Breed of Innocence (The Breed Chronicles, #01)

by Jordan, Lanie

  That didn’t make sense.

  Quickly, I skimmed the other report. It was parallel to the one on my family, except there hadn’t been any survivors. Still, what little details they had were eerily similar. Family slaughtered in the middle of the night. No witnesses. Forced entry at front entrance. Unknown DNA evidence found. No survivors.

  Just to be on the safe side, I re-read the reports three times but they didn’t change. Nothing!

  “Damnit!” I dropped the tablet to the desk and ran my fingers through my hair.

  I knew it wouldn’t have been that easy—that it couldn’t be. I hadn’t expected to find the demon name all spelled out for me (though that would have been nice), but I thought I’d find…something. Some clue to tell me what had attacked mine and someone else’s family. Some detail that would narrow my search down, even by a fraction.

  But it didn’t.

  I went back to the main DDB window. There was an option to search for demons by appearance, like mug-shots and descriptions for demons. Guess I’ll go through one-by-one and see if any…thing…looks familiar.

  I had no idea where to begin, so I started at the beginning.

  I didn’t even make it through the first three. My eyes started drooping and I’d reread the same demon description over and over before I realized why the same four-horned demon was listed three times. Definitely a sign for sleep.

  Quickly, I put the sheets on the bed and then took a minute to just look around. It was kind of…surreal. I’d spent the day hearing about demons, and then spent the last couple of hours studying them. It should have been odd or felt weird—something—but it didn’t. It was surprisingly normal feeling.

  More, it felt like this is what I was supposed to be doing.

  But it bugged me I hadn’t found the demon. I’d been so close, I thought, to discovering something, only to end up exactly where I’d started off: nowhere, with nothing to go on.

  I let out a sigh and got into bed. Think positive, Jade. And saying you’re positive today sucked doesn’t count. Rolling to my side, I stared at the wall. Okay, today hadn’t ended exactly as planned, but I was still closer to discovering the truth than I was yesterday…even if I still wasn’t exactly close to it. It was a step in the right direction, wasn’t it?

  I covered my mouth when I yawned. I’d been here less than ten hours and already it seemed like longer—and not in the can’t-wait-for-this-day-to-end way, either. I wanted it to end, but only so a new day would begin. When was the last time I felt that? I didn’t even know.

  Maybe Greene was right, I thought, closing my eyes. Maybe I would fit in here. It wasn’t like I fit in anywhere else.

  CHAPTER 07

  A weird sound woke me. I rolled over to glare at the alarm clock and my eyes landed on blue lights that flashed the time. It wasn’t even five yet. As I glared at the evil thing and debated throwing it far, far away, I heard the sound again and realized the alarm clock wasn’t the culprit. It was the door.

  Getting out of bed, I tripped over the blanket and stumbled forward, just barely managing to keep my balance. When I finally reached the door, I yanked it open. “What?”

  Linc stood before me, wearing a smile that was entirely too smiley, and I found myself wanting to smack it away like I would an annoying bug buzzing at my head. “Morning.” Even his voice was smiley.

  Was it even technically morning? I glanced down at the end of the hall. The entire staircase was like one big window so I could see through it, and what I saw was pitch black. No sun. Morning came when the sun was up. A quarter to five was too early to even be considered early.

  “Are you dead?” I asked. He shook his head. “Dying?” He shook his head again. “Then leave me alone or you’ll be the latter, then the former.”

  My threat…did nothing. Unless making his smile widen counted as something.

  His fingers went to my jaw and he turned my head to the side. “Your bruise is gone.” He looked down. “How’s the knee?”

  “The knee is fine. But you won’t be after a minute.”

  He grinned again and, shoving me aside, walked into my room as if he owned the place. When I turned to follow (or to find something to bash him over the head with), he was already walking back toward me with my ID in his hand. He hooked his arm through mine and pulled me out into the hall. “Let’s go.”

