by Fiona Starr
“You passed out,” Kate says.
“I think you fainted. Do you feel okay?” Sebastian asks.
I don’t remember anything. “How long was I out?” I ask.
Sebastian glances at the clock on the wall. “Thirty seconds? Maybe less? Not long at all. Almost as soon as I got you on the floor you woke up.”
I feel like I was gone for hours, but I can’t remember anything. For a moment, my mind goes completely blank. And then everything comes blasting back like a train through my head.
Angus.
“Oh my god.” I get to my feet and grab my bag.
Sebastian helps me up and guides me to a chair. “I think you should sit down. Make sure you’re okay before you try to walk.”
Kate pulls out her phone. “Maybe we should call someone? Get you to the infirmary?”
I push away from their help. I can’t stay here. Angus needs me. I have no idea what’s going on I just know that I have to find him.
“I’m okay. I feel fine. I swear.” I sling my bag over my shoulder as I hurry for the door. “Thank you. I’ll catch up with you next time Sebastian, all right? Great. Okay!” I don’t wait for him to answer. I just leave the building and start running.
Chapter Fifteen
MARCO
I wish I knew how to fix this. I wish I knew what to do. I wish I could turn off my wolf mind for one freaking moment so I could have some peace.
The feel of Van right now is overpowering and it makes my skin crawl. He’s so angry and he’s fighting everything so hard, he doesn’t realize how much easier it would be if he simply gave in. He’s always taken it on himself to lead us on this mission. And he’s a good leader—if we were a pack, he’d be our Alpha, no doubt. But right now, I question whether he’s fit for duty.
When Joely came to us, it felt like things were finally coming together. The world made sense again. For the first time in a really, really long time, things felt balanced and right. When I closed my eyes, my wolf got the sense of my brothers with Joely and she fit together with us like a puzzle.
But now it feels like everything is falling apart.
She can’t take Tobias’ place. Nobody can. I get why Van is upset about that thought. But that’s not what this is. That isn’t why she’s here. And Joely would be the first to say she wouldn’t want to try.
I meant it when I said that she does fill some of the hole that tore through us when Tobias died. Van can deny it all he likes, but we all know Joely belongs here, with us. Tobias said it, and so did Salma. The prophecy is real, even if we don’t know what all of it means.
And Joely… Gods… If I died right there on the spot when we kissed, I wouldn’t complain. Yet now that I’ve tasted that small bit of her, I can’t help but wonder what it will feel like to have more. I feel guilty every time I think of her. Not because of Angus; I know that he would get it. I know the way he feels, too. I guess I feel like I shouldn’t want more. I should just savor the memory of that small moment I had with Joely because I know I don’t deserve any of her at all.
“Fuck!” Van’s voice booms through the house. He’s been reading through the prophecy since he sent Joely away and judging by his tone, he hasn’t made any progress. Something crashes against the wall above me and shatters.
I take the steps two at a time and throw open the door to his room.
“You need to stop,” I say, trying to remain calm. I glance around and see the broken beer bottle in shards on the floor. A foamy spill drips down the wall.
My brother rubs his hands into his eyes. “I can’t figure it out. I don’t know what I am missing.” He stares at his old leather notebook, tracing his finger over the worn pages, the lines of the prophecy are surrounded by scribbles and notes that fill the margins. The prophecy that Tobias started when he died and that Salma finished by channeling our dead brother.
“Salma warned you about treating the prophecy like a riddle. It’s not a puzzle.”
My brother glares at me. “She also said that everything would become clear when it was time. But it isn’t clear. Nothing is clear. If anything, it’s more confusing now than ever before.”
“Then maybe it isn’t time for the prophecy,” I say.
Van slams his hands down on the table. “Give me a fucking break! Of course it’s time. We found the Nightbird, for god’s sake. What else are we supposed to be waiting for?”
I take a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “What if you stop trying to fit everything into the prophecy, and instead, just look at what’s happening?”
“That doesn’t make any sense, Marco.”
“Sure it does. Think about it. When Tobias died, he told us about the Nightbird. All he said was that our blood calls her to us, right?”
“Yeah, but that’s because he died before he could say anymore. What the fuck, Marco? You know this.”
“I know. But hear me out. When Salma gave us the rest of the prophecy, she talked about ushering in and end…”
“The demise of a great darkness that had taken over the world,” Van says the line from memory.
“Right. So, why does what’s happening right now have to belong to the prophecy? What about the other part? About the return of the changed one?”
“The return of the changed one who remains unchanged.” Van sighs heavily. “I feel like it should be making more sense. But it just doesn’t.”
“Then maybe it isn’t time.”
“But it feels like it is time. Aren’t you the one who’s always talking about how everything feels? Well, now I’m telling you that it feels like something is coming. Don’t you feel it?”
I cross my arms and lean against the doorjamb, forcing myself not to say I told you so. “So you finally admit that you feel it too.”
Van’s face darkens. “I don’t want to talk about her.”
“Van, come on. Don’t you see? Maybe that’s your problem. Maybe you can’t see your way through because you’re turning your back on what’s right in front of you.”
