Breed of Innocence (The Breed Chronicles, #01)

by Jordan, Lanie

  I wanted to believe him, but I wasn’t sure I did. Wasn’t sure I could. Even with talking to Linc about things and his suggestion to talk to Greene about stuff, I wasn’t sure it helped. I realized I was probably holding a stupid grudge, or maybe overacting, but how could I just trust his word? How could I trust him to tell me the truth when he might not think I could handle it?

  I didn’t know why I’d bothered asking in the first place, and I wasn’t sure how to respond, so I just said, “Thanks.”

  “You belong here, Miss Hall. I had hoped—and believed—that you would. And in the time you’ve spent here, you’ve only confirmed that again and again.”

  “I don’t even know if I passed Phase One,” I muttered.

  Greene’s eyes widened slightly. “No? Well, forgive the cliché, but you passed with flying colors.”

  “I don’t know how.” I frowned. “Getting attacked by a vampire probably wasn’t the best thing that could’ve happened.”

  He gave a slight nod. “No, maybe not. But you kept your head and you did manage to terminate the first one.”

  “By accident. I just raised the sword and it fell on it.”

  “I doubt most Prospects would’ve kept their heads long enough to do that much. Though, I do wonder…why didn’t you try for decapitation or a stake?”

  “Like I really wanted to get close enough to have to use a stake.” I shuddered, then shrugged. “And I’m not strong enough for decapitation. I kinda hoped the UV would’ve done the trick.”

  “I see. So, you took what you’d learned, understood your own weaknesses, and improvised.”

  “I guess,” I said, my tone wary. This felt like a trick question somehow.

  “Then I’d say you acted accordingly, and it had very little to do with luck and everything to do with skill.”

  “But—”

  “Miss Hall.” Greene shook his head and his shoulders shook slightly, as if he were trying not to laugh. “Please don’t argue when you’re being complimented.”

  My mouth opened (with another argument) but I snapped it shut immediately. “Okay.”

  “Now that that’s out of the way.” He walked back around his desk and settled into his chair, smiled. “Have you and Mr. Stone ever discussed graduation?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “I never asked him about it since I wasn’t sure I’d passed.” And it hadn’t even been on my mind for the last week.

  “Well, at the end of every Phase, we have a graduation of sorts. Nothing too elaborate. There are no gowns or certificates, but we have refreshments. If the weather is nice, we’ll hold it out on the track. Otherwise, it’s held in the auditorium on the—”

  “Fifth floor. I know where it is.”

  He gave a brief nod. “I’m sure Mr. Stone was thorough with his tour of the grounds.”

  “He was, but I knew where everything was before he showed me.” When Greene raised an eyebrow, I shrugged again. “I had it memorized the first night I got here. It was on the tablet.” Again, I didn’t mention demon researching. If Greene knew as much about me as he seemed to, then he probably knew, or at least guessed, that I spent a lot of my time studying them. And if he didn’t know, then I saw no reason to tell him.

  His mouth opened slightly then shut. “Of course you did.” His head shook. “As I was saying, graduation will be next Sunday, if you care to join.”

  “Okay, thanks.”

  Greene stared at me for a long moment. “Is there something wrong?”

  “What? No, I’m—”

  “Miss Hall—Jade,” he said, his tone gentle. “I realize we haven’t spent a great deal of time together, but I think I know you well enough to know when something is wrong. You’re doubting yourself and your actions. That isn’t like you. That’s not the young woman who, fearing expulsion, volunteered to finish her Phase in record time to prove she belonged.”

  I wasn’t sure what to say. I didn’t want to lie necessarily, but neither did I want to give the truth. But he’d given me the truth, so maybe I owed it to him in return.

  “I’m not sure how to feel about things.”

  He didn’t speak immediately, but I saw the flash in his eyes. “I see. May I ask why?”

  “Everything just feels different.”

  “And?”

  “And…” I shrugged. “I don’t know,” I let out harshly.

