by Rye Brewer
My heart swelled, and I threw my arms around him without thinking about it. After a moment’s pause, I felt his arms wrap around me.
He held me, stroking the top of my head, and I made a promise to myself that I would come back to him.
Felicity cleared her throat, and I stepped away from my father.
The spell caster entered—I wasn’t sure what to expect, and was glad to see just another fae like any of the rest. A little older, maybe, but the same otherwise. I closed my eyes as he cast the spell, speaking ancient words I didn’t understand. I waited to feel different, but when the spell was finished, I was unchanged. That made sense—I didn’t feel any different when the old spell wore off, did I?
“How do I know when the enchantment starts to fade?” I asked when I opened my eyes. “I didn’t know last time.”
Gregor’s rueful smile told me what I needed to know before he even said a word. “You’ll know when they start hunting you again.”
32
Philippa
I’d gathered the vampires of our clan downstairs in the basement.
“Thank you for meeting here with me again on such short notice.” I looked around the assembly room at the hundreds of faces looking back at me, intent, waiting for instructions. “I know things have been up in the air lately, and I hope we can manage to settle them soon.”
Scott was there, standing up front. It was good to see him, good to know he supported me. Once he had come back with Sara—they had gone looking for Gage, after all—we’d discussed what I should say next. I had to be diplomatic, careful with the words I used. I didn’t want to start a war or even a skirmish.
“I wanted you all to know that Gage has been found.”
I braced myself for the flow of questions, exclamations, demands to know more. It was natural. They wanted to know where he was. Of course, they did. I waited for it to die down before I said another word.
“He’s all right,” I told them, holding my hands up to get them to quiet down. “I’ve seen him myself, and we talked, and he’s well. We can call off the search. Thank you all for the work you put into looking for him.”
“What about Jonah?” one of them called out, and a chorus of voices joined in.
My heart sank.
“I’m sure he’s fine, too. There’s nothing to worry about.” I only wished I believed that. I understood it was important to tell them what they needed to hear, even if it wasn’t necessarily true.
Jonah. Where are you? I need you right now. I need my big brother, my best friend. I need you with me. Why did you walk away? Weren’t we important to you anymore?
I couldn’t help but look at Scott again, and his smile bolstered me a little. I could rely on him, at least for the time being. When he wasn’t wrapped up in Sara. My eyes fell on her, too, since she was right beside him. Where else would she be? I couldn’t help noticing that there was something different about her, even if I couldn’t put my finger on just what. She looked the same—same face, same hair, that sort of thing. Maybe it was the expression on her face, or the way she carried herself. Her head was a little higher than usual, her shoulders back a little further. She was more confident. Maybe that was it. I couldn’t quite figure it out.
I looked back out at the crowd. “Thanks again. If anything else further develops, I’ll let you know.” They didn’t look satisfied, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was letting them down, but there was nothing else for me to do. I watched as they walked away and hoped I didn’t do something wrong.
Scott helped me down from the table, and I considered asking if him Sara was all right but then thought twice about it. He might accuse me of being catty, when that was the last thing I was trying to be. I only wanted to be sure she was all right—if she was spending time with my brother, I needed to know she was okay.
“You did a good job,” he said.
“I wish I felt like I did.” I looked around at the dispersing crowd and remembered the last time I’d spoken to them like that, when I sent them out to look for my brother. Then, I’d felt a strong energy coming from them. We had been together, united in a task. I’d felt strong and capable. All I felt just then was like a failure.
Vance had been there that first time. I couldn’t help scanning the room for him, looking for his hoodie. I almost wished he had sneaked in to watch me again. But no. I didn’t see him as the room emptied out. My heart sank even further. I wasn’t sure it could get any lower than it was.
“We’re going back up to the penthouse. You coming?” Scott took Sara’s hand. I couldn’t help feeling a little jealous. They had each other. All I had was over-possessive Sledge and Vance, who I’d left at the cathedral. He might have been torn to ribbons by that vampire’s claws for all I knew. She seemed like the type.
I considered it, then shook my head. “I don’t think so. I need to walk. There’s too much up here right now.” I pointed to my head.
“Are you sure you’ll be safe?”
“Plenty sure. I’ll see you later.” I walked out, desperate for fresh air. As fresh as it could get in Manhattan, anyway. I went straight to the hall just off the assembly room, running my hand along the wall as I did. I was alone. Nobody saw when I found the single brick that was out of place. I pressed that brick and a doorway opened up, a segment of the wall sliding back to reveal the alley beside the building. With one more look around me, I slipped out, closing the wall behind.
“Took you long enough.”
I jumped in surprise, whirling around with a hand over my chest, my teeth bared.
Vance smirked down at me, and I wished my heart wouldn’t skip a beat every time he appeared like that.
“Thanks for scaring me half to death,” I breathed, bending a little at the waist with my hands on my knees. “Was that your plan?”
“Something like that.” There was no humor in his voice.
“Well, thanks. And thanks for potentially stirring up trouble by being here.” I stood, placing my hands on his chest with the intention of pushing him away.
Instead, he caught my wrists and held them tight. We stared each other down for what felt like forever, with me wishing all the while that the butterflies in my stomach would calm down.