“Fuck you. I don’t have any interest in Joely, Marco. I want to focus on Underwood and finish this so we can get on with our lives. Don’t you want this nightmare to end? Don’t you want to stop hiding?”
“What if denying your feelings isn’t allowed? What if you’re supposed to lean in, take whatever comes in order to see your way through? Are you hearing me, Van? Just saying it makes sense. Why are you resisting?”
I take off my chain and drop it on the table.
Van looks up at me, startled. “Marco, don’t.”
“Take yours off, just for a minute.”
“Underwood…”
“It’s a ten hour flight. He’s trapped in his private jet somewhere over the Atlantic by now. Just do this for me. I’ll make it quick.”
Van takes his chain off and drops it on the table, and instantly relaxes. His wolf mind expands and loosens up, and we can see each other in the animal realm.
That’s better. Isn’t it? I know he hates when I coach him like this, but I don’t care.
This is a waste of time, Marco. What’s your point?
I just want you to reach out and feel for her. Can you sense Joely’s presence? It’s sort of soft and warm, puffy feeling, like a cloud—
I know what she feels like. Van exhales and pushes his mind outward. What the hell?
Something catches the edge of my awareness and comes rocketing in like an arrow. Something’s wrong.
Van opens his eyes and locks on mine. We both speak at the same time.
“Angus.”
Someone starts banging on our door, making us both turn. “What’s going on?” Van says.
We grab our chains and hurry downstairs. Van gets there first and throws the door open.
Joely is standing there, looking winded and panting. Her hair is windblown and all over the place. “Something’s wrong with Angus.”
Chapter Sixteen
JOELY
I am so angry I could scream. “So he didn’t com
e home last night and you didn’t think to call him or send a text?”
Van’s giving me the same glare as ever, just in case I wasn’t sure how he felt. “I assumed he was spending the night at yours,” he says.
I thrust my hands onto my hips and show him he doesn’t scare me. “And I assumed you forced him to ghost me like you did last time.”
That he doesn’t deny it makes me seethe.
Marco steps between us. “Look, it doesn’t matter. Can we focus on where to go from here? We have to find him.”
“Where do we start,” I ask.
“He’s at the Society house. I’m sure of it.”
Marco and I gape at him.
Van shakes his head. “Shit. I should have known this would happen. The Vessel turned green when it was done freaking out. Underwood told Daria to get someone from the Lupon Drago line. He suggested a male for the next sacrifice, one of the first year initiates.”
Marco’s brows shoot up. “And that didn’t seem like something you should have shared? There were only four of us initiates for Lupon Drago, and only two males—Angus and me!”
Van shakes his head. “I don’t know. I wasn’t thinking about that. You two aren’t really Lupon Drago. Fuck! I was so caught up in learning how the Vessel worked, what he’s using it for. I forgot.”
“Great, so now what?” Marco says.
“What do you mean, now what? Now we go get him back.”
“We can’t just walk in there and bust him out. If Underwood catches us, it’s over.”
“What are they going to do to him? I ask. I mean, how does the sacrifice work?”
“They won’t be able to kill him,” Van says.
“How do you know that?” I say.
“Because the Vessel only feeds on Ancient Magic. None of us have that for real. I used Salma’s grimoire to add that as a cover for our wolf magic, to get us into this school. It was just a way to get our names to come onto the list.”
“But that’s good, right? That means they can’t really sacrifice him.”
“I don’t know. What if they strip away the Ancient Magic and leave his wolf exposed. That close to the Vessel, and if he’s in pain and scared… there’s no way he’ll be able to resist the wolf.”
“And if he shifts while they have him?” I ask.
Van looks down at his hands. “Underwood will definitely kill him then.”
“And it will expose the two of us as his brothers.” Marco adds. “Underwood has no idea who we are as men, but he knows there are three of us.”
“Then we have to get to him before they try anything,” I say. “What time does Underwood land?”
Van shakes his head. “No idea. It’s not safe to guess. We have to assume he’s already back or will be shortly.”
“Fine.” Marco grabs his jacket. “Let’s go.”
Van stops his brother. “We can’t. Daria’s got the Society house locked up so they can prepare for the festival. Why do you think I’m home today? No students allowed in the Cottage until the Samhain party tomorrow night.”
Chapter Seventeen
JOELY
We stay up all night formulating a plan for finding and rescuing Angus. I’m amazed at all the information the three of them have amassed in the time they’ve been here at Blakeborne University, gathering data, recording everything, and building a war-room while waiting to strike.
They’ve got blueprints of the Society mansion on the walls, pictures of all the general areas, and some of the interior rooms. Aerial photos of the grounds show just how large the plot of land is, and that it actually encompasses the edge of the forest that connects with the national park. Van’s even got his hands on some rough drawings of the basement that were not part of the original design.
Van seems to think it’s likely that they’re holding Angus upstairs where we saw Mel that night she died. “I don’t think Daria is going to try anything with Angus until after the party.” He looks to me for confirmation. “You saw how upset she was about Mel being there during the initiation gala.”
