by Emma Shade
With a flick of his wrist, Ashton choked the man with an unseen intensity. Jeremy’s eyes bulged and he clawed at the invisible force around his neck.
“Wait!” Paige cried. “Don’t kill him just yet.”
“And why the hell not?” Ashton hissed, his attention narrowing in on Paige.
“Because, the man saved me. The least I owe him is to hear him out,” she insisted, and stood over Jeremy with a frown.
Blake scoffed. “Paige, nobody’s going to save him now.”
Ashton sighed and loosened his supernatural hold enough for Jeremy to breath.
Paige whispered, “Why? Why are you doing this?”
“I don’t have a choice,” Jeremy croaked, and closed his eyes. “It was either this or my son’s life.”
“You have a son?” This came from Alistair, shock evident on his face.
“Yes,” Jeremy admitted. “If I didn’t do what they said, they’d slaughter him without question. So I’ve been tracking Lily’s movements through her cell phone and relaying the information.”
“To who?” Ashton growled, leaning in close to Jeremy.
“I don’t know, okay. They just call him ‘Abaddon’, and that’s all I know,” he answered. “The reason that this little business is in order is because of him. He’s paid for everything since it began.”
I gasped, and grumbled, “So the only reason I was asked to join your group is because of this guy?”
Jeremy nodded. “Yeah. Trust me, I wouldn’t have hired somebody so out of control with her powers. It was just a matter of time until you accidentally killed someone.”
“I think you’re a filthy liar,” Ashton hissed. “You think I believe you’re not behind all of this?”
“Why would I lie?” Jeremy asked and rolled his eyes. Like the thought was inconceivable.
Ashton scoffed. “Why wouldn’t you? You’ve been caught red handed, right in the middle of this bullshit.”
“Paige? Alistair?” Jeremy implored, desperation flowing out of his pores. “Back me up here. You know I’d never do something so stupid unless I had a very good reason.”
Alistair growled, “Fuck you, Jeremy.”
Paige and Alistair both glared at him, probably contemplating what to do about their boss and confidant for so many years. Blake’s supernatural powers exploded, waiting on a release.
I wanted to know something as well, and why not ask while he was at a disadvantage. What was Jeremy exactly? Nobody really knew. How had he belonged in the supernatural world?
I spoke up, “Jeremy?”
His eyes explored mine as he laid on the floor at the mercy of Ashton’s wrath. Hope shone in their depths, as he said, “Yeah, Lily?”
“What are you?”
“What do you mean?”
I scowled at the man. “You know exactly what I mean. What. Are. You?”
He sighed, “I’m like you. Sort of.”
The room went silent again at the announcement. Sam gasped and covered his mouth with a slap. I gulped back my surprise, and my heart thundered in my ears.
“What are you saying?” Alistair questioned, edging closer.
“I’m a halfling. But not exactly like Lily is. My mother was human, my father a conjurer.”
Our heads swiveled to Blake, who shrugged, and said, “It’s possible. Not unheard of like a vampire having children. But, it’s happened. Almost each and every time, though, because of our mutated genes, the infant doesn’t live long because the human DNA won’t fuse with ours.”
Which explained how Jeremy’s energy never revealed a human, vampire, or conjurer after I touched him. Because he wasn’t a full blown anything. Like me. However, Jeremy never once displayed an ounce of supernatural abilities. Either he hadn’t developed any, or he hid them well.
“You know,” Paige sneered, “if I knew you were different from the beginning, I wouldn’t have cared. I would’ve accepted you with open arms, just like you had with me. But, honestly, this isn’t going to save your hide. You lied. You screwed with my friends long enough, and I’m done with you. I quit.”
Sam pumped a fist in the air and cried out, “Yes!”
“You can’t quit!” Jeremy challenged. “This is a lifetime commitment.” His eyes swung to Paige. “Paige, please don’t do this.”
Paige stared at Jeremy for a few minutes, and finally sighed. Shaking her head, she said, “You know the one thing I can’t stand is fakes, Jeremy. All my life I dealt with fake people always putting me down because of some sort of fabrication of the truth. Persecutors who hated me because I was different, or antagonists that lied to be my friend. And you...” she swallowed, “you are the biggest fake of them all.”
