The Assassin's Revenge (The Hybrid Chronicles Book 2)

by Shana Vernon

  I was a bit relieved that other BBBB members were always in the house, saving me from having any additional moments with Luka. We hadn’t had any time alone together since that first night. Luka must have figured out a way to get blood, though I didn’t ask him how.

  It didn’t feel awkward, but I was definitely not ready to discuss whatever it was that’d happened between us. It felt wrong knowing I still hadn’t technically ended things with Cade.

  Something whacked me in the arm, and I jumped, my mind returning to the present.. I narrowed my eyes at Evelyn, who simply shrugged.

  “You weren’t paying attention.”

  I was sure she secretly enjoyed hitting me with inanimate objects, seeing as she did it every chance she got. I’d given up trying to make body armor out of light energy, instead working on making light shields like Axel’s.

  “If you can manage to extend your shield away from your body, you can use it offensively against Killian when he teleports. You still need to have an idea of where he will move to, but it’s much better than nothing.”

  I concentrated and lifted my arms, imagining a net of pulsing light. Once I was sure I’d figured it out, I opened my eyes triumphantly to Evelyn’s amused laughter. Glancing down, I saw my trusty light whip lying in my outstretched palms. No shield in sight.

  “You’re distracted,” she stated. Not angry, but possibly a little disappointed.

  My shoulders slumped. “Maybe a little.”

  She sighed, moving to sit on one of the two folding chairs wed brought into the training room. She patted the extra seat. “Well, come on. Tell me.”

  I walked sluggishly across the room, dragging my feet. I truly didn’t want to discuss this with anyone. “It’s about a guy,” I started.

  “Cade Abbott,” she stated, not asked.

  I raised a brow. “Actually, yes. Is it that obvious?”

  She crossed her heels. Always the epitome of a proper lady, besides for the whole assassin part of course. “The whole compound knows about you two, Lenna. So, what’s the problem?”

  “I overheard him saying some pretty awful things,” I said, pulling at the hem of my sleeve.

  “What do you mean by awful?” She prodded.

  “About vampires. He really seems to hate them. From what I heard, he believes they are demons and should all die.”

  “Mhmm. Well, I’m sure you can sympathize with his feelings,” she said.

  My eyes widened, “What? Why would you say that?”

  “Well, his family were all killed by vampires. It wasn’t a simple fire that killed them. Vampires broke into their home and tried to kill his parents. Somehow during the fight, the house caught on fire. Cade was the sole survivor.” She paused, looking at my confused expression. “He didn’t tell you?”

  I shook my head. “I knew about the fire and that he was the only one to make it out alive, but I didn’t know about the vampires.” I glanced around the room, not sure what I was really looking for before returning my gaze to my aunt. “I guess I can understand to a certain extent, but it isn’t reasonable to hate an entire species for the actions of a few.”

  She leaned forward and rubbed my shoulder. “In moments of intense pain or grief, even the best of us can be blind.”

  I stared at Felicity Clancy over my pink cocktail, twirling around the purple polka-dotted umbrella sticking out of the glass. Felicity was a social climber, and normally that wouldn’t be a reason to kill her, but Felicity had a dirty little secret. The people who stood in her way to success tended to have little accidents.

  Stephanie Saber, the last girl who dated the man she was currently dating, coincidentally had a terrible fall down the stairs and broke more than half the bones in her body. When questioned by police, Stephanie only had glowing things to say about Felicity, going so far as to vehemently oppose any suspicion against her.

  Stephanie’s sister, however, was more than happy to contact us when Stephanie refused to point a finger in the direction of her accuser. Once Stephanie’s contract was brought in, a family member of a different victim came forward with her own contract against Felicity. The Guild graciously accepted their contract as well, and gave it to Sofia, who was sitting across me from sipping from a Long Island iced tea.

