By Blood Sworn
Page 32
“Not my problem,” she kept that grin as she turned her head toward his, “turns out.”
“What did he mean by Erin being expendable?”
Her head turned only slightly as she answered. “Designed to be used once then discarded.”
Michael grinned despite his desire to curse at her right then.
“I know what the definition of expendable is,” he sighed. “She was a wealth of information, and she was on the inside. Why allow her to be killed?”
“I think my previous answer fits here too,” she replied. “They got what they needed and discarded her.”
“She seemed to be tolerating the drug so far,” Michael stated.
“Obviously not,” Alex said plainly. “The side effects magnified the more she used—I could tell. That’s what happens when women take those things. Didn’t you read the files on the experiments?”
“Yes, but someone still gave her those pills,” Michael said. “Why would they do that knowing what would happen to her?”
“You’re asking the wrong person,” she answered.
He felt a twinge of pain as he tried to enter her mind. The mental block forced his power back at him. The wave watered his right eye.
“You’re on those pills and you seem to be just fine,” he moaned and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.
“What’s your point?”
“What went wrong in every other female recruit that’s not going wrong in you?”
She shrugged her shoulders and he suddenly wanted to punch her in the face.
“Mind if we take some blood? Have a look?” he asked, but he knew what her reply would be.
“Yes, I do mind.”
“And you killed the only other female specimen that could tell us what was going on.”
“She tried to kill me,” Alex frowned at him. “Let’s not forget that little detail.”
“You’re not curious?”
“Why should I be?”
“There are others,” Michael replied. “Tristan said that.”
One confession couldn’t hurt, could it?
“There are no others,” Alex replied. “It was my job to find them and bring them back to 51. The last one was killed almost a week ago.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did Tristan say there were others?” Michael mused.
“To see my reaction.”
Michael stood and turned to her. As he looked down on her, she just stared at her hands again. Maybe he was wrong about her. She wasn’t one of the good guys after all. Too hardened by her past, she’d turned cold and heartless.
“We don’t have time for these games! Xavier and David need answers, Alex, not riddles. Don’t you care about them, at all?”
She raised her head and her eyes were hard and clear. As her back straightened, her chin rose too.
“Did anyone care about me, about what was done to me? Of course not. You cared about the supplement and how much money it would make once it was perfected. Isn’t that why you bought Strategic in the first place? The tech. The results. The program. All of it was to make money! You can stand there and judge me all you want, but you know it’s true.”
Michael noticed all eyes on them suddenly. He backed up as she stood, picked up the tablet, and sat back down.
“We bought Strategic because your father practically begged us. He said he wanted to save them and you!”
Michael didn’t move when she jumped to her feet again.
“I didn’t ask to be saved! I don’t need your help either!”
“Yeah? Well, the three bodies you brought back with you say otherwise!”
Conner was behind Michael before he could say another word.
“Alright, you two, break it up.”
“Sorry,” Michael growled with a bow of his head. “I think it’s been a long day, for everyone. My apologies, Ms. Stone.”
She took his hand and gave it a strong squeeze before he let go first. Without a word, she sat back down and went back to her tablet. He retreated to the other end of the plane with his father and Aiden. Sebastian and Xavier joined her in the back corner for the remainder of the flight.
Sebastian stared at his hands as Xavier urged him to just suck it up and ask. The large conference room at Gale Enterprises reminded him just how much power Conner Gale had in this world. State of the art technology was everywhere: holographic projector in the ceiling, WiFi voice conference capability. There were even individual monitors that popped up from the round table for more personal meetings.
“Go ahead,” Xavier whispered to Sebastian as Alex sat quietly at the far curve of the conference table. She was texting and looked intense.
“I am,” Sebastian whispered back and nudged him away. He stood and walked slowly to where she sat. “Busy?”
Alex didn’t look up from her phone.
“What’s on your mind?”
He sat down only because she pushed a chair out for him. As she waited, he tried to find his voice. “What happened on the plane?”
“What do you mean?”
“The doctor said we were practically gone,” he replied in a hushed tone. “What happened?”
Alex placed her phone, screen down, on the table. She leaned closer and dropped her voice even lower than before. “I helped you along.”
“What does that mean?” he asked.
“I gave you something to help your body heal itself,” she replied.
Sebastian moved closer. “What?”
Alex looked up into his eyes and her brown orbs sparkled from somewhere deep inside. That fire that always seemed to simmer inside her was now stoked by whatever secrets she kept hidden.
“Me. I gave you my blood, and it worked.”
“You sound like you weren’t sure it would,” he grinned.
“I wasn’t,” she grinned back. “You’re connected to me now, Sebastian. I’m not sure for how long, but we’re connected.”
“And the others? David and Xavier?”
Alex shook her head and her right hand balled into a fist. “It doesn’t work on humans. I can’t help them the way I can vampires. If I could, Kai and Amy would still be here.”