For a moment, I swore I saw sadness in Jeremy’s eyes. A moment of sorrow that was quickly replaced with indifference.
“Actually,” Alistair said, “I quit too. I won’t work for a two-faced son of a bitch.”
“Me too. I’m done,” I barked. “You can rot in hell, Jeremy.”
Mouth gaping like a fish out of water, Jeremy choked out, “You guys can’t do that.”
“I can do whatever the hell I want. You, on the other hand, can kiss my ass,” I snapped.
I was beyond pissed. Jeremy had lied to us all, and I was taking the fall for his dishonesty. What I fool I was. I swiped my hand in the air, and growled, “Get him the hell away from me. I don’t ever want to see his face again.”
Ashton, grinning like a loon, said, “Anything to make you happy, Liliana.”
Jeremy struggled to crabwalk away, but Ashton, Alistair, and Sam grabbed his arms and legs to pin him to the floor like an insect. Blake’s power increased tenfold and his mouth turned up in an eerie grin.
I turned to Paige, flipped my hair back, and muttered, “I’ll be upstairs if you need me.”
She nodded in understanding. Even though I hated the bastard for what he’d done, I wouldn’t watch Jeremy die. I rushed to close the apartment door when Jeremy’s screams resonated throughout the club.
I knew Jeremy deserved whatever torture they handed out, but I wanted no more blood on my hands. The bodies piled up because of who and what I was. What my parents handed down to me with their bizarre version of a relationship.
I was tired of the prejudice over being a halfling. My damn lineage had not determined my heart and soul. I was so much more than that. I was sick of being the out of control hybrid. I was sick of fighting. Sick of running for my life.
In that very moment, while I sat on Ashton’s couch and stared at the blank screen of the television, I finally got it. In order to end this madness, I had to surrender to my powers and lineage. Trying to avoid them all together put me in this position to begin with. If I had any hope to live a normal life, albeit a happy one, it was time to stand up for myself. To be the person I was born to be. The supposed savior.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
With Paige and Sam in tow, we stole the keys to Alistair’s hummer and snuck out of Revive while the guys debated on how to handle the current news with Jeremy. Oblivious because of their arguing, we passed and dunked behind the bar to pass by.
“Lily, what have you cooked up in that brain of yours?” Sam whispered.
We froze when the shiny, black SUV beeped as I unlocked it. Unsure who heard it and afraid of being caught.
“I want to talk to Ward,” I admitted, popping open the driver’s door.
“Nope. No way. Not going to do it,” Sam said, and rushed in front of me, crossing his arms and blocking my way into the vehicle.
Paige, always the enabler, piped in, “Sam, quit being a party pooper.”
“You know what? Lily, I’ve stood by and watched your self-destructive decisions light you a new one. Every. Single. Time. I won’t stand here and let you do it again. What in God’s name will talking to Ward, the Contingent leader I might add, help in any way?” Sam growled.
I shrugged. “I’m curious about something.”
“Curious. Curiosity killed the c
at you know,” Sam argued.
“I’m not a cat, Sam.”
“No. You’re not. You’re my best friend and I won’t let you go on another suicide mission,” he said, and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.
“What are you doing?” I hissed, and tried to snatch the phone from his hand.
Of course his vampire speed helped in dodging my hand, and he said, “Calling Ashton.”
“Sam...” I warned.
But it was too late. The phone call already went through, and Sam snitched on us. I huffed and crossed my arms.
Paige laughed and jerked her finger at Sam. “Why did we invite him again?”
“Well, I figured he’d want to come along. You know, because he loves the drama as much as you do,” I sighed.
She rubbed her hands in glee. “Oh, girl, the drama has just begun.”
I frowned at her comment, but when Ashton and Blake barreled out of Revive’s front door, I understood her comment in an instant. Shit was about to hit the fan. I’d tried to go behind their back. Again.
“Lily!” Blake was the first to speak. “What in the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“I...”