  “Linc, I realize you’ve been living under the CGE rock for…however long, but I promise girls haven’t changed much in that time. We still don’t like being dragged around by cavemen.” I tried pulling myself free, but his grip was tight and I wasn’t awake enough to muster up much of a protest.

  Sighing, I resigned myself to the fact that I was going where he wanted me, even if I didn’t want to go. “When I’m awake enough to do it, I’m going to hurt you.”

  Stopping, he pulled me around to face him. “Jade? Just trust me.”

  “I don’t trust anyone. Especially this early—er, late. Whatever.”

  “Yeah, well, we’ll have to work on that. For now, you’re stuck with me.” He started walking again and then paused. He glanced at the stairs, then to me. I narrowed my eyes. After a second, he made a face and nodded. “Elevator it is.”

  He kept his arm on mine for the elevator ride. The doors slid open on the fifth floor. When we stepped off and turned to the left. I spotted the gym and twisted my arm free. “Oh, no, you don’t!” I dodged out of the way when he tried grabbing me again. “If you expect me to work out at this hour, you’re really going to get hurt. I’ll hit you with the heaviest thing I can find. I’ll bludgeon you to death with—”

  “Jade? Shut up.”

  I made a humpft sound as he started to drag me once more. Thankfully, for him and me, he bypassed the gym and we walked to the end of the hall, stopping in front of a large window on the right. I peered out, saw nothing but the catwalk and silhouette of the South Tower. Raising my eyebrows, I crossed my arms over my chest. “It’s a window,” I said. “A very windowy window. I’m impressed. Can I go back to bed now?” I asked, dropping my arms to my sides.

  Linc closed his eyes, tilted his face upward, and slowly shook his head. He looked like he wanted to laugh, or maybe bash my head in. “Patience, Hall. Patience.” He moved around me and slid the window open. “Follow me.” He shot me a wicked grin and stepped through.

  My mouth dropped open. I ran forward when he vanished from sight and stuck my head through the opening. He was standing to the left side on a foot-wide ledge. There was a rope ladder hanging down from the catwalk.

  “Come on, Jade.” He started to climb.

  I peeked over the edge; my eyes went wide. It was only five stories, and I wasn’t afraid of heights exactly, but it seemed so much…higher. “You’re going to get yourself killed. Can’t you wait a week before asking me to do the same?”

  “I didn’t realize you were such a wimp,” he said when he was at the top, resting on one of the support beams.

  It was a ploy. A manipulative one at that. So why did I follow? Because I was sleep deprived, I decided as I stupidly started up after him, cursing and threatening him as I went. When I reached the top, his hand went to the small of my back as I maneuvered to sit—slowly and carefully—beside him.

  I glanced down at his arm quickly, because his hand was still on my back, then out into the open space. My jaw dropped.

  “Worth the early wake up call?”

  I could only manage a nod. The sky was a deep blue, almost purple, with the colors cascading down like a waterfall into lighter shades. Straight ahead, as we watched, the sun began to rise over the New Orlando skyline. Bright yellows and oranges and pinks took over the horizon as the sun chased the darker colors upward. Waves of heat rolled off the sun, giving it an oasis-y look.

  I turned to Linc. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Forgive me now?”

  “Maybe a reduced sentence. Slight maiming. Will reserve death sentence for a later time.”

  Linc shook his head. “You’r
e a tough one, Hall.”

  I grinned. “How many people come up here?”

  He shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’ve never actually seen anyone else up here before, so probably not many.”

  “It’s nice.” I rested my head on his shoulder. Two seconds passed and I realized what I’d done. I jerked my head up. “Sorry.”

  Linc pushed my head back down. “You’re fine. Just relax and enjoy the moment, Jade.”

  An argument was there, but I didn’t know why. I debated whether or not to raise my head back up anyway—not because I wanted to necessarily, but because I felt like I should. In the end, I took his advice and tried to relax.

  It felt…kind of odd. Not bad. Good, but still odd. I hadn’t been this comfortable with anyone in a while. I’d known Linc less than twenty-four hours, but we just…meshed. He was the best friend I’d had in ages and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. Sad, in a way, that someone I’d known less than twenty-four hours could become my best friend.

