Integrity felt a small thrill, whether of excitement or fear she didn't stop to analyze. “Really? Out of here?” Suddenly suspicious, she asked, “Why?”
“I'm bored.” When he saw her frown, he amended, “What does it matter? Do you wanna go or not?”
Integrity pursed her lips, considering. “Promise you'll take me? My dream's not all that fascinating, you know.”
Evan straightened and drew an “X” over his heart. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”
“Oh, that's reassuring,” she muttered.
Did she dare go with him? What if it was some kind of trick? She didn't think he'd kill her, but hurting her or humiliating her were well within the realm of possibility. Then again, he might be as sick of her constant companionship as she was of his. Maybe he was going to leave her somewhere to fend for herself.
Would that really be so bad? she asked herself. If Evan's not going to kill me, neither will anyone else.
“What about Kellin?” she challenged. “I need to see for myself that he's okay.”
“I promise, Kellin will be returned to you. Okay?”
Now that she had no reason to deny his request, she felt her palms begin to sweat. Swallowing hard, clenching her jaw briefly, she closed her eyes and forced herself to say, “Fine. I dreamed that Kellin almost fell into the seal pond at Sea World and a seal was trying to eat him and you drug Kellin away, but you left me there and the seal had his mouth around my head when I woke up.”
When Evan busted up laughing, she peered at him out of one eye, then opened both eyes in indignation. “I told you it wasn't that amazing!” she said, feeling defensive.
“A seal?” he said, mirth breaking the words up. “Are you kidding me? You need to see Kellin because you think a seal is going to eat him?” He laughed some more, then said something unintelligible.
“What? What did you say?” Integrity demanded, not sure she wanted to know the answer.
He struggled to regain control, bending over to clutch his stomach as he continued to laugh. “I said, 'So you were dreaming about me.'” Evan continued to laugh.
7Integrity wanted to be angry, to be offended that he was laughing at her so openly and so forcefully, but she found a smile creeping onto her face. She shoved it back down, thinking sourly, So what if you can see what's so funny? He's laughing at you.
Either the late hour or the infectious nature of his laugh finally broke through her defenses and she laughed once, again, then couldn't stop herself, either. “I'm scared because someone might have taken Kellin to Sea World and they might have let him in and he might have fallen into the seal tank and the seals might decide to eat him,” she laughed. “I think I need more sleep.”
“Not yet,” Evan said, rising to his feet even as he continued to chuckle. “First, there's something I promised to show you. Let's get ready.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Since neither she nor Evan were supposed to be at Westmarch, Integrity could see the necessity of disguises, but she hoping for something a little more than boring, plain clothes and hats. She wanted sunglasses, at least, but knew that, it being the middle of the night, they would only draw more attention where it wasn't wanted. Still...
Adjusting his fedora once again, Evan said, “Just do me a favor and keep quiet if we run into someone, okay?”
Integrity tugged at the suit pants she was wearing, hiking them higher. “Well, you know, us dudes don't have to talk about our feelings and junk,” she said in her “boy” voice. “Only a stupid chick wouldn't know to shut her pie hole.”
Evan rolled his eyes at her. Normally, that would have gotten her dander up, but she was too ramped up to waste energy on being offended. I'm leaving this stupid room! She wanted to jump up and down, but knew that Evan wouldn't appreciate such a display, so she forced herself to slump and act unconcerned, swiping one finger under her nose as she sniffed.
“Just act natural,” Evan said over his shoulder, then opened the door after a slight hesitation and waved her out into the hallway.
Integrity thought her heart would pound out of her chest as she stood there, feeling uncomfortably exposed, while Evan shut the door behind them. After only a moment, he moved forward and jerked his head at her to follow. He was smiling.
They moved off down the hallway, Integrity finding herself following tensely behind him, ready to spring behind him if someone appeared, though what good that would do, she didn't know. She forced herself to move slightly to the side, but she couldn't bring herself to walk beside him. If someone whips out a gun, better for him to get shot than me, she thought wryly. If Bowman's head can get chopped off, Evan can take a bullet. That made her smile. Then she felt guilty—after all, Evan was taking her out, when no one else had.