  “You no longer trust me.” He nodded knowingly. “I was afraid this might happen.”

  “I’m sorry. I know why you guys handled things the way you did, and on some level, I guess I understand, but—”

  “You don’t need to explain, Jade. Or apologize. You have every right to feel the way you do. You were betrayed by the people you—I hope—trusted, and that’s not something that’s easily forgotten. Neither should it be.” There was a slight pause. “Are you rethinking your decision to stay with us?”

  “No. I don’t know. Maybe.” Was I?

  “I hope not. As I said before, you do belong here. With us, Jade. At the CGE. You were made for this.”

  There was something in his words, in the way he’d said ‘made for this,’ but I couldn’t quite decipher what it was or decide if maybe I hadn’t imagined it.

  Before I could say anything, he continued. “In the end, the decision is yours. However, I do have one request.”

  “Yeah?”

  “If you are honestly reconsidering your stay here, then I ask that you give it some serious thought. As much as I’d like to try to change your mind, I won’t. Graduation is a little more than a week away, so I ask that you take that time and really think about it. Your decision to join was easy and made quickly. This one shouldn’t be.”

  Giving it a week couldn’t hurt. It wasn’t like I was close to deciding or anything. “I can do that.”

  “Thank you.”

  I started to respond, but yawned instead.

  Greene laughed. “You’ve had an eventful week, especially today. Why don’t you go up to your room and get some rest?”

  “Okay.” I got up from the chair and started for the door.

  “Miss Hall?”

  Turning back, I said, “Yeah?”

  “I recommend discussing things with Mr. Stone. I know you two have grown close, so he might be able to help you with your decision.”

  I made a face. “He’ll probably just say I belong here, too.”

  “He may.” Greene smiled at me slyly. “I said I wouldn’t try to change your mind. I’m not above hoping someone else might do it for me.”

  CHAPTER 19

  “You’re not leaving.”

  I looked up at Linc. The look on his face was part fury, part seriousness, and…part fear, I realized. His hands fisted at his sides, like he was trying to restrain himself from something. “I didn’t say I was leaving,” I said calmly. Graduation was in an hour and I still hadn’t decided one way or another.

  Greene had asked me to talk to Linc, so I had. I’d waited until today, because I hadn’t been sure how to bring it up. It wasn’t even that I wanted to leave or that I was even considering it seriously, I just didn’t know where things stood.

  “But you’re thinking about it.”

  “I’m not really thinking about it. I’m just not sure about it.” It didn’t sound like much of a difference, but it was. Somehow.

  “What aren’t you sure about then?”

  “I’m not sure how to get past being lied to. I mean, when I first met Greene, I didn’t trust him. When he offered me training, I figured him, Peter, and David were all perverts or something. And then Greene knew so much, like…everything about me, about my family. And demons.” I looked out at the sky. It was nearly seven at night, but the sun was still up. We were on the catwalk, which is basically where I’d spent the last week if I wasn’t with Linc—and sometimes when I was.

  “I probably would’ve thought the same thing,” Linc said.

  “Yeah, but even after that, I was still wary, you know? But I trusted him, or maybe I just
wanted to because his offer was exactly what I wanted. I don’t know. But I wanted to be here. I wanted to train and help people and find the demon that killed my family.”

  Linc frowned. “I’m not sure I’m following your train of thought here.”

  “Yeah, sorry.” I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. “I think it jumped a few logical tracks.”

  “I wasn’t complaining. I just don’t know how to jump on—to keep with the train analogy we’ve got going. But keep talking it out. Maybe you just need to get your thoughts out there.”

  I puffed my cheeks out. “I guess I did really trust him. He knew what I was after all along, and he didn’t make me fake promises or anything. He told me at the start that he might be able to help me find the demon I wanted, but that it wouldn’t be overnight, and that it might take years. He was very…transparent about everything. I guess I just expected that transparency with everything. Maybe that was naïve.”

  “I don’t think it was naïve.”

