“Thirsty?”
He shook his head.
“You haven’t eaten anything since your arrival and I doubt you’ve been offered a bottle of water. I can go…”
He flicked his gaze up at her, hoping she’d see from his expression he had no desire to be served.
She held up her hands in mock surrender and took a seat opposite him. “I get it. You’re in a place you’ve never been, surrounded by people you don’t know. Were I in your position, I’d feel the same way.”
She reached across the table, taking his hands in hers. The gesture startled him. He’d never been touched so freely by a human and, yet, he found himself enjoying the feel of her soft hands encircling his. She brushed his knuckles with her thumbs before giving his hands a gentle squeeze.
Her hands were light against his dark brown skin, a contrast that oddly made sense to him considering her fragility and his enhanced strength. He could hurt her without an ounce of effort and there was nothing she could do about it.
He lowered his gaze as his mind took a dark turn. His kind were never meant to live amongst the humans, but it never stopped them from wanting it. They’d watched for centuries as the humans lived freely, openly able to express themselves, fall in love, and have children – things that had been forbidden for his kind. Instead, they were forced to walk in shadows, bound to darkness, while humans lived in the light.
The door opened, and his eyes were drawn to a man he couldn’t help but stare at. A deep scar marred his face, stretching from just below his right eye to the corner of his lip producing the look of a half-smile though his eyes belied the smile. They flitted between the two in the room before focusing on the spot where their hands connected. An emotion he couldn’t quite place shone in those dark depths before being replaced with a blank stare. The man closed the door with more force than was necessary before walking up to the table and slamming a stack of folders on the table.
Letta snatched her hands back, severing the connection between them and Tyrin instantly missed that connection. He felt oddly incomplete, as if the very thing grounding him to that moment was torn from him. Shrugging the feeling away, he stood, towering over the man by at least a foot and offered his hand.
“I’m Tyrin.” Mimicking the introduction Letta had given him earlier felt odd, but he wanted to ease the tension the man had brought into the room.
“Brayden,” was all the man said, glancing down at the offered hand with a look of disgust. “Please forgive me if I’m not immediately trusting of your kind.”
“Fair enough,” Tyrin said, lowering his hand and reclaiming his seat.
Brayden approached him, clearing his throat. “You’re in my seat.”
With a smirk, Tyrin conceded the seat to the man, suddenly remember why he’d been so annoyed by humans. Especially the males. Their propensity to play the role of alpha male, deserved or not, had always been a constant thorn in his side. More than that, he noticed over the centuries they’d always found a way to stake claim to that which didn’t belong to them. Something Tyrin never understood. By the way Letta reacted to his actions, it was clear there was nothing between them. Yet, Brayden had staked his claim before her, deeming himself a worth adversary for anyone who’d dare to encroach upon his territory.
“Wasn’t there something you wanted to show me?” Tyrin asked, turning his attention toward Letta.
She reached for the files, but Brayden laid a hand on them, stopping her. “I’ll handle this.”
The arrogance of the man amused Tyrin. “Please forgive me if I’m not immediately trusting of a man I’ve barely met,” he said, tossing a pointed glance at the man. “I would prefer to hear from someone who’d at least earned a bit of my trust.”
Brayden seethed, baring his teeth like a rabid dog, but he had no choice but to stand down if he wanted Tyrin’s help.
“How about I leave so you two can compare the size of your dicks?” Letta said standing up. “Or let’s see who can piss the furthest while those people out there are depending on us to keep them safe. Would that work?”
She walked toward the door. “Call me when you’re ready to proceed.”
“Wait!” Brayden slammed his fist against the metal, an action Tyrin was certain the man was used to. He could see the barely contained rage rippling through the man. “I kept you from being thrown out and this is how you act?”
Letta thrust a finger in Tyrin’s direction. “And, he saved my life not even twenty-four hours ago. I know you feel you can’t trust him. I understand. Out of everyone here, I’ve seen the aftermath of what they’ve done to you, but I need you to trust me. He can help.”
Tears sprang to her eyes, and a lump collected in Tyrin’s throat. He’d never seen her so vulnerable, so beautifully human. She’d let down her guard and showed them who she was, and he appreciated the strength of her actions.
Brayden was on his feet, rushing to her and tossing an arm around her shoulders. “I’ll leave you to it. I’m sorry.”
She gave him a tight nod before returning to the table, all evidence of her tears gone. She shot a look at Tyrin, a half smile tugging her lips, and Tyrin found another reason to respect the girl. She’d played her part so flawless even he’d fell for her emotional display.
Taking the folders and arranging them across the table, she began detailing everything they knew.
“From what we’ve gathered, the Fallen that controls the police are the weakest of the bunch. Though they are far stronger than us, they seem to be the most vulnerable and the most expendable. Tracy’s clan had managed to take a few of them out with zero retaliation from the higher ups. They simply replaced them without uttering a threat threw social media outlets or the local news.”
She rushed from folder to folder, highlighting every bit of information they thought was important but none it was accurate. In the world of the Fallen, no one was expendable, their numbers so few they couldn’t afford to lose even the low-level Fallen. While they assumed the lowest levels were dominating the local police department, they failed to see the bigger picture.