But what if it wasn't safe to go with him? The thought of anyone getting shot, even someone whom it would hardly affect, let alone kill, turned her stomach. Violence was not her favorite thing. It kind of made her fall apart inside.
But what about Kellin? She still needed to see for herself that he was okay, even if she knew in her head that he was. And, besides, she really did want to go somewhere, anywhere...
They had arrived at their destination far quicker than Integrity had expected—Evan had halted outside of a nondescript, beautifully carved wooden door. He looked at her expectantly. “What?” she finally hissed, not daring to speak aloud.
Inexplicably, Evan kicked the bottom of the door. She flinched automatically, waiting for a loud, everyone-come-see-what's-going-on noise, but instead an inset panel in the door swung inward, then back out. She laughed, then clapped hand over her mouth to silence herself. A dog door! she thought gleefully. I never would have noticed it! It blends in so perfectly!
Evan glanced cautiously up the hallway, then opened the door silently and peered inside. With a grin, he pulled back, opened the door wider, and gestured for her to precede him into the room. All right, this is it, make or break time. Either Kellin will be on the other side, or a death squad. She took a steadying breath, hoping Evan didn't notice, and stepped forward.
Her mouth fell open, but she was too shocked, and happy to even care. Before her eyes spread a veritable Garden of Eden. Indoors. With a waterfall on the left wall. And trees. And grass. And little pathways covered in pieces of bark.
Evan cleared his throat behind her. She scuttled out of the way, realizing she had frozen in place, blocking the doorway. She could only spare a glance at him before she turned her attention back to the rain forest before her. She heard him close the door behind him, and she knew she should say something, but she couldn't think of a single complete sentence, or even a coherent phrase, to utter. Evan laughed again, the pure, true laugh she had heard earlier that night, a laugh she didn't think was possibly from someone as dark and malicious as Evan.
“What is this place?” she asked, in a daze, then shook her head. “I mean, it's nice and all,” she hurried to apologize, finally looking at him again, “but what does any of this have to do with Kellin?”
“Dude,” he replied, kicking the dog door again, setting in swinging.
“Okay, so you guys installed a dog door so he could come in here. That's nice and all, but so, what? That doesn't mean he's important or safe or anything.”
Evan shook his head, a grin playing with his features, changing them. “You don't get it, do you? This wasn't here before Kellin. This was just another room, like all the others.”
Integrity's mouth fell open again, but she snapped it shut. “Okay,” she said slowly, stretching the word out, “that's nice, and all, but did you really have to make something so...beautiful...for a blind dog?” She gestured at the greenery around them.
Evan shrugged. “All of the bathrooms are 'beautiful,' as you put it, at Westmarch.”
Integrity was floored. “This...this...” she waved at the room, “is Kellin's freaking bathroom?”
Evan laughed again. “There's at least one on every level of Westmarch. The building exits are pret
ty spread out, and when a dog's gotta go, a dog's gotta go. When he's the only dog in the world not afraid of us, he gets spoiled.”
Integrity just stood there and opened and closed her mouth, like a beached fish nearing death.
Є
Integrity set the cereal box on the counter and spun around when she heard a snort behind her. Evan stood there, leaning against the door frame casually, arms crossed across his chest. She glanced back to her cereal quickly, uncomfortable. She had spent at least two hours with Evan in the rain forest room, much longer than she had ever spent talking to him before; she felt as though something had shifted and she was still trying to get her balance back. Of course, it didn't hurt that he was wearing that shirt, the one that showed off his biceps far too well...
“What?” she asked, feeling heat rushing into her face. She focused on pouring her cereal into a bowl.
“I'm just astounded that, of all the things you could have for breakfast, you chose Cap'n Crunch. Are you kidding me?”
Integrity set the box down on the counter again, and carefully compressed the inner plastic bag. She wished there were some small hint of cruelty in his tone; she knew how to deal with Evan being a jerk. This Evan, this normal Evan, threw her for a loop.
