The Stranger Trilogy Box Set

by Isadora Brown

  She told herself it was because of Phil. Phil was a good guy, and she didn't want him to ...

  To what? a voice asked. He has a right to know what his son is doing. He raped your friend, Brie. Not only are you protecting him, but you're healing a guy obsessed with your other friend, and you knew where Jane was and who she was with, and you didn't tell anyone. You can use Cillian as an excuse all you want, but this is on you, too. You need to fix this, and not in the easy way Marvin offered you. You need to come clean. About everything.

  Before Brielle realized what she was doing, she dropped to the floor. Her eyes filled with tears, and before she knew it, she couldn't breathe. Her heart raced with fear, anxiety, anticipation. She wanted to get this over with. She had messed up. Bad. She needed to fix this—if it could be fixed—now.

  That was when the guns started going off.

  9

  Silence hung in the air. Sophie could hear her own heartbeat in her eardrum, like she was at a EDM concert standing right in front of the speaker. It was too loud for thoughts, too distracting to focus. All she knew gunfire was going off at the school, and she had no idea where it was coming from or who was behind it.

  Her sapphire eyes found Will’s hands, gripping her stomach as though he was afraid to let her go. She could feel his own heart beating double the rate of hers against her back through her clothes and his. He was scared. Will was scared.

  Will was never scared.

  That word wasn’t in his vocabulary.

  She could feel how tense his body was against hers as he waited. For what, she didn’t know, but she trusted him more than she trusted herself, so she was willing to go with it for however long he needed.

  A groan caused her to jump, and Will tightened his grip on her even more.

  Jason. How could she have forgotten about Jason?

  Her eyes found his, and all the anger, sadness, resentment, and bitterness were gone. All that was left was fear. Her heart clenched at the sight of it. Jason was scared. Hell, she was scared, too. They all were.

  There was a pause in gunfire. The trio waited, holding their breaths. Will could hear better than they could, so Sophie kept her lips pressed firmly together though she wanted nothing more than to let out a whimper. Tears had sprung to her eyes but she couldn’t get rid of them, and they refused to fall.

  “We gotta get to base,” Will said, his voice a gruff whisper.

  “Base?” Sophie asked as Jason nodded. “What’s base?”

  “Twice a year, we have drills,” Will explained. He slowly released his hold on Sophie and stood up, keeping his head tilted for sound. He wanted to make sure it was clear, however temporarily, for them to get out of the Ignis Building and to wherever it was they needed to go. “Once a semester. If anything like this—an attack, an invasion, whatever—were to occur and we were threatened, we met at the basement located in the Ack Building underneath the Great Hall. We just have to get there.”

  “Okay.”

  Will gritted his teeth as his hazel eyes fixed themselves on Jason. “You take the back,” he instructed. “I’ll go first. It’ll be easier if I shift. I can hear better, smell better. Once we’re out, that’s when I’ll do it. For now, kid, you’re in the middle. We’re heading to the stairs, got it? They can’t get in because they don’t have access to our codes, and after the gunfire went off, I’m positive Mark followed protocol and locked down the building.” He stopped talking and glanced between the two. “Any questions before we head out?”

  “Should I shift as well?” Jason asked. “I’m a lion.”

  Will thought about it. “Not yet,” he said. “I’ll let you know if I need you to, though.”

  Jason nodded, his mouth in a grim line.

  “Who could be doing this?” Sophie heard herself ask. For some reason, she lost control of her mouth and couldn’t stop talking, even though she desperately wanted to. “Why would they attack us? There’s no one here. This doesn’t make any sense.”

  “Keep quiet, kid,” Will said from the corner of his mouth without looking back at her. “Your guess is as good as mine, but for now, we all have to keep out mouths shut.”

  Sophie didn’t take offense to Will’s brusqueness. If anything, it helped keep her levelheaded and focused. She still didn’t trust herself not to speak, but as they headed into the hallway and to the staircase, she clamped her hands over her mouth. Even attempting to talk would be difficult.

