For some strange reason, her answer relieved him. It wasn’t that he wanted to lie to the others, but if people knew he was out of action, they’d also know Phoenix was more vulnerable. That was the last thing they needed right now. The fact he felt like a failure was irrelevant; it was her safety he was thinking about.
“Let’s keep it to ourselves for the moment. No need to worry them unnecessarily.”
She raised her eyebrows in surprise but didn’t push further. Instead, she chewed her lip and started pacing. Her eyes flicked nervously to the drawn curtains that hid their room from anyone passing outside the window. Then a hesitant glance in his direction.
“Ethan … Darius called.”
***
Darius stepped through the portal and into his office in the Club of Night. He brushed his hands down his black suit and grimaced at the lingering magic that prickled across his senses. He was growing very tired of jumping every time the Council clicked their fingers. If it wasn’t for the patience he’d cultivated through centuries of planning, he’d have long ago given up the charade of being a loyal puppy.
But perception was everything, and it was important that he control theirs. His Sire had learned the hard way what happened when control was lost; he wouldn’t make the same mistake.
A sharp rap on the door signalled the arrival of his head of security. Raphael’s replacement was a solid wall of muscle and composure. He didn’t have quite the same psychotic tendencies as his predecessor, which ironically made him a better choice to oversee the security of their operations, if a less fun one.
“Erik, tell me you’ve found her.”
The vampire gave a curt nod. “The wolf has been surprisingly efficient in tracking the hybrid and her canine companion. Are you certain the link to his pack is severed?”
Darius steepled his fingers and raised a neatly manicured eyebrow. Maybe it had been worth losing the insanity in his right-hand man for the benefit of clear, intelligent thinking.
“Our tests indicate as much, but keep a close eye on our dear Sean. The Omega’s desire to protect the other wolves does not mean he’s loyal to our cause.”
Another sharp nod.
“What about the demon? Is everything set up for the experiment?”
“All ready to go. You just need to confirm which species you want to use as the host.”
Anticipation pushed away some of his mounting frustration. Which to use? Some were more expendable, but others were more conducive to the final end game.
“Run the first trial on one of the vampires,” he decided. “If they take well, we can proceed straight to the next stage.”
The thought made him shiver with excitement and his fangs descended. He licked the edge of one and cast a quick glance at his Rolex. No time for a treat just yet. Maybe later, once he made sure Phoenix didn’t get herself killed.
“Get me the co-ordinates for the hybrid and have some of our top men on standby. I may need some assistance if Maj arrives before I do.”
“Done.” Erik held the door to the office open for his boss and followed as he headed for the black Mercedes waiting in front of the club. “I take it she didn’t accept your offer of sanctuary?”
Darius’s smile was cold in response. “No, but she’ll soon see the error of her ways. And if she doesn’t, we can always use our leverage to convince her.”
Phoenix eased the bathroom door closed as she slipped quietly back into the bedroom and tried not to disturb Ethan. He was so still on the bed that her gut clenched in a moment of panic before she could focus on the steady beat of his heart. She’d come so close to losing him …
It was a good sign that he’d regained consciousness, but she couldn’t help worry about the ashen tone to his normally tanned skin, and the light sheen of sweat that coated his forehead. Even a brief conversation that afternoon had exhausted him, and he’d been resting since.
“You don’t have to wait until I’m asleep to ogle me,” he mumbled. His lip quirked up in a cheeky grin even as his eyes stayed closed.
She scowled at him and turned to the dressing table to plug in the small kettle. “I just wanted to make sure you hadn’t wussed out on me and kicked the bucket.”
“Aw, would you miss me?” He peeked one eye open and his grin widened, softening his deathly appearance somewhat.
“Yeah, about as much as I’d miss having my fingernails pulled out.”
Ignoring the satisfied look on his face, she grabbed two tea bags and threw them into the paper cups provided by the B&B, before filling both with water. Three sugars later and hers was just how she liked it. Ethan’s she plopped unceremoniously on the bedside table beside him.
He looked up at her with pathetic puppy dog eyes. With a mock sigh, she turned back to the tea station to grab some of the individually wrapped biscuits. She flung two at him, then sat down in the armchair beside the bed, hugging her knees to her as she cradled the tea between her hands.
“Did you manage to reach Abi?”
“Hmm?” She looked at him in confusion for a minute. “Oh, yeah. I called her while you were asleep. They’re getting ready to move to another safe house Nate has organised.”
“You okay?” Ethan’s forehead creased in concern as he watched her.
She gave him a wry smile. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”
Without answering, he shifted over in the bed and shuffled his way up to a semi-reclined position. “Sit. Talk to me.” He patted the empty space beside him.
She bristled at the order and opened her mouth to tell him to get stuffed, but was once again struck by just how fragile he looked. The simple process of clearing a space for her seemed to have worn him out completely as he leaned back against the headboard for support.
Softening, she scooched out of the chair and onto the bed beside him. The bed was large; two singles pushed together and covered with oversized sheets to make it appear as one – assuming you didn’t roll into the dip in the middle. Even still, she was conscious of the heat of his body at her side.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, him getting his strength back from the small effort and her musing on just how fucked up her life had become while pointedly ignoring the way his musky scent made her head swim.
