to shake.
Oh, man. Was he crying? Had I ever seen a man cry? No. No, I hadn’t, and seeing Orin break down like this tore at something deep inside me. I shoved my seat back and rounded the table.
He looked up as I approached and wiped at his eyes. “Fuck, you must think I’m such a pussy.”
“No, Orin. I think you’re one of the strongest guys I know.”
I wrapped my arms around him and laid my head on his chest. He tucked his head into the crook of my neck and broke down. I held him for an age, making soothing circles on his broad back. Finally, his sobs subsided, and he raised his chin to rest it on top of my head.
I patted his back. “You’re going to be okay.”
His chest rumbled. “I know. And so will you.”
My eyes pricked and I blinked back the threat of tears, plastered a smile on my face, and gently pulled away to look up at him. “Now, how about we eat some scones. You got jam?”
He matched my smile with a watery one of his own and then pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I got jam.”
***
Ryker hadn’t materialized by the time Orin and I polished off the scones, and so I went in search of him.
Serenity. Thank goodness you are safe.
I paused in the corridor leading to the steps to the third floor and Bane’s domain. My chest tightened with fury I’d been holding back, and for a moment it was impossible to form words.
Serenity?
“Where did you go? Tell me where you went. I want to know now.”
I cannot.
“Then fuck off and don’t come back, you hear me. I don’t need you. I don’t need secrets and unpredictable alliances. I need honesty, stability, and people I can count on.”
You can count on me, Serenity. I promise I will not steer you wrong.
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