  “I can hear the but in there.”

  “I think,” he started, his tone slow, “that maybe people do the wrong thing for the right reason.”

  I glared, then frowned. “You know I hate it when you’re all logical on me.”

  “I know.” He sent me a wild grin, but then it slowly faded. “I just have one question.”

  “Shoot.”

  “Do you want to leave? Honestly.”

  I didn’t have to think about it, so I answered immediately with, “No, I don’t.”

  “Then don’t.” He shrugged, as if his answer made complete and total sense.

  Did it? I wondered. “Is it really just that simple?”

  “I don’t see why not.” He shrugged again. “If you want to leave, then you can. If you want to stay, then you can do that too. I think you know which I’d prefer. What Greene did wasn’t exactly right, but even you said you understood why he did it, and I don’t think it was done to hurt you. He said he’d planned on telling you, right?”

  “Right.”

  “Do you believe him?”

  “Yeah, I guess so. Maybe.”

  “Then what is this really about, Jade? One minute, you seem like you’re looking for a reason to go, and the next, you’re looking for a reason to stay.”

  My mouth opened, closed, opened again. Finally, I gave up and tossed my hands into the air. “I don’t have a clue.”

  Linc shook his head and struggled not to smile. “You’re such a girl.”

  “Yeah? Well, pfft. You’re a guy.” I leaned in, bumped into his shoulder. “That’s worse.”

  “Can’t argue the truth,” he said with a wide grin. His arm went around my shoulders and he pulled me against him. “You know I think you should stay.”

  “Greene knows that too. He told me to talk to you. I told him you’d try to keep me here.”

  “Yeah? What’d he say to that?”

  “That, while he wouldn’t try to change my mind, he didn’t mind if you tried.”

  “He’s a smart guy.”

  And a seemingly all-knowing one, I thought but didn’t say.

  “So, what’s it gonna be, Hall? You in or you out?”

  *~*~*

  I didn’t know how to answer Linc’s question, so I never did. Sensing or knowing I didn’t have an answer, he’d pulled me to my feet and said I still had a few hours, so we should get ready for graduation. His tone and words were light enough, but I couldn’t ignore his eyes. They weren’t light. They were full of anger, or maybe disappointment. And I couldn’t blame him for either, not when, if our positions had been reversed, I would’ve been angry too. I probably would’ve hog-tied him and locked him in a closet until he saw things my way.

  Sighing, I plopped down on the edge of my bed. The graduation party started in less than twenty minutes and I still wasn’t ready. Hell, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to go. Linc would be there and the last thing I wanted to see was that same look on his face.

  Greene would be there too and he’d want an answer. Everyone wanted an answer.

  “Get over it, Hall,” I said to myself, mimicking what Linc might say. “You haven’t decided, so they’ll just have to wait until you do.”

  I nodded to myself and pushed off from the bed, using the momentum to carry me to my dresser. “It’s my graduation too, even if I don’t stay.” I yanked out a red shirt from the top drawer and a beige skirt from the bottom, then carried them to the bathroom.

  After a quick shower, I got dressed, tossed my still partially wet hair back in a ponytail, and headed out to the track.

  As soon as I stepped outside, the sun glared in my eyes and music floated over the air. Much like my first day here, there were tons of people running around, though today it seemed like everyone was there. And they were dancing, I realized as I got closer.

  Even the teachers.

  Mr. Elliot did some weird move that made me think of a hungry zombie. A guy on the bleachers—a dark-haired P2—laughed so hard he fell right off the side. He was only a few seats from the bottom, so the fall wasn’t bad, and it didn’t stop him from laughing, Mr. Elliot just kept right on dancing.

  Laughing, I shook my head and walked by them. Mr. Elliot saw me and winked. I sent him a thumbs up.

  At the end of the track, there were eight long tables—four with food and four with drinks. People were scattered around chatting, dancing in place, and/or singing. I spotted Linc, then Tasha, whose hips were swaying side to side in sync with the music. Linc held a cup near his mouth, hiding a smile. His head shook side and side.