  To be honest, she had no idea why she was so scared. How was it that she could look Michael in the eye, be locked up in his mansion he kept on the island, and not even flinch? But gunfire and unknown assailants cause her to be so scared she shook? It didn’t make any sense to her. Was it because she had this innate feeling Michael wouldn’t actually harm her? Was it because Michael had a face, and monsters with faces weren’t as scary as the unknowns? Was it because she could overpower people, no problem, but guns reminded her of her own mortality? She didn’t know, but at least thinking about it helped distract her from her fear and allowed her to head down the seven flights of stairs without tripping over anything.

  Once they reached the bottom, Will stopped.

  “Wait here,” he commanded, and before Jason or Sophie replied, he slipped out the door and transformed into a wolf.

  Sophie watched as he tilted his head to the side, waiting for a sound., any indicator of who was attacking them and where they were. He walked up a few paces, sniffed the air, then turned back to face the two students still inside. He tilted his head toward the Ack Building, almost as though he were saying it was safe, and waited until they headed out.

  Without even thinking about what she was doing, Sophie reached out and grabbed Jason’s hand with her free one while the other clung to Will’s jeans. He looked at her, but didn’t say anything. He didn’t squeeze it, but he also didn’t throw her hand away. It said something, and Sophie was grateful for the little comfort she had.

  Will led them across the open field. If the attackers saw them, there was nowhere they could go. They were moving targets; a big, fat red bull’s eye, just waiting for something. Anything.

  But nothing happened.

  They made it to the building without any complications.

  Sophie handed Will his pants, and once he turned back to his human form, he was able to dress quickly. Jason typed in the code for the building, and when the door popped open, he held it so Will could reclaim his lead. He made sure to shut it all the way so no one could follow.

  From there, it was less than a minute for the three to get to the Dining Hall. Will led them over to the stage, where the professors normally ate. Underneath their long table was a metal handle Sophie had never noticed before. Without moving the table, Will grabbed the handle and opened it, ushering both Jason and Sophie down the staircase before he followed, shutting the door firmly in its place.

  It was dark—so dark she had to reach back and grab hold of Will to ensure she wouldn’t trip. However, once they reached the bottom step, there was a dim, overhead light that drew them toward the center of the room. There, a couple of the professors were reassuring a few of the students, while another was using the phone to call out. Sophie wasn’t sure who was being called, but she hoped it was help. A fourth professor was taking names on a clipboard, and Jared was organizing a small rescue team once Ethan gave the all clear. Ethan remained in the center of the room, waiting.

  When he saw the three of them, he looked visibly relieved and started to head over to them.

  “What’s the damage?” Will asked.

  He didn’t seem to care that he wore nothing but jeans. Even some of the professors let their eyes linger on Will’s bare torso for longer than what was necessary. Sophie felt herself inwardly smirk. That’s my man.

  “I’m almost positive Arbuckle and his army are behind the attack,” Ethan explained in a hushed voice. He waited until Jason left the group in order to sit with a couple of his friends. He hadn’t even said goodbye—Sophie shouldn’t have expe
cted him to. “They want Jane, and they want her bad. I’m not sure how they knew Marvin was going to deliver her here today, but here he is, guns ablazing.”

  “Where is Jane?” Sophie asked, glancing around. She didn’t see the familiar golden head of hair anywhere. “I don’t see her.”

  “She’s not here,” Ethan replied. “She never even arrived on campus.”

  “Are you sure?” Will asked. “Before the attack, Depogare came to my flat and said his brother got in touch with him and was planning on delivering Jane in a manner of minutes.”

  “That explains why Depogare isn’t here.”

  Will furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?” he asked.

  “Besides Jane, we’re missing two people,” Ethan explained. “Daryl and Brielle Rivera.”

  “Brielle’s not here, either?” Sophie asked, surprised. Her eyes looked in the small crowd and found the tall frame of Dr. Gregory Kessler. His clear, blue eyes were worried. Brielle was nowhere to be found.