He released me, taking a step back. I looked him up and down with a smirk.
“Where’s your girl?” I asked.
“Where’s your guy?”
I winced. “Why are you here?”
His expression changed. He wasn’t trying to antagonize me anymore. That one little shift was enough to strike fear in my heart.
“He’s gone.”
“What?” My pulse froze. “You mean Gage?”
He nodded. “I thought you’d want to know.”
“I don’t get it.” And I had just told everyone inside that he was safe. Damn it. I leaned against the wall, one hand on my forehead. It was all too much. “Where would he go? Do you know? Did he tell you?”
“Remember, I wasn’t even supposed to know he was there. He would never tell me where he was going.”
I stood up straight and tall, hands on my hips. “Oh, really? You don’t know what your father did to him?”
He blinked. “What makes you think he did anything? What’s this all about?”
I tried to decide if he meant it, or if he was just playing dumb. He was pretty good at that. But no, I knew him well enough to know when he meant it. And he meant it. He had no idea what I was talking about. He still thought his father was honorable. I had the feeling his bubble would burst someday soon.
“I can’t believe this. He wouldn’t run. Not after…” I stopped speaking when I realized how close I was to revealing his plan. “It’s just impossible,” I muttered. How would I find him? Who was he with? It was sheer luck that brought me to him in the first place.
Vance shrugged. “I’m only telling you what I know. Like I said, I thought you would want to know, too.” He turned like he was ready to leave.
I couldn’t let him go li
ke that, so I reached out and touched his arm.
“Why are you moving to New York? I mean, really. Why are you doing it?” I wanted him to tell me he was breaking free of his father. After what Gage told me, I hated to think of Vance being part of his clan’s business even by name.
“Will you keep it a secret?”
The breath caught in my throat. Not what I had expected to hear. “Sure.”
He looked around like he was making sure we were alone before replying. When he did, he leaned closer. I was up against the wall. I could go no further. He placed one hand just above my head and loomed over me. I hated the way my knees went weak.
“I’m taking a position with the League’s Special Ops Unit.”
I was speechless. Law enforcement? Special Ops? Him? Talk about the last vampire I would ever consider a candidate for a position like that. When I regained the ability to speak, I sputtered, “Why’s it a secret?”
He pressed his lips together, sighing through his nose. “Because I’ll be undercover.”
“Undercover?” That added a whole other level to the job. I was a little worried for him—it sounded rather dangerous. “Does your father know?”
He shook his head. “He would try to block it if he did. I know him.”
“How can he not know? He’s head of the League, right?”
“Right, but only the identity of the head of the Special Ops Unit is known to the League. It’s an old rule they put in place ages ago. It keeps the members of the unit from potential corruption or collusion.”
Well, that made me a lot more confident in the leadership we had in place. Was there even a potential for such a thing? Would they stoop to collusion or worse, if necessary?
He continued. “Meanwhile, on the inside, we only know the other guys on our team and the one member we answer to directly. Our handler. Otherwise, the way the organizational ladder isn’t something we’re privy to. They keep us in the dark for a reason.”
“Wow,” I breathed. It was the only thing that seemed to sum up how I felt. Undercover. Secrecy. It was enough to take my breath away.
“Now you know. And like I said, I expect you to keep it a secret.”
I nodded, chewing my lip. “There’s one more question I need you to answer.” When he nodded, I asked, “Will you be in danger?”
A smile played over his lips. “And if I said yes, would that persuade you to see me again? You know, just in case something were to happen?”
I had to laugh. “You’re the worst, you know? You can never drop it, can you?”
“No, ma’am.”
I looked him in the eye, prepared to tell him off once and for all. That little performance in the tower had only reminded me of why I’d dumped him. But instead of exploding on him like I wanted to, a single tear overflowed onto my cheek.
“We already tried once, remember?” I asked in a shaky voice. I felt my chin trembling as I struggled to maintain composure. “I won’t be a fool twice. Do you understand what I’m trying to say? For once and for all. I won’t let you hurt me again.”
He gave me a sad, knowing little smile as he touched the tear that had landed on my cheek.
I gasped a little in the back of my throat at the surge of electricity that passed between his fingertips and my face.
I wanted his touch more than anything, except never letting him hurt me again.
He didn’t say a word, not even to defend himself. He only slid his finger over my skin as he trailed the tear down to my jaw.
Epilogue
Vance
I took off, leaving her behind, and with her I left the key to my heart, to my soul.
This redheaded beauty I gave my heart to ages ago kills me. She just downright kills me.
I never cheated on Philippa. Hell, I couldn’t have. Not a chance.
But I had to get her out of my life at that point. I had to do what I needed to in order to keep her safe from anyone who meant her harm.
So I let her think I cheated. I’ve always let her think that.
Things have changed now.
Now, I can be with her and I know I can keep her safe.
Except now there seems to be another foe in the competition for her heart—Sledge.
I punched at a brick wall, wishing it were the burly vampire who clearly was head over heels for my girl.
She’d always be my girl.
Hopefully, one day she’ll see it.
Afterword
I hope you enjoyed Redemption! I can’t wait to bring you the next book in this series!
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Copyright © 2017 by Rye Brewer
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