She forced herself to look at him before she spoke, trying to appear unconcerned. She shrugged. “What's better than good, old-fashioned, sugar-coated kid cereal?” She grabbed a piece out of the bowl and tossed it into her mouth. “Ah, I feel more unhealthy already.”
Integrity moved toward the fridge, but Evan crossed the room in two long strides and pulled the milk out before she could get there. She slid to a stop, then quickly took the jug from him when he held it out to her. She spun away, hearing the door swing shut behind her. If only it was the door to the kitchen, and he was walking through it, she thought ruefully.
Not focusing, she sloshed some milk on the counter. “Crap,” she hissed under her voice, then grabbed a rag from a drawer and mopped it up, tossing it into the sink when she was done. She fished a spoon out of a drawer, and dropped it into her cereal, only now realizing she'd have to eat in front of him, or let her cereal go soggy. I hate eating in front of people, she grumbled, picking up the bowl and turning to face Evan again, leaning back against the counter. She slurped up her first bite, listening to the ridiculously loud crunching. Why won't he say something? she thought, panicked. She swallowed, then said the first thing that popped into her head. “I had a cat that only liked Cap'n Crunch milk.” She froze for a moment, then took another bite, although she felt slightly queasy now. My cat liked Cap'n Crunch milk? What are you, brain damaged? Do you have to be in the middle of a rain forest in the dead of night before you can have a coherent conversation?
“Garvey?” he asked, now leaning against the fridge.
Integrity froze, the spoon halfway to her mouth, milk dripping back into the bowl. Speaking slowly, cautiously, she said, “Uh, yeah, that was his name. How did you know that?” Evan stared at her meaningfully, and she said, quietly, “Oh, yeah, the whole you stalking me thing.”
Obviously changing the subject, Evan asked, “Isn't it bad to give cats milk? I thought it made them sick.”
Integrity shook her head. “Yeah, it gives them some digestive bug or something, but that's beside the point. Garvey died, like, four years ago. How did you know he only liked to lick out my bowl after I'd had Cap'n Crunch?” Evan stood, silent. The bowl felt suddenly heavy, and she set it down on the counter, sloshing milk over the side again. She left the mess there. “You guys were watching me that long ago?”
“I was.” Nothing colored the words, giving any sense of remorse or joy or comfort or confusion; it was merely a statement.
“You? You, specifically?”
Evan nodded silently.
Integrity held up one hand, suddenly feeling like she was on overload. “Why the heck were you watching me when I was,” she did the math, “thirteen?”
“We've had you under surveillance since you were ten. I was assigned to you personally shortly after you turned twelve.”
“Why? Why you?” Integrity asked. “Wouldn't they have sent some grunt to do it, like Paul or Bowman?”
Evan laughed. “I'm sure Paul and Bowman would be thrilled to know you think they're grunts.”
Integrity frowned at him. “Quit changing the subject. Why you? Why me?”
It was Evan's turn to shrug. “You came to our attention as a potential Destine, and my parents were sick of me. It was a convenient excuse to get rid of me.”
“What do you mean, your parents were sick of you? I thought vampire children were basically idols. How did they get sick of you?”
Evan smiled. “Perhaps I have amazing powers of annoyance. Wouldn't you agree?”
Without thinking, Integrity crossed the room and socked him on the shoulder. “Yeah, right now I would!” Realizing what she'd just done, remembering just who he was, Integrity stepped back and looked at the fridge. “Do me a favor?”
“What?”
“Just shut up about this whole stalking thing, 'kay? It's really freaky. Lie to me from now on. Pretend you don't know anything about my life then.”
Evan stuck his hand out into the space between them. Integrity grasped it in a handshake, her eyes dragging up to meet his. “Hello, I'm Evan. And you are?”
She laughed, though she didn't really feel like it. “Integrity. Nice to meet you.”
She had to break the handshake.
Є
“So, I saw Kellin's bathroom,” Integrity tossed out.
Galia straightened from wiping down the weight bench, a look of panic on her face. “You left? You're only safe here, Integrity!”