  “I’m afraid not,” Ethan said. “She asked to meet with me in my office, and I informed her I was out, but would meet with her once I returned. If she got there before I did, I told her to make herself at home. Her meeting may very well have to do with Jane’s return. Something about her involvement … doesn’t sit right with me, though I can’t put my finger on it.”

  “Jared’s organizing a search party?” Will asked, his eyes flashing in Jared’s direction.

  Ethan nodded.

  “I’m in,” Sophie said immediately. She wasn’t looking at Will, but at Ethan. She could feel the hope, the eagerness, brimming through her veins—she was positive it translated into her irises. She wanted, needed, to help look for them. Especially Jane.

  “No.”

  Will was just as automatic as Sophie was, but his eyes were hard and firm. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he looked at Sophie, ready for her to argue.

  Which she did.

  “You can’t tell me what to do,” she told him, and although she wanted it to come out mature, it sounded, even to her, nothing short of childish.

  Will gritted his teeth and tugged Sophie away from Ethan. Those periwinkle blue eyes twinkled with knowing, and he said nothing as he waited for Will to say whatever it was he needed to say to Sophie privately.

  “Will, I need—”

  “Listen, kid,” Will interrupted in a low but clear voice. His eyes were on his bare toes, as though he couldn’t quite look anywhere else but there. “Sorry to interrupt, but I need to get this off my chest. They can use me on the search team.”

  “But I—”

  “Let me finish, and then you can say whatever you have to say.” Sophie pressed her lips into a thin line once more. Will smirked at the sight of it. “Like I said, I can be an asset to them as a wolf. No one can hear, see, or smell the way I can. I’ve been trained for this, both in the military and with Ethan. I can’t do that if you go with us.”

  Sophie clenched her teeth together so her voice came out strained. It was the best she could do to not go off on him. “You don’t trust me?” she asked.

  “Kid, I trust you with my life, and that’s saying something, you understand?” Will pushed his brow up so she knew not to argue. “If you went with us, I wouldn’t be an asset anymore because I’d be more worried about you and your safety than everybody else’s. Which works just fine for me, but not if I’m going to commit to helping.” He paused, but Sophie didn’t speak. His eyes said he was grateful for it. “I need you to trust me to find your friends. I need to trust you to stay here so I don’t have to worry. I really need this from you, kid.”

  Sophie stopped thinking about how to respond, and instead, let his words sink in. He wasn’t asking for much. She knew he was right.

  10

  Jane was coming. He still couldn’t believe Jane would be here. Soon. In a manner of minutes. He didn’t care about Sophie. He didn’t care about Will. He didn’t care that they had clearly had had sex and were in a romantic relationship, despite the fact that she was still technically a student and he was technically her trainer. Chapter 10

  He didn't care about any of that. All he cared about was Jane. Just Jane.

  If he was being honest, he was, perhaps, a little bit jealous. Will didn't seem to have an issue being with the person he loved, despite the fact that he was her trainer. He didn't seem to care that she was nearly nineteen years old with little life experience and absolutely no concept of what the real world had in store for her once she graduated and went off on her own. Will took what he wanted without hesitation, damning the consequences. He knew life was too short to quibble with society's definition of mortality. If it wasn't hurting anyone and wasn't against the law, why the hell shouldn't he be with Sophie in whatever capacity they wanted? Who was he to judge, or anyone else, for that matter? They were happy and that was what counted.

  His heart beat against his chest as he waited for the elevator. Daryl wasn't sure how he was going to react once he saw Jane. He did know, however, that he fully intended on having a serious conversation with her once they were alone. Perhaps he would kiss her again and again until she told him to stop. Because he had no intention to do so. The dreams they had shared weren't enough; he needed to feel her in his hands, needed to run his fingers through her hair, needed to kiss her and never let her go.