  We were seated in a booth of one of the few rooftop bars in Boston. I almost choked when Sofia and I ordered our drinks and I saw the ridiculous prices on their menu. Sofia wore a pink body-con dress, kitten heels, and a black wig that was styled into a short bob. I looked in place with her in a medium length red wig, a little black dress that hugged every curve of my body, and wedges. Much easier to fight in than stilettos, though the stilettos made better weapons.

  She grinned mischievously. “I can’t believe we get to do a contract together. How fun is this?”

  I chuckled. “You are the best brand of crazy, Sof.”

  “Why, thank you very fucking much,” she said before her eyes dropped.

  I nudged her under the table with my foot and gave her an inquisitive glance.

  “Miguel used to say that to me all the time,” she breathed.

  I leaned across the table and squeezed her hand, understanding her pain. Sofia rarely spoke about her twin brother who’d been murdered by a gang in her hometown a few years ago. From the little that she had mentioned, she’d loved her brother fiercely. They had been best friends.

  “What was your favorite thing about him?” I asked.

  She tucked a curly strand of hazelnut hair around her ear and started, “Even though he was hilariously irresponsible, he was always looking out for me.” She paused, a smile lighting her olive-toned face. “There was one time when he forgot to pay the bills and our water stopped, he went to all of the neighbors asking to fill up bottles of water, just to make sure I could take a bath.”

  I snorted into my drink. “Don’t you think it would’ve been easier to just pay the bill?”

  She chuckled, her eyes far away as if she was replaying the memory in her mind. “One hundred percent, but that was Miguel. He was… different.”

  I smiled. “He sounds perfect.”

  “Oh, look. There she goes now.” She put her lips around her straw and emptied the glass with a few long draws.

  I turned and watched as Felicity made her way to the bathroom. We gave her a moment before linking arms and giggling as we followed after her, making sure to purposely stumble a little as we moved.

  Sofia pulled out mascara and began reapplying as we stood in front of the bathroom mirror, waiting for Felicity to exit her stall.

  I sniggered and ran my fingers through the hair of my wig. “He totally wants to get with you.”

  Sofia gasped and clutched my arm. “You really think so?”

  I nodded and grabbed the mascara, turning to the mirror. “Definitely. I’m so jealous. He’s seriously hot.”

  Sofia made kissing faces to me through the glass. “You can have him if you want. I’m not sure I’d know what to do with the fangs.”

  I giggled and tossed her a wink over my shoulder. “If he bites in certain areas, it really hits the spot if you know what I’m saying.”

  Sofia gaped and slapped my arm. “No way! You’re just saying that!”

  I didn't have time to come up with a response before a toilet flushed and Felicity stepped out of the stall, coming up to the sink next to mine.

  I held out the mascara, “Do you need a touch up?”

  She sneered at me. “No, thanks.”

  “Oh Em Gee. I think I know you!” Sofia squealed, grasping Felicity’s hand. “Did you go to Boston U?”

  Felicity narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth, but Sofia cut her off.

  “Yes! You were in Alpha Delta Phi!” She held out a hand, “I’m Sidney. I think I was a year behind you.”

  We’d done our research on Felicity before coming that evening. Felicity still had pictures of her sorority days posted on her social media. She’d definitely considered it a prime time from her life. Which was h
onestly just sad.

  She reluctantly took the offered hand. “Felicity Clan—.”

  The moment her hand slipped into Sofia’s, I’d whipped off the other end of the mascara, which had a needle, and plunged it into the side of her neck, injecting the oil from the water hemlock directly into her blood stream.

  “Hey! What the hell?” Felicity exclaimed, clamping a hand to her neck, and spinning around.

  I covered my mouth with a hand and gasped. “I am so sorry; I tripped and must have gotten you with my mascara. I didn’t see any blood though, so I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

  She glowered. “Just watch where you’re going,” she snapped, before smoothing out her shimmery green dress.

  She took two steps toward the door before halting, placing a hand over her stomach.