Sebastian felt her sadness and it surprised him. She never seemed to have that kind of emotion for them—for anyone, come to think of it. But she was sad and angry, just like them. He wanted to understand how she came to be, but he’d keep her secret instead. He’d protect it with his life—they all would.
Xavier moved closer to them. He dropped his voice as he sat down.
“What else can you do?”
Somewhere deep inside her brain, she was afraid to answer that question. It meant admitting she was not human or vampire, but both. One day, if Tristan had his way, she would have to choose a side. Alex wasn’t sure which she would choose.
“I’m getting better at moving things with my mind. I’ve noticed that I can read thoughts more clearly now too,” she answered.
“Any increase in strength?” Sebastian asked. “Speed?”
“Some.”
“Healing,” Xavier added. “You’re healing faster than before, aren’t you?”
She nodded. Then she felt a vibration come at them from the hallway. Someone was trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. She shook her head and cut a glance over Xavier’s shoulder. Sebastian changed the subject. “Alex,” he said as he stood. “Thanks.”
Michael walked through the glass doors of the conference room.
“If you guys are ready, I’ll show you where you can shower and change,” he announced.
Xavier picked up a bag and tossed it to Sebastian before he grabbed his own. They followed Michael from the room.
She was ready to get this over with. A shower and food was what she wanted mos
t right now.
“My brother thinks he’s smarter than everyone else,” Drew’s voice came through her thoughts. “He’s kind of a pain sometimes.”
As Sebastian and Xavier showered and changed in the Gale Enterprises gym, Alex was kept in a big comfortable conference room to wait on her father and Conner. Drew was left to keep her company, she guessed. His brothers were no longer in sight.
“Yeah,” she replied as she sat in one big, black leather chair with her feet in another. “I agree; he is a pain.” She tried not to take another pill, but she was going to need it to take the edge off.
When Drew chuckled and turned his back, she moved a short bottle of water from the center of the long table with a her mind. Inside the backpack, she pulled the pills out and shook one into her hand. Drew turned to her when he heard the sound.
“You okay?”
“Headache.”
He watched her closely. If he reported this to his father, which he would, Conner would most likely assume the pill was the supplement. In reality, it was just a very powerful pain reliever—prescription strength. Dr. Gilcrest had been kind enough to give her the maximum dosage allowed by law.
“Those pills help with a simple headache?” he asked as he watched her empty the small bottled water in three gulps.
“We don’t get simple headaches,” she answered. “And they help with just about everything.”
“What don’t they help with?” he asked as he pulled a chair out and sat down across the table.
“Annoying questions,” she said as she closed her eyes. Then she felt ashamed of that response. It wasn’t his fault. “Sorry,” she apologized and sat up straight again.
He looked unaffected by her response. Probably because he was used to being around very powerful people. “No problem. My brothers do the same thing.”
He began to rise from the chair, but she stopped him.
“That’s no excuse for me to be rude. Please stay.”
He sat back down again after he took a bottle of water from the center of the table.
“How’d you move that water?” he asked with an honest expression. “The pills?”
“You saw that?” she smiled.
“No, I heard it slide across the table,” he answered. “Plus, you didn’t stand up to get it. I know that for sure.”
Alex realized she might be in a bit of trouble. She had taken it for granted that this boy was no threat. That was her first mistake. Her second? Agreeing to come back to Strategic in the first place.
“Yes, the pills,” she lied. “They enhance abilities. I could be picking up some latent telekinetic abilities from the donor. It doesn’t last long though.”
“Can you move anything? I mean, like people, for instance?”
“No. The pills are a combination of a lot of things, including vampire blood. The other chemicals water down the telekinetic ability,” she answered. “In me anyway.”
He looked disappointed. He had probably hoped she’d fly him around the room or something while they waited. “That’s too bad. Who wouldn’t want to throw people around with their mind, right?”
“Right.”
His smile was warm and sincere. She could tell he had more questions, more serious questions, that he was afraid to ask: Did she hate vampires? How did she get into this business? Was she going to try to kill his family? All of that whirled around in his mind until she shut him out.
“Where are you going after you leave here?”
Alex looked up at him. “Home.”
Drew sat forward and sighed. “Maybe you guys could stay here. Have dinner with us tomorrow. It’s Thanksgiving.”
She hadn’t realized that until he said it. Then she thought it was strange that they celebrated such things anyway.
“They do it for me,” he said as if he’d read her mind.
“Do what?” she said as she matched his posture.
“Thanksgiving,” he rolled his eyes. “I don’t really care about that stuff, but it makes them feel better, so . . .” he shrugged.
“I didn’t say anything.”
He grinned as he absently rubbed his right temple. “Yeah, but I figured you’d be wondering why vampires would care about that stuff. I’m not a vampire, yet,” he added with a raise of his index finger. “So they try to give me as much of a human life as they can.”