“It couldn’t have been easy hearing his voice.”
Her heart gave a pained spasm as she remembered Darius’s call. She had no doubt left that he was evil, but it seemed her heart still hadn’t quite come to terms with the revelation.
“You know the funny thing? He wanted to help me.” Her laugh was bitter as she leaned against the headboard. “He said the Council was sending the next Mist and he needs me alive.” Her throat burned. “He offered me sanctuary.”
“No!” Ethan lunged forward, his eyes flashing yellow for a split second before he collapsed back.
Her jaw dropped in surprise at his almost feral response. “Well, of course I wasn’t going to take him up on it.” She gave him her best “well, duh” look as she helped him fix the pillow behind his body for support.
He blew out a slow breath with a sheepish grin. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just the thought of him coming anywhere near you …”
His eyes darkened as they examined her face. Uncomfortable with their intensity, she averted her gaze to focus on her fidgeting hands. He wrapped a hand around hers to still their nervous twitching. His one hand was large enough to cover both of hers and so much warmer than her own naturally cool temperature. The heat seeped from his skin into hers, and the chill that had started with the mention of Darius began to ease.
Her instinct was to pull away from the comfort he offered, but the weight of his hand was oddly reassuring. Instead she leaned back against the headboard once more and rested her head next to his.
They sat like that for a while before he turned to her with a puzzled look on his face. “How did he get your number?”
She tensed and pulled her hands from beneath his. The question had been running through
her mind ever since Darius called. Not to mention the still unanswered question of how the Council found them at the last B&B. Only a handful of people knew where they’d be, and those same people were the only ones with her number. The thought made her uneasy in a way she couldn’t quite explain. And it didn’t help that Abi had – hesitantly – raised some concerns when she spoke to her earlier that evening. But she had a strange feeling Ethan wasn’t going to appreciate her thoughts on the subject.
“Only our group have this number. I made sure of it.”
“Well, we know none of them would have given it to him.”
She looked at him, searching for any kind of doubt on his face. There was nothing but certainty.
When she didn’t immediately respond, he frowned. “Surely you don’t think –”
A part of her wanted to just agree with him and shut her mouth. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t think of a way to voice her concerns that wouldn’t piss him off.
“Abi asked me something earlier that got me thinking.” She bit her lip, trying to think past the little voice in her head that was begging her to just stay quiet. “If Shade was turned in Dublin, he’d be under the rule of the Dublin vampire clan, wouldn’t he?”
Ethan shifted away from her ever so slightly, his expression hardening. “What are you saying?”
“I’m not saying anything. I’m just asking a question. He’s never liked me. You can’t deny that.”
“That doesn’t mean he’d ever help Darius.”
“What about the Council?”
A heavy silence followed as she finally voiced the thought that had been niggling at the back of her mind. Ethan was right. It was unlikely Shade would help Darius if he truly had been the one to abandon him. But the Council was a different story. If he helped them, he not only got to ruin Darius’s plans for world domination, but it also had the added bonus of getting rid of her. She could see him jumping for glee at that prospect – or at least cracking a smile.
“There’s a big difference between disliking someone and wanting them dead. Shade has been nothing but loyal,” Ethan eventually responded.
“To you, perhaps.” She clenched her jaw and pushed off the bed. “I should’ve known there was no point trying to talk to you about this. I’m going out. I need some air.”
She grabbed her jacket and flung open the door to the room.
“Phoenix –”
His protest was cut off with the slam of the door behind her.
***
Would it have really killed him to hear me out?
Phoenix shoved her hands into her jacket pocket and bent her head as the wind whipped around her with an angry howl. Trees bowed under the force and heavy, black clouds overhead promised more rain to come.
Hell, even Abi could see Shade had a bad attitude. Not Ethan though. He just thinks Shade’s the golden boy because he didn’t turn into a blood fiend. Well, maybe that’s because someone was keeping him in check all along. Maybe the sob story about his Sire is exactly that – nothing more than a story.
Aimlessly, she followed the dirt path that wound from the back of the B&B to a small lake, her only goal to put some distance between herself and Ethan. The biting wind was sharp against her face and the muddy waters swirled restlessly.
With a low rumble, the sky opened. Fat droplets pelted her from all angles and broke the flat surface of the lake. Within seconds, her hair was plastered to her face and she bore a stark resemblance to a washed-up rat.
Damn you, Ethan.
This was all his fault. If the stubborn fool had been capable of having a mature conversation, she wouldn’t be standing out here freezing her wet arse off. Alone. When lethal assassins were trying to kill her –
Shit, what am I doing?
She sighed and shoved the hair out of her face. The thought of going back really grated on her, but it would be pretty hard to make a point if she ended up dead. She’d just have to suck it up for now … Or hide in the bathroom.
She was about to turn around when a warning prickle ran down her spine. She spun around, braced for an attack, and froze. A tall figure stood under a nearby tree, watching her. His profile was as familiar as her own, and she didn’t have to see his face to recognise him.
