After the last buyer leaves, the footage is crazy. Rocks is flying across to the air vent. I try to stay calm when Dad comments again that he’s so surprised Rocks wasn’t seen or heard swinging around in the rafters. Good Lord.
My heart nearly jumps right out of my chest when a black material covers the lens before the video stops. It’s his wing membrane, and I pray silently nobody will guess. Rocks rests a reassuring hand on my shoulder from behind. When the video starts again, he’s filming from inside the air vent. The grill partially obscures the view, but what we witness is horrible to say the least. Enzo, Johnson, and two other beefcakes beat the living crap out of Brick. Enzo is recorded saying he knows and has evidence that Brick has been approached by the Feds.
Brick—the spitting image of Rambo—actually turns sheet-white. I never would have believed that hulking man was capable of feeling fear. Enzo yells and screams more accusations. Brick denies everything, but his face isn’t calm. Enzo effing knows. He walks out of camera shot, and when he returns, he’s holding a tire iron.
“Boss, I didn’t tell ‘em anything.”
They argue back and forth about Sophia. It takes a second for Kelly to join the dots and realize I have a sister, and it’s not Mini. Her quick glance at me over her shoulder speaks volumes.
“If you told the Feds she didn’t witness those cops get murdered, I’ll tear you to pieces,” Enzo screams. “What I want to know is how you found out she was with me that night? There must be another rat in my walls.”
“Christ,” Dad exclaims. He takes hold of Mom’s hand and gives her a who-the-hell-are-we-dealing-with look.
Josie is as calm as a lake on a windless day. She suggests we fast-forward this section, and nobody protests. No wonder Brick didn’t show up this morning. If he’s still breathing, it will be a small miracle because the beating he took looked lethal.
The video cuts out again. Rocks explains he had to wait for two and half hours before everyone left the warehouse—except the two armed thugs on nightshift. He watched Johnson arm the alarm panel, and discovered there are no sensors between the rafters and the office. The only area with motion sensors is the coffee distribution area.
“The next part shows copies of all the journals,” Rocks explains. He said he was sweating so hard removing the vent grill without making a noise.
“These books have every transaction in them that Enzo makes,” I explain. “It’s the money coming in and going out. If the Feds can connect the faces from earlier to the code names, then they’ve got his whole operation in the bag.”
Josie’s smile is nothing short of beautiful. It occurs to me I’ve never seen her smile before. Last year during both my visits, she was majorly pissed. And here, she’s been the epitome of stern control. She really is pretty when she relaxes those hard facial muscles and smiles. I guess her life hasn’t given her a hell of a lot to be happy about. A shiver runs down my spine imagining her telling Enzo she was leaving him, secretly pregnant with me.
Brave woman.
Rocks has videoed the bagging room with the stack of waiting, uncut bricks wrapped in plastic. He gets all the materials showing the Feds the clever ways Enzo moves his product. When the screen goes black, Dad wraps a protective arm around Mom. I view their relationship with new eyes after hearing how they met and fell in love. Even though I’m sure it will be hard for him to see his daughter trapped, my father stays strong and supports the love of his life.
The video starts, and Mini’s sleeping body fills the screen. Rocks must be still up in the air vent from the angle.
“I couldn’t risk going in there,” he says, almost reading my mind. “If she woke up …” What he doesn’t say is “and screamed,” then an unconscious bat on the floor would have raised the alarm.
Mom turns in her chair and grips his hand. “Thank you.”
“I also don’t think I could have left her there, if I got any closer.”
That cracks Mom’s control and she burst into tears. Mom watches the forty-two seconds of Mini sleeping soundly four times before Dad intervenes. Josie powers down her machine, sliding it into her bag.
As Josie moves to leave, my chest constricts. This could be the last time I ever see her. I adore my folks, but Josie has shown me a side of herself that I’m actually proud of. It’s the part of who I am that will allow me to hold my head up high. My blood isn’t totally tainted. Half of me isn’t so bad when push comes to shove.