“I think we should go in aggressively targeting the police,” she said.
But she was wrong. They all were. Going after the police would do nothing more than bring a fiery death to all of them but what could he say. If they decided to turn their Opposition into a militant group with the knowledge they’ve obtained so far, they were doomed for failure.
“I think that’s a great idea,” Brayden voiced. “How about you?”
“I think you will all die.” Tyrin said, standing from the table. “After three years, this is all you’ve gathered? Rumors. False intel. Lies planted by the very people you are up against? You have to be kidding me.”
He snatched up every folder within his reach, tossing them in the air. “You have nothing. If you continue on with this charade, you will only succeed in getting the majority of you killed and I can’t help you with this.”
“Of course, you can’t. I’m sure you’d rather die than to watch your people fall.” Brayden looked toward Letta. “See what I mean? He can’t help us!”
The two argued back and forth, but Tyrin was caught in a storm of his own. He wanted to leave them to their task. At the bitter least, it might bring out at least one of the Originals from hiding, but at what cost?
He thought of the number of children in the compound, allowing his mind to merge with theirs. They were frightened, desperately seeking comfort and reassurance. They wanted nothing more than to step out into the world, carrying no fears of the death and destruction that awaited them beyond the walls of the bunker.
Try as he might, he couldn’t give them that. He was only him, a lone angel hell bent on destroying those who destroyed his family and he couldn’t give that up for a band of misfits determined to save the world. Especially when he knew they’d fail.
He pushed from his seat, stalking toward the door. Brayden stayed in his seat while Letta scrambled to stop him from exiting the buildin
g.
“Where did we go wrong?” she asked, stepping between him and the door and pressing a hand against his chest. “What are we missing?”
His eyes met hers and he could see her veil of strength unraveling before him. There was nothing he could do. He attempted to side step her, but she met his step. Trying to push past her, he found he was unable to. Her strength was multiplied by her resolve and her belief he was the only thing standing in the way of their survival or their demise.
Her eyes brightened, tethering him to where he stood. “If you don’t want to help us, I want to introduce you to someone you may want to help.”
She left the room for no longer than ten minutes. He wanted to leave, but something grounded him to that spot, holding him hostage until she returned.
It wasn’t mental, the chains that locked him into place. It was tangible, some force that kept him grounded to that location, unable to flee or move. She returned, carrying a child with a bundle of blonde curls and brilliant blue eyes. The child looked at him as if she knew him but dared not touch him.
“This is Aurora, my daughter.” Letta took a long step toward him, closing the gap between them. “Her father was killed when the Fallen decided to make their presence known. Her grandparents, my mom and dad, were sniped out with him. If you don’t want to help me and Brayden, I can understand. But I can’t imagine you’d allow her to die beside us in a war she’d played no part in.”
Five
Brayden stomped from the room after collecting the information he’d worked so hard to gather. His shoulders were hunched, and he carried a defeated expression.
Letta couldn’t blame him. Though he’d acted as if he’d had no faith Tyrin would help them, she knew he’d carried the same hope she had, if only but a moment.
Tyrin reclaimed his original seat and she did the same, propping Aurora up on one knee. Why she’d thought the little girl would be enough to convince him, she wasn’t sure, but she had to try something. Holding her daughter with one hand, she reached toward Tyrin, hoping she could get through to him. He pulled his hands into his lap.
“What are we missing?”
Tyrin let out a huff of air. Whatever was holding him back seemed to dissolve when his eyes landed on her daughter. “How did she lose her father?”
“I don’t want to go into detail with her here.”
He seemed to consider her words before dropping his gaze back toward the little girl who squirmed around in an attempt to break free of Letta’s hold. Releasing the little girl, she watched as Aurora scrambled from her lap and rushed toward Tyrin. She did little more than stare at the man as if sizing him up. Once she’d decided she could trust him, she reached up a small hand and touched his side.
“Hi,” she said, tugging at his arm.
Not missing a beat, Tyrin tugged the girl into his lap. His tattoos swirled in intricate patterns across his chest, meeting on the side. Aurora, ever the curious little girl, laid her hand across the pattern and watched as it followed her hand wherever she moved it.
“It moved, Mommy!” A fit of giggles poured from her daughter before she slid from Tyrin’s lap. “Can I go play?”
“Sure,” Letta answered, walking Aurora to the door and letting her out into the common area where Brayden stood guard. She watched as Brayden scooped the girl up in his arms and led her toward the other children before closing the door.
“Your first error was in assuming they don’t know you exist. The only reason they haven’t come to collect you is you haven’t posed a threat. Should you decide to go after them that will change.”
“I don’t see how…”
“Do you honestly believe they took over the city without putting eyes and ears everywhere? They’ve been working on this for decades.”
Letta shook her head. “It certainly didn’t take them decades to secure the city. They were able to do so in less than a week.”