I nod and close my eyes, letting my mind reach out for Angus's essence. I can still feel him on the edges of my consciousness. It’s just a thread of him, but he feels okay. “Yeah. I think you’re right. And I think he’s safe for the time being. I don’t sense any danger like I did before.”
“Me neither,” Marco says. “Wherever he is, he’s all right, for now.”
Van nods. “We can’t really know anything until we get there, and we need to be ready for anything.”
Having been to a couple of parties at the Cottage already, I can picture the layout of the main floor, and some of the upstairs rooms, as well as the open stairwell leading down to the basement chamber where the Vessel resides.
We talk through different scenarios and how we’re going to divide and conquer, trying to pretend we’ll be able to control everything. But there’s one part of the plan that I am still not comfortable with.
“Is there any other way to distract Master Damon?” I ask.
Van shakes his head. “If you have ideas, let’s hear them. I’ve gone over that a dozen times.”
“No. I think it will work,” Marco says. “We just need to be smart about it. As soon as one of you sees Underwood, find me right away. If I spot him, I’ll find one of you before I go. Nobody goes anywhere without telling someone. Agreed?”
“But once you shift…” My mouth goes dry just thinking of the risk.
“Don’t worry. I know what to do,” Marco says, trying to reassure me with his eyes.
“It’s a good plan,” Van says. “And I think we all know what to do. For now, we should get some sleep.”
I sit in my room and stare at myself in the mirror. It feels strange to be putting on makeup and getting all dressed up when I know the real reason I’m going to this party. The rest of the students have been enjoying an entire day of Samhain celebrations. The school sponsored a festival that started early this morning, and will go on all night.
I had to take the long way around campus when I came back this morning in order to avoid the party going on in the quad. When I got home, all three of my roommates were out, presumably at the party, but I heard Roz come in about an hour ago to get ready for the Society function.
My gown is a soft ice blue. It’s fitted and has tiny cap sleeves that flare out like little wings on my shoulders. Glittery sequins line the bodice that hugs my form until it flares out in a full skirt. The shoes fit perfectly, and as I slip them on I realize high heels are probably not the best choice for a rescue mission. I opt for a pair of white Chucks, and decide that they are the perfect choice since I can hide them under the floor-length gown.
I head to Roz’s room and knock on the door. “Housekeeping,” I call.
“It’s open!”
I step into her room and it’s like her closet exploded. “Whoa, you really do need a housekeeper. What’s going on?”
She’s got five gowns laid out on the bed and the floor, and shoes, and purses scattered all over the place. “I was all set to wear the pink one, and then while we were shopping, Winter made the mistake of mentioning that Mason’s got a friend who was hoping to meet me at the afterparty. Now that I know I have to impress someone, I can’t choose.”
I laugh. “But you’ve already impressed him. All you have to do is show up.”
“Right. But should I show up in the pink, or in the gold, or in the purple?”
“You’re not helping.”
“The gold. It goes with your hair and you’ll look like an angel with it on. There. Done.”
“I knew I could count on you!” She grabs the gold gown and hurries into her bathroom to put it on. She’s out in a flash, her back to me. “Button me?”
She holds her hair off her neck and I go to work on a dozen tiny buttons that close up the back.
“Excited to see Angus tonight? All the guys will be in tails.” She wiggles as she inhales. “They are going to look delicious, girlfriend.”
For a moment there I was lost in the fun of getting ready for a party. But mention of Angus brings me crashing down to earth. “Yeah,” I say, fastening the last of the buttons. I tap her back gently. “All done.” I turn around. “Do mine?”
When we arrive at the mansion, I am overcome with the feel of Angus. He’s all around me in the air, the scent of him filling the air like campfire smoke. I don’t know what to make of the change.
Roz and I walk through the gate and I’m surprised to find Van and Marco waiting for me. They try to act casual but I can tell something’s wrong. This wasn’t part of the plan; they were supposed to already be inside, mingling and looking around.
Marco smiles when he sees me, but it seems like Van is incapable of even that. Roz and I walk over and I try to act like everything is as normal as ever.
“Hey guys,” I say. “You look nice.”
They look more than nice, but it’s all I’ve got. Van and Marco look stunning in their black tailcoats and vests. Marco is in all black and white with a simple bow tie that he’s tied himself. Van has opted for a lavender vest with a watch fob and silver chain, and a gray and purple silk ascot tie. The two of them look like they stepped out of a magazine, and I can’t help but smile.
“Don’t you both clean up nice,” Roz says, giving Marco and then Van a slow head to toe inspection complete with a lick of the lips and an approving gaze.
“So do you,” Marco says.
Roz squeals and spins around so they can get the full effect. “Joely picked this one. Don’t you love how it catches the light?” She glances at the front door and gasps. “There’s Winter. With Mason and his friend. I’m going to go. See you inside!” She kisses me on the cheek and runs off, waving at Winter.
We watch her go and once we’re alone, I have to work to keep my voice down. “What’s going on? Why are you out here? And how come I can feel Angus all over the place? I’ve never sensed him like that before. But that isn’t true, is it. The only time he’s overwhelmed me like that was when…”