I tune out Mom’s gushing words of thanks, while I focus on Josie. She meets my eyes and smiles.
“Stay by the phone. The Feds will move quickly when they know a child is at risk.”
23. The Cull
“Tell me about Joey,” I whisper. Mom and Dad are camped at the kitchen island with a pot of coffee and the cordless. I know they won’t come up, but I still can’t seem to relax.
Rocks’ body language is off-kilter. His muscles are tense, but his shoulders sag. “Strickland would nail my wings to the wall if he ever found out.”
“What?” He isn’t making any sense.
An emotion I only see on Rocks when Strickland is present is guilt. When he’s alone with me in my world, it fades. He relaxes and doesn’t feel the pressure to be one thing or another—a bat or a guy—but right now, he’s oozing guilt in quantities that would rival mine over the past month.
“Rocks, what? You’re freaking me out.”
“I chose your family … over mine.”
Oh, fucking hell.
When my brain works out what he’s talking about, I suck in a breath.
He stayed to film Enzo to free Mini, instead of following the Camazotz who tried to kill him.
“Thank you.” I rub his knee. No words can convey how much this means to me. Nothing is enough. “Thank you,” I repeat. He smiles, but there’s doubt in his midnight blue eyes. “This doesn’t mean you’re a bad Shadows’ member. You made a hard choice, but this shouldn’t make you doubt yourself.”
I might not know much, but I know this boy takes responsibility for things that are not his concern, and maybe that’s what it takes to be a good leader.
“But the betrayal … ” His head falls into his hands.
“You’re not alone. I get it. I betrayed Enzo.”
“Not the same.” He frowns.
“It’s not the same, but Enzo will see it as pure betrayal. You chose your adopted family over blood.” He nods and a small smile appears because I acknowledged his love for my family. “Well, so did I.”
Rocks frowns again, thinking on my words. “It’s hardly the same.”
“Why? Mini’s life was at stake, and Enzo was asking me to be someone I’m not. You didn’t have a choice either. You saved Mini and me and my whole family by getting that footage. And your blood has been forcing you to be something you don’t want to be your whole life. It’s not that different really. I don’t want you feeling guilty for something you had no choice about. Should I feel guilty about Enzo?”
“No, he’s a criminal.”
“But he’s still my blood. Life is full of hard decisions. That’s what Enzo taught me, but once you make a decision, you can’t torture yourself over it.” I squeeze his hand.
“I know it was the right thing to do, but the Sire … he’d …” Rocks flicks his hair back. “He can never find out.”
“He won’t.” Rocks kisses my hand.
“I feel more at home here than I do at the colony, but … then the guilt sets in. I can’t win.”
“Guilt for being here?”
He nods. “If they knew … If your parents knew what I am, I’d probably never be left alone with Mini ever again.” Sadness flickers in his eyes for only a brief second. “They thought I could kidnap her, imagine what they’d think if they knew I was a vampire bat, too.”
My heart aches for the gorgeous soul beside me. I shudder at the thought of how Chad and Kelly would react if they really knew Rocks. Yet again, he’s left with only more confusion about who he should be.
> Promising to keep Rocks safe from his father’s wrath is easy. Last night when Rocks arrived at the warehouse, just before he started filming, there was already a group handing over a duffle to Enzo. Rocks was too busy trying to use his claw to switch on the GoPro that it took him a moment to recognize Joey talking with Enzo.
Joey—the mystery, killer Camazotz—is in business with Enzo Ascari.
My lungs begin to wheeze as I reach for my inhaler on the bedside table. What about the Vipers? Is Joey working for Enzo to get inside information on his rival distributors? How did this bat get into not one, but two drug rings? And where does the Camazotz cull fit into all of it?
“I have no idea,” Rocks says softly. Blinking, I realize I asked those questions out loud. “It doesn’t make any sense. I won’t ever regret that I stayed to record the meetings—that was too important to miss—but I, I can’t help wonder—”
“What if,” I finish for him. He nods. What would we know about Joey if Rocks was able to follow him last night and find out where he’s from? “Do you think he’s not part of a colony? Maybe he’s the rogue?” I ask.
