by D. N. Hoxa
“This is Arturo, the Nephil I told you about in Chicago.”
Arturo looked down at his feet without even blinking.
“Arturo,” I called him, and he looked up at us, “meet the Elders.”
He shivered as he analyzed the faces of the Elders, one by one. I was going to start speaking again and tell them exactly what he was doing there, but to my and everyone’s surprise, Arturo beat me to it.
“My name is Arturo Di Gennaro. I’ve trained students at the Academy of Lyndor on and off for more than a century. I’ve been with the Council since I started, and today, I am here because they have betrayed me. They’ve killed my kin, and I’ve broken every tie I had to them. I’ve also made an oath in the name of my angel Israfel to help you help me bring justice to the Council members, especially Samayan.”
The Elders looked at each other as if they were able to communicate through their eyes only.
“It is up to you to decide whether you trust me or not, but I will not beg you,” Arturo added, just when I thought he was done, surprising us even more.
“Why?” Grandmother asked. “The Council murdered your daughter, but is that the only reason why you decided to switch sides now of all times?” She raised her perfect brow at him. The question was one I wanted to hear the answer to, too.
“I want revenge for my daughter’s life. That is the main reason. The other has nothing to do with the situation we’re in, and I would like to keep it to myself.”
Definitely not what I was expecting. Now I was dying to know. He never told me about another reason. I expected Grandmother to insist he tell us, but it was her turn to surprise me, it seemed.
She looked at Aaron.
“Do you trust him?”
And Aaron didn’t miss a beat. “I do.” He then reluctantly looked at Arturo like he regretted saying those words, but the Nephil nodded his appreciation right away.
“And he has made the oath?” Grandmother asked again.
“He did.”
“Very well. It doesn’t look like we have much of a choice since you’re already here,” she said to Arturo, not very happy about it, either. “You are dismissed for now.”
The next second, Arturo disappeared.
“Star, Aaron is in charge of the Base in Kentucky, so from now on you talk to him for everything,” Grandmother said. Had he told me that the night before? I wasn’t sure… “I’m told that you will gather later today, and I hope you will clarify your objectives and make a decent plan of action, because it is already November and the clock is ticking,” she said, raising her chin high.
Hell no. After what she said to Samayan in New Mexico, she didn’t get to speak to me that way. Not her, and not anyone.
“I’m very aware that it is November. I’m out there in the real world.”
Excuse me for being a bitch but it felt like they needed the reminder because they lived in hiding and only made themselves known in the fifth dimension—unlike me.
“I’ve found out things while I was outside, things that are going to help us.” I had to think hard about the things that I was going to tell them, because I sure as hell wasn't going to let them in on everything. Especially not the part with Sam.
“We were also informed that you brought a human to the Base?” Eleanor said, her perfect brow arched.
“I did,” I said with a nod.
“And you didn't think to ask first?” Grandmother’s cold voice pierced my ears.
“I did, actually. But then I thought better of it. You would've tried to stop me, and he is an asset we cannot afford to work without.” It was the truth, but that didn’t mean they weren’t furious at me for saying it. So I added: “I’ve made it clear to you that I will not hesitate to take an action I deem fit without asking for permission.” Didn’t they remember? Because I did.
“A human cannot stay in a Rebel Base,” Eleanor hissed, narrowing her brows at me like I was an idiot.
“Yes, he can. We need him. He’s not going anywhere.”
Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say because the next second, she was in front of me with her long, thin fingers wrapped around my throat.
I gasped in surprise. This was the first physical contact I’d had with another being inside the fifth dimension, and it was so real. The look in her eyes was furious and superior. She was mad, really mad, and I should’ve backed down but I couldn't. The blood pumping fast inside my veins wouldn't let me. So I grabbed her throat, too, and she seemed as real as I was.
“I am not your friend, or your servant, little girl. You will not talk to me like that, ever again,” Eleanor whispered, her voice filled with hatred.
I tightened my grip around her throat and brought her face closer and closer until barely an inch separated us. She couldn’t feel the pain, that much I was sure about, but she did feel the embarrassment.
“I don't care who you are, Eleanor. Respect is mutual. I demand it from you the same way you demand it from me because I’m fighting for your people’s freedom—you’re not fighting for mine.”
Her eyes grew wide, and her mouth opened, but no word came out of her mouth.
“Eleanor!”
Grandmother’s voice brought us back to the present. The vampire held me for a second longer, willing her eyes to spit fire at my face, until she let go. I did, too. She moved back to her seat in a blur, but her eyes never left me. The best I could offer her was my evilest smile.
“I agree with Star. The human should stay,” Aaron said after a moment of silence. He had stood up from his seat, too, and was now standing behind me.
“Since we cannot afford to waste time for this issue, we will accept. Only until we put this behind us,” Grandmother said. She wasn't happy but I couldn't care less. We needed Kyle more than they knew. “Now, any news about Illyon?”
I’d been expecting that question from them, ever since Sam asked it of me in Philadelphia and caught me off guard. And this time, I was prepared. So I shook my head slowly and held her unusual green eyes.