“From your perspective.” Tyrin stood from his seat and paced the room. “But imagine how much work it would take to ingrain yourself into society in such a way you hold all the political offices, have high-ranking positions on the boards of every major company in the city. Banks, the police and fire stations, schools. They couldn’t simply achieve that in a day. It took a great deal of time. They’ve been working on this since before you were born.”
“Why?” Letta couldn’t imagine with their strengths and abilities they’d needed so much planning.
“Think of it this way. The Fallen’s numbers aren’t unlimited. When one of us are killed, there are no children to replace us and pick up where we left off and we’re far from immortal, though we can live for a long period of time. Had they simply appeared and tried to force their way into power, they would have met with a great deal more resistance than they did. Everyone would descend on this place to wipe them out. Your police force, along with the forces of the surrounding areas, your military… It wouldn’t have taken you long to defeat them.”
He had a point. She’d always wondered why they’d set up a parameter around the city, forcing the residence to stay. Thinking about it, it all made sense. A few tourists leaving the city with tales of fallen angels controlling the city would be met with harsh criticism but if a large group of residents complained, something would have to be done.
“Humans have but a short time on this Earth. Everything has to be rushed. With centuries to live, it’s easier to take a significant amount of time to achieve one’s goal.”
“Okay, but that doesn’t answer my question. What are we missing?”
That was the question she needed answered before everything else. With the amount of intel they’d been able to collect, she doubted they had everything wrong as he’d suggested before.
He stopped pacing the room long enough to toss her a look of exasperation. “As I said, everything. For instance, would you deem being a police officer a safe position?”
“Of course not,” Letta responded.
“Would you want the police department ran by a group of fragile teenagers unable to properly defend themselves?”
And that was it. While they’d been thinking the members of the police department had been more expendable, they’d failed to think further. Her kind was able to employ the young and the over hill in such a dangerous position because, in all reality, humans were far more expendable than any of the Fallen.
As Tyrin had said before, their numbers were finite. They couldn’t reproduce and replace as humans could, so their numbers would dwindle greatly were they to force their weakest into positions as dangerous.
“If what you’re saying is true, why wouldn’t they retaliate when one of them is killed? I’d think they would want to dissuade us from continuing to take them out.”
“Would you put on display your weaknesses? Make no mistake about it, they will retaliate but not in the way you would think. Your plans will fail because they have eyes everywhere. And unless your friend managed to take the heads off the Fallen she’d killed, they are no more dead than you and me, and they’ve seen her face. I wouldn’t be surprised if they haven’t already infiltrated this group.”
“We’ve vetted everyone here.”
Or had they? He opened his mouth to speak, but she shushed him with a raised hand, needing time to think.
They’re vetting system had been flawless, considering they rarely allowed anyone without family or neighbors who could vouch for them within the inner circle of The Opposition. She was certain they’d never allowed a Fallen into their midst. But how sure could she be? Her mark had worked for the Fallen for years before he’d even known what he was doing. By the time he knew what he’d done, it had been too late to turn back.
She thought back on her own life growing up. She’d had a few teachers who seemed to age unreasonably slow throughout her school years, but she never thought anything of it. Had she been close enough to either of them, could she have been coerced into helping their cause?
The more she thought of it, the more s
he began to realize that Tyrin was right. They knew nothing when it came to the Fallen, which was why they needed him. If for nothing more, they needed to know what he knew. They needed to be informed.
She let out a heavy sigh as the weight of the bit of information she’d gathered so far began to crush her spirits. Not even a day ago she’d wondered how the Fallen man outside the bar had known her by name and, now, sitting with one of them, she knew. They had been infiltrated and it would be impossible for her to figure out who the culprit was. Or for that matter, how many of them there were.
“There’s nothing we can do.” The statement left her lips in a murmur as she glanced toward the door. Her daughter was out there, playing around other little children, being watched by people she now knew she couldn’t trust.
Bile rose in her throat as she considered the danger she’d unknowingly subjected her own daughter to. No wonder he’d thought she’d get them all killed. She barely equipped enough to keep her own child safe, let alone an entire group of people.
Tyrin came to crouch beside her, stroking her back. “I’m sorry.”
“No, you were right. We’re in over our heads and there’s nothing we can do to reclaim this city without your help.” She met his eyes, pleading with him.
His head dipped, and for a moment, she’d thought he’d reject her again. Instead, he met her gaze full on, his green eyes showing a depth of emotion she hadn’t seen from him before. “I’ll help you, but there are some things you need to understand before we start.”
Her heart leapt in her chest. “Sure, anything! What are they?”
“I’ll let you know when we’re not under surveillance.”
Curiosity gripped her, but she shoved it away. Whatever it was, she was sure she could handle it if it meant him helping The Opposition.
Exiting the room, she sought out Brayden to tell him the good news, amazed that for the first time in years, she had good news to give.
Six
The harsh shrills of a woman and child filled the air, and Tyrin was on his feet. Releasing his wings, he bounded to the metal door and tugged at the handle. Finding it locked, he tore it from the hinges, tossing it to the side where it scraped a curved line in the metal of the wall before clattering to the floor.
Dark Deceit Page 3