“How could he have time to attack all those humans, get into the inner circle of two drug organizations, and work with the government on the cull if he didn’t have support? It’s very rare for Camazotz to leave their colony and not join another.”
“Either Duskwing are lying to protect him, or he’s part of Muerte. Right?”
“All I know is someone is lying, and it’s not the Shadows. Cypress cleared the Muerte. I was sent with him when that happened, so it all points to Duskwing. What I don’t get is that Moondust is a good man. He would never let this happen if he knew about it.”
* * * * *
At eight p.m., Dad answers the call.
Mom is out the door and waiting by the car before he’s disconnected. The Feds have Mini in custody and need the folks to head downtown to collect her. When I hear she’s safe, my stomach growls in celebration. I can’t remember the last time I ate a meal because I was hungry, or one that was less than 70 percent sugar.
Since we are staying put while they go to collect Mini, we might as well eat. I hand over our take-out menu folder and study Rocks as he methodically sifts though each and every dish available. I devour half a packet of cheese puffs, so I don’t pass out waiting for him to decide. Rocks asks for pretzels after sampling my snack and continues his methodical dinner research, since in his opinion, he’s missed too many aeronaught meals.
I let him dial and order, which is another first we share, and at the mention of a first, we end up a tangle of arms and legs on the couch making out until the doorbell ringing separates us.
It’s the first time my stress levels have returned to the less shitty zone. I’m betting they won’t return to hormonal-teenager level until I’m sure my boyfriend won’t be exterminated by the local county pest control, and Mini is back in this house.
When the folks return with Mini around midnight, Mom insists it’s too late for Rocks to head up to the mountains. Paperwork and more police interviews, followed by a hospital check-up was what kept them so long.
Mom is glowing. Dad is a proud papa bear. And Mini isn’t left alone for a single second.
“Rocks,” she exclaims when her excited eyes land on the dark, midnight boy.
She throws her arms out, almost propelling herself out of my arms in his direction. Little does she know that Rocks is the reason she’s home. He saved her. It was a team event, but without his Camazotz side, none of us could have recorded what he had access to last night.
“You brought her home, you know?” Mom and Dad both look his way when I speak. Mini is trying to grab the red bar above his eyebrow.
“No, I didn’t.”
“Uh-huh, did so.” I give him the look, and silently tell him it was the side of him that confuses him the most that saved my sister.
“We did it together.”
He’s so gracious he has difficulty accepting praise when it’s due. I guess he’s never had much practice with how Strickland treats him. His whole life he’s been on the receiving end of looks of disappointment, disapproval, and rejection.
“All go well?” I ask Dad.
He nods. “They wouldn’t tell me who their tip off was from, but they said they have enough evidence on Enzo and his colleagues to put them away for a very long time.”
“No mention of me?” I wipe my palms on my jeans.
“None. Josie delivered as promised. I guess only time will tell if Enzo wants to incriminate you. Apart from him, there’s no link between the two of you. Nothing official or on record.” He smiles and I notice the new lines across his brow. The last four weeks have taken their toll, but Mini is safe, and it’s time to celebrate.
“Hey, Happy Easter!” I say looking from one shocked face to the next.
“Oh my goodness, no, it can’t be!” Mom exclaims in a fit of panic.
“Yep, the bunny comes tonight, Mini.” Her eyes light up with joy while Rocks’ fill with confusion.
“I’m off to Walmart,” Mom announces, patting down Dad’s pockets for the keys. He tries to convince her it doesn’t matter, but she insists that two Easter baskets will not be empty in the morning, and that the Phillips will celebrate Mini’s return in home-cooked heaven.
“Can you tell Bunny we have three baskets this year?”
Mom grins at my request as her eyes dart to Rocks.
“Three,” Mini says, holding up five fingers.
Rocks needs to experience Easter first hand. The fact my parents still lay out eggs for me during the night is to keep the myth alive for Mini, and so long as I’m getting free chocolate, I’m happy to play along until she’s my age. Rocks will definitely be on board.