  Daryl didn't want to admit it, but he was never more grateful for his brother than that moment. He stepped onto the elevator with that thought, shaking his head. Who would have guessed such an admission would have ever crossed his mind. Certainly not himself. Marvin was the last person Daryl chose to rely on for anything, but if there was one thing he knew he could count on from him, it was greed. His desire for money trumped everything and everyone else. If Marvin was going to help Jane, it would cost. Daryl would have paid whatever it took; he was just surprised Marvin only required a favor from him. Though, the thought of owing Marvin anything, let alone an unnamed favor that did not expire, was enough to curl his toes.

  But it was for Jane.

  Daryl exited Ignis Hall, expecting Will and Sophie right behind him. However, after a few minutes had passed by, he refused to wait any longer, and instead, decided to head toward Ethan's office. Marvin didn't clarify where he wanted to meet, but the dean's office was where they had reconvened before, and it was as good a guess as any. He just needed to keep moving. If he stopped, his body would brim with anticipation until he burst at the seams.

  Apparently, Daryl was bad at waiting, which made it difficult as a man immortal unless killed.

  He was halfway across the empty field when the gun shots went off. Immediately, time slowed for Daryl and instinct began to kick in. Within seconds, he managed to locate the direction of the gunfire: the entrance of the Ack Building, which meant the front of the school. The Resident Halls were protected, for now. Daryl knew the attackers couldn't get into the building without a passcode, but he wasn't sure how technologically advanced Ethan's security was. Could they shoot the machine and get in?

  Once he located where the attack came from, he reached out and detected their minds. In total, he counted six men, going off orders from none other than General Titus Arbuckle. From what Daryl could read, a warning had been given to Ethan prior, and when Ethan didn't give Arbuckle the information he wanted, he immediately configured a plan of attack.

  This was about Jane. Arbuckle wanted Jane. Badly.

  Speaking of Jane, was she here? Did they have her, and were now shooting up the school as retaliation for not providing the information in the first place? It didn't make sense to Daryl and would be both a waste of time and a waste of ammunition. Certainly, Arbuckle knew he was here. Certainly, Arbuckle knew he was more powerful than Jane at the moment and could do things like take arms away from the soldiers and compel them to leave.

  Which was what he did.

  Once he was certain they were gone, he reached out with his mind and searched for any trace of Jane. A part of him hoped she wasn't h
ere yet. Certainly the soldiers wouldn't be shooting if they had her? Unless they had her and were being attacked by someone ...

  Focus, Depogare, he snarled to himself. He closed his eyes once more. His worry caused carelessness, and it took him three tries before he was able to locate her. Safe. With Marvin. In a car Marvin was compelling to appear invisible just outside the entrance.

  Thank God for Marvin.

  Before he could stop himself, he dashed to the Ack Building and followed the main hallway to the entrance. He threw the door open and stumbled out, his eyes searching for something he couldn't see.

  Until his black eyes rested on her.

  Daryl couldn’t accurately put into words what he was feeling in that moment, except that it felt like he was coming home. She was still in that dress—it was ripped and dirty and terribly wrinkled—but God, she was a sight for sore eyes, even with her hair, currently resembling a rat’s nest.

  And then, she was running to him in heels that she shouldn’t be running in. She nearly twisted her ankle as she headed across the gravel, but she didn’t seem to care. Marvin stepped out of the vehicle, releasing his compulsion on the stationary object, but Daryl didn’t even notice. He couldn’t see anything except Jane.

  It was like slow motion, like the two were actors in a romantic drama film, and they were currently enacting the climax of the scene. His arms opened wide on their own accord—seriously, Daryl had little control over anything right now. She flew into his arms like an angel, and she gripped him tight, tighter than he expected.

  This time, it was he who initiated the kiss, gripping her even closer to him, not wanting there to be any space whatsoever between their bodies. He could think of nothing else than her lips on his, her tangled hair between his fingers, her body pressed against his. In fact, her legs had somehow wrapped themselves around his waist and his arms were supporting her wait, and her tongue was desperately dancing with his lips to beg for entrance into his mouth, which, of course, he gladly allowed.