  He turned in my direction. His gaze met mine almost immediately. “Looking good, Hall,” he said with a smile, before letting out a low whistle.

  “Thanks. You don’t look so bad yourself.” And he didn’t. Instead of his usual outfit of blue jeans and a t-shirt, he had on a button-up and dark pants, looking very un-Linc-like.

  Tasha danced to me, then bumped her hip into mine. “Hey, girl.”

  Before I could say anything, she grabbed my hands and swung me around in circles until the world spun. She let me go mid-twirl and I ended up crashing into Linc. His arms went around me to steady me. “Hi again,” I said, breathless, staring into his eyes. It was hard, but I tore my eyes from his and turned my attention to Tasha. “Someone’s in a good mood.”

  “Damn straight. Felecia is gone, we’re at graduation, and we’ve got weeks of study-free time. What’s not to be in a good mood about?”

  I didn’t remind her that, even though we didn’t have to study for our classes, we’d still have physical training during our break. “Those are good things,” I agreed.

  “Too bad we weren’t here last Phase,” Linc said. “Rumor has it Greene danced.”

  Tasha passed me a drink. “You’re kidding.”

  Linc shook his head. “I heard one of the P2s talking about it—they said they have a video.”

  I glanced over my shoulder and saw Mr. Elliot, and now Mrs. Fletcher, dancing. Behind them, on the bleachers, were at least three different people with cameras. “I believe that.”

  Tasha kicked Linc’s foot. “Well, who has the video? I want to see it.”

  Linc turned and looked around. “Him.” He pointed to one of the guys recording the teachers. “The one with the camera and tablet.”

  “Uh huh, I got him.” Tasha wiggled her eyebrows. “I’ll report back,” she said with a salute, then sauntered off.

  Silent, Linc and I watched as she marched right up to the guy, pointed to his tablet, and said something that had his eyes going wide with what might’ve been fear. He handed over the tablet and then looked around as if he were trying to seek out help.

  I eyed Linc, shook my head. “I love her, but she’s kinda scary.”

  *~*~*

  Graduation ended with a bang. Literally.

  Somehow, one of the Prospects got a hold of fireworks and set them off behind the North Tower when it got dark. For two seconds, it looked like Greene’s head might explode too, but t
hen his chest heaved and he just shook his head and took in the show.

  The music ended up reaching ear-splitting levels, to the point that people had to scream to be heard. Between the fireworks and the music, we could’ve had an alien invasion and none of us would’ve known any better. (And I doubt some of the Prospects would’ve minded or been surprised.)

  To avoid talking, everyone just sang and danced. Linc, I discovered, had some good moves. It only embarrassed me slightly that his moves were ten times better than mine, which everyone—especially Tasha—was kind enough to point out. Repeatedly.

  Greene glanced at me a few times over the hours, and I kept waiting for him to call me over. So far he hadn’t, but since the party was dying down, I figured it was only a matter of time. I knew he’d want an answer, but I still didn’t have one. I debated going to my room, or maybe the catwalk, but sooner or later we’d have to talk, and I didn’t really like the idea of hiding, not when I’d spent almost two months hiding from Felecia.

  Plus, I realized hiding in a room with only one exit and a window didn’t make a great hiding place, and being on a catwalk with nowhere to run wasn’t much better.

  “I think he wants to talk to you,” Linc said, speaking close to my ear. “He’s eyeing you again.”

  I sighed. “Yeah. I don’t think I can avoid him forever.”

  “Have you decided anything?”

  Before I could answer, Greene motioned for me. “You jinxed me,” I said and smacked him on the arm.

  Linc smiled, but it was the same look from earlier. Anger and disappointment. It made my stomach ache. “Take it easy,” he said, then walked away before I could say anything.

  “Bye,” I whispered.

  With nothing else to do or any other bright ideas to avoid the inevitable, I walked over to Greene.