* * * * *
Easter Sunday, long before the sun’s rays break the stark darkness, I sneak down the corridor. My heart can’t keep me away a moment longer. Our separation has taken its toll, and I need some time without the folks hovering.
In Mini’s room, I stand guard over her sleeping form. I can’t help myself. My sister is home and I need reassurance that she isn’t damaged by her ordeal. The rocking chair is too far away, so I crouch beside her crib and memorize the details of her precious little face. When the birds begin to chirp and my toes have lost all feeling, she stirs. Her tiny eyelids flutter once, then twice before her open eyes land on mine.
Her megawatt smile is enough to tear my heart in two and mend it with the very next beat.
“Nee,” she coos, sleepy eyed, before getting to her feet and holding up her arms.
The smile never falters and relief floods my system. Emotions I didn’t know needed to be released burst free as I grab her, wrapping her in my embrace and start to sob. My sister is safe and her innocent youth prevents her from holding me responsible for her ordeal. Somewhere deep down inside, I thought she was going to recognize I’m not her sister, but a stand-in that causes trouble by the truck load.
“Hello, gorgeous girl,” I whisper against her temple. I jig her up and down and slowly make a circle of the room. “I love you, little one. I love you so much I swear on the blood in my veins and in yours that I will never let anything happen to you as long I live. I swear it, Jasmine. You are mine, and I will protect you from any evil that ever comes near you. You’re the only sister that matters to me.”
Mini sits back and her tiny finger presses into my chest. “Sister,” she repeats with her toothy grin. “Nee, my sister.”
“Yes, darling girl, I’m your big sister and that’s the way it’s going to stay.”
“Ma-ma,” she announces. Turning around I see Mom wiping her eyes from the doorway.
“I’m so proud of you, Connie. I never got a chance to tell you, but you went up against that evil man to keep her safe and then brought her home. Your father and I still can’t believe it. You held it all together while we fell apart. I love you so much. Thank you for being you.”
My sobs from earlier make another appeara
nce. She loves me just the way I am. She’s not embarrassed or ashamed at the identity of my parents.
“Thanks, Mom. I love you too.”
My Easter morning only gets better. Next, I witness a phenomenon that absolutely must be added to our growing list of firsts.
Rocks is wearing blue.
I didn’t realize how accustomed I was to seeing him in black, red, or grey. The royal blue, long-sleeved Henley looks ah-mazing, but so out of place at the same time. Rocks, the aeronaught. If I grow up to be half as organized as Kelly, then I’ll be a force to be reckoned with. She remembered Rocks wouldn’t have a change of clothes for lunch today and got him a shirt during her Easter raid at the store. It was folded up at the bottom of his basket.
Part of me loves seeing Rocks in a color so vibrant, but it’s like he’s lost part of himself. It’s odd how much our species identify with our clothing and what it announces to the world. The mystery has lessened around him, but those shadows go way deeper.
“What do you think?” Rocks says outside my bedroom. I scan him from head-to-toe.
“You look good but different.”
“Good, huh? Better than the vest?” He wiggles his eyebrows.
“Never.” I grab a handful of cotton and pull him down for a quick kiss while we’re alone.
The Phillips Easter ritual starts with an egg hunt in the backyard. Rocks chases Mini from shiny egg to shiny egg, allowing her to swoop in on the prize just before him each time. Her basket is overflowing, while ours are pathetically lacking. Nobody is gonna deny that kid after what she’s survived.
“Bailey would be in heaven with this,” he whispers when he gets close. “A magic rabbit that brings chocolate? Her dragon might go down a notch or two.” He winks.
Despite the fact that my aeronaught gifts are contraband, I pack up an Easter basket for Bailey, and one for Moonshiner too. Rocks is laying on my bed rubbing his sore belly, watching me load my backpack. Easter lunch was up there with Thanksgiving this year. How Mom managed to produce so many dishes in the last twelve hours is a modern mystery of the universe.
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