“Nothing. Kyle hasn't been able to find anything. I have no idea where they’re keeping it.” I said reluctantly.
“Make it a priority. We must find that book,” Grandmother said, pulling her hands into fists.
For a second, a gleaming of evil shone in her eyes, and I’d have lied if I said it didn’t scare me. I barely kept my hand from going up to my chest to the sun-shaped necklace under my shirt.
“We will,” I said instead.
“Tell us what you found,” she continued, and I could’ve sighed in relief. She believed me.
“We found out about a conference called the Supernatural Keepers of Order, an annual gathering of mostly Council sups. They even have Council members there every now and then,” I started and took a seat next to Aaron. “Now, they do nothing but talk. They never show any proof because the last six sups that did ended up dead before they made it to the next conference.”
“So that’s why those innocent lives were taken?” Grandmother asked. I had a pretty different definition of innocent than she did, probably, but I nodded.
“Yes. I believe that Samayan is betraying the rest of the Council members. He is playing them behind their backs. He eliminates only those who do more than whisper of things against him. I believe he has something planned on the side for after he releases the potion. What I intend to do is to join the SKO conference at this year’s meeting and give them proof. Convince them that Samayan is going behind their backs and get them to join our fight against him,” I said.
For some reason, Arlion laughed. I raised my brows at him in question.
“You think you can change their minds by telling them that their Master is fooling them? Don’t you think they already know? Why else would they bother to show up at a conference?”
“My purpose is to convince the Council members that will be listening in through their people, not the people themselves.”
“Even then, if they don’t already know, nobody’s going
to believe you,” he insisted, still smiling.
“Here’s something to think about, Arlion. Say you suspected that your colleagues—the other Elders—were doing something behind your back, something that would damage you and all your people. Now, say you were presented with proof that told you that they really were, in fact, playing you. What would you do? Would you sit around and wait, trust them blindly even though the evidence was in front of you, or would you try to do something about it?”
The smile left his face as my words sunk in.
“We would all do something about it. No matter what side they are on, they will still think of themselves first. That was the reason why they joined Samayan in the first place, all those centuries ago,” Aaron said, and for the second time that morning, I couldn't believe how good it felt to know that someone had your back always. Especially when that someone was Aaron.
“How do you know that it’s Samayan? And what proof do you want to show the other members to make them even consider your proposition?” Grandmother asked curiously.
“Because no one else is smart enough to pull something like this off so masterfully.” I knew a lot about the remaining twelve Council members. “And we will gather everything we can find. We will need all the help we can get, too. Anything will do.” I already had a list of things to talk about at the conference, but unfortunately, it was very small.
“We cannot promise you anything,” Eleanor said, but I didn’t even look at her. Her personal issues with me had nothing to do with this.
“I cannot promise that this will work, either. But we have to try. Because if we can do it, then we can beat them. We can stop the war or win it.”
I wasn’t just saying it, either. I really believed it.
“Then we will try.” Azazel looked at his colleagues, who all nodded in return.
“I also need you to send word to every other RR Base. Tell them to start digging as well. We need everyone on this.”
“When is the conference?” Grandmother asked.
“Soon, but we don’t know exactly when. Kyle’s working on it,” I said. “And there’s something else. Arturo says that nothing’s the same with the Council anymore, at least not in Lyndor. He also says that Samayan hasn’t been the same, not the past month.”
Sam had told me about Samayan, but they didn’t need to know that. I kept my eyes on Grandmother, half hoping that she’d just tell me about her chat with Samayan in the Cathedral in New Mexico. She knew very well that Samayan had changed.
“Then we need to be more careful,” she simply said, her expression never changing. Of course. She was never going to tell me, but it made me feel better for not telling her the complete truth myself.
“We will,” I said with a nod and had only a second to look at their faces before the Elders disappeared, and we were back in my room.
6
I dropped on my bed, exhausted from the tension in the air. It took me a second to realize the wide-eyed look Aaron was giving me, like he couldn’t decide what to make of me. I flinched.
“Why?” he simply asked and I looked away.
“First off, thanks for not saying anything.” He had my back—that much he’d proved before, but it still surprised me. “There’s something…” I started, but I had no idea how to proceed. I didn't want to tell him about Illyon and not because I didn't trust him—I did, more than anyone—but because I didn't want him to carry the weight that information brought on his shoulders. I cleared my throat and tried again. “I know this will sound crazy to you, but I’ve found some things about the Elders that…” Fuck. It was harder than I’d thought. “Let’s just say I can no longer put my unwavering trust in them.”
He stood up abruptly.
“No, no, no, don't get me wrong! It’s not that I don't trust them at all or that they’re the bad guys or anything. It’s just that I want to keep certain things away from them—for now.” I sighed. I knew I wasn't making any sense. I couldn't, if I wanted to keep Illyon out of the picture. “Listen, Aaron. I know I’m asking for a lot. I know you don't want to keep anything from the Elders. But I’m just asking you to trust me when I say that they are keeping things from us, too. I cannot tell you what exactly, but like I said last night, Samuel Belmont is out of the picture. We don't know him, we don't talk to him. And as far as Samayan’s concerned, I need more information first before I come out with everything. Can you do that? Can you trust me?”