  Were we even friends? Just because I considered him one already, it didn’t mean he felt the same. He was probably just being nice and giving the new kid on the block the rundown.

  Stop over thinking it. It is what it is. Just enjoy the moment, idiot. He was being nice—did it matter why? No.

  I curved my head upward. “Hey, Linc?”

  He looked down at me. “Yeah?”

  “Thanks.”

  His eyes met mine for a beat and he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “No problem, Jade.”

  In silence, we watched the rest of the sunrise. Watched as it chased away the majority of the pink. It was probably still shy of six, or just after, and already the heat was starting in. My neck started to creak and I straightened, bending my head shoulder to shoulder to work the muscles loose. Beside me, Linc groaned. “Is your shoulder still alive?”

  “Somewhat. It’s pretty numb.” He gave me sidelong glance. “You’ve got a hard head.”

  I shook my head. That’s what I got for almost—almost—thinking that he could let the nice-guy act last without ruining it by speaking. “So close,” I muttered under my breath.

  “What?”

  “We were having a moment, Stone, but, as I suspect happens often, you ruined it by opening your mouth.”

  “Awh, come on. You didn’t expect me to say nothing, did you?”

  “Of course not. My brain is misfiring. It happens when crazy guys wake me from a peaceful sleep.” I shook my head again. “Why did you bring me here, anyway?”

  “While you don't strike me as the shy sort exactly, everyone needs somewhere to go for a little space. Some peace and quiet when they don't want to be around people and they don't want to be in their rooms.” His face went serious and, for the first time since I'd met him, he looked almost uncomfortable. He shrugged. “I know how it is when you first join. This place, for all its perks, can be a little overwhelming.” He paused, then added, “And I’m pretty sure I know what you did last night. I figured you’d need something like this.”

  “What did I do last night?”

  “Looked for the demon that killed your family.” When my jaw dropped slightly, he shrugged. “We all do it. Some take a bit longer, but I figured you’re not the type to sit around and wait. Plus, when you mentioned it last night, I connected the dots.”

  I didn’t know what to say. No one had ever been able to read me like that—except maybe Greene, but he didn’t really count since he had insider information. Linc didn’t have that advantage; he was just good at reading people. More, he’d bothered to try.

  I stared ahead. “I looked,” I admitted quietly. “I didn’t find anything about my family that I didn’t already know. But on the same night, there was another attack at a house not far from mine. Same demon from what I could tell.” My fingers curled into fists and I turned to look at him. “But nothing to help me figure out which demon.”

  “It’ll take time, Jade.”

  “You said we all had…encounters…with demons. What about you?” He’d said we’d all lost a friend or family member, or had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time, but he’d never mentioned which category he fell under. There might be a reason for that. I gave myself a mental head slap. “Sorry. You don’t have to answer.”

  “It was my sister,” he answered after a minute. “One minute we’re walking home from a store, the next, there’s a demon jumping out at us.”

  I grabbed his hand, gave it a gentle squeeze.

  Shrugging, he squeezed my hand back. “I don’t remember a lot of it. I ended up thrown into a wall and knocked out. When I came to, I was in the hospital, my mom was crying about my sister being dead, and the police were telling me it was some homeless junkie after our money.” His lips formed a thin line. “But I know what I saw, and it wasn’t human.”

  “Did you find it?”

  He shook his head, looking angry. And helpless. I hadn’t known him long, but it wasn’t a look I thought I’d ever see on his face. One I was sure I didn’t want to see again.

  “I’m sorry, Linc.”

  “I’ll find it.” His tone was dark.

  I rested my head on his shoulder again. “Is that how the CGE found you?”

  Under my head, I felt his shoulder move. “Not exactly.” When I looked up and raised an eyebrow, he added, “I found them. I’d heard rumors about a place that knew of demons and hunted them, so I asked everyone I knew about it. Of course, no one really knew who they were or where to find them, but apparently I asked someone who did. That person didn’t tell me, but within a month, I had CGE men knocking on my door.”