Before she could ask another question, the doors opened wide. In stepped Conner, Aiden, and her father. Sebastian and Xavier brought up the rear, along with Detective Andrade. Alex and Drew stood.
“Drew,” Conner said as he motioned for him to come over to him. “Michael is waiting in his office. He’s going to get you home. I’ll see you later.” Conner kissed his son on the forehead.
Quickly, she reached into his mind and took the conversation about the pills from his head. He squinted and rubbed his temple again. “Thanks for the talk.”
“Thanks for keeping me company. Happy Thanksgiving,” Alex smiled at him.
Chapter 32
“What’s wrong with you?” Michael huffed as he finished with his email reply.
Drew sat in the chair on the other side of the desk with his leg bouncing rapidly. That annoyed Michael. It distracted him.
“Nothing,” Drew said. “I thought you were ready to go?”
“Give me one more minute,” he replied. “I need to get this email out.”
“It’s Thanksgiving,” his brother groaned and sighed. “You guys never stop working, do you?”
“It’s the day before Thanksgiving,” Michael corrected him. “And I’m almost done, so chill.” He looked up and Drew’s leg still shook, but now he chewed on his nail as he stared into space. “What?”
“What?” Drew spit out a nail and frowned at Michael.
“Why are you so nervous?”
He watched Drew mull over the question. “I’m not nervous,” he answered then chewed at another nail. “I’m just ready to go home. I’m hungry, I guess.”
“Well, quit bouncing around. You’re freaking me out.”
They would have to pass by the conference room to leave the building. Michael gathered his briefcase and phone and shooed Drew out the door. Through the glass he could see Alex, his father, and her father in deep conversation. The others sat quietly. Fallon winked at them as they passed. He wanted very much to know what was being said, but he had to get Drew home.
Drew reached the elevator first and pressed the button. Its doors opened with a burst of tepid canned air. Inside, a holiday tune played and Drew hummed along.
“You like her, huh?” he heard Drew ask.
“I told you, I’m not her type,” Michael said as the numbers ticked off. “Besides, she works for me. I never mix business and pleasure.”
“I wasn’t talking about Fallon,” Drew replied.
Through the lobby, they walked side by side to the exit. The town car waited at the curb; white smoke spilled from the tailpipe as they climbed inside.
“How was your trip?” their driver and long-time butler, Jeffrey, inquired as he pulled from the curb.
“Okay, I guess,” Drew answered. “I did get to meet Alex Stone though.”
“Good for you,” Jeffrey answered. “I know how much you like her work. And how did you like the Pentagon?”
“It was kinda cool,” he smiled as the black car made the first right.
All along Central Park West, Christmas lights filled the barren trees and fake potted plants in front of buildings along the way. In the distance, their building was trimmed in green lights.
“She’s stubborn,” Michael finally stated as he looked out his window. “Arrogant as hell too. That’s gonna get her in a lot of trouble one day.”
Drew laughed. “Dude. It took you, like, a year to answer that question. And that’s how I know you like her a lot!”
“Whom are we discussing?” Jeffrey asked through the rearview mirror.
“Alex Stone,” Drew chuckled. “Michael picked a fight with her on the plane. She almost tossed him out of it.” He laughed again.
Michael rolled his eyes at his brother as he continued to laugh. “Shut up.”
“Can I drop you somewhere, Michael?” Jeffrey asked as the car came to a stop at their destination. The doorman opened the backdoor and Drew stepped out.
Michael shook his head as he grabbed the briefcase and handed it to Drew through the door. “I’ll stay.”
“That’s probably best,” Jeffrey frowned. It had begun to snow again. “It looks like it will snow all night.”
Fallon felt claustrophobic in a giant room over New York’s financial district. As the snow continued to fall past the windows, she looked on the exchange with a slight bit of anxiety. Alex and her father traded insults like a married couple. The young men just sat there like stones. After all they’d been through, who had the energy to fight more? Apparently, Alex and her father.
“Are you fucking kidding?” she exclaimed. “You knew what Coop was doing and you allowed it to happen.”
“I didn’t know for sure,” he replied. “I suspected they had a sexual relationship. I had no idea he was giving her those supplements.”
“Did you know he was your traitor?”
Fallon stepped closer to the window. A vibration hit her square in the chest. It came from Alex and she was sure every vampire in the room felt it too.
Dr. Carlisle dropped his gaze and then slid his eyes toward Xavier and Sebastian. That’s when Alex felt Sebastian’s tension with Xavier’s anger followed closely behind it. Fallon’s fear bounced off the windows she stood next to.
It was hard to believe no one on this team knew about Erin and Coop—especially Sebastian. How was that even possible? But they knew Coop was a suspect.
“We had been alerted to some things he was tied up in,” Dr. Carlisle answered slowly. “I had the team investigating him.”
“Even Erin?”
“Yes, she was the one to bring us most of what we had on him. We were going to bring formal charges after this conference.”