But Ashton cut me off, shoving Sam out of the way. Putting his arms on either side of the doorjamb to cage me in, Ashton’s angry aquamarine eyes narrowed in on me.
“What runs through that crazy head of yours?” he asked, leaning in close. “Are you asking to be killed?”
“No...”
“You will not, under any circumstances, ever take off on your own,” he murmured, breathe caressing my cheek.
“You can’t tell me what to do, Ashton,” I shot back.
“Wanna bet?” he dared, goading me.
Paige cackled. She stood across the expanse of the vehicle on the passenger side. “You sound just like your brother, Ashton.”
His eyes swerved to her. “Don’t make me call him out here, Paige.”
“Oh! I’m shaking in my boots,” she teased.
Rolling his eyes at her, he focused back on me. “You wanna try this again?”
I crossed my arms and just glared. I knew Ashton would hold tight on his threat to keep me from running. Now, because I was caught red handed, Ashton and Blake were going to watch me like a hawk. I sighed in resignation.
“Fine,” I said, and pushed past him, “if you want me to stay inside I will. I don’t see what the big deal is.”
Ashton seized my arm, twirling me around to face him.
Blake tensed, electricity curving over his forearms. He was poised to attack, especially after Ashton was so forceful with me. He snapped, “Ashton, watch yourself.”
Ashton ignored him, fixated solely on me. His fingers hurt, almost bruising with their iron grip around my arm. “The big deal is that none of us want you hurt, or dead. That, Liliana, is a pretty big deal to me.”
Just then a fancy, white Audi zoomed in to the lot and parked. As if he read my intentions from across town, Ward himself stepped out of the car. On a mission, he stormed our way.
“Speak of the devil,” I muttered.
“You were headed to see him?!” Ashton hissed through gritted teeth. “You do have a death wish.”
“Whatever,” I grunted and received a dirty from Ashton look in the process.
Alistair had strolled out of the parking lot and eyed us with suspicion. When his eyes landed on Ward, however, it was less than friendly.
Ward greeted us with a nod, and announced, “Trouble is brewing.”
Finally releasing my arm, Ashton frowned. “How do you know this?”
“Rumor has it that the informant has been squashed,” Ward began, but Ashton cut him off.
“I think we’re to blame for that. The man we suspected as the snitch was at our club tonight. He’s been taken care of.”
“Either way,” Ward argued, “the Enforcers showed up at Mystique, and it went downhill...fast. Luckily we hadn’t opened yet.”
“I assume you made them leave?” Ashton asked and glanced at Blake.
“Well, that’s the problem. They’re heading here next. At least that’s what the she-devil said,” Ward shrugged. He looked at me, and I felt his gaze sizing me up as he evaluated me. “Lily, I know that we won’t always agree on what’s right when it comes to you. But, I don’t believe in killing someone just because their different. Like the Enforcers do.”
And just like that, I instantly liked Ward. Sure, he may be this big and bad Contingent leader, but deep down, he was a softie. Just from what he said, it spoke volumes about his character. He wasn’t completely writing off my lineage, but he was willing to see past it. Even if it was because of their enemy.
“Thank you,” I murmured.
He shrugged and tugged a cell phone from his pocket. “Just say the word and my entire team will be here within minutes. Otherwise you’re going to be outnumbered. Trust me.”
“And we should just trust you?” Alistair argued.
“It doesn’t matter to me,” Ward said, shrugging again. “But if you want to keep the rest of you alive, I highly suggest using my help.”
Ashton hesitated. I attempted to read his thoughts, but they were locked up tight. Still, I knew he wavered because he wasn’t sure if he could trust Ward completely. Then his eyes penetrated Blake’s stare.
“Blake, can you stop them?” Ashton asked.
Blake smirked. “How would I be able to stop them?”
Like a snake, Ashton’s calculating smile was back. “Ah, yes. Let’s all understand how you may be able to stop them, or at least hold them off. I remembered something when we were in the pub and the Enforcers followed us for the first time. What you said. I can’t believe it took me this long to catch on.”
And the smirk fell right off Blake’s face. He paled, and said, “Wait.”