Darius.
Her heart did that awful stutter again, and her breath stalled. He made no move towards her, but she found her feet glued to the spot as she stared at the man she’d considered family, and all thoughts of the torrential rain evaporated.
Of course, the water seemed to simply glide off his tailored suit while his black hair held perfectly in place, impervious to the blustery wind. The only thing in any way flawed about him was the subtle hint of scarring on the left side of his face. Scarring she’d caused.
“I thought it was time we spoke in person.” His rich voice reached her despite the distance and the pounding of the rain.
“I’ve nothing to say to you.”
Darius inclined his head and gave her a knowing smile. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that. I came to warn you. The second Mist is on her way. I’d advise you leave quickly. She won’t be as easily deterred as her brother.”
Icy fear ran through her at the mention of the Mist, and she couldn’t stop herself from quickly glancing around.
“I’ve already told you what you can do with your so-called protection.” She crossed her arms defiantly, but inwardly winced at the slight tremor of her voice.
“Indeed. And I’ve no doubt you mean it. For now. But I’m confident that in time you’ll come to me willingly. If I can find you this easily, what chance do you think you stand against the Council?”
His words cut straight to the quick, and she pulled her anger tightly to her as if it could act as a shield from the truth. “How did you find me?” she demanded.
“I have my sources. You really should be more careful who you associate with, you know.”
Her breath caught in her throat and she became deathly still. The niggling suspicion that had been plaguing her sent a chorus of butterflies fluttering around her stomach. Words turned to ash on her tongue as she battled with herself on whether or not to ask the next question. She already knew she couldn’t trust a word he said, but she couldn’t help herself; she needed to know.
“He’s one of yours, isn’t he? It was you that sired him.”
Darius said nothing, just gave her a knowing smile. She felt an insatiable urge to put a fist through his smug face.
A loud rumble rolled through the sky, and a flash of lightning struck the ground mere feet from where she stood. She jumped back in surprise, adrenaline shooting through her as she prepared again for an attack. None came.
Just as suddenly as it had begun, the rain stopped, and when she looked towards Darius again, she found nothing other than an empty space where he’d stood.
Ethan leaned his head back against the headboard and closed his eyes. He growled, not even sure who he was more frustrated with, himself or Phoenix. No, Phoenix. It was definitely Phoenix.
She was so bloody stubborn. Trying to make her see sense was like talking to a brick wall. Only the brick wall didn’t talk back. Was it really so hard for her to try see the good in people? Or at least see something other than the worst?
A bone-deep weariness filled him, and his whole body felt heavy. It had been almost twenty-four hours since the Mist’s attack, and the slightest movement still left him panting for breath. His body should have healed by now.
The Mist. Shit! He bolted upright, sluggish brain cells finally making the connection. Phoenix was out there alone and the next Mist was coming.
His heart hammered in his chest as he pushed the blanket off and swung his legs over the side of the bed. The room swam and the edges of his vision turned black. He closed his eyes and took slow, deep breaths until the world stopped tilting.
Luckily, he was already wearing jeans and a t-shirt because he didn’t think he had the energy to get dressed. He just had to put shoes on; that should
be easy enough.
As he bent to retrieve one of his shoes from under the bed, he toppled forward, only just managing to catch himself on the armchair. Not so easy after all.
A couple of minutes, and a lot of cursing later, he had shoes on his feet and had somehow managed to stumble outside. Heavy black clouds hung overhead and rain soaked him through in seconds. The chill permeated his very core, but he used the cold to focus his foggy thoughts.
One step at a time, he moved sluggishly forward. The wind felt like a wall of resistance against him, and by the time he reached the dirt track, he was forced to stop. He panted as he leaned against a tree for support. Leaves rustled above his head and a large crow landed on the ground in front of him. Strange red eyes watched him with an eerie intelligence that made him freeze. He’d seen those eyes before.
The air around the crow shimmered, and Ethan blinked against the rain that blurred his vision. Between one blink and the next, the crow disappeared. In its place stood a black wolf with the same red eyes.
His own wolf stood to attention, and when the black wolf turned and trotted down the path towards the nearby lake, he gritted his teeth and stumbled along after it. More than once, his vision turned black, but his instincts screamed at him to push on. One foot in front of the other: left, right, left, right.
Exhaustion was like a leaden blanket draped over him, and each blink he took seemed to last longer than the previous. He was dimly aware of Phoenix’s voice in the distance, but he couldn’t make out what she was saying. Who was she talking to?
He tried to call out, but his words were swallowed by a crash of thunder. And then the world went black.
***
Phoenix held her breath as her eyes scanned the clearing around her. Darius would reappear any second. Or, if not him, the Mist. She was sure of it.
A minute passed. Then two. Nothing.
The longer she waited for the hammer to fall, the more tense she became. Had she really seen him at all? Maybe her overactive imagination was playing tricks on her, or she’d just finally lost her marbles.
2 Minutes to Midnight: Urban Fantasy Midnight Trilogy Book 2 Page 11