Integrity held up her hands, stalling the chastisement. “It wasn't my idea. Evan took me.”
“Oh.” Galia turned back to her task, obviously reassured. “As long as you weren't alone.”
“I don't have a death wish, you know,” Integrity said, somewhat petulantly.
Galia shot an apologetic smile over her shoulder. “What did you think of the...facilities?”
Integrity blew air out from between her lips. “Seems like an awful lot for a dog. Did they really build it just for him?”
“Yes, they did. I don't think you comprehend just how unique Kellin is. This has never happened before. Ever.”
“Really?” Integrity asked, giving a distracted sweep of her dust cloth over the ping pong table. “I guess I just have a hard time believing that vampires have anything gentle enough in them to care about an animal as more than a snack.”
Without turning around, Galia responded, “I am a vampire, Integrity.”
Integrity could hear the hurt in her friend's voice. “Oh, my gosh, I'm sorry,” she hurried to apologize. “I guess I forget sometimes.”
“How is that possible? You are the only mortal here. You have seen Paul with Kellin. Do you doubt his actions?”
“No,” Integrity said, chagrined, “how can I? He just might adore that dog more than I do. Might, mind you.”
Galia finished her task and turned to look at Integrity once more. “Why is it that you still think of us as monsters? We are all basically the same.”
Integrity squirmed uncomfortably. “Not all of you. Evan is a rule unto himself.”
Galia sighed. “What makes you think he is so very different?”
Integrity boosted herself up to sit on the ping pong table, letting her legs swing. “You have to admit, the guy is a jerk.”
“I have no reason to admit such a thing,” Galia said. “I know that he killed your parents, but we have gone over his likely reasons for doing so. Cruelty was not one of them.”
“He's constantly arguing with me. I know he can't wait until I'm gone,” Integrity countered.
Galia shrugged delicately. “You have invaded his personal space. Any person would dislike that.” Galia paused for a moment, then gave Integrity an apologetic smile. “It does take two to argue, Integrity.”
“He
always starts it!”
“What was the last argument you had?” Galia asked calmly. “Let us analyze it.”
Integrity kicked the leg of the ping pong table with the heel of one foot. “I don't know. I can't remember,” she grumbled.
Confused, Galia asked, “When did he take you to see Kellin's room? I assumed it was recently.”
Suddenly wishing she had never started this conversation, Integrity muttered, “It was a couple of nights ago.”
“And what did you fight about then?”
Integrity fell into unhappy silence, and Galia turned back to her work, allowing silence to reign once more, obviously assuming that whatever the argument had been about was too embarrassing to discuss.
Integrity grabbed her dust rag from where she'd tossed it on the green table and moved over to the free weights to begin dusting, glad that Galia was letting the subject go. After all, what was she supposed to say? We didn't fight? At all? I even kind of had fun? Not likely.
She didn't want to admit it to herself, but Galia kind of had a point about the whole “it takes two to argue” thing. She analyzed Evan's behavior while they had been in the rain forest room, but she could not, no matter how hard to tried, come up with something he'd done differently. He'd been his normal, obnoxious self, poking fun at her, trying to prod her to anger—the only difference had been her reaction. I was just so stinking happy to be out of this place I didn't care what he said, she mused. I guess I was just more willing to kid around. With a frown, she thought, I dished it right back to him, and he didn't freak out.
Desperate to come up with some other explanation, Integrity began scanning their other fights, studiously avoiding anything to do directly with the death of her parents; there were some things here that she would never be able to fully explain, and it seemed that their death was one of them.
What about when he took Kellin to the vet for an ear infection, then killed her? Paul and Bowman ended up pinning me down because I was going to rip his throat out with my bare hands. She swiped distractedly at a row of hand weights, oblivious to her surroundings. Did he ever yell? Getting desperate, she struggled for another provocation. Did he even tell Paul and Bowman to grab me? Letting her hand fall to her side, not even making a token attempt to clean, she asked herself, Did he even lose his cool? Does he ever lose his cool?
Evan: Book Two of the Destine Series Page 15