“Why, Blake? Are you scared of everyone knowing?” Ashton questioned.
“Yes. But I promised Lily that if I hid anything else, she’d be the first one to know,” he admitted, giving me a sad smile.
Ashton grunted and moved out of the way for Blake, giving him the benefit of the doubt. He warned, “Don’t you dare push the limits, Blake. I’m done being nice right now.”
My heart thundered in my chest. Butterflies flayed my belly as I stared back at Blake. Bile rose in my throat and I had to swallow it back. Blake came forward and took my hands in his. He played with my fingers and his Adams apple bobbed. He was nervous. Anxious. Whatever he was going to tell me was life changing. For both of us. Hell, possibly for all of us.
His voice shook as he spoke, “Lily, I haven’t been completely honest with everyone. Especially you. My sister isn’t just the head over the Enforcers. She’s over all of the conjurers. Like a queen.”
It took a minute to sink in. If his sister was the queen, then that made him... “Son of a bitch!” I screamed, yanked my hands away, and then slapped him across the face. “You’re fucking conjurer royalty?!”
Alistair let out a sting of curses, and punched the metal on the hummer. A basketball sized dent originated from his fist. I flinched at Alistair’s reaction.
As Blake’s cheek turned red in a perfect hand print, he nodded full of remorse. “Yeah, I technically am. But that’s not who I am anymore. I gave that up when Ashton healed me so long ago. When I stepped down, my sister gladly took my place. I’m not considered royalty anymore. I’m a traitor, a vampire lover. Well, at least that’s what they call me.”
“So this whole time your sister knew about me, and you refused to tell me how bad that was. Why? Why, Blake?” I choked out, tears filling my eyes.
“She didn’t know the whole time, Lily,” he murmured, and swiped a tear as it fell down my cheek. “My sister, Leslie, found out after your kidnapping and that’s when the calls began. She knew I was protecting you and keeping you hidden from them.”
Triggering me to look her way, Paige fumed, “Alistair, how in the hell do you know the fucking monarch over the conjurers? Is that the reason
you punched your truck?”
“It’s not a truck, Paige. It’s a Hummer,” he scoffed, and avoided the question.
“Car, truck, Hummer, whatever. How do you know the bitch?” she snapped.
Alistair shook his head in response with a scowl.
I turned my attention back to Blake. Right now their squabble wasn’t important. But I was curious how Alistair knew Blake’s sister.
“Blake,” I sighed, “I’m not sure what to think right now.”
He gave me a sad smile, tucked a stray hair behind my ear, and then walked away to stare in to space. Most likely lost in his own thoughts.
Ward, apparently uncaring about Blake, commanded, “Times running out. Make your decision. Do I call in reinforcements or do I leave you to your own devices?”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
BLAKE
I never understood what heartbreak really was, until now.
I had lied to Lily, and the guilt ate at my soul. Who I was and where I came from would always come back to haunt me. I knew it the moment I left. But, like a fool, I ignored it, thinking it was going to go away. I wasn’t going to be able to pretend that royal blood didn’t pulse through my veins. That the people and family I ran from wouldn’t want their pound of flesh.
I gazed at Lily and exhaled slowly, willing away the agony inside my heart. The moment she walked into that restaurant for the first time, my heart was lost. Swallowed up by her amazing hazel eyes and haunted presence. Not to sound cliché, but she had me at hello. This woman, the one we all fought for, meant everything to me. My life had made sense as soon as our eyes met. But I held back once she returned, afraid of my past catching up to us all and taking Lily down with it.
Glancing at Ashton, I observed him stare at Lily as though the world orbited around her. That the only reason the earth revolved around the sun was because of her. I knew how he felt. Whether I acted indifferent, I truly believed Ashton was a good person. Vampire or not. His involvement with Lily, though, spurred my antagonism towards him. He was the one person who held the heart of the woman I loved.
But, even though that was the case, I also understood that my time was fleeting. If not today, or a month from now, a death warrant was bound to be placed over me. Honestly, I was surprised it hadn’t already. Especially with my crazy assed sister involved.