  “Are you okay, Felicity? Sofia asked, her voice dripping with mock concern.

  She shook her head. “I don’t feel so great.”

  “No, I can’t imagine you feel very nice at all right now,” Sofia said.

  Felicity moaned and ran toward the stall, throwing up the contents of her dinner into the toilet. Her body spasmed as she knelt over the toilet and I nodded to Sofia.

  We linked arms and retreated from the bathroom, turning the lock inside the door before closing it behind us and returning to our booth.

  Felicity never exited the room.

  Too tired to go back to the safe house, I showered and got into pajamas, falling into my cot next to Sofia, who was already wrapped around Ekon.

  My eyes had just drifted shut when I heard quiet footsteps approaching. I slipped a dagger out of the sheath under my pillow and pounced, bringing my other hand into the stomach of the assailant. I heard a muffled grunt as my fist connected and Cade’s voice whispered into my ear. “Fuck! Lenna, it’s just me.”

  I immediately backed away and returned the dagger to its sheath. “What are you doing here in the middle of the night?”

  “You haven’t come over in a while, I was starting to get worried about you.” He paused, looking around the dark room. “Will you come with me?”

  I hesitated. I was so tired and all I wanted was to fall into my pillow and let my dreams take me.

  He seemed to notice my hesitation because he continued. “Just to talk for a second and then you can sleep.”

  I inclined my head and let him help me up.

  We stayed silent as he led me through the compound, my mind racing as I contemplated pulling my hand out of his grip. I couldn’t seem to get my thoughts together and the two sides warred with each other.

  He’s been through so much.

  But that isn’t an excuse for his behavior and treatment of vampires.

  I still haven’t seen him with any vampires he wasn’t contracted to kill.

  He called Luka a blood sucking demon.

  Well, he has a point. Luka does suck blood.

  Was I really willing to drop whatever it was I had with Cade just because he said a few mean words to Luka?

  “Please tell me what's going through your mind. It’s making me crazy trying to figure it out,” Cade said as we entered his apartment. “At first, I thought you must not be acclimating well to being an assassin, but I checked your stats and you’ve been taking more contracts than any of the other initiates. Then, I couldn’t help but wonder if it had something to do with me.”

  He put his keys on the table next to the door and sat down on the sofa, his arms open in invitation. And stupidly, I went to them. He folded me into his embrace, and I snuggled to his chest as he ran his fingers through my hair.

  If only I could freeze time and let this moment last, but the reality was that I didn’t really know much about Cade. Most of my attraction to him had been physical and based on a one-time experience with him before coming to the Guild. A shared evening of getting it on under the stars that he didn’t even know was me. I’d been in disguise.

  “Lenna?” He asked.

  I sighed and extracted myself from his arms. “I guess I just feel like we rushed into this without knowing enough about each other. I like you Cade, I really do, but there is so much about you I don’t know.”

  Muscles that I didn’t even know were tense, loosened as he smiled, reaching for my hands. “We have all the time in the world to get to know each other. What you’re feeling isn’t unusual, Lenna. It’s normal to feel that way about a new relationship.”

  He isn’t getting it.

  I adjusted my position, moving to sit on my legs. “I understand what you’re saying, but there are certain things that are important to me. I need to know that our values are the same.”

  His brow furrowed. “Why are you concerned about my values?”

  “Well,” I hesitated, trying to figure out how to say it. “I heard a few of the members speaking about vampires, and your name came up. They were saying how you believe they don’t deserve rights and should all be killed.”

  He froze, his hands stiff around mine, before he pulled back. “Who said that?”

  I shrugged. “I didn’t recognize any of them.”

  “Is that really such a big deal? Nobody really knows where they came from and they drink human blood to survive, Lenna. It’s disturbing and unnatural.”

  I flinched. “They are people, Cade. That’s what matters. Yes, there will be those who take advantage of their increased strength and speed, but most of them are kind and generous and undeserving of your hatred.”