Loaded silence for a long second, and then Aaron faced me.
“What do you know?”
The conversation between Grandmother and Samayan replayed itself in my mind and I shook my head. “I can't tell you.”
“You want me to go against my own, Star! The least you can do is tell me why.”
“I’m not asking you to go against them. And you don’t get to ask me about secrets when you don’t even tell me what you are.” And I had a fair point.
“I am a shifter, for God’s sake!” he said, dropping his arms to his sides as if he was both exhausted and annoyed.
“Yeah, and I’m a ballerina.”
He held my eyes for a long minute, willing me to break, waiting…and then he sighed and shook his head. “Fine. I’ll keep my mouth shut. But you’re going to have to tell me eventually.”
I grinned. “You, too.” He rolled his eyes but didn’t comment. “And remember: no one knows. Just you and me. So not a word to anyone.”
Aaron agreed, and just when I thought I was going to get some steam off in the training room, Kyle found me before I made it there.
“I’m ready,” he stated with a nod, standing straight with his arms pinned to the sides as if he were a soldier. So reluctantly, I changed direction and took him to the new security room. It was spacious to say the least and Kyle’s computers and all five monitors were neatly placed along the long table mounted on the right side of the wall. Aaron walked ahead as I studied the details: no windows and lots of light bulbs, as expected, but Kyle’s computers were placed with their backs to the door so nobody was going to accidentally see something they were not supposed to.
On the other side,were another four monitors—bigger than Kyle’s—mounted directly on the wall.
“Who are they?” Kyle whispered in my ear, and I turned to see three shifters—judging by their vibes—talking to Aaron.
“Don't know.” But we were going to find out soon. Aaron stopped talking when he noticed us approaching, and he introduced his friends.
“These men are some of the guards I’ve recently appointed,” Aaron said, and it looked like the words tasted really bad in his mouth. Probably because he’d done work his father was supposed to do. “They’re going to monitor the cameras I’ve installed all over the Base through these monitors.” He pointed at the huge ones mounted on the wall.
“I’m going to share my work space?” Kyle whispered in my ear again, panic leaking out of every word.
“Relax. The place is big enough, as you can see. No one’s going to bother you. Except for me.”
The guards were looking at Kyle skeptically, and I raised a brow to warn them. Kyle was my guy. I meant it when I said he wasn’t going to be bothered. And I couldn’t wait to show everybody just how valuable this awesome human was.
“I’m going to need a few minutes with Kyle. Alone,” I said after a second of silence. The guards were eager to leave without a word, but Aaron stayed behind like I expected.
Kyle immediately took his seat in front of his monitors, turning them all on at once. He looked like a little kid ready to unwrap his candy already.
“You need to contact Sam first. See what he has for you and then send word for me immediately. I’ll be in the training room.”
With his lips pressed together, Kyle nodded but never looked up at me. Aaron must have sensed his discomfort because he reassured him again.
“No one’s going to bother you, Kyle. If there’s anything you need, just call for me or Star.”
“Really. Anything at all,”
I repeated with a nod, and when the time came for us to leave, Kyle looked a little more relaxed. Or maybe it was just his computer that made him feel at home when he started working on it.
The new training room was finally ready, and much bigger than I had imagined it would be. The yellow and blue mats filled the floor, and the wooden walls were perfectly polished. We had no mirror there, but the place was wide enough to fit a hundred people. At least fifty were already inside. They all stopped talking when they saw me.
Naomi’s bright red hair and Mike’s huge grin caught my eye, and I found I’d missed them. I’d missed all of them, which was strange. I never missed anyone at Lyndor.
“There she is,” Mike said as he approached us, and hi-fived me with all his strength. My palm burned, but that just made me smile brighter. I loved how strong he was.
“Looking good, big guy,” I said with a wink. He beamed with pride.
“You should’ve seen what I did to Carlos yesterday,” he said. “But I’ll try to do the same today, just so you can see how awesome I am.” His square face barely contained his grin.
“I heard that!” Carlos called from the crowd, and he, too, came to us. So did Naomi and Joshua. They all looked so different from when I first met them. Stronger. More in control of their bodies. I was proud and I didn’t want to hide it.
“Welcome back,” Naomi said. “And FYI, Mike has been a giant pain in the ass while you were away.” When Mike flinched and flipped her off, she added: “Yeah, don't look at me like that. I told you I’d tell.”
“Amen,” Carlos said.
“C’mon, guys. I’m sure you’re just being hard on big Mike.” The guy couldn’t have looked happier if he had the moon in his hands. “We’ve got work to do.”
It seemed that everyone who lived in the Base was there. People I’d trained before and the ones under twenty-one. Ella, Kate and Arturo were there, too.
Because they were all in different levels, I separated them into two groups. Those who’d already trained with me took the right side of the room, and the rest took the left.