  “You’re tenacious, aren’t you?” I shook my head. “What about your family? What do they think about you being here?”

  “Actually, by the time the CGE showed up, I think they were…I don’t want to say happy, but I think they were okay with the idea of me joining.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. The men that came for me promised my folks I wouldn’t be allowed to hunt until I was at least eighteen.” He gave what he probably hoped was a nonchalant shrug, but I saw the tension in it. “Before then, I’d been trying to find the demon. My parents knew I wouldn’t stop until I did, and I think they were afraid I’d find it and get myself killed.”

  If my mom was still alive, and I’d tried joining the CGE, would she have been okay with it? Would she have let me do it? Even now, though she wasn’t alive, I wondered if she would be proud of me. I hoped so.

  I opened my mouth to say something, but a yawn came out inside. I covered my mouth with hand. “Sorry.”

  Laughing, he got to his feet and held out his hands for me. “C’mon. Let’s get you back to your room before you fall asleep on me and I’m forced to either leave you here or be a gentleman and carry you to your room. While I wouldn’t mind carrying you there, I think I’d end up dropping you on the way down the ladder, and I’m pretty sure you’d take offense to that.”

  “Probably,” I agreed as I followed him down.

  The walk to the elevator and the ride to our floor were a complete blur. I barely noticed when, it seemed like only seconds later, we were standing outside my room. I yawned again.

  Using my card, Linc opened the door and gently nudged me inside. He tossed my card back on my desk. When I still hadn’t moved, he shook his head and walked me back to my bed, then gave me a slight push so I fell back. “Sleep, Jade.”

  I curled onto my side. The blanket was over me a second later and he leaned over. There was a slight hesitation and then I felt his lips on my cheek. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw him reach the door. “Linc?” I said in a sleepy slur.

  “Yeah?”

  “Thanks for...” Cheering me up? The best morning in a long time? The kiss? Tucking me in? Making me feel...anything? “Just thanks.”

  “Sleep well.” He gave me one of those heart-melting smiles as he held the door open. “And Jade? You're welcome. And thanks, too.”

  Pushing up to my elbows, I starte
d to tell him I hadn’t done anything, but he shut the door before I could say another word. “Bye,” I muttered under my breath, sliding back down.

  He was…contradicting. Bad boy looks and attitude one second, and then sweet smiling and gentlemen behavior the next. And I was baffled. One minute, I wanted to slap him. The next I wanted…something. I wasn’t sure yet. My experience with the opposite gender had been pretty limited.

  My fingers went to my cheek, touched the spot his lips had been. I’d been kissed on the cheek before, many times, but never by anyone except family. It was sweet.

  I smiled to myself and closed my eyes.

  *~*~*

  Linc woke me again later that day, but since it was after noon, I decided to give him a free pass and didn’t murder or maim him. He spent most of the time introducing me to some of his friends. He even pointed out a few people to avoid, though the avoid list only had a few names on it: Felecia (which I rolled my eyes at) and another P2 named Brian. According to Linc, Brian wasn’t bad necessarily, he just didn’t talk to anyone ever.

  Linc also finally got around to giving me a tour of the CGE—including showing me where each of my classes would be, despite the fact I already knew where they were. (I just didn’t have the heart to tell him.)

  When he walked me back to my room later that night, there’d been a note on my door from Greene. He’d seen the fight with Felecia and said he’d had a talk with her. Knowing her type, the ‘talk’ would only make things worse. I hoped I was wrong, but I seriously doubted it.

  Since I’d already missed the CGE’s monthly trip to New Orlando, Greene had Peter take me that Sunday. I picked up some toiletries and new clothes. At the Pond, the only thing Mrs. Gill had ever bought me was clothes, and even then, that was only when I physically couldn’t wear them anymore because they were falling apart. I tried only getting a few shirts and jeans, but Peter had me get more, so I’d ended up with a dozen different outfits, including some workout clothes like Greene had suggested, and my first decent pair of sneakers in ages.