  Cade sat up straight. “This is really important to you? How I feel about vampires?”

  I nodded, unable to speak.

  His eyes closed. “Lenna. Vampires killed my family. They tore them apart and burned their bodies. I barely made it out alive. I will never be able to forget about that.” His voice cracked at the end.

  Against my better judgment, I wrapped my arms around his neck and rested my forehead against his. “I know and I’m not asking you to.”

  “But you can’t be with someone who feels that way,” he whispered.

  My mind flashed through all of the shared moments we’d had over the last year. The first time I saw him, my heart had stopped beating in my chest. That first time shaking his hand and praying he wouldn’t recognize me as the girl from the beach. When he ran with me in his arms to find a healer after Ryder almost killed me. The first time he kissed me and then tried to shrug off his feelings. The time he played the piano for me before kissing me again. Him lending me his coat when we were on a mission and I was cold. Finally admitting his feelings for me and promising to make me change my mind about him.

  My mind kept playing our moments over and over as I stayed leaning against his body, our heads connected. A single tear dropped out of my eye and fell to his cheek.

  “No, I can’t.” I breathed back shakily.

  His hand came up and he tipped my chin to gaze into my eyes. “I would never expect you to be any different than you are, but I will be forever grateful for meeting you.” He pressed a kiss to the top of my head.

  And that was it.

  Chapter 22

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a person try so hard not to look at someone else,” Sofia said as she threw a jab in my direction, which I parried.

  Without asking, I knew who she was talking about. The awkward tension between us was palpable, and to be honest, I did the exact same thing. Avoid eye contact with him at all costs. I know it was juvenile and I wished I was better or more mature than that, but it hurt to look at him. I had a feeling it would hurt for a good while.

  Life at the compound had been odd ever since Cade and I ended things. With him assisting in most of my training sessions, it was becoming increasingly more uncomfortable to be around him. Not that he’d actually done anything to make me feel that way. We were both extra careful and polite with each other, and Quinn had made a point to step in whenever I needed a partner.

  I made a low swipe, trying to knock her to the floor, but she jumped over my leg at the last moment, grinning maniacally
and pouncing forward. We began moving faster and faster, twirling around each other, neither of us getting the upper hand. Ever since she found out about me, I’d agreed to train her the way Papa had trained me, and it hard started to show. Sofia improved quickly and would soon be able to hold me off without me holding back.

  “Switch partners!” Master Wilson yelled, instructing us on the new pairings. I smiled at Ryder when he sidled up to me, grinning as he cracked his knuckles.

  “Ready to cry, blondie?” I asked with a wink.

  Ryder froze, a guilty look flashing in his eyes before he tipped his head back and bellowed out a laugh.

  “I can’t believe I actually said that to you,” he said, wiping a tear from his eye. “I was a total dick.”

  Ryder had indeed said those words to me during our first ever training session together. One where he’d accidentally almost killed me when his gift manifested unexpectedly.

  “Hey, you said it.” I said, lifting my hands up.

  He just smiled and took up an offensive position across from me, and I looked him over for tells. He didn’t give me more than a second before attacking, sprinting forward to plant a blow to my chest. I blocked and returned a punch to his ribs, smirking at the audible exhale he gave as my first connected.

  “That’s it, now you’re going down!” He said, moving forward with the intention to slam into me like a line-backer. His one advantage over me. His brute strength.

  I’d anticipated something like that and leapt, rolling out of the way before jumping back to my feet and spinning around, my body humming with excited energy. Before I managed to turn all the way around to face him, he grabbed me from behind, one arm around my waist, and the other squeezing around my neck.

  I stomped on his foot and slammed my fist down into his groin.

  He shouted and dropped his hands to cover his special place.

  That’ll teach him.

  Then he moved faster than lightning, crashing into me like a solid, brick wall, and tackling me to the floor. Before he could straddle me, I twisted my upper body, pulling his arm into a bar and clamping my legs around him.